HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-20-2018 Item 07 - FY 19 Office of Traffic Safety Grant Application
Meeting Date: 2/20/2018
FROM: Deanna Cantrell, Police Chief
Prepared By: Melissa Ellsworth, Senior Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: FY 2019 GRANT APPLICATION FOR OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANT
PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize the Police Department to submit a grant application to the Office of Traffic Safety for
a FY 2019 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) not to exceed $100,000.
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 help the City’s ongoing effort to improve traffic
safety and quality of life.
The department has been awarded funding from the Office of Traffic Safety for well over 17 years.
Grant funding has enabled the Department to conduct numerous operations specifically focused on
alcohol or drug impaired drivers. Funding is essential to continue this type of enforcement on an
annual basis. The OTS grant allows the Department the opportunity to utilize officers on the
streets to address the enforcement of traffic laws that contribute to injury and non-injury
collisions. This grant will allow the San Luis Obispo Police department to be more visible on the
streets thereby enforcing more violations and in turn reducing the number of injury traffic
collisions in our city.
The grant application was due on January 30, 2018. Due to staff and grant timing, the application
has already been submitted online. If Council denies this request, the application can be withdrawn.
The department will be requesting funding for the following: overtime to fund department
participation in DUI checkpoints, saturation patrols, traffic safety presentations, motorcycle safety
enforcement, pedestrian and bicycle enforcement, and distracted driving enforcement operations.
CONCURRENCES
The City’s Finance Director concurs with this request.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
No environmental review necessary for this request.
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FISCAL IMPACT
City matching funds are not required by the grant. Although grant funding is already secured for
FY 2017-18; funding in subsequent years is requested through the grant application process on an
annual basis.
ALTERNATIVE
Council may direct staff to withdraw the 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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