Agenda

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C.31

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Warren Rupf, Sheriff-Coroner
Date:	December 8, 2009

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

FY09 Solving Cold Cases with DNA Program Grant

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 12/08/2009

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Eileen Devlin, 5-1557

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: December 8, 2009
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Sheriff-Coroner, or designee, to accept the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, FY09 Solving Cold Cases with DNA Program grant in an amount not to exceed $454,944 to identify, review, and investigate cold cases for the period October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No County costs. Revenue: $454,944, 100% Federal revenue, no County match required. (CFDA #16.560)

BACKGROUND:

Contra Costa County has a population base of 1.1 million and has over forty years of cold cases. Very few cases have been subjected to modern DNA technology. Many individuals at the local police, Sheriff, and District Attorney’s offices are motivated to solve these cases, but lack the time due to current case loads. A collaborative effort between the Investigation and Forensic Services Divisions of the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff will provide County-wide cold case investigation support and forensic analysis. Grant funds will be used to hire two per diem investigators to review the cold cases and to hire two Criminalists dedicated to performing biological screening and DNA analysis. The investigators will work closely with the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office after any DNA match, either resulting from upload into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) or through direct comparison to a suspect reference standards, to package the case for filing and prosecution.