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Item No: 8D Meeting Date: February 24, 2003 Type of Business: CB WK: Work Session; PH: Public Hearing; CA: Consent Agenda; CB: Council Business City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Mike Sommer, Police Chief Item Title/Subject: Resolution 5955 Authorization to Participate in the Automated Pawn Systems Program and enter into a User Agreement Date of Report: February 24, 2003 Background: In 1997 the Minneapolis Police Department, in cooperation with several other stakeholders, designed and developed a database for collecting pawnshop transaction information. This program was titled the “Automated Pawn System-APS,” which, by statute, most pawnshops are required to report daily activity to law enforcement. This program, which requires an initial set-up, training and software cost of $480.00, plus a monthly user fee of $72.00, was presented to the Mounds View City Council during a 2003 budget development meeting for consideration. Subsequently, $1350.00 was budgeted to cover the initial set-up and monthly user fee for 2003. If approved, the Mounds View Police Department must enter into a user agreement and pay the applicable fees for access to the system. The monthly user fee is currently being reevaluated, and it is probable that the user fee will be reduced slightly in upcoming months. For that reason, Minneapolis PD suggests cities pay for only the first three months of access, in the event the fee is lowered sometime this summer. Discussion: On a regular basis the Mounds View Police Department receives reports of thefts, car break-ins, and burglaries. Items stolen often have distinguishing characteristics, and sometimes, specific model and serial number information is known. On a daily basis a large majority of pawnshops in the metro area report transactions to the Automated Pawn Service (APS). Transaction reports include descriptions of items pawned along with make, model and serial numbers. Transaction information also includes information on the person(s) who presented the pawned item(s). When a theft occurs in Mounds View, access to the APS would allow Mounds View Investigators to do an electronic search for items reported as having been stolen. In the event that a search results in a “hit,” full information on the party who pawned the stolen merchandise becomes available to the police department. In the event that a theft occurs and specific person(s) area suspected, investigators may then enter the suspect information into the system. If the suspect has been involved in any reported pawn transactions, the police will get a “hit,” and will then be able to access the pawn records to see exactly what item(s) the suspect pawned. Police departments who participate in the APS report that it is an invaluable investigative tool. Recommendation: Staff recommends authorization to enter into a user agreement with the Minneapolis Police Department for participation in the Automated Pawn Systems (APS) program at a cost of $480.00 for initial set-up and training, and an ongoing user fee of $72.00 per month or less. _____________________ Respectfully submitted by Mike Sommer, Police Chief