Grant Appl. for Traffic OfficerCITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
March 2, 2000
TO:
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT:
Grant Application for Traffic Officer
Police Chief John Mauss is recommending the City apply for a state grant that
would fund most of the cost of a new police officer position that would be used
exclusively for traffic enforcement duties.
The local match would initially come from an increase in traffic fine revenues. At
the end of the three-year grant period, the City would need to evaluate the
effectiveness of the program.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
MCVM/ksf
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel
Tim Moerman, Assistant City Manager
John Mauss, Police Chief
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
MEMORANDUM
February 14, 2000
TO
Michael C. Van Milligen
City Manager
FROM
John J. Mauss
Chief of Police
SUBJECT
Grant Application for Traffic Officer
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memo is to request approval by the City Council for a grant
application to the Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) for an additional
officer to serve as a traffic specialist for the Dubuque Police Department.
BACKGROUND
The Police Department has received grants for traffic enforcement and alcohol
enforcement projects from the GTSB for several years. Generally, the grants
have paid for overtime costs of officers involved in traffic enforcement,
and have paid for some traffic enforcement equipment, such as the preliminary
breath testing devices carried in the squad cars.
Over the years, as calls for service and other demands on officers time has
increased, the number of citations for moving violations have decreased. At
the same time, the number of requests from citizens for traffic enforcement
have increased.
In the current budget year, the City Council has approved addition of four
patrol officers to allow for investigation of property damage accidents over
$1000 damage which occur on public streets. Investigation of such accidents
started on January 1, 2000, and the officers are currently in training.
The number of officers already added is expected to allow the accident
investigation and to maintain our ability to respond to calls for service,
but is not expected to support an increase in traffic enforcement which is not
related to accidents.
This grant application, if approved, would add an officer to specialize in
traffic enforcement and traffic education in response to citizens' requests and
in response to hazards identified by accident data.
The Department has not had a traffic speclalist officer since the early 1980s.
DISCUSSION
The grant, if approved, would provide GTSB funding for the full salary of an
experience officer for two years, and 75% of the salary for a third year. The
City would be required to pay pension and medicare costs along with insurance
costs during the first two years, and a 25% assumption of the salary costs for
the third year. We also state in the grant application that if the program
is deemed to be successful, we would seek City funding for continuation of the
position beyond the third year with no GTSB funding.
Some training and materials ($1500 per year) would also be provided by the
grant.
We have generally regarded traffic enforcement to be the responsibility of all
patrol officers in the past. We would continue to place the responsibility
on all patrol officers, but would supplement that with an officer dedicated to
traffic enforcement.
One of the disadvantages of the specialized assignment is the possibility that
other patrol officers might believe they have less responsibility for traffic
enforcement. The senior management team has discussed that and believes that
we can continue to hold officers responsible for enforcement to the same degree
as present.
The advantage of providing the traffic specialist would be the ability to
address identified traffic areas in a more consistent and coherent manner.
If approved, funding for the traffic officer would become available October 1,
2000.
BUDGET
Costs for the officer over the first three years are estimated as follows,
with GTSB providing full salary costs the first two years and 75% of the salary
in the third year. The City would provide costs of benefits in the first two
years, and would continue that adding 25% of the salary costs in the third
year.
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total
GTSB $40,830.23 42,055.14 32,487.59 115,372.96
City 15,093.14 15,319.15 26,607.72 57,020.01
In addition, the grant would provide $1,000 for training and $500 for supplies
each year.
The City share of the cost for the current and the next fiscal year would come
from unencumbered balances. The cost for the third year would be provided in
the budget for that year.
The grant application also reflects the City bearing the cost of an addltlonal
patrol vehicle with equipment at $36,565. That cost is already in the budget
for the current year, approved in conjunction with approval of the four
officers for accldent investigation.
Based on officer productlon during special overtime enforcement, I would
estimate that a traffic enforcement specialist would generate approximately
$15,000 revenue for the City in additional traffic fines, assuming the fine
structure remains constant.
RECOMMENDATION
I recommend City Council approval of the grant application.
Dubuque Police Department
Highway Safety Funding Request
Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau
Iowa Department of Public Safety
February 1, 2000
SUMMARY
The Dubuque Police Department requests funding to increase traffic enforcement efforts aimed at
keeping fatality crashes at zero, reducing injury crashes, red light ruruùng, OWl's, .02, and other
moving violations within the City of Dubuque, as well as maintaining our current 90"/0+ seat belt usage
rate. The funding would provide a full time officer as a traffic enforcement specialist.
Our Department has successfully worked with the Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau to provide
sound enforcement efforts for our community in previous years. Some recent successes are:
. Active Multi Disciplinary Safety Team
. 90% Seat Belt Usage
. Awarded Red Light Running Project
. Participation in the Step Program
. Participation in DRE Program
. Involved in Electroruc Data Capturing & SubllÚssion
Extreme increases in workload demand, as measured by éalls for service fÌ'om citizens, have
required that the department scale back some traffic enforcement efforts. In 1993 we were compelled
to cease investigations of property damage only crashes, resulting in significantly reduced enforcement
since those violators were no longer cited.
