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SR-6-L (65) Cun:fyac:t# 7 V~ 3 ~L JAN 2 6 1999 PO JTB JS G \police\share\staffrpt\OTSgrant 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 1 toL 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 " "- 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 3 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 4 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 5 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 6