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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 ?( .2~ ~.~ JJ6J tr "5 ') "ìC ccr¡rS- <toG] 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