HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 414-06TO:
City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL 8
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: POLICE
NOVEMBER 20, 2006 CMR:414:06
ACCEPTANCE OF BUFFER ZONE PROTECTION PROGRAM (BZPP)
GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $47,287 AND APPROVAL OF A
BUDGET AMENDMENT ORDINANCE (BAO) TRANSFERRING $120,000
FROM THE BZPP GRANT, THE POLICE DONATION FUND, AND THE
ASSET SEIZURE FUND INTO THE SWAT VAN REPLACEMENT
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECT NUMBER PD-07001
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that City Council: 1) approve the acceptance of the Buffer Zone Protection
Program (BZPP) Grant funds in the amount of $47,287 and 2) approve a Budget Amendment
Ordinance (BAO) transferring $47,287 from the BZPP, $55,000 from the Police Donation Fund,
and $17,713 from the Asset Seizure Fund into the SWAT Van Replacement Capital Improvement
Program PD-07001.
BACKGROUND
In the late 1970s, the Police Department started a Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT). In
1992, the police departments in Mountain View, Los Altos and Palo Alto agreed to establish and
participate in the North County Regional SWAT/Hostage Negotiations Team (HNT). Although Los
Altos has since withdrawn from the regional team, the cities of Palo Alto and Mountain View have
continued to work together under the terms of the original agreement.
The Palo Alto SWAT team is a specialized unit of 13 officers who are highly trained in tactical
intervention and advanced weaponry. SWAT team members go through an extensive selection
process and train a minimum of 180 hours per year. The SWAT team is on call 24-hours a day,
seven days a week. The team responds to extraordinary incidents such as high risk arrest!search
warrants, hostage rescue situations, barricaded suspects, dignitary protection, preventing terrorist
attacks and engaging heavily armed criminals. As with all dynamic situations, the first few hours of
an operation are critical and can dictate the outcome of an event. When the SWAT team is
activated, personnel must be ready to go and must have equipment readily available and pre-loaded
in order to expedite the team’s response.
CMR:414:06 Page 1 of 3
The current SWAT van is a retired Palo Alto Fire Department medic van that the team obtained in
1997. The van is currently 16 years old. The van is not large enough to store all of the SWAT team
equipment and does not have the capability to transport team members. When the team is activated,
they need to find additional vehicles to transport personnel and excess equipment. Due to the age
and constant use of the vehicle, it is continually in need of repair. There have been numerous times
when the van would not start and recently it caught on fire due to electrical problems. Staff has
been seeking funding opportunities that would avoid the use of the General Fund monies for the
purchase.
DISCUSSION
The proposed SWAT van is a step side van with 22 feet of interior storage capacity. This amount of
space will allow the SWAT team to store all of its equipment within the van and to transport team
members to and from critical incidents. The van will also have enough room to store equipment for
hostage negotiations and tactical dispatching. The van provides an outdoor canopy with lighting
that covers a command station that will allow the team to run a tactical command post from the
SWAT van.
The proposed van is the standard for SWAT teams. Staff has spoken with representatives from
several other agencies that have similar vans and have no noted problems with reliability or
maintenance.
The total cost of the new van is approximately $120,000. Recently, the Police Department was
awarded $47,287 through the Buffer Zone Protection Program by the California State Office of
Homeland Security specifically for the purchase of a SWAT tactical van. This grant, administrated
through the County of Santa Clara, must be expended by March 31, 2007.
In addition, the Police Department received a donation of $50,000 from the Marc L. Andreessen
Fund. The donation is restricted to the purchase of a SWAT van. Five thousand dollars from the
existing Police Donation Fund and the $17,213 from the Asset Seizure Fund will complete the
funding necessary to purchase and outfit the vehicle.
RESOURCE IMPACT
The attached BAO (Attachment A) reflects an increase in revenues and offsetting increase in
expenditures of $120,000 into the SWAT Van Replacement Capital Improvement Program PD-
07001. The purchase is being funded by the BZPP Grant ($47,287), the Police Donation Fund
($55,000), and the Asset Seizure Fund ($17,713). If staff recommendation is approved, a $4,568
balance in the Police Donation Fund and a $137 balance in the Asset Seizure Fund will remain.
Ongoing maintenance costs are in the Police and Public Works Departments’ current operating
budget and will be included in future proposed budgets.
CMR:414:06 Page 2 of 3
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Expenditure of funds are consistent with City policy.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This is not a project subject to CEQA requirements.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A:
Attachment B:
Budget Amendment Ordinance
CIP PD-07001 Project Description
PREPARED BY:
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
B~COM
L~ JOHNSON
Police Chief
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL
HARRISON
Assistant City Manager
CMR:414:06 Page 3 of 3
Attachment A
ORDINANCE NO.
ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO
AMENDING THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006-07 TO ESTABLISH
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECT NUMBER PD-07001, SWAT
VAN REPLACEMENT AND TO PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATION IN THE
AMOUNT OF $120,000
The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as
follows:
SECTION i. The City Council of the City of Palo Alto
finds and determines as follows:
A. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 12 of Article III of
the Charter of the City of Palo Alto, the Council on June 12, 2006
did adopt a budget for fiscal year 2006-07; and
B. In the late 1970’s, the City of Palo Alto Police Department
established a Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) to respond to
extraordinary incidents such as high risk arrest/search warrants,
hostage rescue situation, barricaded suspects, preventing terrorist
attacks and engaging heavily armed criminals; and
C. When the SWAT team is activated, personnel must be ready to
go and must have the equipment readily available in order to
expedite a response. The first few hours of the operation are
critical and can dictate the outcome of the operations; and
D. The current SWAT van is a retired Palo Alto Fire Department
medic van obtained in 1997 and is currently 16 years old. The van is
not large enough to store all the SWAT equipment and does not have
the capability to transport team members at the same time. Aside
from its size limitation, the van is old and is constantly in need
of repair; and
E. The current SWAT van needs to be replaced with a van that
has the capability to store equipment and at the same time able to
transport members to and fro from critical incidents; and
F. Funds are available from the following sources to pay for
the acquisition of a new SWAT van; and
California State Office of Homeland $47,287
Security- Buffer Zone Protection Program
Public Donation Fund $55,000
Assets Seizure Fund $17,713
Total $120,000
G. The appropriation of funds for the purchase of a new SWAT
van is a one-time event, and in future years maintenance and
replacement costs will be included in the Police Department’s
budget; and
H. City Council authorization is needed to amend the 2006-07
budget as hereinafter set forth.
SECTION 2. Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project Number
PD-07001, SWAT Van Replacement is hereby created.
SECTION 3. The sum of One Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars
($120,000) is hereby appropriated to CIP Project Number PD-07001.
SECTION 4. Grant revenue from %he California State Office of
Homeland Security- Buffer Zone Protection Program of Forty Seven
Thousand Two Hundred Eighty Seven Dollars ($47,287) is hereby
received and, is appropriated for CIP Project Number PD-07001.
SECTION 5. Revenue in CIP Project Number PD-07001 is hereby
increased by a transfer from the Public Services Donation Fund
(Police Public Services) in the amount of Fifty Five Thousand
Dollars ($55,000).
SECTION 6. The Public Services Donation Fund (Police Public
Services) is hereby reduced by Fifty Five Thousand Dollars ($55,000)
from Fifty Nine Thousand Five Hundred Sixty Eight Dollars ($59,568)
to Four Thousand Five Hundred Sixty Eight Dollars ($4,568).
SECTION 7. This transfer is consistent with the grant
restriction to use the funds for acquisition of a SWAT van.
SECTION 8. Revenue in CIP Project Number PD-07001 is hereby
increased by a transfer from the Assets Seizure Fund in the amount
of Seventeen Thousand Seven Hundred Thirteen Dollars ($17,713).
SECTION 9. The Assets Seizure Equity Fund Balance is hereby
reduced by Seventeen Thousand Seven .Hundred Thirteen Dollars
($17,713) from Seventeen Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Dollars
($17,850) to One Hundred Thirty Seven Dollars ($137).
SECTION I0. The transactions above will have no impact on the
General Fund Budget Stabilization Reserve.
SECTION ii. As specified in Section 2.28.080(a) of the Palo
Alto Municipal Code, a two-thirds vote of the City Council is
required to adopt this ordinance.
SECTION 12. The Council of the City of Palo Alto hereby finds
that this is not a project under ~the California Environmental
Quality Act and, therefore, no environmental impact assessment is
necessary.
SECTION 13. As provided in Section 2.04.330 of the Palo Alto
Municipal Code, this ordinance shall become effective upon adoption.
INTRODUCED AND PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
ATTEST:APPROVED:
City Clerk Mayor
City Manager
Director of Administrative
Services
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
Police Chief
ATTACHMENT B
NEW
REPLACEMENT SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS
(SWAT) VAN (PD-07001)
Description: The SWAT van will have 22 feet of storage capacity. This
amount of space will allow the SWAT team to store all of their equipment
within the van and to transport team members to and from critical incidents.
The van will also have enough room to store equipment for hostage
negotiations and tactical dispatching. It also provides an outdoor canopy
with lighting that covers a command station that will allow the team to run
a tactidal command post from the SWAT van.
Justification: The current SWAT van is a retired Palo Alto Fire
Department medic van and is currently 16 years old. The van is not large
enough to store all of the SWAT team equipment and does not have the
capability to transport team members. When the team is activated, they
need to find additional vehicles to transport personnel and excess
equipment. Aside from the size limitations, the current van is old and is
constantly in need of repair.
CIP FACTS:
¯ New
¯ Project Status: Construction
¯ Timeline: December 2006 - June 2007
¯ Overall Project Completion: 0%
¯ Managing Department: Police
¯ Comprehensive Plan: G-10
IMPACT ANALYSIS:
¯ Environmental: NA
¯ Design Elements: NA
¯ Opcrting: Vehicle Replacement and Maintenance
¯ Telecommunications: NA
Pre-Design Costs
Design Costs
Construction Costs
Other
I!
Revenues:$120,000
Buffer Zone Protection Program Grant ($47,287); Police Donation Fund ($55,000), Assets SeizureSource of Funds:Fund ($17,713)
Council Policy Direction This project is a Council "Top 3 Priority".
City of Pa/o Alto 2006-07 Budget