According to the OTS website, For victim and collision rankings, a Population Group Ranking

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1 STAFF REPORT MEETING DATE: February 3, 2015 TO: FROM: City Council James Berg, Chief of Police Oliver Collins, Lieutenant, Patrol Bureau 922 Machin Avenue Novato, CA (415) FAX (415) PRESENTER: Oliver Collins, Lieutenant, Patrol Bureau SUBJECT: OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY (OTS) STEP GRANT FY15/16 REQUEST Consider adopting resolution to submit a $160, STEP (Selective Traffic Enforcement Program) grant proposal to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and revise appropriations and revenues to recognize the grant if approved for funding by the Office of Traffic Safety. Authorize the Police Department to utilize the grant to continue its education and enforcement of traffic related laws in an attempt to reduce injury and fatal traffic collisions. RECOMMENDATION Adopt resolution. DISCUSSION The Office of Traffic Safety distributes federal funding apportioned to California under the National Highway Safety Act and the Safe, Accountable and Flexible Efficiency Transportation Equity Act. Grants are used to mitigate traffic safety deficiencies, expand ongoing activity, or develop new programs. Grant funding cannot replace existing program expenditures, nor can traffic safety funds be used for program maintenance, research, rehabilitation or construction. The California Office of Traffic Safety s mission is to effectively and efficiently administer traffic safety grant funds to reduce traffic deaths, injuries, and economic losses as well as easing traffic congestion. The grant funding decisions by OTS is facilitated by several criteria which translate into rankings: victim and collision rankings, DUI arrest rankings, DUI collisions, bicycle safety and pedestrian safety. In addition, these rankings help identify emerging traffic safety problem areas. The rankings allow cities to compare themselves to other cities with similar-sized populations and help them identify their disproportionate traffic safety problem(s). According to the OTS website, For victim and collision rankings, a Population Group Ranking cc15_

2 of 1/102 would be assigned to the city with the highest number of victim/collisions per 1000 residents in population group C, (50, ,000), while a ranking of 102/102 would be assigned to the city with the lowest number of victims/collisions per 1000 residents in population group C. For DUI arrest rankings, a population group rank of 1/102 would be assigned to the city with the lowest DUI arrest rate in population group C, while a ranking of 102/102 would be assigned to the city with the highest DUI arrest rate in population group C. It is important to note that OTS rankings are only indicators of potential problems; there are many factors that may understate or overstate a city/county ranking. Also, the data the results are formulated from can be up to three years old. According to the 2012 (latest year available) OTS rankings of fatal and injury collisions by average population groups, the City of Novato is ranked 99/102 overall in fatalities and injuries (in 2011 Novato was ranked 43/103), 78/103 in motorcycle collisions (in 2011 Novato was ranked 1/103), 83/102 in pedestrian collisions (in 2011 Novato was ranked 43/103) and 56/102 in bicyclist collisions (in 2011 Novato was ranked 28/103). Our overall composite ranking is 90/102 (in 2011 Novato was ranked 46/103). In DUI arrests the City of Novato was rated 75/102 (in 2011 Novato was ranked 50/103). A total of 227 drivers were arrested/cited in 2012 for driving under the influence (DUI) according to police department records. This was a 37% increase in the number of drivers arrested from 2011 (166 arrests). The 2012 statistics for the City of Novato showed an overall improvement in its rankings as compared to 2011 (99/102 compared to 46/103). In calendar year 2012 we experienced a decrease in injury and fatal collisions from 2011 by 15% (153 vs. 182). However, accidents involving DUI drivers increased in 2012 from 2011 by 58%. In 2014, the number of injury and fatal collisions decreased by approximately 1%. The police department expects that the grant will assist in maintaining the improvements we saw in 2014 from Additionally, the grant funding is necessary to enhance our efforts to reduce DUI related arrests by drivers under 21 and bicycle collisions in riders under 15 both categories which our 2012 OTS rankings are low in. The enforcement efforts will also concentrate on primary collision factors for traffic collisions, which include alcohol, speed, red light violations and unsafe turning movements. Additionally, because of the rate of bicycle collisions involving bicyclists under the age of 15, we will request allocation of resources to assist in reducing the number of juvenile bicycle collisions. In 2012, NPD has a ranking of 29/102 in collisions with bicyclists under the age of 15 (in 2011 Novato was ranked 4/103). This grant opportunity will provide the police department the ability to maintain the recommended balance between the number of injury collisions and the enforcement levels. It is important to remember that the balance between the levels of enforcement versus the number of documented collisions should also include the number of traffic complaints the special enforcement efforts near schools and the community expectations regarding enforcement. Some of the programs that would be implemented under this grant include: 2 2

