HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-07-2013 c9 2013-14 ca office of traffice safety grant apcounctL
âqenòa nepont
Mcctins Datc
5-7 -r3IIÞm Nuhbêr C9
FROM:
Prepared By:
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
Steve Gesell, Chief of Police
Melissa Ellsworth, Senior Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT:2OI3-I4 CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY "AVOID THE 14"
GRANT APPLICATION MODIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION
Approve a modif,rcation to the grant application for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-14 Califomia Offrce of
Traffic Safety (OTS) for an Avoid the 14 grant.
DISCUSSION
On March 5, 2013, Council approved staffs request to submit a grant application to the
California Office of Traffic Safety for the FY 2013-14 AVOID the 14 grant.
The Avoid DUI Program \Mas launched in 1973 to bring law enforcement agencies together in
countywide clusters to crack down on the drinking driver and reduce the number of deaths and
injuries caused by alcohol related crashes. Funding provided by OTS grants allows counties to
add overtime hours to deploy officers in areas with high occurrences of DUI related traffic
collisions and conduct public awareness media campaigns during the increased enforcement
periods.
The overall goal of this awareness campaign is to let drivers know about the countywide
increased enforcement periods and warn drivers that the only way to "Avoid" the county's law
enforcement officers is to drive sober. Increased enforcement periods are planned during high
traffic holiday periods, and additional funding is available for other special events as well with
identified DUI problems where media campaigns with heavy enforcement can reduce deaths and
injuries caused by drunk drivers.
The San Luis Obispo Police Department has participated in the countywide Avoid grant since
2006 and was the host agency for this collaborative grant during the FY 2012-13 grant period.
The Department has once again elected to act as the "host agency" for this regional effort. The
grant period will be from October 1,2013 until September 30, 2014.
As the host agency, the Department will work closely with other law enforcement agencies in the
county to fulfiII the goals and objectives set forth in the grant. Participating agencies will
include: Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, the Sheriffs
Department, and other allied agencies. Per grant guidelines, other participating agencies must
enter into an agreement with the San Luis Obispo Police Department agreeing to assist with
project related enforcement activities, attend project related meetings, submit invoices to the
Department for overtime hours worked associated with the Avoid grant activities, collect and
submit statistics.
c9-1
2013-14 OTS Avoid the 14 Grant Application Modification Page 2
Modification to the Grant Application
The initial application included a request to fund overtime related to DUI checkpoints, saturation
patrols, court stings, warrant sweeps and other DUI Task Force events. However, due to recent
discussions with the OTS, staff was asked to modify their current grant application to include
funding for a dedicated traffic police officer position. The position would be dedicated primarily
to DUI enforcement activities during the course of the grant.
CONCURRENCES
The Director of Finance & Information Technology concurs with this recommendation.
FISCAL IMPACT
City matching funds are not required for this grant. Upon the conclusion of the grant, it is
anticipated that the position would be absorbed into the department through athition. Historically,
the departmenL realizes approximately one officer retirement each year. Additionally, staff
anticipates two officer retirements during the next fiscal year (FY 2013-14).
Grant funds will be available in October 2013; therefore if needed, the department will :utilize salary
savings from the vacant sergeant position to hire an officer prior to that time. Hiring before October
will enable the department to complete field training for the officer and reassign an existing offtcer
to this special assignment before the start of the grant. If this grant is not awarded to the City then
no additional hiring will take place.
Grant funding for the position would be secured for one year. If available, funding for
subsequent years would be requested through the grant application process on an annual basis.
ALTERNATIVES
Council may direct staff to withdraw the modification. Staff does not recommend this alternative as
funding will enhance the Department's current efforts in addressing traffic safety throughout the
county. The objectives of the grant are to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by
alcohol related crashes and raise public awareness regarding the problems associated with drinking
and driving.
T:\Council Agenda ReportsV0l3\2013-05-07\FY 2013-14 Ca Office of Traffic Safety (Gesell-Ellsworth)\CAR 2013-14 OTS AVOID Officer
Funding.docx
c9-2