Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONCENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: Cotati City Council
Subject: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY
PATROL GRANT
Date: July 28, 2026
Written by: Chris Simmons, Chief of Police
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the acceptance of grant funding from the California Highway Patrol to fund the education, equipment, prevention, and enforcement of laws related to driving under the influence (DUI).
Background
The Cotati Police Department continues to need to train newer officers in all areas of traffic safety. It is our goal to stay ahead of DUI statistics by increasing enforcement, increasing training for officers, and purchasing new equipment to assist them. However, these additional efforts add to the cost of City services. On July 3, 2026, the City received a Grant Agreement with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) conditionally awarding grant funding for the grant period of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, in an amount not to exceed $141,493.59 Analysis/Discussion
The Cotati Police Department has always been committed to traffic safety and DUI/DUID Enforcement. Having a dedicated traffic unit and better trained officers has played a key role in that commitment. We have also committed to traffic safety by self-funding extra patrols and assisting other agencies with DUI Checkpoints. Utilizing grant funding to increase training, equipment, and patrols will assisting these efforts. City staff applied for and were awarded grant funding to purchase a combination of new equipment such as the SoToxa device, a DUI Command Vehicle, and reimbursement of staffing time and travel costs related to enhanced training to assist us in these efforts.
The proposed expenditures under this grant include the following:
• SoToxa Drug Testing Device - $6,237.46;
• Personnel Costs - $37,665.90 (including training and travel); • DUI Traffic Unit Command Vehicle - $97,590.23 (purchase of a 2026 Ford Police Interceptor hybrid Utility Vehicle with upfitting);
Per the grant agreement and in line with the City’s Grant Management Policy, this grant must be formally accepted by the City Council to accept the funds from the State of California. Upon acceptance, staff will set up the requisite accounts and document management for proper reporting and tracking.
Financial Considerations
The resolution provided for council approval will authorize the establishment of the proper accounts and correlating budget dollars for the grant revenues and expenses within the Grant Fund. There is no direct impact on City funds anticipated with this action; however, there will be additional time required for administration of the grant which is not subject to reimbursement.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.