September 23, 2025
Police Department
DATE: September 23, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Bisa French, Chief of Police
Subject:
Accept and Appropriate Grant Funding from the
California Highway Patrol, Cannabis Tax Fund Grant
Program to Address Impaired Driving
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed $171,223 is funded by the California Highway Patrol, Cannabis Tax Fund Grant. The budget
for both revenues and expenditures in the Police
Department will be increased by $171,223. This program
does not require City matching funds.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Police Department was awarded a California
Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund Grant to purchase
two (2) DUI enforcement vehicles and to develop a
practical, comprehensive, and strategic approach to
addressing impaired driving in the community. The
Department is requesting City Council approval to accept and appropriate the $171,222.58 grant for traffic-related enforcement, training, and the purchase of two (2) DUI
enforcement vehicles.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution to ACCEPT and APPROPRIATE
$171,222.58 in grant funding from the California Highway Patrol, Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program awarded to
the Police Department to purchase two (2) DUI
enforcement vehicles to reduce and mitigate the impacts of impaired driving in the community - Police Department (Bisa French 510-620-1802).
AGENDA
REPORT
September 23, 2025
DISCUSSION:
The Richmond Police Department (RPD) has seen an increase in impaired driving incidents involving alcohol and drugs since the legalization of marijuana due in part to the lack of officer training and enforcement. The RPD impaired driving and enforcement project plan consists of two prongs: (1) Training, and (2) Enforcement. The RPD project will provide police officers with the needed training to recognize the signs and symptoms of impairment (Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE), Drug Recognition Expert (DRE), and enforcement to reduce the number of citizens killed and injured in collisions involving alcohol, drugs, marijuana, and other primary collision factors. Funds will be used to provide police officers with training to recognize the signs and symptoms of impairment for driving under the influence (DUI) investigations, and to purchase equipment that supports our DUI enforcement and prosecution efforts. Through the RPD impaired driving training and enforcement project, our officers will gain proper training and experience to enhance their ability to identify drivers under the influence of alcohol, drugs, and marijuana in order to serve the community better and improve public safety.
Organizationally, we recognize that DUI enforcement and detection are crucial for saving lives and reducing the number of collisions. We plan to send several officers to DUI detection and investigation training. This is essential as we have seen an increase in DUI-related collisions and arrests over the past year. Additionally, despite the current staffing shortfall within the department as a whole, and within the Traffic Division, the Richmond Police Department remains committed to reducing traffic fatalities and collisions through enforcement missions and educational activities. The purchase of two(2) DUI enforcement vehicles will enhance enforcement and detection capabilities.
This grant will again provide the necessary overtime to enhance the community's traffic safety, train officers, and supply the equipment needed for enforcement activities.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Award Letter