Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009/11/17 Item 6CITY COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT ~,' _ ~ .. '' ~ ~`~,,,~;~ CITY OF CHULA VISTA 11/17/2009 Item ITEM TITLE: RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHiJLA VISTA APPROPRIATING $213,205 TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2010 POLICE DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES AND SERVICES CATEGORY FROM THE AVAILABLE BALANCE OF THE ASSET SEIZURE FUND FOR THE PATROL RIFLE PROGRAM SUBMITTED BY: CHIEF OF POLICE~~q~--- REVIEWED BY: CITY MANAGER/~ 4/STHS VOTE: YES X NO SUMMARY The Police Department proposes implementing a patrol rifle program to enhance line- level police officers' ability to respond to violent critical incidents. The patrol rifle program will enhance public safety by offering officers access to firearms more suited to contemporary urban policing tactics. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW Not Applicable. RECOMMENDATION That Council adopts the resolution. BOARDS/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Not Applicable. DISCUSSION The Police Department is proposing the implementation of a patrol rifle program to more effectively equip police officers with the ability to respond to threats encountered in contemporary policing. The patrol rifle program will utilize existing range personnel to 6-1 11/17/2009, Item Page 2 of 6 implement, deploy and train officers with patrol rifles and sights to be deployed in every mazked patrol vehicle. The Police Departrnent currently deploys shotguns in every mazked police vehicle as many urban police departments have done for decades. While the shotgun has proven to be an effective and reliable weapon, modern urban police departments have recognized that emerging threats require a more accurate and versatile weapon with which to equip line level police officers. One such weapon which has become increasingly populaz in law enforcement is the M4 style .223-caliber rifle. The Police Department currently deploys similaz rifles with the S.W.A.T. team and it deploys a 9mm patrol carbine, a less versatile and effective weapon, to a limited number of supervisors and patrol agents. While deploying rifles with a S.W.A.T. team or patrol cazbines with supervisors and patrol agents has been adequate to date, events in the recent past have taught law enforcement agencies that equipping line level officers with more effective weapons, such as an M4 style patrol rifle, is the best way to respond to high risk threats. One of the first incidents to expose law enforcement's lack of preparedness to emerging threats was the 1997 North Hollywood shootout. In 1997, L.A.P.D. officers were under- equipped to respond to the North Hollywood robbery series. Even though L.A.P.D. had a full time S.W.A.T. team, it took them some time to get to the scene and engage the suspects while the first responding officers were forced to engage in a gunfight using handguns against suspects with heavy body armor and assault rifles. Other high profile incidents, such as the 1999 Columbine school shooting and the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting incidents highlighted the fact that line-level officers aze the first to respond to active shooting situations and they must be properly equipped to engage suspects in a variety of situations. Closer to home, the 2001 Santana High School and Granite Hills High School shootings were interrupted by the quick actions of the first responding officers and many lives were saved by their heroic actions. Finally, Chula Vista Police Officers have encountered several high-risk incidents such as the Congregational Towers shooting in 2001 and the 2005 officer involved shooting involving suspected drug cartel members where the deployment of patrol rifles would have been more effective weapons for the first responding officers. Other recent trends include the spillover ofcross-border violence that has impacted every city in the County of San Diego. The spillover ofcross-border violence has become a regional concern for all law enforcement agencies, both federal and local. The combination of the emerging threat of cross-border violence, the potential for active shooting incidents and the increasing sophistication and armament of criminals has led every other agency in San Diego County and most urban police agencies in the state to deploy patrol rifles o line level officers. The Chula Vista Police Department is the only local law enforcement agency in San Diego County that does not deploy patrol rifles in each patrol vehicle. 