HomeMy WebLinkAbout0104.092January 9, 1992
THE HONORABLE CIT1 COUNCIL
Palo Alto, California
A •• lt Sei_ur. --IKpwn4itur. of run~s
Members of the council:
ItR9rt in Brief
1
council action is requested to approve an expenditure of $16,400
from the Asset sei~ure Fund to cover costs of Pel ice Department
training and equipreent purchases~
Background
On January 1, 1989, California Health and Safety (H , S) Code
Section 11470 became effective. Commonly referred to as the
State's narcotics and forfeiture statute, H , S 11470 facilitates
the effective seizing and forfeiting of property and monay
associated with drug tr3ffickinq. The seizure process typically
occurs during an arrest 0:-search 'Warrant service related to
narcotics trafricking.
The legislation stipulates that seized property and funds are n~t
to be used to defer normal operating expenses, but should be used
for special purchases and projects associated with law enforcement
activities.
During the last three years, as a me:n:ber of the. Allied Agency
Narcotics Enforcement Team (AANE1) , and through the Deparcment's
efforts, $86,275 h3S been received in forfeited monies. Of that,
~ little over $70,000 has been spent on various equipment items.
In Sant~ Clara County, a Deputy District Att~rney is specifically
assiqr:ed to handle asset forfeiture cases and to help local
agencle.s properly process their cases. Monies seized by 'the Police
Department are held by the District Attorney's office in a special
account until such time the case is ~djudiGated. The process of
seizing money is a civil proceeding wholly independent of any
criminal filing or conviction and requires strict procedural
adhe~ence. At the cor-elusion of the superior Cvurt proceedings,
tbe money is returned to t.he City, deposited into an ".sse.t Seizure.
FUnd created by the City's Finance Department, and, 'With city
Council approval, released tor expenditure purposes.
CMR: 104 :92
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Fage Two
'rope.lt IxpeD41ture
The Pol ice Department staff proposes spending '$-16,400 from the
Asset Seizure Fund to purchase equipment and to pay for a mandatory
n~rcotics training class~ The follo~ing are the specific items for
which staff recommends using these funds:
1. Hostagephone -The Hostaqephone (~1,200) is specifically
designed for use by l.'tW enforcement agencies in SWAT
situations and allows communications bat~een the crisis
resolution team {CRT) and a suspect. Oftentimes the
suspect has no access t.o e. regular phone and this device
provides for communication. It also enables the co~and
post to share information with CRT ever ~ secured line
that cannot be overheard. The system operates over a
phone cable~ There are no phone bills, other fees or
maintenance costs associated vith its use~
2. Bicycles and Related Equipment -For the last three
years, the police Department has operated a bicycle
patrol program in the downtown area as staffing and
weather conditi.ons permi tted~ This program has. been
popular with the downto .... n merchants because a bike patrol
officer-can quickly respond to calls and provides a
hiqhly visible deterrent to criminal activity. The
purch3.se of three 03dditional biCYCles, cold weather
clothing, and related equipment ($3,000) vill meet the
equipment needs of this program for approximately three
more years~
3. ~sic Laser - A forensic laser ($',300) is an instru
ment used at crime scenes to locate latent fingerprints,
body rluids, trace evidence, gun pcwder residue, subsur
face bruises, and document alterations. with the pur
~hase of the laser, staff estimates that SO p~rcent of
previously unusable latent fingerprints viIi be identi
fiable, and thl.lS lead to more arrests and convictions~
This device viII primarily be used in the investigation
ot burglar-ies and sexual assault cases.
The cost for this item includes a four-day training
session for one police officer on the operation of the
laser~ The .officer will then train additional department
personnel on the use of the device.
44 Interview Room Improyements and Video EguipJIlen:t -Th~
Police Department interview room viII be modified
($6,800J to improve acoustics. The room viII be equipped
with a complete VCR recordinq and monitoring system~
This system will normally be used to record interviews of
individuals suspected of serious offenses. The audio and
CMR:104:92
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video recordings vill clearly and accur~tely present a
suspect's statement and be admissible in court to help
determine the quilt or innocence of the suspect. Many
aqencies have al reilldy had post ti ve experiences using
similar systems in their facilities. Th~ costs include
the purcha5e and installation of th~ equipment.
5. Narcotics Iny_~stigation Class -Palo Alto'lS ro:lcently
assigned member of the Allied Agency Narcotics Enforce
ment Team is required to attend a Department of Justice
narcotics training class, The expenditure Clf $1,100 'Will
cover the cost associated with this training.
aacop..»datioD.
Staff recommends that Council approve the expenditure of $16,400
from the Asset seizure f1.lnd.
CHRIS DURKIN
Police Chief
CMR:104:92
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