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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Date: 1/29/2024 Item No.: 10.h. Department Approval City Manager Approval Item Description: Authorize application for the Minnesota Office of Justice 2024-2025 firearms storage grant 1 2 Background 3 In 2023, Minnesota enacted a law that enables certain individuals to petition a court to temporarily 4 remove guns from a person in crisis. The law, which went into effect on January 1, 2024, is called an 5 extreme risk protection order, or ERPO, and allows chief law enforcement officers, family and household 6 members, and city or county attorneys to file a petition demonstrating to a judge that an individual poses 7 a significant danger to others or is at similar risk of suicide. An individual subject to an ERPO must 8 relinquish their guns to a law enforcement agency or Federal Firearms licensee. The law enforcement 9 agency is responsible to store the firearms for the duration of the order, which could last up to a year. 10 11 The Roseville Police Department (RPD) has very limited available space in our secure 12 property/evidence room. Due to the space challenges the police department is already experiencing, it is 13 not an option to expand the size or footprint of the property room. In order to plan for the additional 14 space that will be needed for guns seized and stored under the ERPO process, it is necessary to look at 15 options to maximize our storage space in our property room. RPD is currently working with vendors to 16 explore best options to maximize space and add additional secure storage capacity. 17 18 The Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs (DPS-OJP) is requesting proposals for 19 grants to support police departments in the safe and secure storage of firearms owned by persons 20 subject to extreme risk protection orders (ERPO). Approximately $237,000 in state funds are available. 21 Allowable expenses include, but are not limited to, firearm lockers, safes and boxes, gun racks, 22 electronic keypads for securing gun storage rooms, barcode scanners, and other equipment or 23 administrative expenses directly related to the safe and secure storage of firearms taken from persons 24 under an extreme risk protection order. 25 26 RPD is seeking council approval to apply for the grant to help fund the necessary expanded storage 27 needs and anticipated costs associated with carrying out ERPOs. There is no city match required in the 28 grant. It should be noted that if RPD does not receive the grant, we will need to seek out other funding 29 sources to plan for the anticipated costs due to the new law. 30 31 Policy Objectives 32 Extreme Risk Protection Order laws empower loved ones or law enforcement to intervene and 33 temporarily prevent someone in crisis from accessing firearms. These laws, sometimes referred to as 34 “red flag” laws, can help de-escalate emergency situations. They are a proven way to intervene before 35 an incident of gun violence — such as a firearm suicide or mass shooting — occurs and takes more 36 lives. In order to comply with the law requirements, it is necessary for the Roseville Police Department to 37 add additional storage capacity in our secure property/evidence room. 38 39 Racial Equity Impact Summary Page 1 of 2 Qbhf!272!pg!367