CC 2015-08-25_08g Agreement_Traffic Safety Grant ProgramMEMORANDUM
TO: CITY COUNCIL
FROM: STEVEN N. ANNIBALI, CHIEF OF POLICE
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF OF
POLICE TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA
OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP
ADDRESS ONGOING TRAFFIC SAFETY CONCERNS AND
APPROPRIATE THE FUNDING.
DATE: SEPTEMBER 8, 2015
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a Resolution authorizing the Chief of
Police to execute an agreement with the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to help
address ongoing traffic safety concerns and appropriate the funding for the activities.
IMPACT ON FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL RESOURCES:
There should be no adverse financial impact to the City of Arroyo Grande.
The annual grant award is for $50,000. The cost of this program will fall into four
categories: equipment and educational materials ($9,000); training costs ($3,000); and
overtime staffing for operations ($38,000). The cost of equipment purchase, training,
and overtime staffing for operations will be directly reimbursed through the grant. The
cost of time for grant management will be absorbed into the regular duties of the Police
Department administration and Financial Services Division of the city.
BACKGROUND:
The Arroyo Grande Police Department has accepted grant funding from the Office of
Traffic Safety intermittently in the past. The Police Department has hosted the county-
wide AVOID the 14 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) grant program and participated as
a member of that program every year it was available. Last year, due to the recession,
OTS restructured their grant programs. Specifically, OTS eliminated the large county-
wide grant program due to the significant costs involved. OTS now offers smaller grants
to the individual agencies with the goal of a more focused program with easier program
management and greater financial accountability.
Accepting this grant, will allow for the purchase of equipment and reimburse overtime
staffing directly relating to training, traffic safety functions, enforcement of DUI laws and
public education. This will be accomplished through a variety of means including but not
limited to: speed and distracted driving enforcement operations, advanced training in
DUI detection for officers, DUI checkpoints, and public awareness campaigns through
Item 8.g. - Page 1
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO
EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY
GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP ADDRESS ONGOING TRAFFIC SAFETY CONCERNS
AND APPROPRIATE THE FUNDING.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2015
PAGE2
DUI detection for officers, DUI checkpoints, and public awareness campaigns through
educational presentations and participation in OTS programs such as the AVOID
Campaign, Click it or Ticket and Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
The goal is to use a combination of an increase of public awareness of traffic related
incidents including driving under the influence, an increase of subsequent enforcement
of traffic and DUI laws and thereby cause a decrease in traffic collisions and incidents of
driving under the influence.
In the past, grant funding has allowed for the purchase of specialized equipment such
as our DUI Command Trailer, lighting, safety equipment and funded overtime positions
for enforcement programs and public education.
ANALYSIS OF ISSUES:
Arroyo Grande currently hosts a resident population of approximately 17,715. However,
the city experiences a significant increase in daily population and traffic due to
employment, business and service providers located within Arroyo Grande.
Additionally, our service population is also impacted by the cities immediately adjacent
to ours, making up the "Five Cities" area. The larger Five Cities area population is
approximately 45,000 residents, not including the tourist population, which is estimated
at approximately 35,000 a year. Because of our location situated half-way between Los
Angeles and San Francisco, directly west from Bakersfield, we experience significant
increases in traffic, pedestrian and alcohol related incidents due to our proximity to the
beach and the Oceano Dunes Vehicular Recreation area.
In addition, the City of Arroyo Grande hosts the only public high school for the Five
Cities area, servicing over 2,000 high school students daily. This causes an increase in
the number of inexperienced drivers on the road, as well as bicyclists and pedestrians.
Finally, the city of Arroyo Grande has several special events throughout the year. The
Strawberry Festival, Harvest Festival, Car Show, Halloween in the Village and
Christmas parade also increase the number of drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians on our
roadways.
With the resident, student and the transient tourist populations impacting our total
service population, we have seen increases in traffic collisions and traffic incidents over
the last several years.
An annual review of DUI collisions reveals that DUI incidents are usually increased
during the end of summer vacation/Labor Day period, Memorial Day, Independence
Item 8.g. - Page 2
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO
EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY
GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP ADDRESS ONGOING TRAFFIC SAFETY CONCERNS
AND APPROPRIATE THE FUNDING.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2015
PAGE3
Day weekends and the holiday period (Thanksgiving through New Years). Other times
with identified DUI crimes and collisions include Halloween, Super Bowl Sunday, Cinco
de Mayo and local festivals/events (Strawberry Festival (Memorial Day Weekend) I
Harvest Festival I Car Show).
