REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Approve an Office of Traffic Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Program Grant and Related Budget Amendment
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
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.
Funding is dependent on OTS rankings. OTS rankings were developed so individual cities can compare their traffic safety statistics with cities of comparable population sizes. Data for the rankings is taken from several agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, California Department of Transportation, California Department of Justice and the Department of Finance. These figures identify emerging or on-going traffic safety problem areas. OTS rankings are one of several factors utilized to determine OTS grant funding. With this information, individual agencies can develop a plan to combat these issues.
Following approval from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, the Police Department has been the recipient of several OTS grants in previous years: $24,900 in Fiscal Year 20/21; $70,000 in Fiscal Year 19/20 (the coronavirus pandemic impacted the ability to fully implement the grant goals and objectives); $35,000 in Fiscal Year 17/18; and $50,000 in Fiscal Year 14/15.
DISCUSSION
In January 2020, the Police Department submitted a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant application to OTS.
Through a competitive process, the Police Department was tentatively approved for a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant in the amount of $75,000. This tentative award is contingent upon final approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which will not be granted until the City's governing body has authorized by motion the e...
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