6-2 11/17/2009, Item Page 3 of 6 In response to such emerging threats, the Police Deparhnent formed a Patrol Rifle Committee in early 2008. This committee, consisting of managers, supervisors, line level officers and a POA representative, were chazged with the task of evaluating and recommending a patrol rifle platform solution. The Patrol Rifle Committee reviewed numerous rifles and selected four manufacturers to test and evaluate based upon quality, reliability and unit cost. The committee reviewed rifles from Colt, Bushmaster, Rock River Arms and Smith & Wesson, all companies with outstanding reputations in the law enforcement community. The consensus of the committee determined that the Smith & Wesson M&P15x was the most suitable rifle for the Police Department based upon the rifle's quality, features and price per unit. Smith & Wesson provides a limited lifetime warranty on parts and service on the rifles and the rifles have a realistic life expectancy of twenty to thirty years of normal patrol use. The committee also recommended deploying a "red dot" sighting system on each rifle. Red dot sighting systems aze essentially non-magnified sights that officers can look though and align a red dot on the target. Such sighting systems increase accuracy and consistency with the rifle platform. The sighting system will allow the average patrol officer to rapidly and confidently acquire their target while increasing overall accuracy. These aze not lazer based aiming systems which aze often shown in movies/TV shows. The "red dot" is actually shown inside the sight system, not projected onto a tazget. Since the sights involve sensitive electronics and optics, the committee reviewed sights manufactured by two of the largest suppliers of rifle optics to the U.S. military, Aimpoint and EO Tech. After careful review, the committee selected amilitary-grade sighting system produced by Aimpoint, the Aimpoint Comp M4s sight, which is highly durable and able to withstand the rigors of patrol deployment. The Aimpoint Comp M4s sight is a very sophisticated and durable sighting system, which will improve accuracy and target acquisition while giving officers yeazs of low maintenance and reliable service. The committee recommended the purchase of seventy-five Smith & Wesson M&P15x patrol rifles and seventy-five Aimpoint Comp M4s red dot sights for deployment throughout patrol. Expansion of Less Lethal Shot¢un Program The deployment of patrol rifles will also allow the Police Department to expand the deployment of more less-lethal options to line level officers. One of the department's less lethal options is the beanbag shotgun system. Beanbag shotguns use the same shotgun platform as a standazd police shotgun but the shotguns aze modified with orange stocks, pistol grips and other visual cues to ensure officers recognize they aze firing beanbag rounds rather than regulaz shotgun ammunition. Beanbag shotguns give officers an important less-lethal option to deal with a variety of situations from a greater distance than other less-lethal options like the Taser. For 6-3 11/17/2009, Item Page 4 of 6 instance, beanbag shotguns have successfully been used to incapacitate suicidal subjects armed with a knife or weapon other than a firearm from a safe distance. Beanbag shotguns give line-level officers an additional tool with which to safely diffuse incidents without resorting to using deadly force. Beanbag shotguns aze currently only deployed on a limited basis with supervisors and patrol agents. Once the patrol rifle program is in place and the rifles aze deployed the Police Department will retrofit approximately fifty shotguns to less lethal beanbag shotguns to be deployed in every marked patrol vehicle. The deployment of beanbag shotguns to every line level officer will provide officers with more less-lethal options during critical incidents. Request For Pronosal (RFP) Process The Police Department worked with Purchasing to solicit bids for the rifles and sights. Two sepazate RFP's were issued, one for the patrol rifles, and one for the rifle sights. Each RFP was advertised through Planet Bid's, an on-line procurement solution which provides great visibility for the City's RFP's and Purchasing also mailed copies of the RFP to known vendors. Four companies submitted bids on the patrol rifle RFP: L.C. Action Police Supply All State Police Equipment Adamson Police Products Proforce Law Enforcement Adamson Police Products provided the lowest bid for the rifles at $ 769.05 per rifle for a total cost of $57,678.75 for seventy-five rifles. As part of the bid, Adamson Police Products will train for Chula Vista Police Department employees to maintain and service the Smith & Wesson rifles. Nine companies submitted bids on the patrol rifle sights: Adamson Police Products Proforce Law Enforcement All State Police Equipment Amron International Lawmens & Shooter's Supply GT Distributers Clyde Armory L.C. Action Police Supply Cabela's All State Police Equipment provided the lowest bid at $536.50 per sight for a total of $40,237.50 for seventy-five Aimpoint Comp M4s sights. There were no local companies identified which could provide either the rifles or sights. 