REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
August 16, 2018
FROM: JERRY P. DYER, Chief of Police
Police Department
BY: JOE ALVAREZ, Lieutenant
Special Operations Section
SUBJECT:
Title
Actions pertaining to the purchase of department motorcycles:
1. Authorize the use of funds budgeted for the lease purchase of ten plain vehicles to be utilized for the lease purchase of ten original equipment manufacturer police motorcycles (City-wide Bid File 9340)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that Council authorize the Chief of Police to utilize budgeted funds to lease purchase ten Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) police motorcycles in place of ten plain vehicles. The motorcycles would be purchased utilizing the existing contract with Herwaldt Automotive (City-wide Bid File 9340)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Police Department is in need of ten replacement motorcycles for increased staffing in the Traffic Safety Section. Replacement and addition of these motorcycles is critical for the Police Department to safely, effectively, and efficiently provide traffic safety services within the City of Fresno. The fully assembled motorcycles will be delivered to the City; after delivery, they will be up-fitted with a police radio, radar gun holder, and Fresno decals.
BACKGROUND
The Fresno Police Department is committed to traffic safety and preventing unnecessary collisions, injuries, and deaths related to traffic collisions.
As a result of the recession and the loss of sworn personnel the department downsized many of the special units including the Traffic Bureau. The downsizing of the Traffic Bureau resulted in a loss of Traffic Officers during the evening hours and the phasing out of high mileage motorcycles. As officers were added back to the department the traffic bureau expanded, albeit not to pre-recession levels and was able to partially add officers to the evening shift.
In 2017 the City of Fresno experienced a dramatic increase in the number of people killed in traffic collisions (52) as compared to an average of 32 the previous ten years. Many of these occurred between 5PM and 3AM, and caused by intoxicated drivers. As a result, an additional ten officers were added to the Traffic Bureau on the evening shift. However, there were not enough motorcycles to equip these officers. High mileage motorcycles and patrol cars are currently being utilized by these officers on a temporary basis until additional motorcycles can be added to the fleet.
We are already seeing the impact of increasing the number of traffic officers on the evening shift as DUI arrests have increased by 32 percent and DUI injury collisions have decreased by 28 percent as compared to 2017.
Currently the department is authorized and budgeted to lease purchase 60 plain vehicles over a five year period. Under the City’s Master Equipment Lease Purchase Agreement we are requesting to substitute ten motorcycles for ten plain vehicles. This substitution is cost neutral.
A competitive bid was prepared and distributed to prospective proposers, and twelve perspective proposers opened and reviewed the bid file. One response was received in a public opening on December 1, 2015. The proposal from Herwaldt Automotive was deemed responsive and responsible, and Council approved the contract in March of 2016.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
This is not a “project” for the purposes of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section §15378. By the definition provided in the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Section 15378, the award of this contract does not qualify as a “project”; therefore, it is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act requirements.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was considered during the competitive bidding process. The recommendation is for Herwaldt Automotive which is a local business.
FISCAL IMPACT
The substitution of the lease purchase of ten motorcycles instead of the lease purchase of ten plain vehicles is cost neutral and has no additional financial impact to the City. The funding to cover the purchase cost of the motorcycles has been approved as part of the City’s current approved Master Equipment Lease Purchase Agreement with Bank Of America Public Capital Corp., and funding for the first lease payment is included within the FY 2019 Adopted Budget.