Report Prepared by: Lance Eber, Crime Analyst, Police
Title
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Accepting $50,000 in Grant Funds from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for the Police Department to Conduct Enforcement Operations with the Goal of Reducing Underage Drinking and Other Alcohol Crimes Related to Underage Drinking
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers approving to accept grant funds from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control offered to the Merced Police Department in the amount of $50,000 for the Merced Police Department to conduct enforcement operations.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council – Adopt a motion:
A. Adopting Resolution 2025-55, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Merced, California, accepting a grant award from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Alcohol Policing Program; and,
B. Authorizing the City Manager to execute the necessary documents; and,
C. Authorizing the use of pooled cash until reimbursement from the grant is received.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by Staff; or,
2. Deny; or,
3. Refer to Staff for reconsideration of specific items (specific items to be addressed in the motion).
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2025-2026 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION
The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) is offering grant funding to law enforcement agencies to enforce underage drinking and reduce crime in and around licensed establishments that operate in a disorderly manner causing an undue burden on law enforcement services and disrupting the quality of life for the surrounding community. The grant is funded through the California of Office Traffic Safety (OTS) who disperses funds to ABC to offer grant funding. The City of Merced Police Department (MPD) submitted its application to ABC for funding to operate educational and enforcement projects for the grant period July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. ABC is awarding grant funds to the MPD in the amount of $50,000.
The MPD will use the grant funding to reduce the problems of underage drinking and disorderly conduct around licensed premises. Programs as part of the mini grant include: MINOR DECOYS to check on whether licensees are selling alcohol to minors; and, SHOULDER TAPS method in which a person under the age of 21 solicits another person to purchase and furnish them with alcoholic beverages; and, IMPACT (informed Merchants Preventing Alcohol-Related Crime Tendencies) inspections of “on-sale” and “off-sale” licensed locations; other operations include ROSTF (Retail Operating Standards Task Force) inspections of businesses to ensure compliance with ABC regulations; TRAP DOOR operations that target minors who try to purchase alcohol or try to enter a bar or club with false identification; and PREVENT that is a party patrol operation when officers investigate disturbances of parties to see if hosts are knowingly providing alcohol to minors; and, training partnered with ABC personnel for ABC licensees located within our jurisdiction.
The grant requires MPD to produce regular press releases to inform the public of the successes of the grant.
The award includes the below budgeted items:
- Personnel + Benefits to conduct operations while on overtime status = $44,944
- Equipment & Operating Expenses = $2,500
- Travel = $2,556
- TOTAL AWARD = $50,000 / Match Amount = $0
This grant is 100% fully funded and no matching funds will be needed from the City of Merced. It is a reimbursable grant. The City of Merced pays the employees for the overtime and reimbursement claims are submitted every month to ABC to recover the costs.
The MPD received similar grants for the periods of 7/1/10 – 6/30/11, 7/1/12 – 6/30/13, 10/1/14 – 9/30/15, 10/1/15 – 9/30/16, 10/1/16 – 9/30/17, 10/1/17 – 9/30/18, 7/1/20 – 6/30/21, 7/1/22 – 6/30/23, 7/1/23 – 6/30/24, and 7/1/24 – 6/30/25.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
The required expenditures are 100% funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety Alcoholic Beverage Control division. Costs must be expended first by the City and then reimbursed by ABC. There is no required match or impact on General Funds.
No budget adjustments are needed as the grant revenue and offsetting contingency amount were included in the FY 25-26 adopted budget.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution 2025-55ABC
2. ABC Standard Agreement