SR-701-006 (13)
PD:JTB:ND:f:\police\share\staffrpt\OTS Seat Belt Grant.doc
City Council Meeting: April 27, 2004 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Acceptance and appropriation of $28,488 of additional grant funds from
the California Office of Traffic Safety in Support of the California Seat Belt
Compliance Campaign
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends the City Council accept a revised mini-grant award from the
California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) that is $28,488 larger than the original award
accepted by the Council in September 2003 and authorize the City Manager to execute
a revised grant agreement with OTS. The mini-grant addition will fund three additional
seat belt compliance campaigns in Santa Monica, including one fourteen (14) day seat
belt enforcement period, May 24 ? June 6, 2004 and two seven (7) day enforcement
periods, August 12-18 and September 2-8, 2004. This report also recommends that the
additional mini-grant funds be appropriated for the above uses.
BACKGROUND
In October 2003, an agreement was executed between OTS and the City of Santa
Monica for conduct of California Seat Belt Compliance Campaign enforcement activities
in Santa Monica during the November 17-30, 2003 time period. That campaign was
conducted in support of the Buckle-Up America/Operation ABC National Mobilization.
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The seatbelt campaign is conducted by means of random saturation patrols operated by
police officers on grant-funded overtime. The officers carry out routine traffic
enforcement activities, but with a focus on seat belt and child passenger seat violators.
When a driver is stopped for a moving or equipment violation, the officer observes
whether the driver and all passengers have their seatbelts properly engaged. Officers
deployed on the seat belt campaign are more likely to cite violators of seat belt and child
safety seat laws instead of warning the driver and passengers.
The current seatbelt compliance rate in California for 2003 is 91.2%. The goal of the
California Seat Belt Compliance Campaign is to increase seat belt use statewide to 94%
by June 2004 and to maintain it at or above that level on an ongoing basis. Survey
results showed the first campaign in Santa Monica was successful. Pre- and post-
mobilization results of 100 drivers at the same location in Santa Monica showed a 93%
compliance rate before and a 94% rate after the campaign period
OTS has obtained grant funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
for additional local campaigns and is passing through the funds to the City of Santa
Monica for three additional seat belt enforcement periods in 2004. No City matching
funds are required to obtain the additional mini-grant funding. OTS will disburse grant
funds for eligible expenses subsequent to receipt of a reimbursement request from the
City.
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DISCUSSION
Acceptance of the OTS grant agreement would increase Santa Monica?s seat belt
compliance mini-grant funding from the original amount of $14,941 to a revised total of
$43,429. The revised grant amount includes funding for actual costs of the November
2003 campaign; and for projected costs of the three additional seat belt enforcement
periods in 2004: May 24-June 6, August 12-18, and September 2-8. Only labor costs,
at an officer overtime rate, are funded for this project.
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BUDGET/FINANCIALIMPACT
The following FY 2003-2004 budget changes will be needed to record receipt of the
additional $28,488 of OTS grant funding and to make it available for program use:
1. Increase the budget in revenue account number 01304.403310 by $28,488 for a
new total of $43,429.
2. Appropriate grant funds in the amount of $28,488 to Police Department operating
budget account number 01306.511490 88341 W.
RECOMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
Accept the $28,488 of California Office of Traffic Safety Seat Belt Compliance
1.
Campaign mini-grant funding (increasing the total mini-grant amount to $43,429)
and authorize the City Manager to execute a revised grant agreement with OTS
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for the purpose of receiving the additional grant funds and continuing the
California Seat Belt Compliance Campaign in Santa Monica.
2. Appropriate the funds and approve the budget changes described above.
Prepared and submitted by: James T. Butts, Jr., Chief of Police
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