HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1988/01/19 Item 6COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT
• Item 6
Meeting Date 1/19/88
ITEM TITLE: Resolution~3~.?Q - Authorizing the Expenditure of
Special Asset Seizure Funds for Law Enforcement
Equipment and Appropriating Funds
SUBMITTED BY: Director of Publi~~~ety (4/Sths Vote: YesX No )
REVIEWED BY: City Manager:~_
On October 12, 1984, President Reagan signed into law the
'Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984. This law provides
for the distribution of federally seized and forfeited
assets to law enforcement agencies who participate in the
investigation which resulted in the asset seizure. The
assets consist of cash, real property and vehicles that
have been forfeited by those who acquire it for use, use
it for the purpose of, or are the resultant profit from
illegal activity. In summary, funds seized are meant to
be used to increase the effectiveness of the seizing law
• enforcement agency.. Even though these funds must be used
by the law enforcement agency, they cannot be used to
supplement the regular police department budget. On October
22, 1986, Special Account 3692 was established, by the
Director of Finance to control the receipt and expenditure
of asset seizure funds.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt Resolution approving the expenditure
of asset seizure funds from Account 3692
BOARDS/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: N/A
DISCUSSION:
Currently, a total of $23,039 in asset seizure funds have
been accumulated in Special Account No. 3692. Staff is
requesting approval to utilize these funds to purchase the
following items:
1) The F2 Stealth System. This system includes six
portable radios with charging units and special
adapters for vehicle use; two concealable body
recorders; telephone monitoring devices; several
types of concealable microphones for surveillance.
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Page 2, Item 6
Meeting Date 1/19/88
• These items are primarily for the use of the Crime
Suppression Unit but would also be of value to SWAT team
members, hostage negotiators and for various situations faced
by members of the department. This equipment features the
availability of over 60 radio channels which minimize
detection by suspects; has a low power feature which also
minimizes detection. This equipment is particularly designed
for drug surveillance. This system is sold exclusively by
the Fargo Company of San Francisco, a company that has an
excellent reputation for the distribution of effective
surveillance equipment.
COST: $9,920.00
2) Three (3) Remington 870 Shotgun Light Systems with
attachments. These lights attach to either shotgun,
rifle or handgun. This equipment is very valuable
in nighttime or dark building operations and avoids
the situation where an officer is attempting to
operate with a weapon in one hand and a flashlight
in the other. The additional illumination from
this equipment is a definite officer safety item.
COST: $742.00
• 3) Sniper Rifle - .308 caliber. Funds are needed to
convert a Remington 700, 25.06 rifle we now have
to a sniper rifle. These funds will allow the
staff to install a .308 caliber barrel, a
3 X 9 Leopold Scope and a Harris Bipod. The
sniper rifle is one of the weapons used by the
SWAT team when this "special need" is required.
When this conversion is completed it will
provide us with a weapon that is significantly
more effective and accurate than the 30.06 rifle
that we have used for a number of years.
COST. $620.00
4) Luma Visual Telephone. This equipment is a phone-
like instrument that allows law enforcement to
send a visual display of suspects over the
telephone lines in a few seconds. This visual
display can be printed into a picture. This
allows an investigator immediate access to the
photo of a suspect from other law enforcement
agencies and in particular the Department of
Motor Vehicles. This will replace the current
practice of mailing these pictures.
• COST: $1,484.00
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Page 3, Item
Meeting Date 1/19/88
• 5) Portable Radio Chargers are needed for the Canine
Officers' vehicles. These chargers would be
installed permanently in the four canine units
and would solve a current problem in which
canine officers are frequently hampered by
improperly charged portable radios. (4 X $150.)
COST: $600.00
6) Two (2) L950 Lloyd's Video Cassette Players with
table. This equipment will be used by the Crime
Prevention Unit for public presentations. It can
be used in a number of ways. In a static display
use it has a feature that provides for the
automatic playback of video tapes.
COST: $1,500.00
7) Panasonic AG160 Video Camcorder - This is an
industrial grade video camera that incorporates
the VCR into the camera. This camcorder is a
very compact unit that will be used both at
crime scenes and in the development of train-
ing projects. This equipment includes audio
and video dubbing, power zoom lens, instant
• playback, high speed shutter, flying erase
head and low light sensitivity. These features
add up to a much better product.
COST $2,120.00
8) 640K Leading Edge Computer and Panasonic Dot
Matrix Printer. The Investigative Unit has
several uses for this equipment. One of the
key uses would be by the Crime Suppression
Unit in the formation of Search Warrants.
Currently, a rough draft of a Search Warrant
is forwarded to the District Attorney's
Office to be finalized in their word
processor. Depending on their work load this
can take two to five days. Very often, during
that time period, the informant will notify
Crime Suppression Agents that the suspects
are holding a large amount of narcotics, money,
or both. If the warrant is not available at
that time we cannot proceed with the search.
Our own computer would enable staff to
prepare a search warrant in one hour, and
allow the Crime Suppression Unit to develop
cases and proceed with searches during any
hour of the day or night and weekends whereas
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Page 4 Item 6
Meeting Date 1/19/88
• we are now restricted by the normal Monday
through Friday business hours. This computer
would also be used to store intelligence data
related to gangs, narcotics and prostitution.
The word processing capability would allow us
to store lists, rosters and formatted letters.
COST: $1,800
Item 7, the Video Camcorder, had been included in the Police
Department's 1987-88 budget request but it was not funded.
Other police items requested and not funded in the 1987-88
budget request were a typewriter, video light and power
pack and dictating units. These items are not included
in this request because their priority is not as high.
Staff is requesting the approval of these items out of the
normal budget cycle so that there can be no valid question
raised concerning the issue of budget supplementing. These
requests are based on current needs and after these
expenditures there will still be a balance of $4,253 in
the Asset Seizure Fund.
SUMMARY OF REQUESTED ITEMS
• 1. F2 Stealth System $9,920.00
2. Remington 870 Shotgun Light
System 742.00
3. Sniper Rifle .308 Caliber 620.00
4. Luma Visual Telephone 1,484.00
5. Portable Radio Chargers 600.00
6. Lloyd Video Cassette Players 1,500.00
7. Panasonic AG160 Video Camcorder 2,120.00
8. 640K Loading Edge Computer and
Panasonic Dot Matrix Printer 1,800.00
TOTAL $18,786.00
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Currently there is a balance of $23,039 in the Asset Seizure
Account of the General Fund. Staff is requesting that
• $18,786 of the funds be appropriated for purchase of the
above stated equipment.
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