HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2k - Purchase of GPS tracking devices for Police DepartmentDATE
TO:
FROM:
April 21, 2015
Honorable Mayor and City Council
Chief Robert Guthrie
By: Brett Bourgeous, Sergeant
STAFF REPORT
Police Department
SUBJECT: PURCHASE OF ELECTRONIC GPS TRACKING DEVICES FOR USE BY
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Recommendation: Approve
SUMMARY
It is recommended that the City Council authorize the purchase of ten (10) electronic
GPS tracking devices for use by the Police Department using funds from the Asset
Forfeiture account, not to exceed an amount of $7,000. This acquisition will assist the
Police Department in combating quality of life issues related to property crimes.
DISCUSSION
The Arcadia Police Department is interested in purchasing ten (10) electronic GPS
tracking devices from the 3S1 Security Systems Company. 3S1 has over 40 years of
experience combating crime through a variety of technologies, including GPS tracking.
For many years, 3S1 has best been known by the law enforcement community for their
work in deterring bank robberies. Many local agencies, including the Arcadia Police
Department, currently partner with 3S1 to track bait money stolen during bank robberies.
3S1 has now developed similar technologies which have been applied to track a variety
of other assets such as personal property.
Staff will monitor crime trends throughout the City and deploy the electronic GPS
tracking devices in areas that have, or are experiencing, increased criminal activity.
Tracking devices may be placed in and on bait property, such as: bicycles, parcels,
electronic devices, stacks of currency, vehicles, purses, construction equipment, and a
number of other property items. The overall goal of utilizing these tracking devices is to
reduce the threat of continued criminal activity in Arcadia.
The Redlands Police Department has had great success in using these types of
devices. Overall, they average tracking device activations once every three weeks and
have made a total of 151 arrests for such crimes as armed robbery, vehicle burglary,
bike theft, commercial burglary, and construction site theft.
Purchase of Electronic GPS Tracking Devices
May 5, 2015
Page 2 of 3
FISCAL IMPACT
Each individual electronic GPS tracking device costs $400. There will be a one -time fee
of $4,000 to purchase ten (10) electronic GPS tracking devices. There is also a monthly
tracking /monitoring fee of $17 associated with each device. This fee allows staff to
access 3S1's proprietary network in order to track the devices once they are activated.
The 12 month monitoring fee will cost $2,040. The monitoring fee will be a reoccurring
fee each fiscal year after the initial purchase and will subsequently be paid for through
the Police Department's annual budget. It is proposed that the one -time cost of
procuring the electronic GPS tracking devices and the ongoing monitoring fees be paid
using asset seizure funds.
It should be noted the Police Department recently purchased two of the 3S1 tracking
devices for test and evaluation. A short time after the purchase, 3S1 updated its tracking
devices to smaller, more concealable devices, and lowered the monthly monitoring fee
from $25 to $17. 3S1 indicated they will replace our current tracking devices for the
newer devices at no cost to the City and will reimburse the City for overpayment on the
previous monitoring fees by discounting monitoring costs 50% during the next year of
service for those two units. Costs for the electronic GPS tracking devices and
monitoring fees are further represented below.
Year 1 (FY14 -15)
Fees
10 Devices
Tracking Device Fee
$4,000.00
$400 per Device
Monthly Monitoring Fee
$2,040.00
$17 per Device
Discounted Monitoring Fee for
$204.00
Existing Tracking Devices
Tax
$561.96
Shipping & Handling
$25.00
Total Cost Estimate $6,830.96
Purchase of Electronic GPS Tracking Devices
May 5, 2015
Page 3 of 3
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve the purchase of ten (10) electronic
GPS tracking devices for use by the Police Department in an amount not to exceed
$7,000 and appropriate necessary funds from the Asset Forfeiture Account.
Approved:
Dominic Lazza
City Manager