Police to use asset-forfeiture funds for training gear; city clarifies limited uses of federal equitable-sharing money

At the May 6 work session staff told council the police department plans to purchase a defense-tactics training suit (described in the presentation as a "red man" or defense-tactics training suit) for approximately $6,200 using asset-forfeiture funds.

Staff explained fund 41 (asset forfeiture) is federal equitable-sharing money the city receives irregularly when involved in federal investigations and asset seizures. Those funds, staff said, may be spent only on policing items and on a restricted set of activities consistent with federal equitable-sharing rules.

Council asked whether there is a balance in the account and staff said there is an existing balance; staff pointed to a summary indicating roughly $50,000 in the asset-forfeiture account at the time of the presentation and confirmed planned purchases would be charged to that balance. Staff also noted that asset-forfeiture revenues are episodic and cannot be counted on as ongoing revenue.

Staff emphasized the constraints on how those funds may be used and that the police department requested the training suit as a capital item to be paid from that account. No council action was taken to transfer or appropriate funds during the May 6 session; the request was presented as part of the capital requests review.