SR-6-L (65)
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JAN 2 6 1999
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Council Meeting January 26, 1999
Santa MOnica, California
TO Mayor and City Council
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT Recommendation to AuthOrize an Application to the California Office of
TraffiC Safety (OTS) for $240,261 In Grant Funding to Support a Motonst
AwarenessNehlcle Impound Program Involving 3D-day Impoundments
Introduction
ThIS report recommends the CIty Council authOrize an applIcatIon for grant funding of
$240,261 from the Office of TraffiC Safety The grant would fund the operation of a
Motonst AwarenessNehlcle Impound Program InvolvIng 30-day vehicle Impoundments
Back~round
A 1990 Department of Motor Vehicles study reported 33% of drivers having suspended or
revoked licenses had Criminal records, and that 85% of those drivers used their
automobiles dUring the commiSSion of Crimes Drivers having suspended andlor revoked
licenses were Involved In four times more fatal traffic colliSions, and SIX times more Injury
CollISions than were licensed drivers Additionally. these drivers experienced eleven times
more DriVing Under the Influence (DUI) convictions than licensed drivers
In an effort to combat the problems posed by unlicensed drivers and those who drive With
suspended or revoked licenses, Vehicle Code Section 14602 6 was enacted ThiS law
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JAN 2 6 1999
provIdes for the thIrty-day Impoundmg of these dnvers' vehIcles ThIs law was an mtegral
component of the Safe Streets Act of 1994 (Katz, AS 3148) and became effective January
1. 1995
In November 1997, the Department of Motor Vehicles released the results of a study on
the "Evaluation of the SpeCific Deterrent Effect of Vehicle Impoundment on Suspended,
Revoked, and Unlicensed Dnvers In Callforma" The study contrasted the driving records
of those persons whose vehicles were Impounded with Similar persons whose vehicles
would have been Impounded, but were not, because theIr dnvlng offenses occurred the
year before the enactment of the vehicle Impound law The study found first-time and
repeat offenders, whose vehicles had been Impounded, received Significantly fewer
dnver's license vIolation convictions. fewer subsequent total traffic conVictions, and were
Involved In fewer subsequent collisions than those drivers whose vehicles were not
Impounded The study supports the finding that vehicle Impounding strengthens
appropnate license actions, deters drivers from violating their license suspension or
revocation terms. reduces reCidiVism, and Increases traffiC safety
In response to studies such as thiS. California's Office of TraffiC Safety has Initiated a grant
program makIng funds available for local JUrisdictions to develop and operate vehicle
Impound programs, and to put Into place the mechamsms necessary to faCIlitate future
program operations Grant funding would enable the Police Department to expand
pedestrian and vehicular safety efforts currently underway as part of the City's Community
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LivabIlity Collaborative Objective In keeping with the Objective, the primary goals of the
Motorist AwarenessNehrcle Impound Program will be to Increase motor vehIcle occupant
safety, to reduce the number of aCCidents InvolVing unlicensed drivers, or those driving
on suspended or revoked licenses, and to remove these dnvers from the roadway by
Impounding their vehicles The program will also attempt to gain compliance with the law
through the use of educational programs by focusing on new and future dnvers at the high
school level The program wIll Include a media campaign component emphasIzing the
"zero tolerance" stance being adopted
The officer Implementing the program will provIde training to Police Department personnel
on 30-day Impoundments, undertake dIrected enforcement action such as Driver's
License/Driving Under the Influence (DU I) CheckpOints to supplement traditional license
enforcement efforts. provide traffiC and pedestrian safety education With specIfic emphaSIS
on school-aged youth, and work With the City's Communication's Coordinator to facllttate
publtc awareness efforts The officer will also be responsible for tracking Santa MOnica
specIfIC statIstIcs relatIng to the grant's objectIves
A grant agreement WIth the Office of TraffiC Safety will require the establishment of a
program cost recovery fee schedule and a speCial fund or account Into which the City's
share of the proceeds from 30-day vehicle Impoundments are depoSited Unclaimed
vehicles, which are subject to the 3D-day Impound program, Will be hen sold and any
proceeds received by the City, for program cost recovery, Will be depoSited Into the new
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fund/account Such proceeds will finance the continuation of the program upon completion
of the grant term
BudQeVFlnanclallmpact
The City will seek funding for a twenty-seven month grant penod to cover the cost of one
Pollee Officer position, a portion of one PolIce Records Technician position, supplemental
traffic enforcement equipment, Indirect administrative and support expenses. and general
operating expenses Dunng the Initial fifteen months, the grant wIll fund one full-time
polIce offIcer posItIon In the amount of $111,443, partIally fund one PolIce Records
TechnicIan positIon ( 28 FTE) at $14,865, enable the purchase of additional traffic safety
equIpment In the amount of $27,900, and pay for $17,1 00 of smaller eqUipment Items,
supplies and services Dunng the final twelve months, the grant will fund one-half the
salary and benefits of a full-time police officer position at $45,948 and one-half the salary
and benefits of the Pollee Records Technician's tIme dedicated to the program, at $8,549
The grant Will also finance $14.456 of Indirect administrative and support costs Total
funds requested Will be $240,261 No funding IS necessary for payments to towing
companies provldmg Impoundment services, since the owners of vehIcles being
Impounded Will be responsible for towing company charges Program revenues and
expenditures dunng the twenty-seven month grant penod are projected to be as followsf
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27 Month Grant Period Revenues vs. Expenditures
3 Month 1 st 12 Month 2nd 12 Month
Start-up Program Program
. Penod Operations Penod Operations Penod
(10/01/99- (1/1100-12/31/00)** (1/1101-12/31/01 )**
12/31/99)
Projected Grant Funds $56.727 $124,726 $58.808
Revenues*
Recovery $0 $134,000 $136,680
Fee Revenue
Total $56,727 $258.726 $195,488
Revenues
Projected Program $56,727 $124,726 . $129,857
Expenditures Costs
Total $56,727 $124,726 $129,857
Expenditures
*Revenues will be received on a program cost reImbursement basIs and are
shown In the above chart offsetting related program expenditures for
companson purposes While the amounts of the revenues are expected to
be as shown above, the revenues are expected to be received some time
after related the program expenditures are made
**Both revenues and expenditures shown above Include 2% per year annual
Inflation factors
Based upon a projected 1,000 Impounds per year, the program cost recovery fee charged
to the public Will be $134 per Impound, an amount calculated to allow full recovery of the
operational and administrative costs of this new program Collection of such cost
recovery fees Will support future program operations beyond the grant term
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Recommendation
It IS recommended that the City Council
1 Authorize the application for grant funding from California's Office of TraffiC Safety,
In keeping With the City's commitment to Incorporate a community-wide, mulll-
disciplinary approach toward addressing traffiC safety co'ncerns as part of the
Community Livability Collaborative Objective
2 AuthOrize the City Manager to enter Into a grant agreement With the Office of TraffiC
Safety for the purpose of receiving OTS grant funds and Implementing a Motonst
AwarenessNehlcle Impound Program In the City of Santa MOnica
3 AuthOrize City Staff to effect any accounting system changes necessary for
compliance With the Office of TraffiC Safety's grant accounting requirements
4 Direct City Staff to prepare the necessary program cost recovery fee schedules for
Council approval prior to ImplementatIon of thiS program
Prepared by
James T Butts, Jr , ChIef of Polrce
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