6-4 11/17/2009, Item Page 5 of 6 Program Implementation In order to implement the Patrol Rifle Program, several other changes must be made in addition to what is already detailed above. Each patrol vehicle must be outfitted with new locking rifle racks. The installation of these new racks will be handled by American Emergency Products (who are also outfitting the Departments new patrol vehicles). Additional equipment for the rifles such as slings and ammunition magazines will be procured as well. As part of the patrol rifle RFP, Smith and Wesson will provide training to the department's armorers. Training for the patrol officers will be handled during the normally scheduled Friday Training program, thus no additional overtime for training will be required. There will be a nominal cost to rent time at the Sheriff s outdoor firing range for tactical training. The retrofitting of the patrol shotguns into less lethal bean bag shotguns will be handled in-house by department armorers. Installation of new racks to hold these shotguns will be handled by American Emergency Products. Ammunition for the rifles will also be ordered through our existing vendor for police ammunition. Proiect Costs Units Descri tion Unit cost Total 75 Smith & Wesson M&PISx rifles $769.05 $57,678.75 75 Aimpoint Com M4s rifle si hts $536.50 $40,237.50 100 Smith & Wesson 30 Round Magazines $30.00 $3,000.00 75 Rifle Slings $40.00 $3,000.00 87 Mako Magazine Couplers $11.00 $957.00 56 CS/900 cases of trainin ammo (56,000 rounds) $380.00 $21,280.00 12 CS/500 Federal TRU rounds (6,000 duty rounds) $279.30 $3,351.00 50 Orange less lethal stocks and fore ri s $75.00 $3,750.00 50 Oran e SG slin s $30.00 $1,500.00 1215 Beanba trainin rounds $3.00 $3,645.00 1215 Beanbag duty rounds $5.00 $6,075.00 30 Shot un barrels with rifled sights $180.00 $5,400.00 39 Horizontal rifle racks for remainin fleet $270.00 $10,530.00 39 Shot un mounts for remainin fleet $500.00 $19,500.00 39 Est. 4 hours labor er car for AEP install $75.00 $11,700.00 8 Sheriff s ran e rental for training $200.00/day $1,600.00 California Sales Tax and Contingency $20,000.00 TOTAL $213,204.25 6-5 11/17/2009, Item ,F7 Page 6 of 6 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)(1) is not applicable to this decision. FISCAL IMPACT Approval of this resolution will result in the appropriation of $213,205 from the available balance of the Asset Seizure Fund to the Fiscal Yeaz 2010 Police Department Supplies and Services Category. There is no impact to the General Fund for this project. Future yeazs funding of ammunition will be included in the normal budget process. ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT. The project to implement the Patrol Rifle program is expected to fmish by February 2010. Staff estimates that there will be no substantial on-going costs associated with implementation of the Patrol Rifle program as much of the ongoing costs will be absorbed into the Police Departments current budget and realized through savings by eliminating the patrol shotgun programs. ATTACHbIENTS N/A Prepared by: Edward Chew, Administrative Services Manager, Police Department Lt. Yern Sallee, Watch Commander, Chula Vista Police Department ' Although the Department is transitioning the current shotguns into less lethal bean bag shotguns, there will be a substantially reduced amount of shotgun ammunition purchased as a result of the transitioq and these savings will be utilized to purchase duty and training ammunition in the future for the Patrol Rifle program. 6-6 RESOLUTION NO. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA APPROPRIATING $213,205 TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2010 POLICE DEPARTMENT SUPPLIES AND SERVICES CATEGORY FROM THE AVAILABLE BALANCE OF THE ASSET SEIZURE FUND FOR THE PATROL RIFLE PROGRAM WHEREAS, the Police Department proposes implementing a patrol rifle program to enhance line-level police officers' ability to respond to violent critical incidents; and WHEREAS, a committee of Department personnel researched the various options in implementing the Patrol Rifle Program and chose the Smith and Wesson M&P15x rifle which provides the quality and durability required for service in the field, as well as a cost effective solution; and WHEREAS, Smith and Wesson will also provide training for the Departments armorer staff for proper maintenance and servicing of the Patrol rifles; and WHEREAS, the committee also selected the Aimpoint Comp M4 sighting system to provide accurate target acquisition for the rifles; and WHEREAS, the Department will fund this program utilizing the available balance of the Asset Seizure Fund, therefore no General Fund expenditures are required; and WHEREAS, the patrol rifle program will enhance public safety by offering officers access to firearms more suited to contemporary urban policing tactics. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the City Council of the City of Chula Vista does hereby appropriate $213,205 from the available balance of the Asset Seizure Fund to the Fiscal Year 2010 Police Department Supplies and Services Category for the Patrol Rifle Program. Presented by: Approved as to form by: David Bejarano Police Chief BartMiesf d T~£~' ~-/~ City Attorney 6-7