City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: November 7, 2023
From: Robert Sousa, Chief of Police
Department: Police
Submitted by: Gustavo Herrera, Lieutenant - Services Division Subject
Office of Traffic Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grant Agreement Recommendation
Approve and authorize the City Administrator, Police Chief, and Police Sergeant to execute a Professional Services Agreement with the Office of Traffic Safety, in substantially the same form as submitted, for participation in STEP for a one-year term, with an effective date of October 1, 2023.
Background
The Vernon Police Department (VPD) has received a grant through the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to participate in STEP. The goals of the program include the following: reduce the number of persons killed and/or injured in traffic collisions; reduce the number of persons killed and/or injured in Driving Under the Influence (DUI) related collisions; and raise public awareness about DUI enforcement activities in the Los Angeles County region. In order to accomplish the goals of the program, participating agencies will be required to take part in various enforcement activities which include saturation patrol details, motorcycle safety enforcement, distracted driving enforcement, pedestrian and bicycle enforcement, and DUI checkpoints.
VPD staff will coordinate enforcement activities as required on an overtime basis. The VPD will receive reimbursement for a majority of the overtime-related costs (benefits calculated at 1.45%).
The VPD has participated in this program for a number of years and has been successful in attaining the goals specified.
To engage in the program, law enforcement agencies are required to sign an agreement to receive reimbursement for personnel overtime costs. Reimbursements will be made within 90 days of receipt of an invoice, activity log, and quarterly traffic collision reports. The OTS Grant Agreement is for a one-year term and shall remain in effect until September 30, 2024.
The proposed agreement has been reviewed and approved as to form by the City Attorney's Office.
Fiscal Impact
Award of the grant will result in $112,000 in additional revenue to the General Fund. The grant funds will cover a majority of the projected overtime costs for VPD’s annual participation in the OTS STEP.
Attachments
1. Office of Traffic Safety STEP Agreement