Vallejo ‘disqualified’ for multi-million dollar state law enforcement grant

VALLEJO – The city of Vallejo’s grant application for a slice of $267 million in state funding to combat retail, cargo and vehicle related crime was disqualified for a budget error that overallocated funds for monitoring the proposed program.

An Aug. 31 letter from the California Board of State and Community Corrections stated, “the Proposal Budget Table and Narrative allocated over 15 percent to the Data Collection and Evaluation Line-Item, more than the 5 percent maximum rate allowed – your application has been disqualified for funding consideration.”

The grant provided funding for law enforcement agencies and county district attorney’s offices to establish or expand programs focusing on organized retail theft. Individual law enforcement agencies were able to apply for as much as $15.65 million.

Thirty-seven law enforcement agencies were awarded varying funding amounts, including $15.3 million to the San Francisco Police Department and $4.4 million to the Vacaville Police Department for a real-time information center to aid in efficient response and prediction of organized retail and vehicle theft.

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office won $2.5 million to support evidence based investigations and restorative justice, however, the port city of Oakland did not successfully submit a complete application which riled community members frustrated with break-ins and vehicle theft.

After Oakland’s mistake became public, numerous Vallejo residents asked why Vallejo was also shut out of the funding. Mayor Robert McConnell asked City Manager Mike Malone and city staff for information about the grant in an email this week because, he said, “every council member is being bombarded” with questions on the issue.

The city of Vallejo’s grant application proposed a medium scope project to combat organized retail theft.

It described frequent thefts at Vallejo’s retail business that led to increases in insurance premiums because of the high rate of claims and a corresponding increase in consumer prices when retailers attempt to recoup losses.

The city of Vallejo declared a state of emergency due to drastically low staffing levels at the police department in July allowing the department and the city manager to take special  measures to provide police services with minimal staff.

The police department is also pursuing a revision to a city ordinance that requires the department to respond to every alarm call. The department claims that 98% of alarm calls that they receive are false alarms and if the department can reduce those calls by only responding to verified alarms they can redirect officers to more urgent priorities.

In a town hall meeting on proposed revision to the alarm call response policy, Marco McCleod, owner of the Grind Cafe across the street from the Solano County Superior Court, said that after two break-ins his insurance company dropped him and he had to go to a higher rate carrier. Several weeks later at the request of councilmember Mina Loera-Diaz the council approved $60,000 in remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds to create a city grant to compensate businesses who have had insurance hikes due to break-ins.  

The description in the grant application reflects the department’s staffing woes and proposed to spend grant funds on a software upgrade and expansion of the city’s Flock Safety automated license plate reader system as well as training for officers on the new programming.

In a press release on Thursday, Malone said, “staff will ask if there is any way [the Board of Corrections] can reconsider their opinion and [allow Vallejo to] resubmit if the State makes funding available for another grant opportunity.”