10-18-2011 - Asset Forfeiture Funds for Police Vehicles,Overtim - Item 7 (2).docCity of West Covina
Memorandum
AGENDA
TO: Andrew G. Pasmant, City Manager ITEM NO. 7
and City Council DATE October 18, 2011
FROM: Frank J. Wills, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: ASSET FORFEITURE FUNDS FOR POLICE VEHICLES, OVERTIME, AND SUPPLIES
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
Find that Los Angeles County RFB#IS-11201188-1 for Ford Police Interceptors satisfies West Covina’s bid process and authorize the purchase of a total of three (3) vehicles per specifications,
directly from Wondries Fleet Group of Alhambra for $74,215.50 including taxes and fees.
Appropriate a total of $450,000 in federal asset forfeiture funds from the fund balance of Fund 117, as follows:
$350,000 into 117.31.3120.5113 for supplemental, unbudgeted overtime for staffing shortages, neighborhood crime responses, targeted enforcement, and emergency SWAT deployments;
A total of $93,580.50 into 117.31.3120.7170 for the purchase ($74,215.50) and equipping ($19,365), of three (3) patrol vehicles, including conversion costs, warranties, etc. utilizing
the City’s currently authorized conversion vendor (West Coast Lights & Sirens), and police patrol warranty vendor (Wondries Ford);
$6,419.50 into 117.31.3130.6220 for Special Enforcement Team and Detective supplies.
DISCUSSION:
The patrol vehicle is a basic tool needed by a patrol officer to perform the job of providing police service to residents. For patrol officers, their office space is their vehicle,
and they count on those vehicles performing every time they enter them. These vehicles often run nonstop supporting multiple patrol shifts round the clock, and Department’s patrol
vehicles are requiring more repair time and maintenance. This has become even more pronounced during the past several fiscal years as most patrol vehicles have been run longer while
only a few were replaced with special funds. Currently, three high-mileage vehicles have been identified as needing immediate replacement—units P2, P15 (both model years 2006), and
P24 (model year 2007), all have over 89,000 miles. In comparison to a standard civilian car, the actual mileage and wear and tear on these units’ engines far exceeds that mileage number,
because these patrol units frequently idle at crime scenes and traffic stops while Officers use vehicle-mounted lights, mobile data computers, and communications equipment.
It is important that the City act and purchase these patrol vehicles for two reasons. First, Ford previously announced its discontinuation of its Crown Victoria Interceptor model in
2011. It is in the City’s interest to purchase these vehicles while still available, because the Police Department’s existing vehicle-mounted equipment (light bars and control units,
weapons racks, mobile computers and mounting hardware, radio systems and mounting equipment, etc.) will not fit in another make or model vehicle. Second, there are sufficient federal
asset forfeiture revenue funds (recovered primarily through the efforts of the Police Department’s Special Enforcement Team) to purchase these vehicles.
The U.S. Department of Justice produces a lengthy publication concerning the spending rules and prohibitions associated with federal asset forfeiture. This publication is called the
Guide to Equitable Sharing of Federally Forfeited Property for State and Local Governments. Briefly,
asset forfeiture funds are approved for new unbudgeted law enforcement uses, and must be accounted for separately from other funds to adhere to financial reporting and auditing requirements.
Moreover, these funds cannot be used to replace (supplant) funding levels for police department items (like police officers, materials, services, supplies and equipment, previously
funded from the City’s General Fund). It is suitable to use this asset forfeiture funding to purchase patrol vehicles as there is no General Fund budget to purchase new police vehicles
this fiscal year.
Wondries Fleet Group of Alhambra has 2011 Ford Police Interceptors in stock. They have offered three (3) of them to West Covina at the same price that Los Angeles County (Sheriff’s
Department) purchased one hundred (100) of them under RFB#IS-11201188-1—a bid that was competitively awarded among multiple vendor solicitations. Per the City of West Covina purchasing
policy, “piggypacking” on this RFB and purchasing these three vehicles, as specified, from Wondries Fleet Group, satisfies West Covina’s bid process. Once these vehicles are purchased,
they will be equipped and converted with existing public safety vehicle equipment by the Police Department’s currently authorized conversion vendor (West Coast Lights & Sirens), and
augmented with extended warranties using the Department’s currently authorized warranty vendor (Wondries Ford).
An additional unbudgeted need within the Police Department is overtime to fund staffing shortages, responses to unplanned neighborhood crime and safety problems as they arise, targeted
enforcement at key areas of the City, and emergency SWAT team deployments. There are sufficient federal asset forfeiture revenue funds to appropriate $350,000 to these overtime activities.
Finally, new, specific supplies are needed to support the surveillance and law enforcement activities of the Special Enforcement Team and Detective Bureau. These supplies include computer
accessories and a currency counter. Federal asset forfeiture funds totaling $6,419.50 are available for these items.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The West Covina Police Department received federal asset forfeiture funds stemming from successful law enforcement and prosecution efforts, such that there are sufficient funds available
in the fund balance of Fund 117 for all of these purchases. Without these federal asset forfeiture funds, these unmet vehicle, supplies, and overtime needs would become future Police
Department budget requests, drawing on the City’s General Fund. New vehicles, with warranties and less maintenance costs than older vehicles, will be incorporated into City maintenance
operations.
Prepared by:
___________________________
Frank J. Wills
Chief of Police
Reviewed and approved by:
Finance