Fremont City Council Meeting: 11/07/23 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Police Department
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Agreements and Contracts
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5031) DOC ID: 5031
Updated: 11/2/2023 1:35 PM by Susan Gauthier Page 1
SPECTRUM CANINE, LLC AGREEMENT – Authorize the City Manager or her designee to enter into a Service Agreement with Ricardo Rivera, dba Spectrum Canine, LLC, for Police Canine Team Training
Contact Persons:
Name: Jared Morrison Sean Washington
Title: Special Operations Division
Lieutenant
Police Chief
Div/Dept: Police Department Police Department
Phone: (510) 790-6906 510-790-6969
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The Fremont Police Department has utilized Ricardo Rivera, dba Spectrum Canine, LLC, for police canine team decoy training since 2021 in combination with a primary training provider located in Colorado. Spectrum Canine has recently increased its capabilities and is now able to take over as the Fremont Police Department’s primary training provider for the canine unit. Under the recommended agreement, Spectrum Canine will provide weekly training for our canine teams, ensuring compliance with the California Police Officers Standards and Training (POST) mandates.
BACKGROUND: The canine program continues to be an integral part of the Police Department patrol function and aids in the safety of our community members and officers alike. Canine teams have a multitude of functions, from de-escalation tactics to less lethal use of force, aid in the search and apprehension of suspects, and frequently participate in community events and demonstrations. Due to the inherent liability and safety concerns associated with law enforcement canine units, ensuring our canine teams are operating at an optimal performance level is vital.
Weekly training and advanced training opportunities are essential in ensuring we continue to uphold industry standards and best practices. The continuous training and advanced training courses enhance officers’ decision-making regarding canine deployments and potential use of force incidents. Additionally, training also allows for identification and correction of any concerns with a specific canine or canine team.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: The Fremont Police Department has utilized Spectrum Canine since 2021 to fulfill the required 16-hour POST-mandated training for patrol service dogs and teams. These trainings primarily focus on obedience and decoy/search techniques to ensure our teams are operating at the highest level and remain “street ready.” Spectrum Canine also utilizes these training days to identify potential areas for improvement, which could be dog or team-specific. If an area for improvement is identified, Spectrum Canine provides additional training at an hourly rate until the issues in question have been resolved.
Over the past year, Spectrum Canine demonstrated its capability to become the City’s primary canine trainer and has provided an 8-week canine handler course to no less than four new canine teams. This course is designed to ensure maximum effectiveness and Council Staff Report (ID # 5031) Meeting of November 7, 2023 Updated: 11/2/2023 1:35 PM by Susan Gauthier Page 2
efficiency of the handler and canine, ensuring both are operating as a highly proficient team within the patrol and detection aspect. Because Spectrum Canine is local, staff believes it is advantageous to the City to shift responsibility for primary training to Spectrum Canine from the current training provider located in Colorado.
The recommended agreement with Spectrum Canine would provide for canine handler courses for new teams, as well as weekly and advanced training opportunities. The term of the recommended agreement would run through June 30, 2026, with an annual not-to- exceed amount of $80,000, for a total contract of $240,000.
FISCAL IMPACT: The current year cost of this agreement was included in the FY 2023/24 Adopted Operating Budget for the Police Department service dog team.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The purchase of canine training is exempt from and not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because, without limitation, it is not a “project” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2) and/or 15378(b)(5) and as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity may have a significant effect on the environment per CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), each as a separate and independent basis for CEQA compliance.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager or her designee to execute a service agreement with Ricardo Rivera, dba Spectrum Canine, LLC, in an annual not-to-exceed amount of $80,000 through June 30, 2026, for a total of $240,000.