HomeMy WebLinkAboutSUPPTL INFO - 07/08 Cal COPS SLESFs
PALM DESERT POLICE
DEPARTMENT
Served by the Riverside County Sheriffs Department
TO: City of Palm Desert, Public Safety Commission
SUBMITTED BY: Lieutenant Frank Taylor, ACOP Palm Desert Police Department
REQUEST: Recommendation to the City Council to Accept Cal COPS funding for
2007/08
DATE: October 2, 2007
CONTENTS: Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund report 2006-2007
Recommendation:
By Minute Motion, concur with the Police Department's proposal that the City Council accept
the Cal COPS (Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Funding - SLESF) Grant Award of
$100,000 to be used to cover the cost for the 2007 Holiday Theft Suppression Program, the
purchase of one Honda Police Motorcycle and ancillary equipment to replace an aging BMW
Police motorcycle, and the acquisition of necessary equipment to support our front line law
enforcement services.
Executive Summary:
The City of Palm Desert is eligible to receive $100,000 in Cal COPS (Supplemental Law
Enforcement Services Fund) Grant funding for FY 2007/2008. The purpose of the Cal COPS
(Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Funding) Grant funding is to provide funds to units of
local government to underwrite projects to reduce crime and improve public safety. The State of
California (AB1913) via the Riverside County SLESF Oversight Committee administers the
program. This funding may be used to support front line law enforcement by supporting
programs and acquiring necessary equipment.
In order for the City of Palm Desert to accept the available funding we must first present an
Expenditure Plan for the proposed use of these funds for the Palm Desert Police Department to
the Riverside County SLESF Oversight Committee. The Palm Desert Police Department would
like to propose that the funding be used to cover the staffing cost for the 2007 Holiday Theft
Suppression Program, the purchase of one Honda Police Motorcycle and ancillary equipment to
replace an aging BMW Police motorcycle, and the acquisition of necessary equipment to support
our front line law enforcement services.
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Holiday Theft Suppression Program
The Palm Desert Police Department would like to implement the Holiday Theft Suppression
Program during the holiday season starting on Friday, November 23, 2007 and concluding on
Wednesday January 2, 2008. The program will be staffed with overtime officers working weekly
schedules of Wednesday through Sundays, between the hours of 1:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M.
There will be two officers on bicycles, or Segway EPAMD's and one officer in a patrol car per
overtime shift. This program will increase the number of officers in the field and will focus on
high visibility patrol and theft suppression during peak shopping hours and days.
The purpose of the program will be to conduct high visibility patrol in the retail and commercial
areas of the City of Palm Desert. This includes the Highway 111 business corridor, El Paseo
business district, Westfield Shoppingtown Palm Desert and any other business complexes in the
immediate area. The program will include high visibility patrol in the adjoining residential areas
of the locations listed above, pro -active citizen contacts, issuing moving and parking citations as
well as verbal warnings. The deputies assigned to the program will handle radio calls for routine
reports and arrests, particularly calls involving theft and other business related crime in the focus
area and will enforce on -sight violations of any nature. The program will also include one patrol
vehicle to provide extra patrol in the CostCo and WalMart complexes. It is expected that this
program will cost approximately $24,000 for approximately 230 hours of extra patrol services to
be funded completely out of the SLESF grant.
Motorcycle Enforcement Unit -New Honda Motorcycle
The Palm Desert Police Department's Motorcycle Enforcement Unit has been authorized to
replace one of its aging BMW motorcycles with a new Honda Police Motorcycle. During the
adoption of the 2007/08 fiscal year budget, SLESF grant funds were designated to be used for
the purchase of one new Honda. The Motorcycle Enforcement Unit is an important part of the
Police Departments Pro -Active Crime Prevention strategy. The unit uses statistical data
generated through traffic collisions and issued citations to identify and respond to areas where
collisions and public safety issues related to traffic concerns have increased. Officers are tasked
with conducting structured programs of Education and Enforcement to help reduce injury
collisions in these areas. This statistical data is analyzed on a weekly basis to expedite the
department's response and reduce the numbers and injuries related to these collisions. The
estimated cost to purchase a new Honda Motorcycle and ancillary equipment has been estimated
to be approximately $40,000. It would be our request that the Palm Desert Police be allowed to
use SLESF grant funds to cover this cost for FY 2007/08.
Equipment Proposal
The Palm Desert Police Department would like to commit the remaining $36,000 to necessary
equipment purchases such as computers, technology, and support equipment for our patrol,
traffic and special team's staff as approved by the City.
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Funding Source:
The Cal COPS (SLESF) Grant, will allow the Palm Desert Police Department to conduct the
2007 Holiday Theft Suppression Program, purchase a new Honda Motorcycle and ancillary
equipment to replace one aging BMW Police Motorcycle, and purchase necessary equipment to
support our front line law enforcement services without having to use City general fund monies.
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