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CC - ACTION ITEM: - Approval of a Purchase Order with International Armored Group U.S., Inc. for Two Armored Ford Transit Vans in an Amount Not-To-Exceed $427,000.
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Meeting Date: July 11, 2022
Contact Person/Dept.: Captain Troy Dunlap/ Police Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6396
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (07/07/2022);
Department Approval: Manuel Cid, Police Chief (06/28/2022)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a Purchase Order with International Armored Group U.S., Inc. for two armored Ford Transit vans in an amount not-to-exceed $427,000.
BACKGROUND
Over the last decade, the City of Culver City has grown in population and density and is now a premier destination on the westside of Los Angeles County. The Culver City Police Department (CCPD) prides itself as a full-service police department that provides a high level of professional service to the community. With an increasing residential and day-time population and numerous high-profile public and private venues (religious institutions, schools, studios, and other corporate facilities), as well as the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, will undoubtedly increase visitation to Culver City, our staff is consistently evaluating the necessary staffing and emergency preparedness needs of the police department.
In 2019, after analyzing the City’s emergency response capabilities, developing and implementing an Emergency Response Team was necessary and prudent. Additionally, staff determined that the procurement of an Armored Rescue Vehicle was warranted to allow the police and fire departments to improve their mission success of saving lives. As a result, CCPD brought an item to City Council to purchase a Lenco Armored Vehicle; however, the purchase was not approved due to some community concerns related to the acquisition and use of military-style vehicles.
In an effort to be responsive to community concerns while understanding the need for an armored vehicle, CCPD staff researched numerous options across the United States to find a suitable alternative to a military-style armored vehicle. As a result, staff discovered numerous police agencies across the country utilize armored vans manufactured by the International Armor Group U.S., Inc.
Armored rescue vans allow officers to safely respond to active shooter calls, barricaded suspects, high-risk search and arrest warrants, and rescue community members or officers safely. Armored vans provide 360-degree level-III ballistic protection capable of stopping rifle rounds. From the outside, the van appears to be a standard transit van, very similar to vans used by package delivery services. These armored vans can provide CCPD with a low-profile armored vehicle capable of transporting up to 12 officers, Fire or E.M.S. personnel, or members of the community per van.
DISCUSSION
Due to the increasing number of active shooters, mass casualties, violent encounters, and other critical incidents across the United States, and the potential of such incidents to take place anywhere at any time, there is an urgent need to provide an improved and coordinated method of safely inserting emergency medical personnel and police into hostile/dangerous environments. During numerous recent critical incidents nationwide, law enforcement officers and emergency medical services teams have worked together to rescue victims of mass casualty incidents, often under very dangerous conditions. These teams are known as Rescue Task Forces (RTF). RTFs are small teams of police and fire / E.M.S. personnel who enter dangerous areas under the threat of gunfire to perform rescue operations.
The ability to immediately deploy armored vans to critical incidents such as an active shooter gives officers and other first responders access to mobile armor and other vital lifesaving equipment in an expedited fashion.
The utilization of armored vans during active critical incidents provides means for first responders to position themselves quickly and safely in an active and dangerous emergency operation to address potential threats and to extract and transport injured citizens or first responders to casualty collection points where they can be triaged and provided medical care.
The interior of the armored vans will provide an illuminated workspace to provide trauma care and facilitate the evacuation of up to ten patients. Currently, the City does not have the ability to safely conduct high-risk rescues, as neither the Culver City Fire Department nor CCPD has a vehicle that can provide ballistic protection from lethal gunfire.
The armored vans will also allow the safe transport of essential equipment and 12 E.R.T. officers to pre-planned high-risk search/arrest operations. Additionally, having an armored van on-scene during these incidents proves the officers' safe ability to move into better positions to address potential threats. Finally, armored vans can also be utilized to safely insert crisis negotiators and mental health personnel in a dangerous situation to help de-escalate a potentially violent encounter.
CCPD is committed to providing the community with the highest level of professional service and protection. As a full-service police department having access to proven public safety tools to handle any situation is a must. Therefore, CCPD has identified armored vans as essential equipment to achieve our goals and mission.
This procurement is exempt from formal bidding procedures per Culver City Municipal Code Section 3.07.055.A, when the needed equipment, supplies or services that are proprietary items of original equipment manufacturers and/or authorized exclusive distributors. The armored tactical van is manufactured, sold, and distributed exclusively by the International Armored Group (I.A.G.) U.S., Inc. I.A.G. is the only company that provides low-profile vans with the patent SMART ARMOR design.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The City Council Adopted Fiscal Year 2022/2023 Budget includes $427,000 from the Police Department Asset Seizure Fund 41640450.732100 for two armored Ford transit vans.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2022-07-11 - ATT International Armored Group U.S., Inc. Sole Source Letter
MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Approve a purchase order with International Armored Group U.S., Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $427,000 for two armored Ford transit vans; and
2. Authorize the Purchasing Officer to issue such Purchase Order.