REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on the Office of Traffic Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Program Grant and Related Budget Amendment [Council Pillar - Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure]
Report
BACKGROUND
The California Office of Traffic Safety’s (OTS) mission is to effectively and efficiently administer traffic safety grant funds to reduce traffic deaths, injuries and economic losses.
OTS funding is generally connected with their associated rankings. OTS rankings were developed so individual cities could compare their City’s traffic safety statistics to those of other cities within California with similar-sized populations. The rankings help cities and OTS identify emerging or on-going traffic safety problem areas in order to help plan how to combat the problems and help with the possibility of facilitating grants.
In recent years, following approval from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, the Police Department has been the recipient of three previous OTS grants in recent years - $70,000 in Fiscal Year 19/20, $35,000 in Fiscal Year 17/18, $50,000 in Fiscal Year 14/15. These funds have been utilized to implement public awareness efforts and enforcement operations (e.g. saturation patrol, driving under the influence / driver’s license checkpoint, bicycle and pedestrian enforcement operations, traffic enforcement campaigns, etc.).
DISCUSSION
The OTS Fiscal Year 2020/21 grant cycle included an opportunity for law enforcement agencies to apply for funding to provide traffic safety stakeholders with the ability to plan and initiate traffic records improvement projects, such as the purchase and implementation of traffic crash reporting systems as well as electronic citation equipment and software.
Our Department submits all of our traffic reports in Crossroads Traffic Collision software (Crossroads). Crossroads provides management for citations, collisions and driving under the influence reports, allows for queries and reports including historical, high incidence and monthly collision reports according to the requested parameters (e.g. day of the week, time of day, location, weather conditions, lighting, etc.).
In 2019, the Police Department utilized Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) grant funds to purchase a traffic citation system with electronic citations, collision reporting and analytics, the associated mobile printers and cell phones to test a pilot program in the Traffic Unit. Doing so helps to enhance the Department’s efficiency with traffic reporting.
Through a competitive process, the Police Department was approved for $24,900 in OTS funding to purchase the interface between Crossroads and the California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). Contingent on approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the grant period will be October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021.
SWITRS is a database that collects and processes data gathered from a collision scene. The Internet SWITRS application is a tool that leverages this database to allow California Highway Patrol (CHP) staff, members of its Allied Agencies, as well as researchers and members of the public to request various types of statistical reports in an electronic format. The application allows for the creation of custom reports requested by the user based on different categories including, but not limited to locations, dates, and collision types.
Crossroads will work in conjunction with Hexagon CAD and the Records Management System.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
Acceptance of an Office of Traffic Safety grant will allow the Police Department to be reimbursed up to $24,900 for the purchase of the interface between Crossroads and the California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS).
The Police Department will be responsible for fulfilling standard grant requirements, such as compiling data to submit to OTS, invoicing and media requirements. These items are not reimbursable as part of the grant.
Budget Amendment
FY 2020/21
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Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
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Police Operating Grant Trust Fund |
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|
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Revenues |
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|
|
|
Other Agencies Revenue |
$0 |
$24,900 |
$24,900 |
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Expenditures |
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|
|
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Office of Traffic Safety Grant FY 2020/21 |
$0 |
$24,900 |
$24,900 |
COORDINATION
This report was coordinated with the Finance Department and City Attorney’s Office.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov>.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Accept and approve the Office of Traffic Safety grant;
2. Approve the FY 2020/21 budget amendment in the Police Operating Grant Trust Fund to recognize grant funding in the amount of $24,900 and appropriate it to the Office of Traffic Safety Grant FY 2020/21; and
3. Authorize the Chief of Police, City Manager and/or Finance Director to sign the required grant-related documents.
Staff
Reviewed by: Patrick Nikolai, Chief of Police
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENT
1. Office of Traffic Safety Grant Award