To: Dale K. Weighill, Governmental Operations Committee Chairperson
From: Prosecutor David Leyton
title
RE: Approval to apply for annual renewal of Auto Theft Grant
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Authorization to apply for annual Auto Theft & Fraud Prosecution grant from the Automobile Theft Prevention Authority - Michigan State Police.
BACKGROUND:
The Automobile Theft Prevention Authority (ATPA), a division of the Michigan State Police, is accepting grant applications for FY2026. The ATPA provides grants to assist with the investigation and prosecution of cases involving automobile theft and related offenses. The Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office has relied on this grant for the partial funding of its Auto Theft and Fraud Prosecution Unit for the past 36 years.
DISCUSSION:
This grant provides 50% funding for the salaries and benefits of those assistant prosecutors and secretaries assigned to the grant, minus longevity and post-retirement costs. Staffing will be comprised of four (4) assistant prosecutors, each of whom will contribute 25% of their time toward this project and two (2) secretaries each contributing 25% of their time. This formula is intended to be the equivalent of one full-time prosecutor and one part-time secretary, which is how this grant used to be set up years ago. This staffing arrangement is intended to allow us some flexibility so the staff can switch to other priorities day-to-day as necessary. In addition to salaries and fringes, this grant will also cover Michigan Bar Association dues for one APA, miscellaneous office supplies, copier costs and an office phone.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
There will be no need to go through a hiring process as this grant will partially fund existing positions.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
The total budget for this grant project is $219,945 including salaries and fringe benefits (minus Post Retirement) and various office operations costs with a grant award of $109,973. The personnel assigned to this grant are attorneys and secretaries already established in our budget so this grant award is a significant offset to our costs.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
Staff will continue to work out of their existing offices.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
None.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
The ATPA grant money advances the priority of safe communities by adding resources to address auto thefts, title fraud and violent crimes such as carjackings. These grant funds also tie into the County’s value of service by giving us more resources to provide prompt, efficient and competent service to victims of crime while at the same time helping secure the County’s financial stability by providing funds that otherwise would have come from the County’s general fund.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
WHEREAS, the Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office has relied upon grant funding from the Auto Theft Prevention Authority, a division of the Michigan State Police, for the past 36 years to help with personnel and other costs related to its auto theft and fraud prosecution activities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Prosecutor’s Office to authorize applying for a grant from the Auto Theft Prevention Authority, a division of the Michigan State Police, to help fund the Prosecutor’s Auto Theft Unit in the amount of $109,973, for the period commencing October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documentation being on file with the official records of the June 11, 2025 meeting of the Governmental Operations Committee of this Board).