From
Fred Bates, Jr.
Title
Ratification of an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Dallas to cooperate in the "Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force" grant program awarded by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) through their Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) under the Federal Missing and Exploited Children's Program; The City of Dallas has agreed to reimburse a sum not to exceed $4,000 to the Grand Prairie Police Department
Presenter
Daniel Scesney, Assistant Chief of Police
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
The crimes of sex trafficking, child solicitation and child pornography have become pervasive in that they affect the social fabric of many communities throughout the country. The Internet has increasingly become the platform of choice commonly used by offenders to recruit and further their predatory actions. Due to the pervasiveness and proliferation of these criminal acts on the Internet, law enforcement agencies; on the local, state, and federal level have decided to collaborate through multi-jurisdictional task forces to bring a comprehensive detection and enforcement solution to the problem.
The Grand Prairie Police Department, along with other local agencies, has joined with the City of Dallas to collaborate under a grant entitled “Internet Crimes Against Children” (Grant Number 2016-MC-FX-K034). This collaborative grant requires the Department to provide staff and resources to prosecute Internet crimes against children within its jurisdiction through September 30, 2018.
On October 1, 2017, the City of Grand Prairie and the City of Dallas began cooperating and participating together in the Department of Justice grant that targets child solicitation and child pornography over the Internet in the State of Texas. The City of Dallas, in consideration for the services of the Grand Prairie Police Department, has agreed to reimburse the Department for expenses (a sum not to exceed $4,000) incurred for partial salary of the grant-sponsored position, overtime, training, travel, and/or equipment as deemed necessary and appropriate by the Department for operations to combat Internet-related crimes against children.
Vernon’s Texas Statues and Codes Annotated (VTCA), Local Government Code 791, The Texas Interlocal Cooperation Act, provides that any one or more local governmental entities may contract with each other for the performance of governmental functions and for the joint use of facilities or services for police protection and for the promotion and protection of the health and welfare of the inhabitants of this State and the mutual benefit of the parties.
Staff recommends ratifying this mutual Interlocal Agreement with the City of Dallas to enhance the detection and prosecution of these Internet crimes against children.
The Public Safety, Health and Environmental Committee reviewed this item on April 30, 2018, and recommended that it be forwarded to the City Council for approval.
Financial Consideration
None