3 DUI saturation patrols Red light, intersection and speed violation enforcements Educational presentations on bicycle safety targeting riders under 15 years old Educational presentations for minors on DUI laws and enforcement targeting underage drinking and driving Provide additional training to officers in the detection DUI drivers The funded enforcement strategies include DUI saturation patrols. The grant could also provide funding for stakeout operations that employ police officers to observe the worst of the worst repeat habitual DUI offenders and probationers with suspended or revoked driver licenses. The enforcement component of this program could include an effort on speed violations and distracted driving enforcement operations which will target drivers using cell phones or texting while driving. Additional enforcement operations will be directed at locations with a disproportionate number of traffic collisions. These strategies are designed to attract media attention, thus enhancing the overall deterrent effect. Implementation of the STEP program will be accomplished by deploying personnel on a grant funded overtime basis at high collision intersections. The grant request has been broken down into the following funding categories: Equipment costs $17, Personnel staffing overtime costs $ 116, Training/Travel costs $ 25,000 Equipment supplies include DUI checkpoint trailer lights and generator, traffic safety cones, stationary RADAR feedback signs, bicycle safety giveaways (helmets, stickers, educational material, etc ) and DUI checkpoint supplies. Additional officers will be trained in Drug Recognition (DRE), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST). In addition to the enforcement operations, a Community Awareness and Educational program will be utilized. The police department will work to create media opportunities throughout the grant period to call attention to the innovative program strategies and outcomes. The police department will be required to submit Quarterly Performance Reports and Quarterly Evaluation Data Forms to the California Office of Traffic Safety. The grant period is October 1, 2015 through September 30, FISCAL IMPACT The fiscal impact to the City will be the initial expenditure of overtime costs to conduct the various traffic operations. However, since the OTS grant operates through a reimbursement process, there 3 3

4 will be no real impact to the budget. Some police staff time will be required to administer the awarded grant; this staff time is considered part of their normal duties. Because OTS grant funding is based on the federal fiscal year calendar, which begins on October 1 and ends on September 30, the City of Novato expenditures will come from FY 15/16 and FY 16/17. The personnel and equipment costs are submitted to OTS on a quarterly basis. Depending on the specific dates of the operations and purchases, reimbursements will occur during the FY 15/16 and FY16/17 fiscal year. ALTERNATIVES 1. Do not accept the grant from the office of Traffic Safety. ATTACHMENTS 1. Grant Application 2. Resolution 4 4

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22 CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NOVATO RESOLUTION NO. RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT A $160, GRANT FROM THE OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR A SELECTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM AND INCLUDE THE GRANT FUNDS IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2015/2016 POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET AND AUTHORIZE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO UTILIZE THE GRANT TO CONTINUE ITS EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC RELATED LAWS IN AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE INJURY AND FATAL TRAFFIC COLLISIONS WHEREAS, the City of Novato is pursuing and applying for a $160, Office of Traffic Safety grant to fund a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program; and WHEREAS, the City Council authorizes the City Manager or his designee to accept the $160, grant and include the grant funds in the FY 2015/2016 Police department budget; and WHEREAS, the grant funding is necessary to enhance the department s efforts to reduce DUI related traffic collisions. The enforcement efforts will concentrate on primary collision factors for traffic collisions, which include alcohol, speed, red light violations and unsafe turning movements. Some of the programs that would be implemented under this grant include: DUI saturation patrols Red light, intersection and speed violation enforcements Distracted driving enforcement Highly publicized motorcycle safety enforcement operations Stakeout Operations of the Worst of the Worst habitual DUI offenders Provide additional training to officers in the detection DUI drivers Implementation of the STEP program will be accomplished by deploying personnel on a grant funded overtime basis at high collision intersections. Additional officers will be trained in Drug Recognition (DRE), Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST). res

23 Equipment to be purchased by the grant include DUI checkpoint trailer lights and generator, traffic safety cones, stationary RADAR feedback signs, bicycle safety giveaways (helmets, stickers, educational material, etc ) and DUI checkpoint supplies, among other items. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Novato hereby authorizes the City Manager to accept the $160, Office of Traffic Safety grant and to include the grant funds in the Fiscal Year 2015/2016 Police Department budget to continue the department s education and enforcement of traffic related laws. * * * * * * I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing resolution was duly and regularly adopted by the City Council of the City of Novato, Marin County, California, at a meeting thereof, held on the 3 rd day of February, 2015, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: NOES: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: Councilmembers Councilmembers Councilmembers Councilmembers Sheri Hartz, City Clerk Approved as to form: City Attorney of the City of Novato res