The regional Homeland Security program will receive more than $3 million in federal funds for its training and preparedness efforts, as well as for staffing and operational expenses, according to Sacramento Police Department spokesman Norm Leong.

The City Council earlier this week decided to move U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant money to the Sacramento Regional Office of Homeland Security. The regional office will allocate the money to a specific program known as the Urban Area Security Initiative.

A July 14 report to the City Council from Sacramento Police Lt. Tom Sweeney said the $3,150,680 in funding “will be used to pay for equipment, labor costs and contractual agreements in accordance with the approved Homeland Security budgets and program guidelines.” The funding is to be used over a three-year period, starting in the 2009/2010 fiscal year and ending in the 2012/2013 fiscal year.

The regional Homeland Security office includes the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, according to Leong. Sweeney, who wrote the report, was not available to explain specific details about the funding because he was on vacation Friday.

Among other duties, the Homeland Security office holds training classes for law enforcement agencies, Leong said. The office’s website lists the titles and descriptions for dozens of classes including “Anti-Terrorism Concepts for Patrol Personnel” and “Improvised Explosive Device Awareness.”

The description for the anti-terrorism concepts class states: “This 8-hour course is designed to enhance patrol personnel’s capability in fighting the war on terrorism. Course material will cover the Building Blocks to Terrorist Attacks, Pre-Incident Indicators, Terrorism Interdiction, Overview of Islamic/Right Wing and Environmental Terrorist Groups, Legal Issues, and Intelligence Systems.”

A course called “Taming the Wild Zebra” teaches participants about bioterrorism. The class description notes: “Learn to pick out clandestine biological laboratories, access the dangers medical aid patients present to you, and understand how to safely sample, document, package, and transport bioterrorism specimens.”

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.