CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
STAFF REPORT
2175 Cherry Avenue • Signal
Hill, California 90755-3799
10/25/2022
AGENDA ITEM
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
CARL CHARLES
INTERIM POLICE CHIEF
SUBJECT:
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY (OTS) SELECTIVE
TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM (STEP) GRANT AND TRAFFIC RECORDS
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT GRANT AND RESOLUTION FOR BUDGET
ADJUSTMENT
Summary:
The City has been awarded the STEP Grant in the amount of $90,000 as well as the Traffic Records Improvement Project Grant in the amount of $24,800. The Interim Police Chief is seeking authorization to accept the grants. The STEP grant will be used to offset Police Department costs to participate in public safety education and enforcement. The Traffic Records Improvement Project Grant will facilitate the required collision data transmittal to the State-Wide Integrated Traffic Records System.
Recommendations:
1. Authorize the Interim Police Chief to accept grant funding through the OTS STEP and Records Improvement Project Grant Programs.
2. Adopt a resolution, entitled:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SIGNAL HILL, CALIFORNIA
AMENDING THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND AUTHORIZING BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022-23
Fiscal Impact:
If accepted, OTS will award the City two grants in the amounts of $90,000 and $24,800 to be used during the period of October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023, to offset related expenditures.
The current budget only anticipated a $60,000 grant and will need to be updated for additional grant CITY OF SIGNAL HILL Page 1 of 3 Printed on 10/20/2022
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awards.
Strategic Plan Objective:
Goal No. 2: Ensure public safety is a high priority.
Background and Analysis:
The Police Department has a long history of partnership with OTS dating back to the early 1990s.
Since then, the Police Department has regularly obtained OTS grants to fund training, enforcement activity, and the purchase of traffic safety equipment such as the DUI trailer, preliminary alcohol screening devices, traffic calming devices, and RADAR trailers.
OTS grant applications are accepted statewide in January from municipal police departments, county sheriff’s departments, and the California Highway Patrol. Applications are reviewed by OTS and grant awards are based primarily on traffic safety data contained in the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). Grant awards are announced between July and August, with funding starting October 1.
The City has been awarded grant funding to carry out traffic safety enforcement targeting violations that contribute to traffic collisions known as primary collision factors (PCF). The grant provides several strategies for enforcement. The funded strategies include:
· Maintaining a “Hot Sheet” program to notify patrol and traffic officers to be on the lookout for identified repeat DUI offenders with a suspended or revoked license as a result of a DUI conviction;
· Two (2) DUI/driver’s license checkpoints;
· Fifteen (15) DUI enforcement patrols;
· Thirteen (13) Traffic Enforcement patrols;
· Three (3) traffic enforcement operations targeting drivers using a handheld cell phone and texting;
· Three (3) motorcycle safety enforcement operations;
· Two (2) traffic safety educational presentations with an effort to reach 75 community members; and
· Four (4) highly publicized pedestrian and bicycle enforcement operations.
The STEP Grant Program will also provide funding for police officers to attend the following classes:
· Advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement training (16 hours); · Standardized field sobriety testing training (16 hours); and · Drug Recognition Expert training (80 hours) and recertification.
The City was also awarded the Traffic Records Improvement Project Grant. The purpose of this grant is to facilitate the electronic submission of collision data to SWITRS. Currently, the Police Department’s Records staff prints and mails collision reports to SWITRS causing a delay in data entry and an inefficient procedural process. The electronic submittal of the collision data will create a more efficient process and provide the required data to the State at a faster rate.
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Reviewed:
_________________________
Sharon del Rosario
Approved:
_________________________
Joe Hoefgen
Attachments
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