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HomeMy WebLinkAbout24 ASSET FORFEIT FD 05-02-94Inter-Com NO. 24 5-2-94 '? ATE: APRIL 25, 1994 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: WILLIAM A. HUSTON, CITY MANAGER POLICE DEPARTMENT ASSET FORFEITURE FUND RECOMMENDATION I , The City Council authorize $1,135,193 from the Asset Forfeiture Fund to the Capital Improvements Fund for the new police communications system. . The City Council authorize the appropriation of $155,794 of Proposition 172 Funds for three additional police communications officer positions. BACKGROUND The current communications systems within the Police Department are antiquated, subject to continual breakdowns, and not sufficient to meet the demands of service within the City of Tustin. The current communications system was purchased over 20 years ago and during the past four years has been the subject of a continual "Band-Aid" approach in order to keep it working adequately. The console we currently have is from Buena Park, which we borrowed from the County of Orange to see us through until the decision regarding the projected 800 MHz System was finalized. Approximately three and one-half years ago this Department faced a difficult decision: we could either upgrade our current communications system and include a Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) [Mobile Data Computer (MDC)] System, supplemented by a comprehensive management records system, or we could start the necessary research to ensure the Police Department would be the state of the art for the 21 st century. We were aware that the current technology in communications systems and MDTs was rapidly changing; the current systems utilized by police departments in Orange County was based upon dated computer systems and technology. Therefore, it was our decision to not put a system in place that we knew would be less than state of the art within a relatively short period of time but to start conducting research on available systems to ensure we would be capable of serving our community within the 21 st century. We knew the 800 MHz System would be forthcoming within a relatively short period of time and, therefore, attempted to ensure that anything purchased would complement a system which would be the forerunner of all systems within the United States. The 800 MHz System is here, and we feel our decision to wait was appropriate. Mr. Huston April 25, 1994 Page 2 The new communications center will be the first of its kind in Orange County; there is only one other similar communications center, which is in San Diego, and has been up and running for approximately two years. As the dispatchers are those who must totally utilize our communications center, management of the Police Department took a great deal of time to ensure we had received input from all dispatchers, as well as working in conjunction with personnel from Motorola, regarding the most appropriate system and system design. As with all of our systems it is critical that the systems be easily adaptable to and complement the capacities of the 800 MHz System. As you will note in some of the foregoing analyses, each was based upon our perception that our communications center and the complementary systems be the most appropriate for the Tustin Police Department now and within the next decade. These principles were utilized in our evaluation of the various computer-aided dispatch systems prior to the acquisition decision. While there are certainly CAD systems/MDT (or lap-top) systems that cost less, the issue in purchasing equipment of this type should not necessarily be the cost but the efficiency and effectiveness of the systems and their compatibility with the 800 MHz System and the contractor, Motorola. Thus, we will be purchasing all of the in-car radios and hand-held radios from Motorola based upon their bid price to the county as well as the supporting equipment necessary for the efficiency and effectiveness of our communications system. in electing the OCS Technologies (OCS) computer-aided dispatch (CAD)/Records Management System (RMS) we utilized the multi-million-dollar research conducted by West Covina in evaluating which CAD/RMS System would be most appropriate for the Tustin Police Department. In this regard, we reached the same decision as the following police departments regarding the reliability, efficiency, and effectiveness of the CAD/RMS System which is the major supporting system within a police department. The following police departments also elected to purchase the OCS System: · Sunnyvale Police Department 3. Riverside Police Department 4. Buena Park Police Department San Clemente Police Department In total there are 12 OCS Hewlett Packard users in Southern California. Sole-sourcing also realizes the City of Tustin a savings of $26,000 off the normal purchase price· While the CAD System is representative of the state-of-the-art communications and recordkeeping system, to achieve optimal efficiency requires the additional three communications personnel to ensure complete system utilization 24 hours per day. In an effort to demonstrate to the Council some of the research this Department conducted during the past two years, we have presented each of the councilmembers with only the highlights of our research. The five-volume comprehensive report of our research into the most appropriate system for the Police Department is available for review in the Office of the Mr. Huston April 25, 1994 Page 3 Chief of Police. As you'll notice, we spent a great deal of time researching the best available systems on the market today as well as evaluating the success of on-going systems currently being utilized in police departments throughout Orange County and other counties within the State of California. A comprehensive communications system must be staged due to the technical requirements and selected personnel training time involved in each phase, we have tentatively planned a staged implementation schedule which may take up to 24 months; the first important task is the installation of our Communications Center buttressed by our CAD and record-keeping system. The supportive systems are those we deemed most appropriate at this time to complement the 800 MHz System. However, as the time frame for total implementation may be as much as 24 months and state-of-the-art equipment in communications and computer systems changes rapidly, we are requesting the Council to permit us to change some of the complementary systems if our research indicates that such systems may be more apropos to the requirements of the Tustin Police Department. In determining our prices for the above-indicated equipment and companies, we have checked with the marketplace to ensure we will be in the target price range even through the cost may vary, plus or minus, within a 24-month period. Regardless of price fluctuation, we intend to use asset forfeiture funds to purchase the system exclusive of the backbone 800 MHz System which the City has already committed in excess of $650,000 to as its share of the countywide project. As a result, we request authorization to purchase all of the attached equipment, as well as