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CC - Approval of an Application for $145,639.45 in Grant Funds through the Fiscal Year 2017 California Office of Traffic Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Program.
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Contact Person/Dept: Lt. Sam Agaiby
Phone Number: 310-253-6251
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: Yes [] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Commission Name:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (01/21/16)
Department Approval: Scott Bixby, Chief of Police (01/14/16)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve an application for grant funds in the amount of $145,639.45 through the Fiscal Year 2017 California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP).
BACKGROUND
The OTS announced the availability of grant funds under STEP for Fiscal Year 2017. Through this program, OTS intends to disburse traffic safety grant funds to reduce traffic deaths, injuries, and economic losses.
OTS has identified the following priority areas of concentration for funding:
• Alcohol-Impaired Driving
• Distracted Driving
• Drug-Impaired Driving
• Emergency Medical Services
• Occupant Protection
• Motorcycle Safety
• Police Traffic Services
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
• Traffic Records and Roadway Safety
DISCUSSION
The proposed grant will fund officer overtime costs to conduct Driving under the Influence (DUI) enforcement actions through the use of check points, saturation patrols, and traffic safety education presentations. The application also includes funding requests for officer overtime costs for enforcement details, warrant services, and educational opportunities that focus on bicycle/pedestrian issues and distracted driving behavior.
A more proactive approach toward DUI enforcement is a goal contained in the Police Department’s current strategic plan. The grant application requests $66,896.20 for DUI enforcement efforts, $2,883.65 for educational endeavors including public presentations and educational handout materials. The requested funds will provide the Police Department the opportunity to conduct operations where efforts are focused specifically on DUI drivers.
Through adoption of the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, the City Council provided policy direction regarding projects that the City Council generally supports. Such projects include: safe routes, various paths, and the creation of bicycle friendly streets. The STEP grant application requests $21,662.40 for officer overtime costs to conduct bicycle/pedestrian enforcement operations.
With the increased use of cell phones, there has been a marked increase in the number of rear end collisions where the primary causal factor was following too closely or unsafe speed. While cell phone use is not always readily identified as a contributing factor, the California Highway Patrol has established that use of these types of devices while driving is a factor in a majority of rear end collisions. The grant application requests $14,441.60 for officer overtime costs to conduct distracted driver operations and $14,441.60 for other Traffic Enforcement operations, including but not limited to, primary collision factor violations (unsafe speed, left turn and failing to yield to oncoming traffic, and running red lights).
Other officer overtime funding requests include; $9,634.72 for warrant services (which target multiple DUI offenders who fail to appear in court), and $9,748.08 for night-time (6:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m.) “Click It or Ticket” enforcement operations. The “Click It or Ticket” program enforces the State’s mandatory seat belt laws. Other requested funding includes $4,971.20 for officer training in field sobriety testing, roadside impaired driving, and drug recognition and $960.00 for phlebotomy services (blood draws).
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The funding amount being requested is $145,639.45:
Personnel costs (overtime) $139,208.25
Officer Training $ 4,971.20
Contractual Services (Phlebotomy services) $ 960.00
Educational Materials $ 500.00
There are no matching funds required. This is a reimbursement grant that requires quarterly reimbursement claim reports be submitted to the California OTS. The quarterly claims are to be submitted within 30 days after the end of the quarter. The funds are reimbursed to the City 30 days following the approval of the claims report.
RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
That the City Council:
1. Approve an application for grant funds in the amount of $145,639.45 through the Fiscal Year 2017 California Office of Traffic Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Program; and,
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.