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Home My WebLink AboutCounty Sheriff's Dept - 2010 "Shop With a Cop" CITY OF PALM DESERT OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER STAFF REPORT REQUEST: REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT 2010 "SHOP WITH A COP" PROGRAM IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,800. SUBMITTED BY: Stephen Y. Aryan, Assistant to the City Manager DATE: October 14, 2010 CONTENTS: Riverside County Sheriff's Department Memorandum (09/20/10) Recommendation By Minute Motion, approve the City of Palm Desert's participation in the 2010 "Shop with a Cop" program in an amount not to exceed $2,800. Funds for this program are available in the Police Contingency Account No. 110-4210-422- 3042. Commission Recommendation The Cove Communities Services Commission recommended participation in the proposed 2010 "Shop with a Cop" program and raised the participation amount from $2,000 to $10,000, with each city's portion based on the Cove Commission Funding Formula. The Palm Desert Public Safety Commission will review this item on October 13, 2010. Staff can provide a verbal report of the Commission's action at the City Council meeting if requested. Backqround In 2009, the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station was contacted by Toys "R" Us executives who donated $1,000 in gift cards to be distributed as determined by the Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff's Department used this donation to organize a shopping trip for disadvantaged children in the community. The Cities of Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage also participated in this program by donating $800.00 and $500.00, respectively. The 2009 program was successful and twenty-one (21) children participated, the majority of which attended either Lincoln Elementary School or Rancho Mirage Elementary School. This event assisted in making the 2009 Holiday Season special to disadvantaged children in the community and was an excellent opportunity for Palm Desert Police Officers to positively interact with and serve the community. The Sheriff's Department requested that this program continue in 2010. A proposal was brought before the Cove Communities Services Commission on September 29, 2010, for all three Cove Cities (Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and Indian Wells) to participate in the program collectively for $2,000. The Cove Commission approved participation in the program and raised the amount from $2,000 to $10,000. Staff was directed to follow the current Cove Formula in determining each city's share. Staff Report: "Shop with a Cop" Program October 14, 2010 Page 2 of 2 The formula is based on each city's population estimates as illustrated in the table below provided by the City of Indian Wells: CITY POPULATIC?N PERCENTAGE Indian Wells 5,093 6.90% Palm Desert 51,509 69.81% Rancho Mirage 17,180 23.28% TOTAL 73,782 100.00% Upon further analysis, the Sheriff's Department indicated that it would be logistically difficult to manage a $10,000 program. A more realistic estimate is $5,000, which is based on a maximum of fifty children participating at $100 per child. Please note that Toys "R" Us donated $1,000 again this year towards the program, so the three Cove Cities are asked to collectively provide $4,000. Based on this amount, Palm Desert's share is $2,800. Staff respectFully recommends that the City Council approve participation in the 2010 "Shop with a Cop" program. Fiscal Analvsis Based on the Cove Formula, the City of Palm Desert's share of the participation cost is approximately seventy percent (70%) or $2,800. Funds for this program are available in the Police Contingency Account No. 110-4210-422-3042. Submitted By: .----"----� Ste hen Y. ryan, Assis t to the City Manager App I: CtTY COUNCILACTION ,r(��K �J-- AI'I'ROVED ✓ nI+,NIF.D �' �, Rf:CEIVED w- OTHF,R Paul S. Gibson, Director of Finance M�:F;T1NG DATE - -�C,/� � �, avrs: �� ,� o an � � � �.__� ' 1 �° Nor�:_r�'�� `'`'`""`..� . . T: ��ne. J n M. Wohlmuth, City Manager A13STAIN: �� % vrrt�F�Fn r�v. � C��I ra j Original on File with City Clerk's Office ��„ RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT Palm Desert Station �+ Stanley Sniff, Sheriff- Coroner TO: Cove Commission DATE: September 20, 2010 FROM: Lieutenant Andrew Shouse Lieutenant Jorge Pinon Lieutenant Lori Marquette SUBJECT: Shop with a Cop Funding Proposal—Christmas 2010 ATTACHMENTS: 1. Photographs of the 2009 Shop with a Cop Program Recommendation The Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Palm Desert Station recommends the Cove Communities (Indian Wells / Palm Desert / Rancho Mirage) approve the request to partially fund a "Shop with a Cop" Program for the sum of$2,000.00 to be conducted during the 2010 Christmas Season. The Pro�ram Prior to the Christmas Holiday in 2009 the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station was contacted by Toys "R" Us Executives who wanted to donate $1,000.00 in gift cards to be distributed as we saw fit. Administration at the Palm Desert Station thought that we could use the money to organize a shopping trip for disadvantaged children in the community. The idea for a "Shop with a Cop"prograrn was born. Staff from the cities of Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage liked the idea and agreed to participate donating $800.00 and $SOO.QO respectively. Sergeant Misty Reynalds was tasked with organizing the 2009 event. The "Shop with a Cop" program involved the participation of twenty-one (21) children (ages 1 %2 to 16 years). The children were identified as being disadvantaged by school staff andlor officers working in those cities. The siblings of the invited students were also invited to participate in the event. Most of the children attended either Lincoln Elementary School in Palm Desert or Rancho Mirage Elementat•y School in Rancho Mirage. On December 19, 2009, at 8:00 AM eighteen (18) uniformed officers and four (4) Palm Desert COPS ofticers met with the twenty-one (21) children and their parents at the Palm Desert Sheriff s Station. The children were loaded into black and white patrol vehicles and driven "Code 3" to the Toys "R" Us in Palm Desert. Upon ar�•ival, fhey were greeted Shop with a Cop Program —September 2010 1 ' �.�:� by the 'I'oys "R" Us mascot "Jeffrey" and escorted on a shopping spree by the officers. Many ot�the children select gifts, not for themselves, but for their parents or other loved ones. Many of the parents were so touched by the heartfelt effort of our staff that tears accompanied their thanks. At the conclusion of the shoppin� spree Sergeant Reynolds found that not all the funds had been expended. She was able to purchase ten (10) children's bicycles with the remaining funds. She then when on a "manhunt" for unsuspecting would be child recipients at two Iocal low income mobile home parks. Sergeant Reynolds distributed these bicycles quite easily at these locations to several surprised and gleeful children. The 2009 "Shop with a Cop" event was a complete success. The event not only assisted in making the Christmas holiday special to these disadvantaged children, but was also a wonderful opportunity for the officers that serve our communities to interact with the community in a positive way. Opportunities to bltild good will and life-long positive memories in children(especially) are truly special. Cost Analvsis Participant children are selected from local elementary schools. These children are _ identified by staff inembers and officers as being disadvantaged and in need. As each Cove Community has children that meet this profile and attend local public elementary schools within the Palm Desert Station's area of responsibility, it is our recommendation that the three cities fund the program in 2010 for the sum of $2,000.00 total using the "cove formula" of 50 / 30 / 20 (Palm Desert - $1,000.00, Rancho Mirage - $600.00 and Indian Wells $400.00). Shop with a Cop Program — September 2010 2