The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2008/09/23 Item 9 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT A (lIT OF -- - - (HULA VISTA 09/23/2008 Item --L ITEM TITLE: RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA ACCEPTING $623,000 FROM THE CALIFORL'rrA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR THE "OPERATION CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL STREET RACING" PROJECT, ADDING ONE POLICE AGENT TO THE AUTHORIZED STAFFING LEVEL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR CHIEF OF POLIC~~Rpe CITY MANAGE# -r- &-SI 4/5THS VOTE: YES X NO SUBMITTED BY: REVIEWED BY: SUMMMARY The Police Department has been awarded grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety to positively address the escalating mortality associated with San Diego illegal street racing involved crashes. "Operation Crack Down on Illegal Street Racing" is an inter-agency law enforcement task force represented by members from 12 San Diego law enforcement agencies, with a Police Agent and an hourly/part-time Public Safety Analyst coordinating the regional efforts. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW This proposed activity has been reviewed for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and it has been determined that the activity is not a "Project" as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a physical change in the environment; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary. RECOMMENDATION Council adopt the resolution. BOARDS/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Not Applicable. 9-1 .09/23/2008, Iteml Page 2 of3 DISCUSSION The California Office of Traffic Safety's (OTS) miSSIOn is to obtain and effectively administer traffic safety grant funds to reduce deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from traffic related collisions. The Police Department has been awarded various OTS grants, including the Serious Traffic Offenders Program (STOP), Comprehensive Traffic Safety Program, DUI Enforcement Program, and Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), which all enhanced the Traffic Unit by funding new positions. Additionally, OTS administers mini-grants such as the Sobriety Checkpoint Program and Click It or Ticket, which funds traffic enforcement operations on an overtime basis. The Police Department has recently been awarded $623,000 for the "Operation Crack Down on Illegal Street Racing" project that covers a two-year grant period of 10/l/2008 to 9/30/2010. Illegal street racing is not just a great annoyance to the public, but it also exposes the public, spectators and racers themselves to extreme hazards. Deaths and injuries due to illegal street racing are a serious problem in all major California cities, including the San Diego region. In 2007, San Diego County experienced an epidemic of illegal street racing activity which resulted in 12 deaths and 4 serious injuries. "Operation Crack Down on lllegal Street Racing" will address these concerns by creating a coordinated regional effort to stem the current incidence of illegal street racing. Participating law enforcement agencies include CHP, Sheriff, San Diego, Carlsbad, Coronado, EI Cajon, Escondido, La Mesa, National City, Oceanside & San Diego State University. The goal of this project is to reduce the number of persons killed or injured from illegal street racing collisions and to provide a public awareness campaign to educate the public of risk and consequences of illegal street racing. The "Operation Crack Down on Illegal Street Racing" project will add one Police Agent to the authorized staffing level of the Police Department. The Police Agent will coordinate the regional efforts with the other 11 participating law enforcement agencies. The grant also funds one part-timelhourly Public Safety Analyst, who will collect, analyze and report the racing statistics to OTS, as outlined in the goals and objectives of the grant. For the public awareness campaign, the Police Department will receive sub-contracted services from the Race Legal Marketing Director, who will develop and promote. a series of education and information mass media messages designed to positively influence street racers and re-direct their high risk behavior to the Racelegal.com alternative. The safety messages will emphasize the "Operation Crack Down on Illegal Street Racing" activities and encourage racers to take it on the track. The Racelega1.com program offers a safer track alternative to illegal street racing by hosting sanctioned racing events at Qualcomm Stadium. Formed in 1998, this program would be able to provide an excellent public awareness campaign regarding illegal street racing because of their established relationship with the San Diego community and media regarding this specific topic. 9-2 09/2312008, Iteml Page 3 of3 DECISION MAKER CONFLICT Staff has reviewed the decision contemplated by this action and has determined that it is not site specific and consequently the 500 foot rule found in California Code of Regulations section 18704.2(a)(I) is not applicable to this decision. FISCAL IMPACT The grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) in the amount of $623,000 will completely offset the total project costs during FY 2008/2009. Along with the personnel costs of the Agent and Analyst to oversee the proj ect as well as overtime for special operations, there will be one-time equipment expenses of a desktop computer, digital camera/video recorder, educational materials and office supplies. When the grant ends in September 20 I 0, the City will absorb the ongoing personnel costs of the Agent and unless alternative funding can be found for the Public Safety Analyst, that position will eliminated from the budget. This will create a net fiscal impact to the General Fund as detailed in the table below. " ~~"""';'~"~ll'~~:Jt\~ I~~.m ~ ~~~ ',.--~~ "~"C';:----'~~~"-'C-'_.~..":. - 'tEt.--"'i.'-: "'P?,:~, ~'.. ~ '! :<>!a'", ~v;~;'~~.... !,-~., fj. t ~ ~ - ! . :: dOl\. . .,. " ""'....._......,~._~~...."''''...~~~__i'.,~~,, .~ _, 17 . .. , ~ "Op Crack Down" Costs $257,931 $320,666 $182,840 $141,560 OTS Funding $257,931 $295,840 $69,229 $0 Net Impact to General Fund $0 $24,826 $113,611 $141,560 A TT ACHMENTS None. Prepared by: Jonathan Alegre, Senior ]Vlanagement Analyst, Police Department 9-3 RESOLUTION NO. RESOLUTION ACCEPTING $623,000 FROM THE CALIFOfu"lIA OFFiCE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR THE "OPERATION CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL STREET Ri\CING" PROJECT, ADDING ONE POLICE AGENT AND ONE 0.5 FTE PUBLIC SAFETY ANALYST TO THE AUTHORIZED STAFFING LEVEL OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR WHEREAS, the California Office of Traffic Safety has awarded $623,000 to the Police Department for the "Operation Crack Down on Illegal Street Racing" project; and WHEREAS, "Operation Crack Down on Illegal Street Racing" is an inter-agency law enforcement task force represented by members from 12 San Diego law enforcement agencies, with a goal of reducing the number of persons killed or injured from illegal street racing collisions; and WHEREAS, the "Operation Crack Down on Illegal Street Racing" project will add one Police Agent and one 0.5 FTE Public Safety Analyst to the authorized staffing level of the Police Department, who will coordinate the regional enforcement etTorts and report statistics to California Office of Traffic Safety, as outlined in the goals and objectives of the grant; and WHEREAS, the grant will also fund sub-contr\lcted services from the Race Legal Marketing Director, who will develop and promote a series of education and information mass media messages designed to positively int1uence street racers and re-direct their high risk behavior of illegal racing to safer and sanctioned racing events. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the City Council of the City of Chula Vista does hereby accept $623,000 from the California Office of Traffic Safety for the "Operation Crack Down on Illegal Street Racing" project, add one Police Agent and one 0.5 FTE Public Safety Analyst to the authorized stalling level of the Police Department and appropriate $153,106 to the personnel services category and $104,825 to the supplies and services category of the fiscal year 2008/2009 Police Department budget. Approved as to form by: /~ t,a .,~- II './ ry'iC@( i3 arj;jrYli'e lei '- "1 Iniirim City Attorney Presented by: Richard P. Emerson Police Chief 9-4