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C . <br /> DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT <br /> MEMORANDUM#03-30 <br /> June 11, 2003 <br /> TO: Mayor Paul Osborne and City Council <br /> Steve Garman, City Manager +(�ti2.�(V� <br /> FROM: Mark Barthelemy, Chief of Police� <br /> SUBJECT: Ordinance Authorizing Expenditures from the Drug Fund(Fund 02} <br /> SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION: Staff requests that Council pass the proposed <br /> ordinance authorizing the Chief of Police, the City Manager and the Mayor to concurrently approve <br /> expenditures from the police department Drug Fund(Fund 02)exceeding$5000 per item. <br /> BACKGROUND: The Decatur Police Deparhnent has an established fund(02-40000)where <br /> all proceeds from court forfeited fines and seized money are deposited. State law allows the department to <br /> spend the proceeds only on items directly related to narcotics enforcement. Past examples of expenditures <br /> are for drug test kits, narcotics training for officers, covert vehicles, night vision equipment, video and audio <br /> surveillance supplies, computers used by drug enforcement officers and support personnel, etc. <br /> Due to the necessary covert nature of narcotics enforcement, it is not prudent to publicly disclose <br /> expenditures from the drug fund for enhanced surveillance capabilities or purchase of undercover drug <br /> surveillance vehicles, among other items. Due to the complex technical nature of some surveillance items <br /> and the cost of vehicles, some of the necessary expenditures exceed$5,000, currently requiring Council <br /> pre-approval. Since the Council's business must be conducted in the public eye,the future effectiveness of <br /> any such expenditures is significantly compromised by our current system. I, <br /> RECOMMENDATION: In order to avoid compromising the effectiveness of future expenditures I! <br /> from the Drug Fund, staff recommends the Council authorize all expenditures exceeding$5,000 per item to ' <br /> be suggested by the Chief of Police to the City Manager and authorized only after concurrent approval of i, <br /> the City Manager and the Mayor. This provides scrutiny and control over such expenditures not only from I, <br /> the administrative level, but also from the elected governing body. <br /> POTENTIAL OBJECTION: None anticipated. <br /> STAFF REFERENCE: <br /> Mark Barthelemy, Chief of Police,telephone 424-2741 <br /> E-mail mark.barthelemy@decaturnet.org <br /> Chief Barthelemy will be attending the meeting <br /> BUDGET/TIME IMPLICATIONS: None <br />