However, our Department, as of January 1, 2000, is investigating all non-injury crashes when
damages exceed $1000.00. This will add additional workload to our patrol division. The City Council
added four (4) patrol positions in FY2000 to allow property damage accident investigation. The
position requested here would allow more traffic enforcement aimed at prevention of accidents.
Funding of the full time traffic enforcement officer would allow our Department to more
efficiently address local needs in the area of traffic safety and enforcement activities.
The Department plans to use the full time traffic enforcement officer in a variety of traffic safety
enforcement activities. These projects will include red light runtÙng, OWl, .02, speeding, stop sign
violations, and safety restraints.
In addition, the efforts by the full time traffic enforcement officer will supplement existing
traffic enforcement provided by our Patrol Division.
Our intent is to have a qualified officer, who has demonstrated a genuine concern for traffic
safety, fill the position provided by the grant funding. The officer selected will be measured in part by
number of alcohol contacts made, moving violations written, attention to seatbelt and child restraint,
and overall work ethic. Input fÌ'om supervisors will be solicited and an interview by a selection
committee may be done.
The City of Dubuque will absorb the cost of one fully equipped squad car ($36,565), and fuel
and maintenance costs, as well as clerical and admitÙstration costs associated with this grant. The
rernairung total costs for the first year are $42,330.23; Costs for the second year, $43,555.14; and
$33,987.59 for the third year.
OVERVIEW
The Dubuque Police Department is the agency with primary responsibilities for traffic
enforcement within the City of Dubuque. We are currently authorized at 89 sworn personnel. We
have participated in many traffic safety programs that have been sponsored by the GTSB, and are
currently participating in traffic enforcement projects funded by the 402 and 410 grants.
The Dubuque Police Department is committed to providing the highest quality oflife possible
to our citizens and visitors. A key component of that environment is safety for the people using the
streets, sidewalks, and highways within our city. We have demonstrated a serious interest and
commitment to this issue and believe this project will enhance traffic safety for our city.
PROBLEM STA TEMENT/NEEDS ASSESSMENT
The Dubuque Police Department has experienced significantly increased demand for service
over the past several years, partially due to changes in laws wlrich require substantially more officer
time, e.g. domestic abuse investigations, 236 Order violations, and also because our commuruty has
grown, e.g., 1000+ new homes and apartment buildings have been built during the 1990's.
In addition, the City of Dubuque has expanded its city linúts substantially with recent
annexations to the west and south. The annexed portion to south (Hwy 61/151) contains Technology
Park, an area that is quickly developing. To the west (Hwy 20) is located a new industrial park which
recently has firushed its sewer and paved streets.
As a result of workload demands, the Department's traffic enforcement resources are impacted
negatively. With assistance fÌ'om previous grant funding through the GTSB, our Department has been
able to minimize the negative impact on our traffic safety and enforcement programs.
Baseline data is shown below:
ENFORCEMENT DATA 1997 1998 1999
OWl Arrest 336 293 421
.02 Contacts 42 52 43
Other OWl Contacts * * *
Total OWl Contacts 378 345 464
* BAC Tests 261 215 221 (Data fÌ'om
1994/5/6)
*Test Refusals 68 114 114 (Data fÌ'om
1994/5/6)
* Test Average .169 .164 .156 (Data fÌ'om
1994/5/6)
Bar Checks 288 411 399
Speed Citations 3566 2912 2555
Speed Warnings * * *
Total Moving Violations 5876 5369 5733
* Denotes data that is not tracked in current data base or is not readily available.
1997 1998 1999
Other Moving WartÙngs 23IO 2485 3178
Seat Belt Citations 1592 1004 977 (Drop correlates
with 90% usage rate)
* Seat Belt WartÙngs * * *
* Child Restraint Citations 52 66 48 (Data fÌ'om
1994/5/6)
Child Restraint Warnings * *
L .-i~ '7: ¡>ro~ h '" ---- ì
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Baseline data is shown below:
ENFORCEMENT DATA 1997 1998 1999
OWl Arrest 336 293 421
.02 Contacts 42 52 43
Other OWl Contacts * * *
Total OWl Contacts 378 345 464
* BAC Test~ 261 215 221 (Data ITom
1994/5/6)
*Test Refusals 68 114 114 (Data ITom
1994/5/6)
* Test Average .169 .164 .156 (Data ITom
1994/5/6)
Bar Checks 288 411 399
~ J>', .z')r.,2 ~.Jrr
Speed Citations ~ \TBi!
Speed WartÙngs * * *
Total~tacts rt7 ~ '£M'J ~733
~€it!ttierls 1S9'7 iffl'~ 1~ /1
* Denotes data that is not tracked in curren;J~t! base or is not readily available.
