SR-701-006 (16)
PD: JTB: ND: f:\police\share\staffrpt\OTS Seat Belt Campaign.doc
City Council Meeting: February 8, 2005 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Acceptance and appropriation of $15,314 of 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 and appropriate a $15,314 mini-grant
award from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and authorize the City Manager
to execute the related agreement with OTS. The mini-grant will fund a seat belt
enforcement campaign in support of the Click it or Ticket national mobilization during a
three week (May 16 through June 5, 2005) compliance campaign that includes the
Memorial Day Holiday.
BACKGROUND
The goal of the California Seat Belt Compliance Campaign (CSBCC) is to increase seat
belt use statewide to 94 percent in 2005 through the combined efforts of the California
Highway Patrol (CHP), Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and local law enforcement
agencies. The CSBCC strategy is to focus public information and enforcement on
persons who fail to use seat belts during the May 2005 Buckle Up America/Operation
ABC National Mobilization. OTS will coordinate the public information element of the
1
campaign for one week prior to, and during the May enforcement mobilization period.
OTS obtained the 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 expenses subsequent to receipt of a reimbursement request from the City.
DISCUSSION
California?s seat belt use rate is 90.4 percent, in terms of raw numbers; the 9.6 percent
not buckled equals approximately 3.5 million vehicle occupants ? a number larger than
the population of some states.
Acceptance of the OTS grant funding will provide increased seat belt enforcement hours
focused on violations during a three week period, from May 16, 2005 through June 5,
2005. The mini-grant covers actual overtime costs for supervisors, officers, dispatchers
and administrative personnel during the mobilization time period. This is the third year
that funds have been made available for this purpose and Santa Monica?s third
participation in the effort. Local law enforcement participation in the mini-grant program
increased from 87 agencies in 2002 to 181 agencies in 2004.
2
BUDGET/FINANCIALIMPACT
The following FY 2004-2005 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 $15,314 in revenue account number 01304.403310.
2. Appropriate the $15,314 of grant funds to Police Department operating budget
account number 01306.511490.
RECOMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council:
Accept the California Office of Traffic Safety mini-grant in the amount of $15,314
1.
and authorize the City Manager to execute a grant agreement with OTS for the
purpose of receiving grant funds and continuing the California Seat Belt
Compliance Campaign in Santa Monica.
2. Appropriate the funds and approve the budget changes described above.
Reference Contract No. 8447 (CCS)
Prepared and submitted by: James T. Butts, Jr., Chief of Police
3