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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 11 ASSET FORFEIT 03-15-93r r CONCzXT CALENDAR NO. 11 3- 3 1 Inter -Com DATE: MARCH 8, 1993 TO: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER FROM: POLICE DEPARTMENT SUBJECT: ASSET FORFEITURE FUND REQUESTS RECOMMENDATION City Council appropriate $175,700 from the Asset Forfeiture Trust Fund for purchase of equipment for the Police Department. BACKGROUND Asset forfeiture money can only be used by a police agency. The money cannot be utilized to supplement the General Fund or for any other city business. In essence, the intent of federal law, which has been duplicated in the State of California, is to provide police agencies the "fruits of illicit activity" to enhance their capabilities to combat crime. The Tustin Police Department, like all other police agencies in Orange County, has assigned personnel to the Regional Narcotics Task Force. As a result of our participation, this Department receives a portion of any assets seized as the result of illicit activities. This money has been utilized to purchase capital goods, such as radios, computers, and radio cars, that were not provided in the General Fund. This Department has reserved $600,000 to completely redo our communications system as soon as the 800 mhz system is approved. The Department will purchase new modules, a computer aided dispatch system, and in -car MDTs as soon as feasible. This reserve fund will not be used to purchase any other capital items. The balance of the money in the fund, approximately $400,000, has traditionally been utilized for goods or services that are not provided via the City's General Fund. The Police Department has requested no capital goods for the current year, realizing we can legally utilize asset forfeiture funds, provided they are specifically designed to enhance the Department's ability to provide police services to the community. The attachment outlines the goods and/or services the Police Department would like to purchase. W. DOUGLAS FRANKS Chief of Police Attachment Tustin Police Department - ASSET FORFEITURE FUND REQUESTS March 8, 1993 Audio/Visual/Communication Needs 1. Marked Police Unit Video Recorders 515.000 Police departments have found video recording of incidents is very beneficial for protecting the agencies and officers against allegations of wrongdoing. This also protects the agencies and cities from future liability situations. To this end, it is important to permanently mount video recorders in marked police units that record officer contacts with motorists and other citizens, as they will provide records for future actions that may occur. It is proposed that two supervisory units and our DUI Unit be equipped with the video cameras/recorders. 2. Three Handheld Video Camcorders & Related Equipment $7.500 Crime scenes and other high-risk activities are best covered through the use of video cameras. Our present cameras were purchased in excess of seven years ago and are currently not functioning. Repair costs have risen to a point where it is no longer feasible to continue to repair them. The monies requested will enable police personnel to take videos of crime scenes, traffic collisions, and other incidents which need to be documented. 3. 35 mm. Still Camera $2.400 - Coupled with the need for video is the need for still photographs for recording police incidents. Primary usage of the cameras will be by Special Investigations Section personnel for surveillance; General Investigations Section personnel for major crime scenes; and Traffic Section personnel for traffic collisions. The appropriation requested will cover the purchase of cameras and related equipment (i.e., lenses, flashes, etc.) to make them functional in their assigned areas. 4. Ten Pac Sets & Ten Batteries $23.000 The modified work schedule in the Patrol and Investigations Sections has stretched our pac set usage beyond present equipment levels. Another ten pac sets are necessary to enable all officers on the street to have a working pac set. The additional batteries are required to ensure the radios remain operational through a full shift of 10 to 12%: hours. 5. Five Undercover Unit Radios 58.000 Our undercover police units currently use handheld pac sets for communications. The handheld pac sets have three watts of power and are not effective outside our local area. The requested radios operate on 20 to 40 watts of power and have proven to be most effective by other narcotics units and regional teams within the county. Frequencies on these radios are compatible with existing undercover frequencies and local frequencies. This will be a significant asset for our Special Investigations personnel. 6. Five Reglacement Unit Radios $10.000 Although we anticipate moving to the 800 MHz radio system within the next few years, existing equipment, some of which has been in operation since inception of the system in 1974, has become unserviceable. Neither Orange County Communications nor Motorola is able to repair the units to make them serviceable for more than a very short period of time. Inexpensive replacement radios have been located which can serve until we commence use of the 800 MHz system. Purchase and installation of the radios is $2,000 each. Budgeting for five additional radios will allow us the flexibility to replace broken radios immediately and meet our needs for the foreseeable future. 