PREPARED BY: PEGGY CHOU DATE OF MEETING: 02/17/2026
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THE TOBACCO GRANT PROGRAM; (2) ACCEPTING UP TO $782,661 IN GRANT FUNDING OVER THREE FISCAL YEARS TO PARTIALLY FUND THE EXISTING FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER POSITION IN THE SAN PABLO POLICE DEPARTMENT TOBACCO OUTREACH UNIT AND PERSONNEL COSTS FOR QUALIFYING GRANT ACTIVITIES; AND (3) APPROPRIATING REIMBURSED GRANT FUNDING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET, TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING AN EFFECTIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, AND STRATEGIC APPROACH TO COMBAT ILLEGAL TOBACCO USE AMONG MINORS
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2025-2027 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statements:
Improve Public Safety is a major policy goal contained in the FY 2025-27 City Council Priority Workplan, effective April 7, 2025.
BACKGROUND
In May 2018, the San Pablo Police Department (SPPD) was awarded grant funding through Proposition 56, which provided funding for one full-time Police Officer and one full-time Police Services Technician (PST); this funding was utilized to build a Tobacco Outreach Unit dedicated specifically to tobacco outreach, education, and enforcement efforts in the City of San Pablo (Resolution 2018-098).
Since the development of the Tobacco Outreach Unit in 2018, the San Pablo Police Department has applied for and received subsequent grant funding awards from the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to continue the Department’s participation in the Tobacco Law Enforcement Grant Program.
In November 2019, the City Council authorized acceptance of a grant funding award in the amount of $1,358,074 (Resolution 2019-164) which provided continued funding from FY 2021 - FY 2023 to cover the salary and benefit costs of one (1) full time Police Officer, one (1) full time Police Services Technician, and partial funding for one (1) Police Sergeant dedicated to the SPPD Tobacco Outreach Unit (Resolution 2019-164).
In August 2022, the Police Department submitted a Tobacco Grant Application for the period of FY 2024 - FY 2026, to fund the continued operations of the SPPD Tobacco Unit under its existing structure. However, the San Pablo Police Department was selected for a reduced grant award in the amount of $936,288 to fund salary and benefits for only one (1) full-time Police Officer, one (1) part-time Police Sergeant, and associated overtime costs through June 30, 2025. Acceptance of this grant award was authorized by the City Council, with an anticipated budget rollover to extend the grant period through June 30, 2026 (Resolution 2023-008). Staff have since conferred with California DOJ representatives to complete the planned revision, and the Tobacco Outreach Unit is currently operating under this existing grant award.
Due to the reduced grant award, which removed funding availability for the unit’s Police Services Technician (PST) position, the Police Department submitted an additional Tobacco Grant Program application in June 2023, to pursue funding for this position and restore the Tobacco Outreach Unit’s prior existing structure. The San Pablo Police Department was subsequently selected for a reduced grant award, in the amount of $225,613, to partially fund a PST position (0.5) during the FY 2024 - FY 2026 grant period (Resolution 2024-026). A recruitment process was subsequently conducted for a part-time Police Services Technician assigned to the Tobacco Outreach Unit, which resulted in the successful hire and staffing of a part-time PST from July 2024 through March 2025; this has since remained unfilled due to low candidate interest for the part-time position.
Currently, the San Pablo Police Department Tobacco Outreach Unit is tasked with ensuring that licensed tobacco establishments within San Pablo to comply with state and local laws, and working with youth and community members within our schools to develop positive and productive relationships. The Tobacco Unit also conducts inspections and provides training to local business owners on relevant issues, laws, and responsibilities of licensed tobacco establishments. The Unit’s existing structure is comprised of an assigned full-time Police Officer (grant-funded), and supported by a Police Sergeant and professional staff (partially funded through the current grant award through June 30, 2026).
In June 2025, the San Pablo Police Department submitted a Tobacco Grant application for the period of FY 2027 - FY 2029, for continued funding under the Unit’s existing structure. The Department was subsequently selected for a grant award in the amount of $782,661, which reflects a 0.5 reduction from the Department’s original salary funding request for one (1) full-time Police Officer.
The San Pablo Police Department supports the grant goals and wishes to continue its participation in the Tobacco Grant Program. Under the new grant period from July 1, 2027 - June 30, 2029 (FY 2027 - FY 2029), award funds are provided for overtime pay to conduct enforcement operations for the positions of Police Officer and Police Sergeant, administrative costs not-to-exceed 5%, and partial funding for salary and benefits of one Tobacco Unit Police Officer and part-time salary and benefits for the Tobacco Unit Police Sergeant. These positions are currently filled and operating under the current Tobacco Grant.
FISCAL IMPACT
Acceptance of this grant award would increase revenues and expenditures over three fiscal years, and will offset current FTE costs in the Police Department operating budget during the grant period, from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2029, by a total not to exceed $782,661. Funding for the Tobacco Unit Police Officer and Police Sergeant would be expended from the Police Department’s Salary and Benefits accounts, including the Overtime account; qualifying expenses will be submitted for grant reimbursement on a quarterly basis, as determined by the California Department of Justice within the approved grant award criteria.
Reimbursed funding would be accepted into the Police Grants revenue account (100-2110-33405), and appropriated back to the applicable Police Department Salary and Benefits account(s).
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TRANSACTION |
ACCOUNT NAME |
ACCOUNT CODE |
FY 2024 - 2026 |
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ACCEPT |
POLICE GRANTS |
100-2110-33405 |
NTE $782,661 |
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APPROPRIATE |
POLICE SALARY AND BENEFITS |
100-2110-41000 - 100-2110-41990 |
NTE $782,661 |
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* Varying amounts based upon quarterly activity and grant reimbursements |
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Amount Not-To-Exceed (NTE) $782,661 over duration of grant period (FY 2027 - FY 2029) |
ATTACHMENTS:
Att. A - Resolution
Att. B - Tobacco Grant Summary of Award
Att. C - Tobacco Grant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)