SR-701-006-01 (2)
PD:JTB:DQ:f:\police\share\staffrpt\psstgrant.doc
City Council Meeting: September 9, 2003 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Acceptance of $340,000 grant award from the California Office of Traffic
Safety, in Support of a Problem Solving Safety Team ? Westside Law
Enforcement Against Drunk Driving Safety Program, and Approval of
Related Grant Agreement.
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends the City Council accept a $340,000 grant award from the
California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and authorize the City Manager to execute the
related agreement with OTS. The OTS grant will fund a comprehensive multi-year traffic
safety program, titled ?PSST ? WE LEADD? (Problem Solving Safety Team ? Westside
Law Enforcement Against Drunk Driving).
BACKGROUND
The Problem Solving Safety Team Program is a dual function traffic enforcement and
traffic safety education program involving the law enforcement agencies of several of Los
Angeles County?s Westside cities (including Santa Monica, Culver City, Beverly Hills, and
West Hollywood). Santa Monica Police Department will supplement its enforcement efforts
by providing additional directed traffic enforcement as well as education in the areas of
pedestrian safety, seatbelt law compliance, and bicycle helmet usage.
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All of the involved Westside law enforcement agencies will provide youth-oriented driving
under the influence (DUI) prevention programs and enhanced traditional DUI interdiction
efforts. Santa Monica Police Department is the lead agency for this program and the grant
recipient. The majority of the PSST - We LEADD grant funds will be utilized to support
program activities in Santa Monica. A portion of the grant funds will also be used to
purchase a driving simulator/safety instruction trailer that will be used by all of the
participating law enforcement agencies on a rotating basis. Periodically, the participating
agencies will conduct progress meetings to discuss program results and to identify actions
that have been particularly effective.
OTS obtained the $340,000 of grant funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) and is passing through the federal funds to the City of Santa
Monica. No City matching funds are required to obtain this funding. OTS will disburse
grant funds for eligible expense subsequent to receipt of periodic reimbursement requests
from the City.
DISCUSSION
Acceptance of the OTS grant funding will allow greater emphasis to be placed on the traffic
safety issues listed above than is now possible. The grant will allow purchase of
equipment and educational materials and will fund personnel costs for additional
enforcement efforts. Special emphasis will be placed on driving under the influence,
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collisions and arrests involving youth, and traffic safety education for seniors.
BUDGET/FINANCIALIMPACT
The grant budget is $340,000. Grant program expenditures and reimbursements will be
spread over three fiscal years (Fiscal Years 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2005-06).
The following budget changes will be needed to record receipt of the OTS grant funding
and to make it available for program use:
1. Establish a budget of $340,000 in revenue account number 01304.403300.
2. Appropriate the grant funds to the following expenditure budget accounts:
Amount Account Title Account Number
$60,710 We LEADD Safety Program 01306.555270
$90,344 We LEADD Program Equipment 01306.588560
$188,946 We LEADD Salaried Overtime 01306.511490 88340 W
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$340,000 Total
RECOMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
Accept the California Office of Traffic Safety grant in the amount of $340,000
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and authorize the City Manager to execute a grant agreement with OTS for the
purpose of receiving the grant funds and implementing the Problem Solving Safety
Team ? Westside Law Enforcement Against Drunk Driving Program in Santa
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Monica.
2. Approve the budget changes described above.
Prepared and submitted by: James T. Butts, Jr., Chief of Police
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