HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2m - Grant Award from Traffic Safety-Selective Traffic Enforcement Program1
DATE: September 5, 2017
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Robert Guthrie, Chief of Police
By: Jennifer Brutus, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: PROPOSED GRANT AWARD FROM THE OFFICE OF TRAFFIC
SAFETY – SELECTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, IN THE AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $100,000 FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF
COSTS RELATED TO VARIOUS TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT
OPERATIONS
Recommendation: Accept SUMMARY
The Arcadia Police Department has applied for a grant from the California Office of
Traffic Safety (“OTS”) for the 2018 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, which will
reimburse expenses related to traffic enforcement operations during the period of October 1, 2017, through September 30, 2018. OTS has tentatively approved the
funding request of approximately $100,000. With City Council approval, the grant
agreement will be fully executed on or before September 30, 2017.
BACKGROUND
The Selective Traffic Enforcement Grant Program (“STEP”) is administered and
coordinated by OTS directly. The grant is designed to help reduce the number of
persons killed and injured in crashes involving alcohol, speed, red light running, and
other primary collision factors. The program funds various enforcement strategies including DUI saturation patrols to apprehend drunk drivers, warrant service operations
targeting DUI violators who fail to appear in court or violate probation, and stakeouts.
The program also supports measures that concentrate on speed, aggressive driving,
seat belt enforcement, intersection operations with disproportionate numbers of traffic
collisions, traffic safety presentations, and special enforcement operations encouraging motorcycle safety. A copy of the tentative approval letter from the Office of Traffic Safety
is attached to this staff report.
Grant Award – Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (“STEP”) September 5, 2017
Page 2 of 3
Overall, the grant is used to mitigate traffic safety program deficiencies, expand ongoing activity, or develop new programs. Grant funding cannot replace existing program
expenditures, nor can traffic safety funds be used for program maintenance, research,
rehabilitation, or construction.
DISCUSSION
The Selective Traffic Enforcement Program will reimburse the City for personnel costs,
supplies, and travel expenses related to conferences and trainings that support STEP
and/or traffic safety goals, in an amount of approximately $100,000. During the federal Fiscal Year of October 2017 to September 2018, the Police Department will engage in several DUI saturations, warrant service operations, traffic enforcement operations,
distracted driving operations, and traffic safety presentations.
The grant award will be distributed on a reimbursement basis. OTS will reimburse the City for all pre-approved costs upon receipt of the Police Department’s quarterly claims. The City will be required to comply with the terms and conditions of each grant,
including expense reporting and auditing.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the
environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
The anticipated OTS STEP expenditures have been included in the adopted FY 2017-
18 Budget. All costs related to the Program will be offset by reimbursement at the end of
the grant period, in the amount of approximately $100,000. RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council accept a proposed grant award from the Office
of Traffic Safety – Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, in the amount of approximately $100,000 for reimbursement of costs related to various traffic enforcement operations to be held during the period of October 1, 2017, through
September 30, 2018.
Grant Award – Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (“STEP”) September 5, 2017
Page 3 of 3
Attachment: Tentative Approval Letter from the Office of Traffic Safety
From:OTS Email
To:Cieadlo, Kollin
Subject:Application No.: 18-000503
Date:Thursday, June 01, 2017 10:47:28 AM
Congratulations! Through a competitive process, the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) has tentativelyapproved your funding request in the amount of $100,000 for the proposal titled “Selective TrafficEnforcement Program (STEP),” contingent on approval from the National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration.
Your OTS Coordinator will contact you to discuss your proposal and explain the grant agreementprocess. It is our goal to have all new grants start no later than the first of October. If approval from aCity Council or the Board of Supervisors is required, you should begin that process now. Do not incurgrant reimbursable costs prior to the receipt of your official approval packet from OTS or before yourgrant start date.
OTS will initiate a statewide media news release regarding this year's applications selected for funding.Your agency should not publicly announce this tentative award until the grant agreement is fullynegotiated and signed by OTS.
Again, congratulations on the success of your application.
Sincerely,Rhonda L. CraftDirector