The request for the City Council is to approve the sole source purchase of the (UFED) digital extraction device from Cellebrite Inc in the amount of $100,000.00. 

Also, approve the corresponding budget amendment that allocates $50,000.00 from the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) grant and $50,000.00 from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) grant to the F.Y. 23/24 police budget for the purchase of the Cellebrite (UFED) digital extraction device.

On October 17, 2024, the City Council approved the FDLE SAFE grant for fentanyl eradication in the amount of $99,364.00. Additionally, on November 7, 2023, the City Council approved the USDOJ grant for reducing violent crime through technology in the amount of $183,120.00. Both grants applied $50,000.00 to the purchase of the Cellebrite (UFED) digital extraction device, which enables law enforcement to decode, extract, and analyze digital information from computers, cell phones, and other digital devices that are used in committing major crimes and drug offenses. Currently, the New Port Richey Police Department must utilize the FDLE Crime Lab in Tampa to perform this function, which can cause significant delays in obtaining critical case information. By having our own sophisticated (UFED) digital extraction device, we can legally download and analyze essential case information in less than one hour in most cases. 

Cellebrite Inc is the sole manufacturer and developer of the (UFED) digital extraction device, which is widely used by the Federal Government, FDLE, and scores of other law enforcement agencies through the Unted States.