REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MINDY CASTO, Chief of Police
Police Department
BY: MICHAEL LANDON, Deputy Police Chief
Administrative Division
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the FY24 Safer Outcomes: Enhancing De-Escalation and Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement - Support for Law Enforcement Agencies grant program.
1. Authorize the Chief of Police to accept $350,000 in grant funding for the FY24 Safer Outcomes: Enhancing De-Escalation and Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement - Support for Law Enforcement Agencies grant awarded to the Fresno Police Department from the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).
2. ***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 42nd Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2024-122 to appropriate $99,000 in FY24 Safer Outcomes: Enhancing De-Escalation and Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement - Support for Law Enforcement Agencies grant program funding for the Police Department (Requires Five Affirmative Votes) (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
3. Affirm the City Manager’s determination that VirTra, Inc. and Performa, Inc. are uniquely qualified.
4. Approve the Service Agreement between the City of Fresno Police Department and VirTra, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $66,634.80 for three (3) years for the extended service and maintenance agreement subscription plan, authorizing the Chief of Police, or her designee, to execute the agreement and any related documents.
5. Approve the Service Agreement between the City of Fresno Police Department and Performa, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $153,000 for two (2) years for proprietary training materials provided through the Performa, Inc. App, authorizing the Chief of Police, or her designee, to execute the agreement and any related documents.
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that Council authorize acceptance of $350,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, allowing the Chief of Police or her designee to enter into and execute the agreement between the City of Fresno Police Department and VirTra, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $66,634.80 for three (3) years for the extended service and maintenance agreement subscription plan; Adopt the 42nd Amendment to AAR No 2024-122 to appropriate $99,000 funding into FY24 Safer Outcomes: Enhancing De-Escalation and Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement - Support for Law Enforcement Agencies grant program funding for the Police Department. It is further recommended that Council approve the Agreement between the City of Fresno Police Department and VirTra, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $66,634.80 for three (3) years for the extended service and maintenance agreement subscription plan. Approve the Service Agreement between the City of Fresno Police Department and Performa, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $153,000 for two (2) years for proprietary training materials provided through the Performa, Inc. App.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Fresno has been awarded grant funds of $350,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The grant period is from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2026. The Jerry P. Dyer Regional Police Training Center (JPDRPTC) is responsible for providing training to nearly 860 Fresno Police Officers, as well as other officers in our region. In 2025, the JPDRPTC projects that nearly 10,000 students will attend training at the facility, and with the recent law updates, we expect the demand by students to only increase. Use of Force Training which is mandated under Block V of the P.O.S.T. “Perishable Skill Program” training and to align with Senate Bill 230 coupling that with meaningful de-escalation training is both mandated by law and an expectation of the public.
The in-house training for our sworn officers and civilian personnel as well as other agencies within the Central Valley will focus around core principles of de-escalation now coupled with Crisis Response Training.
BACKGROUND
Law enforcement use of force has long been a topic of national and local discussion, especially when a high-profile case heightens community awareness. The concept of de-escalation has been a part of law enforcement use of force discussions for decades. De-escalation refers to the range of verbal and nonverbal skills used to slow down the sequence of events, enhance situational awareness, conduct proper threat assessments, and allow for better decision-making to deduce the likelihood that a situation will escalate into a physical confrontation or injury and to ensure the safest possible outcomes. De-escalation includes aspects of communication and physical tactics, but it is also important that it actively addresses how community engagement, community policing, procedural justice, and efforts to co-produce public safety are critically important to ensuring police-community encounters that are safe for everyone. It is equally important to recognize that several calls that require a level of de-escalation involve a person in crisis which may require different considerations and approaches to ensure a safer outcome. Finally, it is important that an agency-wide approach to de-escalation effectively enable individual-level de-escalation tactics as well as effective policies and procedures for oversight and management that are informed by the community.
The Officers assigned to the JPDRPTC will provide de-escalation coupled with Crisis Response Training for the 860 sworn personnel and 122 Com-Cen personnel through proven and accepted training options and courses. Due to an update of Peace Officers Commissions Standards Training (POST) and Senate Bill 230 all officers are required to attend an updated POST certified de-escalation training. Members of the JPDRPTC staff have an approved course outline that will be taught during the de-escalation training. The funding in this grant will help provide the necessary training and equipment to ensure that all sworn police officers and ComCen (Dispatchers and Call-takers) staff receive updated de-escalation training coupled with Crisis Response Training, along with appropriate computer equipment, a service based VirTra simulator system, and supplies. Due to the number of officers who need to complete the updated de-escalation and Crisis Response Training, there will be a need to conduct some of the trainings on an overtime basis.
The JPDRPTC purchased a VirTra simulator system. The VirTra system projects a realistic scenario onto a large screen. The screen area encompasses an operational field of view with life-like role players and reactions and allows for scene branching which creates multiple possible outcomes depending on the officer’s performance, with de-escalation coupled with Crisis Response Training being the primary objective. Key features of the system are the ability to measure “Implicit Bias” and certain scenarios are based on “Force Science Institute” studies, which will measure threat reaction times while giving feedback on an appropriate response. This realistic simulation is important when assessing skill acquisition and skill transfer. The system has approximately 1,000 built in scenarios which include de-escalation and dealing with people in crisis, the mentally disturbed and disabled, and people with autism.
The most important training aspect is the requirement of each officer to use verbal commands communicating with professional dialogue. The training requires the officer to de-escalate themselves, remain in control of their own emotions, and critically think and appropriately react throughout the scenarios. This exposure to situations in a training environment will help maximize the human attentional load which is the ability to think and pay attention during stressful incidents.
The VirTra system has been tested and incorporates a science-based approach. It has been endorsed by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training. It is a high-quality content and has clearly defined training objectives and curriculum versus just a list of scenarios. With a library of approximately 1,000 scenarios with multiple branch options, it is possible the trainee will never see the same scenario twice. VirTra has created these scenarios with many of them already approved through International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standard and Training. The scenarios have been reviewed, tested, and proven to be a credible training asset backed by the association. The JPDRPTC has had great success with its use and has come to rely on this specific training tool. The system is now out of warranty and should any component fail, the JPDRPTC would face costly repairs.
We are looking to acquire a second type of scenario-based training, Performa, Inc. app-based licenses, which is accessed on the officer’s department issued cellular phone. It will allow every officer to receive Crisis Intervention Training and allow us to move forward with additional training. Although we have made several attempts to provide training to each officer, we have fallen short. Currently, only 36% of our staff is CIT trained. CIT portion of the program is for crisis intervention team, mental health workers, Homeless Assistance Response Team (HART) and all department members. Over the past several years, FPD has seen a significant increase in mental health calls.
All purchases of equipment, products, or supplies will go through the appropriate procurement process as required by the Fresno Municipal Code.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a “project” for the purposes of CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable because these are uniquely qualified purchases.
FISCAL IMPACT
There will be no net impact to the general fund. The grant provides full cost recovery for all operations, training, and equipment for this program during the period of the grant. There is no match. Expenses will be claimed and reimbursed on a quarterly basis.
Attachments:
Grant Agreement
42nd Annual Appropriation Resolution No. 2024-122
Service Agreement Between City of Fresno Police Department and VirTra, Inc.
Service Agreement Between City of Fresno Police Department and Performa, Inc.
Uniquely Qualified Memo - Virtra, Inc.
Uniquely Qualified Memo - Performa, Inc.