M E M O R A N D U M
DATE:
July 19, 2022
TO:
Christine Daniel, City Manager
FROM:
Jeff Jennings, Chief of Police
SUBJECT:
Resolution Of The City Council Of The City Of Emeryville Authorizing The City Manager To Issue A Request For Proposals (RFP) For An Upgraded CAD/RMS System For The Emeryville Police Department
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the above-entitled resolution to authorize the City Manager to issue an RFP for the purchase of a replacement Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management System (CAD/RMS) for the Emeryville Police Department.
BACKGROUND
The Emeryville Police Department (EPD) has a total authorized staffing level of 61 employees: 41 sworn and 20 professional services staff. The primary mission of EPD is public safety for the Emeryville community; this is supported by the 9-1-1 dispatch communications center, traffic section, crime scene investigation, property and evidence section, and records management section.
The current CAD/RMS system was purchased almost seven years ago, in 2016. The Police Department wants to replace that system with an updated system that better meets the needs of the Emeryville community in terms of access, reporting and analysis, and more easily enables the Department to comply with new and emerging data collection and reporting requirements.
The Department is seeking an integrated CAD/RMS solution that offers the capability to comply with existing and upcoming mandates, capture ongoing statistical data, accurately measure performance, better equip first responders with relevant information, reduce report writing time and thus free up resources, enhance internal cross-training, and be technologically progressive. A key to this procurement is obtaining one fully integrated solution from a single vendor.
The desired solution will be a system designed specifically for municipal law enforcement operations built with modern technology that is easily scalable, highly secure, and capable of being updated in a timely manner with no significant impact to City of Emeryville resources and operations. The system should allow users to create, manage, search, and share various types of records from both mobile and desktop computers in a seamless and user-friendly manner. Data must be secured and shared within and between applications in real-time with a single solution.
The desired system must be user-friendly, requiring minimal fields to be completed, minimal steps to review and approve reports, no redundant data entry, and minimal steps to comply with and submit crime data to the National Incident-based Reporting System (NIBRS). It should enable easy analysis of call-for-service (CFS) data, crime trends, criminal investigative and intelligence information, and employee performance metrics.
EPD patrol officers, detectives, and dispatchers face challenges with the current system. The EPD communications section receives all incoming 911 calls for the City and uses the CAD system to log law enforcement, fire, and medical calls. Some of the challenges experienced by staff include the ease of use of the system, data and records management, and the lack of an integrated online reporting option. More recently, the current CAD/RMS provider phased out the crime analytics module and transitioned to a different analytics platform, creating additional costs and more system challenges for staff.
Another challenge with the current system is its inability to establish patrol beats and officer call signs. The Presidential Task Force 21st Century Policing Philosophy has six pillars, and a robust CAD system is a vital component that impacts several pillars. One example to enhance community orientated policing and problem solving is the establishment of patrol beats and officer call signs. With beats and call signs the community and individual officers become familiar with each other, which builds relationships. These relationships increase accountability and enhance community policing engagement. The current CAD system does not have the capability to create patrol beats or officer call signs, thus impacting management’s ability to efficiently measure the organization’s accountability and level of community engagement. Having a system that tracks officers’ time and community outreach could be enhanced if patrol beats were possible with the CAD system.
To provide better service to the Emeryville community, EPD established an on-line crime reporting system in 2019. However, due to the limitations of the current CAD/RMS system, the on-line system had to be set up separately. The online crime reporting has been a popular system due to its ease of use for residents and visitors. The flexibility of the online reporting system has been a great option for reporting crime for those EPD serves. Since its inception, more than 100 crime victims had submitted online reports through this system. The current CAD/RMS system does not have an online reporting system and EPD had to purchase a separate system for online reporting. The new CAD/RMS system will be required to have an online reporting module so the Police Department can eliminate the cost of a separate online reporting system. Having a fully integrated online reporting system would eliminate the staff time required to convert online reporting documents into the current RMS system.
Recent California DOJ mandates for law enforcement agencies to encrypt their radio communications are in effect and the deadline is July 1, 2023. If not encrypted, agencies must take other measures to protect personally identifiable information, also known as PII, per Senate Bill 1000 which is currently pending in the State Legislature. However, the encryption mandate can create a transparency gap in terms of the public’s ability to monitor law enforcement activity. One approach to closing that gap is to move to a publicly accessible web-based system which shows law enforcement calls for service. The San Diego Sheriff Department (SDSD) implemented a web-based program that closes the transparency gap created from encrypting police radio communications. SDSD created a publicly accessible call for service webpage where the community can monitor the activity of the SDSD deputies (https://callsforservice.sdsheriff.gov/).
This web-based platform allows the public to see the police calls for service while protecting all PII from the calls for service. While this type of technology is relatively new, the trend for law enforcement is to move toward this type of technology to increase transparency. EPD would be looking for a CAD/RMS system with these types of capabilities. Staff is cautiously optimistic a publicly accessible CAD system could satisfy the proposed mandates in SB 1000, if it were to pass into law.
DISCUSSION
The Department’s CAD/RMS system is one of the most critical software systems used by any law enforcement agency. Accurate records and data retrieval are essential for effective police duties and management. Reporting accurate crime data is a fundamental expectation of the community and EPD wants to continue meeting that expectation with the most effective, available technology. An RMS system that requires less staff time to write and approve police reports will significantly help in keeping officers available for public service.
An updated RMS system will also reduce staff time invested in validating data, reporting crime data, and completing mandatory NIBRS reporting data. The elimination of the police management analyst position in 2018 has created challenges in completing monthly crime data reports. The monthly crime data reports are being completed on overtime and a new RMS system could minimize and or eliminate this reoccurring staff overtime due to the system and the lack of a crime analyst.
Another key component of this RFP will be to ensure the CAD/RMS system has interoperability to the County StateLink CLETS database and other Alameda County law enforcement agencies, including the DA’s office. The current system has no interoperability interface with the other Alameda County agencies and effectively responding to developing crime trends has become challenging.
Once the procurement process is complete, staff will return to the City Council for the award of the contract and the reallocation of the necessary funds, as discussed further below.
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff reviewed the current approved budget and identified several funded accounts which could be drawn from to subsidize the purchase of a new CAD/RMS system without significantly affecting other ongoing projects. The identified funding sources would require reallocation of funds from several accounts:
GIS Development, CIP number IT-03, fund 670, CIP number 0167011, $100,000 Records Management, CIP number IT-06, Fund 670, CIP number 18670011, $100,000 Police Administration Building, CIP CF-18, Fund 475, CIP number 21475005, $125,000 FY22/23, fund 101-2200-73350, $105,000
FY23/24 through FY26/27, fund 101-2200-77260, $45,000 (totaling $180,000) While the specific cost of a new CAD/RMS system is yet to be determined, staff projects that a new system will cost approximately $550,000 over a 5–7-year contract.
STAFF COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC
Staff will present this proposal to the Public Safety Committee on July 14, 2022 and will share the Committee’s comments at the July 19, 2022 City Council meeting.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends approval of the Resolution authorizing the City Manager to issue the RFP for a new CAD/RMS for the Police Department.
PREPARED BY: Oliver Collins, Captain
Jeff Jennings, Chief of Police
APPROVED AND FORWARDED TO THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EMERYVILLE:
Christine Daniel, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
Draft Resolution
Police Department CAD/RMS System
City Council Meeting | July 19, 2022
C A L I F O R N I A