any substitute thereof, without requesting any formal bid process prior to the implementation of the purchase agreements. We have to date and will continue to negotiate that price most comparable within industry standards with the knowledge that we will be purchasing equipment that must be apropos for the Tustin Police Department during the next decades. While "low bid" of systems is sometimes apropos, it is not necessarily apropos when one is talking about communications systems and supporting equipment that must not only complement the 800 MHz System but must provide those vital service requirements of the street police officer who depends upon our communications system for critical decision- making information. Report Dictation Our existing report dictation process has officers dictating narrative portions of reports on cassettes and submitting them to a typist at the end of their workday for transcription. The proposed system allows for a central recording system which can be accessed by telephone in the field or by telephone or designated dictation locations within the Police Department. This allows for greater efficiency in timely completion of written documents. With the proposed forms software, not only the narrative portions of the reports can be transcribed, but all form portions, face sheets, etc. can also be dictated. This technology also allows the transfer of reports from the word processing computer file Mr. Huston April 25, 1994 Page 4 to optical disk automatically, eliminating the need for a person to manually scan documents into our existing archival filing storage system. Extensive research in the area of recording and form management has shown that Digital Voice Recording and Techniforms, In¢. are the most cost-effective technology on the market for accomplishing this process. Mu~7 Shots The Santa Aha Police Department has incorporated a mug shot filing and retrieval system utilizing video cameras to record the image and computer storage. They have offered us the availability of networking with their system, giving our Department the ability to access and retrieve mug shots and contribute to the mug shot database maintained by the Santa Ana Police Department. This is a significant investigative tool for Police Department personnel; stand-alone system purchased separately by the Tustin Police Department would triple the cost and be less efficient or effective. X-Image was selected by the Santa Ana Police Department through bid process as being their vendor of choice. .Optical Disk The existing microfiche process has been the means for the Police Department's micrographic archival for approximately 20 years. The process is extremely outdated, labor intensive, time-consuming, and monotonous. The A. B. Dick Records Processing equipment is seven years old and due for replacement. Maintenance support fees increase annually as it becomes more difficult to locate replacement parts for outdated equipment. Technological advances in micrographics processing have identified optical disk as current state-of-the-art technology. Optical disk will automate the old manual process and shows the greatest potential for labor reduction and cost savings. A significant labor savings would be realized with the ability to automatically copy and distribute report copies on a daily basis, thereby reducing not only labor costs but copier costs as well. Optical disk also offers a practical solution to the problem of physical storage space, a critical issue in the Department. Communication Center The total concept of the renovated communications center, which is the latest in contemporary communications center technology, replaces a traditional dispatch console with a computer terminal which controls the telephones, radios, and other tools necessary for dispatchers to do their jobs in a pressure-packed environment--all included in a single mouse-driven computer terminal. In the modern communications center, calls are taken by a single communications officer. These calls are then electronically downloaded to a second communications officer who is responsible for all radio communications with officers in the field. This has been proven to Mr. Huston April 25, 1994 Page 5 be the method necessary for optimum efficiency in a communications center. This is also the reason for the absolute necessity of staffing two communications officers at all times in the communications center. The furniture chosen to house this equipment was ergonomically designed in conjunction with Motorola to enable a communications officer to more effectively function in this environment. All systems are within arm's reach and in easy view of a seated communications officer. The design of the communications, center enables job functions to be specifically assigned and accomplished with optimal efficiency. The center is designed with four-position communications capability. This enables the Department to utilize a master control console or supervisor's position along with three working positions which may be assigned as need 'dictates. This also enables us to functionally divide the communications center in the event of a major disaster to allow communications officers to address specific problems or regions individually. Mobile Data Terminals (MD Ts) As part of the Police Department's Automation Project, MDTs have been researched during the past few years. Major technological advances have occurred during our research. The most current is the MDC which provides the patrol officer with an actual computer in the unit versus the MDT which only provides the patrol officer with the ability to access the CLETS/NCIC information. Pursuant to FCC regulations, radio channels will not be issued to agencies with less than 70 MDTs. The only way a smaller agency can obtain a radio channel is to share with several other small agencies in the county. This is the result of a shortage of channels. Standard voice channels are typically 25 KHz wide. New technology is currently underway which will initially split the channels in half from their current 25 KHz bandwidth to 12.5 KHz, thus doubling the available channels. The ultimate target is a 6.25 KHz channel which will again double the capacities, thus providing a four-to- one gain over today's standard 25 KHz channels. Though not available today, this technology is in testing and is anticipated to be available within the next three years, consistent with the Tustin Police Department's total system implementation plan. The cost is anticipated to be approximately $230,000 and is expected to be purchased with Asset. Forfeiture Funds. Chief of Police SYSTEM/EQUIPMENT COST I. 800 MHz Communications Console & Related Equipment 200,000 Unit Radios (23) 115,000 Investigations Radios (1 6) 64,OOO Administration Radios (3) 12,000 Portable Radios (75) 225,000 9646,000 Tax 50,065 TOTAL $696,065 I!. Computer Hardware/Software and Related Systems Records Management (RMS) and CAD Software 9285,572 Hardware Upgrades and New Hardware 70,000 9355,572 Tax 27,556 TOTAL .~383,128 III. Report Dictation and Related Equipment 93__66,000 IV. Mug Shot Filing and Retrieval System Integrated with SAPD ,920,000 GRAND TOTAL $1,135,193