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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 6597 City of Palo Alto (ID # 6597) City Council Staff Report Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 2/29/2016 City of Palo Alto Page 1 Summary Title: Approval of Acceptance of COPS Funds Title: Approval of the Acceptance and Expenditure of Citizens Options for Public Safety (COPS) Funds on Various Law Enforcement Equipment and Approval of a Budget Amendment Ordinance in the amount of $104,621 For the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund From: City Manager Lead Department: Police RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Approve the acceptance and expenditure of Citizens Options for Public Safety (COPS) funds from the State of California; and 2. Amend the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Appropriation Ordinance (BAO) for the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund (SLESF) budget by: a. Increasing revenue from the State by $104,621; and, b. Increasing the Facilities and Equipment allocation by $104,621 to purchase safety equipment. BACKGROUND Since 1997, the California State Budget Act has included allocations to counties and cities for the COPS program. This funding is intended to fill the need for additional resources at the local level to ensure public safety. Under the provisions of Government Code Section 30061, a percentage of the funds are allocated to counties and cities, based upon population, for law enforcement services. Funds must supplement existing services and cannot be used to supplant any existing funds. Each city is also required to deposit the funds into a separate Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund so that these funds are not intermingled with General Fund dollars. Previous uses of COPS funds have included the purchase of a replacement K-9 unit, crime scene evidence collection vehicle, firearm instructor hearing protection, surveillance equipment, interview recording system, mobile data terminals, youth program activities, upgrades to the City of Palo Alto Page 2 telecommunications infrastructure, upgrades to the patrol vehicle and traffic motorcycle programs, and property and evidence operational and security improvements. Last year, the City Council approved COPS funding for the purchase of auto citation software, VOIP phone recording equipment, training weapons, body-worn surveillance equipment, moving target system, and investigative software. The Police Department has received funds each year under this program since its inception in 1998. Annual allocations have averaged $100,000 over the last few years. DISCUSSION Staff proposes to use the COPS funds in the following manner: Virtual Training Simulator ($75,000) Scenario-based firearms training simulator systems allow police agencies the opportunity to enhance perishable skills for police officers by giving them the opportunity to more frequently and thoroughly practice firearms training, tactical decision making, communication skills, defensive tactics and officer safety skills. All this can be done without the cost of firearms facility rental, expending firearms ammunition or having to rent similar systems or facilities from another agency. Less Lethal Launchers ($30,000) In an effort to more safely take persons who are armed and are a danger to the public or to themselves into custody, officers are afforded several different less lethal tools. Officers can utilize the less lethal launcher to accomplish many different scenarios from a safe distance and with less chance of injury to both the officer and the subject. The department currently has ten (10) launchers which are deployed in some patrol vehicles. Purchasing approximately 20 additional launchers will enable each patrol vehicle to be equipped with a launcher. RESOURCE IMPACT A total of $104,621 of expenditures are anticipated, all of which will be covered by grant funding. There will be no impact to the General Fund as ongoing maintenance costs for the items purchased by the SLESF will be absorbed in the Department’s existing non-salary budget. The City received the official notice (http://www.sco.ca.gov/Files-ARD- Payments/copsdofletter_1516.pdf) from the California Department of Finance in September 2015 that the City’s COPS allocation for Fiscal Year 2016 is $104,621. Revenues and expenditures of $104,621 will be budgeted in the City’s SLESF through a Budget Amendment Ordinance. POLICY IMPLICATIONS Expenditures of funds associated with COPS funds are consistent with City Policy. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT City of Palo Alto Page 3 Acceptance of COPS funding and the proposed expenditures for public safety equipment are not projects subject to CEQA requirements.