Specific to the City of Arroyo Grande, alcohol involved traffic incidents represent a
significant threat to the community. These incidents do not consider factors such as age
or economic status and affect the community as a whole, thus law enforcement efforts
need to target all drivers. The City of Arroyo Grande and the surrounding beach
communities are a desirable destination for tourists and residents. In particular, the
historic village area consists of numerous restaurants, shops and bars. These qualities
draw large crowds, both vehicular and pedestrian. The community is safer by reducing
the number of DUI drivers on the City streets.
Significant progress is made in reducing the frequency of DUI crimes and collisions
when law enforcement agencies conduct awareness campaigns and enforcement
efforts. At a Nationwide level, traffic deaths have declined. However, DUI deaths have
not dropped as dramatically. With continued efforts between law enforcement,
community-based-organizations, and the media, the number of DUI fatalities could be
decreased.
Through grant funding from the Office of Traffic Safety, the Arroyo Grande Police
Department will be more successful in educating the public and curbing the problems
associated with drunk drivers, traffic violators, distracted driving, and will increase
pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternatives are provided for City Council consideration:
1. Adopt the Resolution, authorizing the Chief of Police to execute the grant
documents and appropriating the funding for the activities;
2. Do not adopt the Resolution; or
3. Provide additional direction to staff.
ADVANTAGES:
Accepting the OTS grant will have several advantages.
First, it will fund additional training. Officers will receive additional training in the area of
traffic enforcement and DUI detection. This will enhance the knowledge, skills, abilities
and overall effectiveness of officers in these areas. More importantly, it will reduce
Item 8.g. - Page 3
CITY COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO
EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY
GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP ADDRESS ONGOING TRAFFIC SAFETY CONCERNS
AND APPROPRIATE THE FUNDING.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2015
PAGE4
department and city liability by having more competent officers on daily patrol and
participating in enforcement programs.
Second, it will fund equipment not currently in the budget. With the grant funds,
additional equipment can be purchased such as flashlights and lighting equipment,
preliminary alcohol screening devices, speed determination devices and safety
equipment such as OSHA approved traffic safety vests.
Third, it will fund overtime for officers to conduct specialized enforcement operations in
the identified areas of concern such as speed and distracted driving enforcement, DUI
saturation patrols and DUI checkpoints.
Finally and most important, the grant will fund a continuous public awareness campaign
for the year to educate the public on traffic safety issues and driving under the influence.
DISADVANTAGES:
By not accepting the grant, the Police Department will not receive additional funding to
enhance its current training and programs. This will limit the Police Department's
additional enforcement programs, training, equipment and enhanced public education
that can be accomplished with grant funding.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
No environmental review is required for this item.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION AND COMMENTS:
The Agenda was posted in front of City Hall on Thursday, September 3, 2015. The
agenda and staff report was posted on the City's website on Friday, September 4,
2015. No public comment has been received to date.
Item 8.g. - Page 4
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ARROYO GRANDE AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF OF POLICE
TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CALIFORNIA
OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP
ADDRESS ONGOING TRAFFIC SAFETY CONCERNS AND
APPROPRIATE THE FUNDING.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande, through its Police
Department, is eligible to receive Federal and/or State funding for traffic safety
enforcement, education, training and equipment through the California Office of Traffic
Safety; and
WHEREAS, by accepting this grant, it will allow for the purchase of equipment and
reimburse overtime staffing directly relating to training, traffic safety functions,
enforcement of DUI laws and public education.; and
WHEREAS, by accepting this grant, an appropriation of funding will be required for the
activities; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande wishes to delegate
authorization to execute this grant agreement and any amendments thereto.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Arroyo
Grande hereby authorizes the Chief of Police to accept the grant award in the amount of
$50,000 and execute the grant agreement and amendments thereto with the California
Department of Traffic Safety.
On motion of Council Member , seconded by Council Member
and on the following roll call vote, to wit:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this ath day of September,
2015.
Item 8.g. - Page 5
RESOLUTION NO.
PAGE2
JIM HILL, MAYOR
ATTEST:
KELLY WETMORE, CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
DIANNE THOMSON, CITY MANAGER
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
HEATHER K. WHITHAM, CITY ATTORNEY
Item 8.g. - Page 6