TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Douglas J. Hewett, ICMA-CM, City Manager
FROM: Jeffrey Yates, Assistant City Manager
Kemberle Braden, Chief of Police
Kimberly Leonard, CLGBO, CLGFO, CPA, MPA,
Budget and Evaluation Director
DATE: January 13, 2025
RE:
Title
Adoption of Special Revenue Fund Project Ordinance to Appropriate the FY24 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Program Award
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Safe and Secure Community
Executive Summary:
The City has been awarded grant funding for fiscal year 2024 for the Fayetteville Police Department, through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) program award in the amount of $1,000,000. Council is asked to adopt Special Revenue Fund Project Ordinance 2025-15 to appropriate these funds for the FY24 SAKI program.
Background:
The funding received from the FY24 SAKI grant will give the Fayetteville Police Department the sustainability to investigate cases that may have gone cold previously due to leads being exhausted in the investigation. Additional funding to support overtime pay for case investigations, additional staffing to assist with investigations, specialized prosecution, genetic genealogy testing, continued advocacy, and proper training, are all essential to continuing efforts to provide closure for our survivors of sexual assault.
By continuing to retain a full-time specialized Cold Case Sexual Assault Prosecutor, cold cases will continue to be reviewed, prepped, and successfully prosecuted; these cases could otherwise be deferred by current Assistant District
Attorneys that already have large backlogs of active cases. In addition, by having a dedicated cold case prosecutor, victims will be ensured a thorough and timely prosecution so they may receive the closure they deserve.
A portion of the funding will be utilized to facilit...
Click here for full text