TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Matt Henry, Chief of Police
PREPARED BY: Stephanie Lawson, Management Analyst - Administration
SUBJECT:
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Tobacco Law Enforcement Grant
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RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt Resolution No. 26-4911 entitled: A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Murrieta, California, Authorizing the City Manager to Accept Grant Funding from the State of California Department of Justice, Office of Attorney General in an Amount Not to Exceed $167,997 to Implement Strategies to Reduce Underage Tobacco Use; And Agreeing to the Terms of that Grant;
Amend the Fiscal Year 2026/27 Operating Budget to allocate and appropriate the grant funding; and
Authorize the City Manager, and/or their designee, to execute the Memorandum of Understanding and all necessary documents to accept the grant.
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PRIOR ACTION/VOTE
On April 16, 2019, the City Council adopted Resolution 19-4061, accepting the award of the California Department of Justice Tobacco Enforcement Grant (Vote: 5-0)
On February 6, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution 24-4724, accepting the award of the California Department of Justice Tobacco Enforcement Grant (Vote: 5-0)
CITY COUNCIL GOAL
Provide a high level of innovative public safety.
DISCUSSION
To increase service levels to the community, the Murrieta Police Department continually seeks federal, state, and local grant funding to strengthen public safety services. The Police Department applied to the U.S. Department of Justice and was awarded a three (3) year grant for tobacco enforcement. During the grant period, the Police Department will (a) Conduct tobacco retailer inspections each year to review required signage, licensing, products sold, and age-verification practices; (b) Inspect every retailer at least twice annually; and (c) Complete minor decoy and undercover operations to identify and cite retailers who illegally sell tobacco products.
To improve compliance, the Police Department will provide educational materials and conduct on-site outreach to retailers, focusing on tobacco laws and proper ID verification. Additionally, the Police Department will provide annual briefings and ongoing training to enforcement officers on current tobacco laws and local ordinances. The project’s objective is to help retailers achieve 100% compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws within the three (3) year performance period.
FISCAL IMPACT
This grant fund award is for $167,997, with the State providing 100% reimbursement, as identified in the attached Grant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). There is no match or cost-sharing requirement for participation in the Tobacco Law Enforcement Grant. However, this grant is reimbursable in nature, requiring the City to expend funds prior to requesting reimbursement.
The following are the budget allocations for implementing the proposed project over its three (3) year performance period starting in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026/27. These funds will cover the overtime and administrative costs associated with the program. The approval of the recommended action will amend the FY 2026/27 budget as follows:
Establish a Revenue Budget in General Ledger Account 3580030-42221, Job Ledger Account 50186358-42221 by $55,999, and various Expenditure Budgets in General Ledger Account 3580030, Job Ledger Account 50186358 by $55,999. The budget appropriation is the same for all three (3) years of the grant (Fiscal Years 2026/27, 2027/28, and 2028/29).
ATTACHMENTS
ATT 1 - Resolution No. 26-4911
ATT 2 - Grant MOU with the California DOJ reference DOJ-PROP56-2025-26-1-0311
ATT 3 - Tobacco Grant Summary of Award