SR-701-001-02 (10)
Council Meeting: October 25, 2005 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Acceptance of United States Department of Justice COPS 2005
Technology grant award and authorization for the purchase of the
Digital Patroller In-Vehicle Video Camera System from Dell, Inc.
Introduction
This staff report recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to
accept United States Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing
Services (COPS) 2005 Technology Grant award and negotiate and execute a
contract with Dell, Inc. for the purchase of the Digital Patroller In-Vehicle Video
Camera System.
Background
The Police Department has been awarded $493,322 under the Federal COPS
2005 Technology Grant program for the purpose of implementing an in vehicle
video camera system for police vehicles. No City matching funds are required.
In vehicle video camera systems are used by law enforcement agencies
throughout the country. These systems have proven useful in protecting
government agencies from liability, increasing convictions for traffic and criminal
offenses observed by officers and aiding in the training and evaluation of Police
Officers.
Discussion
Several years ago the Police Department evaluated in vehicle video camera
systems. At that time, it was determined that technology for these systems did
not meet the Department?s needs as analog based systems required extensive
staff time to change, store and track video tapes. There have been significant
advances in digital video and archiving technology in recent years. Staff has
evaluated a number of vendors? systems including systems from Motorola,
Panasonic and Digital Eyewitness. Dell, Inc. partnering with Digital Safety
Technologies offers the Digital Patroller product, the system which best meets
the City?s needs. Digital Patroller offers the ability to download digital video from
the vehicle to a digital storage device using wireless technology, eliminating the
need for staff to spend time changing, tracking and storing video tapes. Other
features the system offers include event based camera activation, the ability to
capture pre-event video so that activities immediately preceding an event are
also recorded and stream live video to the Police Department allowing Command
Staff to monitor activities in real time.
Dell Inc.?s pricing is based on the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA)
Contract A63307, which was competitively bid by the National Association of
State Procurement Officials (NASPO). Ordinance Number 1998 (CCS), Section
5, paragraph 2.24.080 (a) of the Santa Monica Municipal Code allows exception
to competitive bidding when goods or services have been competitively bid by
another federal, state or county government as in this case.
Budget/Financial Impact
No budget action is required to accept the grant as the FY200-06 Adopted
Budget includes this action. Funds in the amount of $493,322 are available in
account number C200688.589000 (2005 Technology Initiative) for the purchase
of the Digital Patroller System.
Recommendations
It is recommended that the City Council authorize the City Manager to accept
United States Department of Justice COPS 2005 Technology grant award in the
amount of $493,322 and to negotiate and execute a contract with Dell, Inc. in an
amount not to exceed $493,322 for the purchase of the Digital Patroller system.
Prepared By: Jory Wolf, Chief Information Officer
James T. Butts, Jr., Chief of Police
Eric Uller, Lead Public Safety Systems Analyst
Reference Contract No. 8523 (CCS).