CITY OF SIMI VALLEY
MEMORANDUM
November 7, 2022
TO: City Council
FROM: Police Department
SUBJECT: ACCEPT THE GRANT AWARD FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR SELECTIVE TRAFFIC
ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM (STEP) ACTIVITIES, RATIFY THE CITY
MANAGER’S EXEC UTION OF THE GRANT AGREEMENT , AND
AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO SIGN ALL
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, AUTHORIZE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO PURCHASE ENFORCEMENT RELATED EQUIPMENT AND
SUPPLIES, AND APPROV AL OF A SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET
REQUEST FOR FUND 287
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council accept the grant award from the State of California Office of Traffic Safety for Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) activities, ratify the City Manager ’s execution of the grant agreement, and authorize the City Manager or designee to sign all necessary documents , authorize the Police Department to purchase enforcement related equipment and supplies, and approve a Supplemental Budget Request in the Law Enforcement Grant Fund ( Fund 287) with a transfer to the General Fund (Fund 100) to cover personnel costs for overtime.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW
On January 21, 2022, the Simi Valley Police Department (Department) submitted an application, requesting $ 173,400 in funding, to the State of California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant. This grant is funded by the National Transportation Safety Administration and is administered by OTS. On June 22, 2022, OTS notified the Department that it had been awarded $135,000 for STEP activities. The Grant Agreement (Attachment A, page 4) was received near the end of June 2022 and needed to be signed and returned to OTS within two weeks of receipt, as a result there was insufficient time to obtain City Council’s approval. While there is no financial penalty if City Council chooses not to accept the grant at this time and ratify the execution of the Grant Agreement, it could negatively affect future grant awards.
AGENDA ITEM NO.
Consent (3)
2 The purpose of this grant is to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in crashes involving alcohol and other primary collision factors.
STEP activities include the following strategies: impaired driving enforcement; operations focusing on primary collision factors such as distracted driving or seatbelt compliance; traffic enforcement operations highlighting motorcycle safety; and public awareness and educational programs focusing on bicycle and pedestrian safety in areas of high collisions. These strategies are aimed at reducing collisions/fatalities and serve to act as a deterrent through media attention.
FINDINGS AND ALTERNATIVES
Consistent with prior years, the Department will use the grant to fund the following: driving under the influence (DUI) enforcement operations; participation in national enforcement education campaigns such as “Click -It-Or-Ticket” and Distracted Driver Month; suspended license compliance operations; pedestrian safety compliance; and elderly driver and bicycle safety presentations.
This grant also provides for officer training in the detection and apprehension of DUI drivers. Through the OTS grants, the Department has trained Drug Recognition Experts, whose testimony and opinions are now required by the District Attorney in impairment cases. As a grant recipient, the Department is required to re- certify officers as well as train additional officers in this field of expertise. It is anticipated the Department will train one additional officer as a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and recertify two DRE officers.
In addition, this grant will fund STEP equipment including: DUI Checkpoint supplies , signs, and cones; high visibility vests ; electronic flairs; Preliminary Alcohol Screening (PAS) device supplies; plastic barricades ; and an instALERT 24 variable Message Display sign. STEP equipment will primarily be used for DUI checkpoint activities.
The Department has successfully applied for this grant for the past nine years. It is not anticipated that the Department will have difficulty expending the grant within the one- year timeframe, which began on October 1, 2022.
The following alternatives are available to the City Council:
1. Accept $1 35,000 from the State of California Office of Traffic Safety for use in Selective Traffic Enforcement Program activities , ratify the City Manager’s execution of the Grant Agreement, and authorize the City Manager or designee to sign all necessary documents;
2. Authorize the Police Department to purchase enforcement related equipment and supplies;
3. Approve the Supplemental Budget Request in the Law Enforcement Grant Fund (Fund 287) with a transfer to the General Fund (Fund 100) to cover personnel costs for overtime expenses;
3 4. Do not ratify the grant agreement or accept the $135,000 in grant funds from the State of California Office of Traffic Safety;
5. Provide staff with alternate direction.
Staff recommends Alternatives 1, 2, and 3.
SUGGESTED CITY COUNCIL MOTION
I mo
ve that the City accept $135,000 from the State of California Office of Traffic Safety for use in Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) activities, ratify the execution of the Grant Agreement by the City Manager , and authorize the City Manager or designee to sign all necessary documents; authorize the Police Department to purchase enforcement related equipment and supplies , and approve the Supplemental Budget Request in the Law Enforcement Grant Fund ( Fund 287) with a transfer to the General Fund (Fund 100) to cover personnel costs for overtime expenses.
SUMMARY
On J
anuary 21, 2022, the Simi Valley Police Department (Department) applied for grant funds through the State of California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). On June 22, 2022, the Department was notified by OTS that it had been awarded $1 35,000 for Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) activities. It is the Department’s intent to utilize these funds to engage in the following activities: DUI checkpoints; distracted driver and seatbelt compliance operations; traffic safety education and public awareness programs; train officers to be Drug Recognition Experts; and to p urchase equipment and supplies that will be used to further traffic safety efforts.
I
t is recommended that the City Council accept $135,000 in grant funds from OTS for use in STEP activities, ratify the City Manager’s execution of the Grant Agreement, authorize the City Manager or designee to sign all necessary documents, authorize the Police Department to purchase enforcement related equipment and supplies, and approve the Supplemental Budget Request in the Law Enforcement Grant Fund (Fund 287) with a transfer to the General Fund (Fund 100) to cover personnel costs for overtime expenses. ___
_________________________________
David M. Livingstone
Chief of Police
P
repared by: Sergeant Joshua K. McAlister
INDEX Page
A
ttachment A – STEP Grant Agreement .......................................... 4 4 ATTACHMENT A
5 6
7 8
9 10
11 12
13 14
15 16
17 18
19 20