City Council Meeting Date: July 23, 2019
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Mark Elliott, Deputy Chief of Police
Title
Consider Approval of Updated Joint Powers Agreement with the Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council considers a motion approving the attached updated Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with the Cannon Valley Drug and Violent Offender Task Force, and directs the Mayor, City Clerk and Police Chief to sign the JPA.
Summary Report
The Cannon Valley Drug and Violent Offender Task Force (CVDVOTF) Board of Directors recently amended the Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) to reflect an operation change in the task force personnel structure. A position of Team Leader was created and added to Section 9. This position is not a promotion and there is no financial changes with the position. The Team Leader will fill in when the Task Force Commander is absent, creating consistency in supervision of the task force operations. This position and language change is consistent with other multi jurisdiction Violent Crime Enforcement Teams that operate in the state.
The Cannon River Drug and Violent Offender Task Force (CRDVOTF) is one of 22 State regulated and grant funded Violent Crime Enforcement Teams in the State of Minnesota. CRDVOTF includes the following government entities: the Cities of Dundas, Faribault, Lonsdale, Morristown and Northfield and the County of Rice, and County of Le Sueur. And has a service area of Rice and Le Sueur counties. The CRDVOTF investigates drug and violent crimes in these counties and works with the local law enforcement departments, as well as coordinating with neighboring teams on their investigations. The task force is staffed with officers from Rice and Le Sueur Sheriff’s Departments, Faribault PD, and Northfield PD. Northfield has one officer assigned to the CRDVOTF. The CRDVOTF is jointly funded through a grant from the State and member government entities contributions. The Northfield contribution in 2019 is $4,500.
Alternative Options
Council could decide not to sign the JPA and seek further revisions. The delayed approval could jeopardize the operations and funding of the CRDVOTF.
Financial Impacts
N/A
Tentative Timelines
If approved by Council, the JPA will be signed by the Mayor, Clerk, and Chief as soon as possible, and will then be submitted to the Rice County Attorney’s office to be included with the JPA records.