Lake County Gazette

Lake County Law & Judicial Committee met Jan. 4.

Here is the agenda provided by the committee:

1. Call to Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call of Members

4. Addenda to the Agenda

5. Public Comment (Items not on the agenda)

6. Chair's Remarks

7. Unfinished Business

8. New Business

CONSENT AGENDA (Items 8.1 - 8.2)

Approval of Minutes

8.1 22-0028

Minutes from November 30, 2021.

8.2 22-0020

Report from Joy Gossman, Public Defender, for the month of November, 2021.

REGULAR AGENDA

*SHERIFF'S OFFICE*

8.3 22-0014

Joint resolution to enter into a contract with Axon Enterprise, Inc., Scottsdale, AZ to provide 189 law enforcement body camera hardware, software, and video storage for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

∙ There is a need to procure new law enforcement body video cameras, software, and digital media evidence storage for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO). 

∙ The current contract was procured in 2017 and all one-year extensions were enacted and now exhausted.

∙ In compliance with HB3653 mandate for all law enforcement agencies to have body cameras in place by January 1, 2022.

∙ In accordance with section 10-101 of the Lake County Purchasing Ordinance, a joint purchasing agreement offered by Axon, Scottsdale, AZ through Sourcewell, will be used to procure the Axon camera system, which would allow for an integrated camera system with the Axon body cameras used by law enforcement and the jail.

∙ The initial annual cost to procure 189 body cameras, software, and unlimited storage is $256,189.80. There is an ongoing software maintenance and storage cost for years two through five at $256,189.80 annually for a total five-year cost of $1,280,949.

8.4 22-0015

Joint resolution to enter into a contract with Axon Enterprise, Inc., Scottsdale, AZ to provide 25 in-car video camera hardware, software, and unlimited video storage in marked vehicles for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

∙ There is a need to procure 25 additional in-car video cameras, software, and digital media evidence storage in marked vehicles for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO).

∙ There are currently 25 marked squad cars in Highway Patrol that do not have a video system.

∙ With the current passing of HB3653 it is imperative that we have in-car cameras installed and working in all Sheriff’s marked squads.

∙ In accordance with section 10-101 of the Lake County Purchasing Ordinance, a joint purchasing agreement offered by Axon, Scottsdale, AZ through Sourcewell, will be used to procure the Axon camera system, which would allow for an integrated camera system with the Axon body cameras used by law enforcement and the jail.

∙ The initial annual cost to procure 25 in-car cameras, software, and unlimited storage is $62,400. There is an ongoing software maintenance and storage cost for years two through five at $62,400 annually for a total five-year cost of $312,000.

*STATE'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE*

8.5 22-0003

Joint resolution authorizing an amendment for a six-month extension for the State’s Attorney’s Office Prosecutor-Based Victim Assistance Program through a Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) grant awarded by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, including an emergency appropriation of $52,629 in federal funds.

∙ This VOCA Prosecutor-Based Victim Assistance grant extension will enable continuation of this program that provides advocacy services to the currently under-served sexual assault, misdemeanor domestic violence, elder abuse and aggravated battery victim populations.

∙ The grant is administered through the ICJIA for the performance period of January 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. Additional funding to support the program for up to an additional 18 months may be awarded after the initial funding period contingent

upon satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

∙ The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office currently receives Victim of Crime Act grant funding from ICJIA to support two Victim/Witness Coordinator positions in the office. The Victim/Witness Coordinators work with the victims throughout the criminal justice process by providing them with advocacy, on-going support and an understanding of the criminal court process.

∙ The additional funding of $52,629 will be used to fund 81 percent of the salary and benefits for a Sexual Assault Victim/Witness Coordinator and the salary and benefits for a full-time Domestic Violence Victim/Witness Coordinator for the period of January 1, 2022 through June 30, 2022.

∙ If funding for these positions end, and new funding is not secured, the positions will be eliminated.

8.6 22-0004

Joint resolution authorizing the acceptance and execution of a Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to the Illinois Innocence Project (IIP) to partner with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to reduce, through DNA testing, the number of wrongful convictions within Lake County, including an emergency appropriation of $91,730 in federal funds, if awarded.

∙ The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office is the recipient of a Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) grant through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The Illinois Innocence Project submitted the application for funding.

∙ The grant term is for two years, starting October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023.

∙ The Illinois Innocence Project (IIP), who will act as lead agency, seeks to collaborate with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office (LCSAO) as subgrantee, to support DNA casework and reduce the number of wrongful convictions, including litigating postconviction cases.

∙ The IIP has two decades of experience and success in evaluating and investigating postconviction cases, resulting in the exoneration of 20 innocent individuals.

Partnering together, both agencies hope to restore community trust in the justice system through transparency and integrity.

∙ First year program funding of $91,730 is allocated to the LCSAO. This includes 55 percent of salary and fringe for a Conviction Integrity Unit Director, who is an experienced attorney that currently serves as Chief of the Rehabilitative Services Unit in the LCSAO. In addition, 40 percent of the salary for a paralegal and computer equipment for this position will also be funded. No match is required for this award.

∙ If funding for these positions and services end, and new funding is not secured, the positions and services will be eliminated.

8.7 22-0005

Joint resolution authorizing the acceptance and execution of a Smart Prosecution - Innovation Prosecution Solutions grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office (LCSO) for forensic analysis software (GrayKey) that the Cyber Crimes Unit can utilize to extract data from electronic devices, including an emergency appropriation of $123,940 in federal funds, if awarded.

∙ The LCSO has applied for a Smart Prosecution - Innovation Prosecution Solutions grant through the BJA.

∙ The grant term is for two years, with a period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023.

∙ In recent years, there have been multiple challenges with the forensic examination of newer electronic devices. This has made it difficult for law enforcement and the Cyber Unit to extract data that could be used to obtain critical information in the investigation of violent or white-collar crime cases. With the procurement of GrayKey software, criminal investigators and analysts will be able to quickly extract file information from an electronic device. Additionally, the GrayKey software is constantly being updated as new security features are released by developers.

∙ Program funding of $123,940 is allocated to the LCSAO and includes two years of software costs and a dedicated high-capacity computer to run the forensic software tool. No match is required for this award.

∙ If funding for this service ends, and new funding is not secured, the service will be eliminated.

8.8 22-0013

Joint resolution authorizing the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 for a continued participation fee of $48,000.

∙ This is a renewal for the continued operation of the State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor Program.

∙ Through this program the State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor handles Lake County criminal appeals, provides investigative and prosecutorial support in criminal cases, provides comprehensive training programs for prosecutors, and provides monthly case law newsletters, legislative updates, and Uniform Complaint Book supplements.

∙ The Board of Governors of the State’s Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor has voted to provide a one-year decrease of $1,000 for county contributions. The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office contribution for FY 2022 is $48,000.

∙ The State’s Attorney’s approved FY 2022 budget includes the $48,000 fee.

9. County Administrator's Report

10. Executive Session

11. Members' Remarks

12. Adjournment

Next Meeting: January 25, 2022

https://lakecounty.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=919212&GUID=45CE135A-D00B-406C-998B-04D7513205A5