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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/02/1993, C-3 - PURCHASE OF THIRTY (30) POLICE PORTABLE RADIOS MEETING AGENDA �u�hllt� pNVI� _�ATE�ITEM #�� uu11111110011 city o f San LUIS OBISPO WiS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT FROM: James M. Gardiner,.,"'' PREPARED BY: Barton H. Topham Chief of Police Captain SUBJECT: Purchase of thirty (30) police portable radios CAO RECOMMENDATION: By motion approve an appropriation of $27,550 from the General Fund, fund balance available, to the Police Department budget to purchase thirty (30) radios. BACKGROUND: Over the last two financial plans, the Department budgeted to replace a number of aging portable police radios. However, the economic pressures of succeeding budget cuts have forced the Department to eliminate these requests in deference to maintaining essential services and personnel. In this year's budget, even in the face of increasing maintenance and dependability problems, we deferred radio requests in an attempt to retain field personnel. As personnel cuts had to be made, dependability of the portable radios is even more paramount. It is essential that we maintain reliable communications while officers are away from their vehicles on calls-for service, investigations, foot patrol, car stops, etc. Failure to maintain contact not only.lessens our ability to provide timely service, but even more importantly, increases the risk to field personnel in the event of an emergency. DISCUSSION: Due to the above described budget situations, 30 of the department's 41 portable radios are now over ten years old. Fourteen of the radios are over thirteen years old. The manufacturer's recommended maximum life is ten years. A review of all portable radio histories has confirmed numerous and increasingly frequent repairs to replace parts, circuits and welds. Each repair takes a radio out of service for nearly a week and we routinely average two to three radios in for repair. This does not count those radios which due to extreme age are giving only marginal performance and require officers to continually repeat information. We are requesting authorization to replace the 30 radios which are over ten years old. These old Model MT 500 radios would be replaced with MT 1000 models. The MT 500 is so old they no longer make them. The MT 1000 is lighter, smaller and more dependable. We are also requesting that this be a sole source purchase from Motorola as all City equipment is Motorola and we have a current service/repair contract with Motorola representatives. FISCAL IMPACT: Since the adoption of the budget, two new funding sources have become available. The first is the Crossing Guard fee which was negotiated by tho Department with the San Luis Coastal Unified School District in the amount of $20,000 t,- the 1993-94 school year. The second is the $69,000 in additional sales tax revenue which was approved in the State budget. These sales tax funds were intended to mitigate the cuts made in public safety budgets from the loss of property tax revenues. As these are "one time" funds, it would be consistent with past City practices to utilize them for this kind of equipment purchase. As these revenues came into the budget after adoption, there would be no decrease in overall general fund balances or in the Police Department budget. �3, �i°�� ►�I�II��P ��Ill City Of san LUIS OBISPO Njj% COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Subject: Radio purchase Page 2 of 2 Motorola Portable Radios Model MT 1000 30 @ $770 each $23,100. Gang chargers 5 @ $343 each 17715. Subtotal $249815. Programming 945. Estimated tax 1.799. TOTAL $27,559. CONCURRENCES: The Director of Finance has reviewed this request and concurs with the funding sources and the sole source request. ALTERNATIVES: ■ Approve purchase of only a portion of the radios needed. ■ Do not approve purchase request at this time.