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CC -Ratification of: (1) Fiscal Year 2021 Grant Application Submitted to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) for $237,000.00; and (2) Fiscal Year 2021 Grant Application Submitted to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Traffic Records Improvement Project (TRIP) for $120,000.00.
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Meeting Date: February 24, 2020
Contact Person/Dept: Lieutenant Leon Lopez/Police Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6251
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (2/18/20)
Department Approval: Scott Bixby, Police Chief (02/13/20)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council ratify (1) Fiscal Year 2021 grant application submitted to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) for $237,000.00; and (2) Fiscal Year 2021 grant application submitted to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Traffic Records Improvement Project (TRIP) for $120,000.00.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP)
The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) announced the availability of grant funds under STEP for Fiscal Year 2021. Through this program, OTS intends to administer 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
• Occupant Protection
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
• Traffic Records
• Emergency Medical Services
• Roadway Safety
• Police Traffic Services
• Motorcycle Safety
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, distracted driving behavior and safe routes to school for school zone safety education and enforcement.
A more proactive approach toward DUI enforcement is a goal contained in the Police Department’s current strategic plan. The grant application requests $83,000.00 for DUI enforcement efforts. The requested funds will afford the Department the opportunity to conduct operations where efforts are focused specifically on DUI drivers.
Through adoption of the City’s Bicycle 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 the following officer overtime costs; $42,500.00 to conduct bicycle/pedestrian education and enforcement operations, $48,000.00 for Traffic Enforcement operations that focus on primary collision factor violations (unsafe speed, left turn and failing to yield to oncoming traffic and running red lights). The grant application requests officer overtime costs in the amount of $48,000.00 to focus on Distracted Driving enforcement and $4,000.00 to participate in the Night-time Click It or Ticket campaign. The grant also requests funds in the amount of $4,000.00 for Officer training and $7,500.00 to refurbish the Department’s DUI Trailer and purchase spotlights.
Traffic Records Improvement Project (TRIP)
The California Office of Traffic Safety announced the availability of grant funds under TRIP for Fiscal Year 2021. Through this program, OTS intends to administer funds to provide traffic safety stakeholders with the ability to plan and initiate traffic records improvement projects such as purchase traffic crash reporting systems as well as electronic citation equipment and software. The TRIP grant application requests $50,000.00 for handheld e-citation ticket writers and $70,000.00 for traffic collision reporting software.
The deadline to submit the grant applications was January 30, 2020. Key members of staff were out of the office and were not able to complete the staff report in a timely manner to get the item on the City Council’s January agenda schedule. Also, staff needed time to research the Department’s need as it related to TRIP grant funds to improve and enhance the Department’s traffic records system.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The STEP funding amount being requested is $237,000.00 for Personnel costs (overtime), Officer training and DUI equipment. The TRIP grant funding amount being requested is $120,000.00 for traffic records system software and hardware improvements.
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.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Ratify the Fiscal Year 2021 grant application submitted to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Selective Traffic Enforcement (STEP) in the amount of $237,000.00; and
2. Ratify the Fiscal Year 2021 grant application submitted to the California Office of Traffic Safety, Traffic Records Improvement Project (TRIP) in the amount of $120,000.00; and
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.