Title
Consider and take action on a resolution authorizing the submittal of a grant application for the FY2020 Houston Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) and the naming of the grant managers (Chief of Police)
Background:
If approved, the Police Department will move forward in the submission process for the grant. The items being requested are two (2) complete portable X-Ray systems. The Police Department has two (2) officers assigned to the Texas City Regional Bomb Squad, and those officers need this first line equipment to be operationally safe and effective.
In 2016 and 2017, the Texas City Regional Bomb Squad had two (2) openings on their team, and they sought applicants from police departments throughout the region and ended up with ten (10) applicants. The applicants went through a thorough selection process, and two (2) of our officers were selected. Officer Greg Thomas joined the team in June of 2017, and Officer Jennafer Woitena joined the team in July 2017. Officer Thomas completed FBI Hazardous Device School in September 2018 and is now a fully certified bomb tech, and Officer Woitena completed her training in April 2019. The Texas City Regional Bomb Squad’s primary areas of responsibility is Galveston, Brazoria, and Matagorda Counties. Since June 2017, the team has had twenty-five (25) activations, and they served as the primary team on the shooting at the Santa Fe High School.
If this grant is funded, this project would be a continuation grant for items not funded in the FY2019 UASI Grant. In FY2019, UASI partially funded our grant request allowing us to purchase two (2) bomb suits. This grant would be for the X-ray systems not funded by UASI last year. The X-ray systems would be assigned to the agency’s two (2) bomb technicians and used for the detection, identification and mitigation of explosive related threats. If the grant is funded, the City would purchase the requested items and be reimbursed once proof of purchase is submit...
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