The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides funding through the Services-Training- Officers-Prosecutors (STOP) grant that is administered by the State of Nevada Office of the Attorney General.  Funds from that program are utilized to increse the quality and availability of emergency services to the victims of crime here in Nevada.  The funds are available for several authorized purposes, including paying the salary and fringe benefits of a second victim advocate position.  There is a 25 percent matching funds requirement as a condition of accepting the grant award.  Our agency was previously awarded funding from this same grant in 2015 and 2016.

In previous years, the Sparks Police Department has utilized a grant from the Victims of Crime Act and Violence Against Women Act to help subsidize the costs for salary and benefits for the first Victim Advocate who is employed at the Sparks Police Department.  At the end of the grant, the position was absorbed into the authorized compliment of personnel at the police department.  The department determined there was a need to employ a second victim advocate due to the volume of casework and a second advocate was hired in January of 2016.  This grant would allow our additional advocate to continue to serve our most vulnerable populations in Sparks.  For the 2016 calendar year, the department's grant-funded bilingual victim advocate provided services and resources to approximately 300 individuals who were victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault.  The additional advocate assigned to the Sparks Police Victim Services Unit has nearly doubled the amount of services and outreach provided to victims of crime in Sparks.

The STOP grant sponsored by the State of Nevada Office of the Attorney General will continue to cover 75 percent of the cost employing a second victim advocate currently working at the Sparks Police Department.  The remaining 25 percent required match of funds will be provided through the existing FY 18 budget.

The original goals and expectations of the Attorney General's Pilot Program was to have all of the victim services in Washoe County working together to eliminate duplication of services, to provide the best possible services, and to provide follow-up services to reduce the instances of secondary and tertiary victimization from occurring. Through the employment of an additional victim advocate, the Sparks Police Department has made strides to alleviate the challenges of effectively managing the constant influx of new victims and the previous limitations of only having one victim advocate.

The City Council could decline the grant and direct the City Manager to seek funding elsewhere to continue the services the second victim advocate now provides.

I move to approve and accept the State of Nevada Office of the Attorney General's STOP grant award in the amount of $64,426 to fund the second victim advocate position.