HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-19-2016 Item 13 - FY 2016-17 Grant Application for Office of Traffic Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Program
Meeting Date: 1/19/2016
FROM: Keith Storton, Acting Chief of Police
Prepared By: Melissa Ellsworth, Senior Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: FY 2016-17 GRANT APPLICATION FOR OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY
SELECTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize the Police Department to submit a grant application to the Office of Traffic Safety for
a FY 2016-17 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) not to exceed $250,000; and
2. If the grant is awarded, authorize the Chief of Police to execute all grant related documents and
authorize the Finance Director to make the necessary budget adjustments upon the award of the
grant.
DISCUSSION
The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) provides grant funding to agencies annually.
Programs are aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on our roadways through special enforcement
and public awareness efforts. Grant funding will assist the City’s ongoing effort to improve traffic
safety and quality of life.
Specifically, the OTS Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant will continue to provide
funding for the night time DUI police officer for the San Luis Obispo Police Department for FY
2016-17. Currently, the department is funding one night time DUI officer through an existing OTS
grant for FY 2015-16 which began on October 1, 2013.
Overview of Position
The grant funded position will be responsible for identifying areas where DUI incidents are
prevalent and perform enforcement activities in these areas for the specific purpose of reducing DUI
related incidents. Other patrol officers will still be expected to continue their own DUI enforcement
as part of their regular patrol duties while allowing additional specific DUI enforcement to occur by
the DUI officer.
The night time DUI Officer’s duties will include:
1. Enforcement of DUI related laws.
2. Provide DUI related training at briefings.
3. Provide support to Patrol in specific DUI related cases.
4. Participate in community outreach activities which could include public speaking as to the
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dangers of driving while intoxicated.
5. Track and maintain statistical data to meet the obligations of the grant and other
departmental purposes.
Grant Application
The grant application is due on January 30, 2016. The following describes what the department will
be requesting in the application: salary and benefits (for a period of 12 months) for the night time
DUI police officer position and overtime to fund department participation in DUI checkpoints,
saturation patrols, and distracted driving enforcement operations.
CONCURRENCES
The Director of Finance & Information Technology concurs with this request.
FISCAL IMPACT
City matching funds are not required by the grant. Although grant funding is already secured for
FY 2015-16; funding in subsequent years will be requested through the grant application process on
an annual basis. Upon the conclusion of the grant, and if the department is not awarded grant
funding in the following fiscal years, it is anticipated that the position would be absorbed into the
department through attrition.
ALTERNATIVE
Council may direct staff not to submit an application. Staff does not recommend this alternative as
funding will aid in the City’s ongoing effort to improve traffic safety and quality of life. The grant
objectives are aimed at preventing deaths and injuries on our roadways through special enforcement
and public awareness efforts.
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