7. Jail Audio/Visual Recording EQULUMent 10,000 Our new facility is presently wired for audio and video within our holding facility. However, in the initial specifications, the ability to record audio and visual was not included. As significant liability can be incurred within the jail holding facility area, the _ purchase of this equipment will remedy the situation. The monies requested will enable us to purchase the equipment necessary and refine the design as necessary to enable the recording. Safety Needs 1. Shotgun Reglacement 56,000 We have 20 Smith & Wesson shotguns, which have been in service for seven to eight years. Replacement parts are no longer available. Several are starting to show significant wear on slide actions from constant handling and rust pitting from being in the elements through use in the police units. Additionally, more shotguns are needed due to the staffing levels created by the modified work schedule. The monies requested will enable us to purchase the additional weapons necessary for the Department. 2. Canine Shot Collar $600 This item is needed for training of police canines. It is an invaluable tool that enables a handler to correct a dog while off lead. There is no other way to make the corrections as effectively as with the use of this collar, which is standard usage for police canine training. Other Needs 1. Workout Room Construction & Eouioment $40.000 The City Council recently approved $15,000 from asset forfeiture funds for the Asset Forfeiture Fund Requests Page 3 purchase of workout equipment. The appropriate construction process required by City building codes would include design review, permits, full fire walls, doors, and appropriate ventilation. We also underestimated the cost of quality cardiovascular equipment. Our original estimate was based upon the cost of cardiovascular equipment intended for home use rather than heavy organizational usage. The Department has sent representatives from management and the Executive Board of the Tustin Police Officers Association (TPOA) to a POST seminar regarding physical fitness standards for police officers. The standards have been tentatively approved for implementation by TPOA; the workout room equipment will be sufficient to prepare all officers to pass the POST -approved physical fitness requirements. 2. Drug Scale 52.500 One of the areas of concern within the law enforcement community is the security of narcotics when it is booked into the police Evidence Room. The scale provides for a printed copy of the weight, which can be heat -sealed into the packaging of narcotics booked into Evidence. It will provide the best security for the chain of custody for narcotics within the Police Department. 3. Records Mobile File Cabinet 510.000 Due to the increased volume of reports, we find it necessary to keep a good portion of our police reports in cardboard boxes on the floor of the Records Section due to lack of mobile file space. The basic mobile file unit has the ability to expand to allow for the extra cabinet we are requesting. The money requested will enable us to keep all necessary police reports in mobile units, which have proven to be the most effective method of storage within the Police Department. 4. Three Mountain Bicycles 51,200 These bicycles are used by police officers while on patrol. The existing bikes have been taken from our Evidence Section and are currently not serviceable. The majority of bicycles taken for Department usage that come through the Police Department's Evidence Section require a great deal of work due to their poor condition; we have found them to be serviceable for only short periods of time. The purchase of the mountain bikes will enable us to have reliable transportation in this area. 5. Computer Equipment --> 4 PERSONAL COMPUTER WORK STATIONS, $20,000 As the Department grows, software and computer literacy are enhanced. The Department finds it very beneficial to do much of the processing on personai computers that used to be accomplished on the Department's main computer. Asset Forfeiture Fund Requests Page 4 These four work stations will be used in the Records and Investigations Sections. --> COMPUTER SOFTWARE $7,500 In order to load the newest release of our Police Records Management Software System we need to add a data base management tool that will allow us to manage our data base more effectively. This appropriation will allow us to purchase and install this software and also provide for the first year's maintenance on the software. --> DATA COMMUNICATIONS TERMINAL CONNECTORS $2,000 This is the hardware which allows the Police Department to connect terminals and printers to the main computer. We need to expand the capability. This purchase will allow the Department to provide eight additional connections points. --> AUTOMATION CONSULTANT $10,000 As the Department has grown, it has taken an orderly approach to automation. However, in recent years, technology has grown so fast that a professional in this area is necessary to evaluate and recommend the most effective course to take in allowing technology to be the most viable tool in its operations. This appropriation will enable us to retain a consultant for assistance with our overall automation plan as it pertains to the Police Department and its interface with City hall automation needs.