1997
1998
1999
Other Moving WartÙngs
2310
2485
3178
Seat Belt Citations
1592
1004
977 (Drop correlates
with 90% usage rate)
* Seat Belt WartÙngs
*
*
* Child Restraint Citations
52
66
48
(Data ITom
1994/5/6)
Child Restraint WartÙngs
*
*
. .
ACCIDENT DATA 1997 1998 1999
Fatal Crashes 3 2 4
Fatalities 3 2 4
Injury Crashes 228 264 308
Total Injuries 333 363 512
Alcohol Related Fatal Crashes 0 0 0
Alcohol Related Fatalities 0 0 0
* Alcohol Related Injury Crashes 29 32 42 (Data ITom 1994/5/6)
* Alcohol Related Injuries 46 50 61 (Data ITom 1994/5/6)
* Denotes data is not tracked in current data base is not readily available
OBJECTIVES
I. Provide one police officer to work full time in traffic enforcement activities, which may
include education activities, and to coordinate and lead officers in traffic safety enforcement
activities such as saturation patrols and other specialized activities.
The enforcement activities will emphasize, impaired drivers, to include alcohol & drugs, red
light runtÙng, speed, and other moving violations, in addition to seatbelt enforcement.
2. Maintain our current low level offatality crashes.
3. Reduce alcohol related crashes and injuries.
4. Reduce injury crashes.
5. Publicize enhanced traffic enforcement activities.
6. Educate the public as to the importance of traffic safety.
, .
METHODS
The project will provide increased traffic enforcement, heavily emphasizing OWl, .02, red light
intersections and speed, and other moving violations to include seat belt enforcement.
The full time traffic enforcement officer will, at times, assist in coordinating teams of officers
in saturation patrols in or near high fÌ'equency crash sites. These teams will uti1ize radar (doppler and
laser) to detect speed violators, as well as observation of failure to stop at red lights and use of safety
restraint devices as the primary means of effecting traffic contacts.
In addition, the full time traffic enforcement officer and his team may use portable radar battery
packs which will enable an officer to report violations to other team members who will have the
responsibility of apprehension, issuing any traffic citations, and conducting standard field sobriety tests
as needed.
The addition of a full time traffic officer will result in increased alcohol contacts, as well as
speed and other moving violations. This should positively impact the overall traffic and pedestrian
safety issues in Dubuque.
EVALUATION
Evaluation will be based upon meeting each objective that the Governor's Traffic Safety
Bureau outlines in the Contract Activities and Objective!Perforrnance portion of the grant, which can
be based upon the objectives specified in this proposal.
Copies of the officers' log sheets can be provided to the- GTSB to document enforcement
activities upon request.
Copies of press releases and media clips will be maintained to demonstrate publicity efforts.
Counts offatality and injury, as well as alcohol-related fatality and injury crashes, will be
maintained and reported as needed.
BUDGET
1.
One full time patrol division officer to conduct traffic enforcement and related activities
First year
= $40.830.23 (Cost per hour @ 2080 hours = $19.63)
(Cost paid by Dubuque = $15,093.14 or $7.26 per hour. Includes 17% for pension, 1.45%
Medicare, $7,560.00 per year for Health Insurance, Life Insurance & Dental.
Second year = $42,055.14 (Cost per hour = $20.22) (Includes 3% pay raise by contract)
(Annual benefits paid by Dubuque = $15,319.15 or $7.37 per hour)
Third yéar = $32,487.59 (Cost per hour = $15.62) (includes 3% raise and 25%
assumption of salary by the City of Dubuque)
(Benefits + 25% Match paid by City = $26,607.72)
Total = $115,372.96 Approximate Total Benefits paid by City = $57,020.01
Approximate eost of one fully equipped squad ear = $36.565.00
Total = $91,585.01
Car = $20,000.00
Equipment Includes: Radio =
Computer & Modem =
Bar Code Reader =
Printer =
Light Bar =
AIeosensor =
Shotgun =
Flashlight & Charger =
First Aid Kit, Telephone & other mise. =
$3,615.00
$9,000.00
$},200.00
$ 550.00
$ 900.00
$ 450.00
$ 400.00
$ 150.00
$ 300.00
2.
3.
GTSB approved trairung = $1,000.00 per year x 3 years = $3,000.00
Educational materials = $ 500.00 per year x 3 years = $I,500.00
Grand Total = $ 119, 872.96
FUTURE FUNDING STATEMENT/SIGNATURE
Provided the evaluation of this proposal is positive, the Police Department will request
assumption of the program into the City Budget, begintÙng with 25% of costs in the third year and at
the 100% level for the fourth year and beyond.
We recogruze that a long-term cost assumption plan will be required during the third year of
GTSB funding. The plan will provide information concertÙng project funding and/or continuation of
the project activity after GTSB funding has completed.
The final recommendation of the budget is at the discretion of the City Manager, and approval
of the budget is at the discretion of the City Council. However, we believe that there is a high
probability for future funding provided that the program is effective.
John J. Mauss, Chief of Police
Date