01-03-1995 - Purchase of Two Additional Driving SimulatorsCity of West Covina
Memorandum
TO: CITY MA
FROM: JOHN T
PUBLIC
SUBJECT: PURCHASE
SUMMARY: State of
most cost effective
reducing the exposu
will offer.a'unique
and generate contin
and private agencie
and driver training
ER AND CITY COUNCIL
STELRATH, CHIEF OF POLICE
ETY DIVISION MANAGER
TWO.ADDITIONAL DRIVING`SIMULATORS
AGENDA
ITEM NO. I -1
DATE January 3, 19,4-4:' �� S
® PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
he art driving simulators have proven to be the safest and
way to enhance the overall level of driving skills, while
e to liability. The two (2) additional driving simulators
opportunity for the City to.recover initial purchase costs
ous revenue, by providing driver training to both public.
, as well as other interested -parties, such as citizens
schools.
BACKGROUND: As Risk Managers well know, driving remains one of the most
vulnerable areas of liability for the City. Most city employees spend a
percentage of their work day behind the wheel of a vehicle, which for Police
Officers represents almost 100% of their work time.
In the area of public safety, driving instruction is offered in the basic
academy and possiblyi one additional time during an officer's career, unless
for remedial purposes, resulting from an accident. Safe driving habits are
basically taken for 1granted, yet driving poses one of the most substantial
risks for liability.
Currently cities, as well as the private sector, have recognized the need to
focus on increasing the level of driver training. Two (2) additional driving
simulators will address that need in a safe, practical and cost effective way.
This will allow morelstudents to be trained by fewer instructors, increasing
the profit margin and eliminating the risk of traffic accidents and injuries -
during training. Thle two (2) additional simulators can also be utilized 24
hours a day and are not impacted by prevailing weather conditions.
The trainee in a driving simulator sits in a module which emulates a vehicle
interior,. providing a 225 degree panoramic field of view. The simulator
recreates.both the visual experience and the "feel" of driving a vehicle. The
trainee is in an interactive 3 dimensional "-universe", which is displayed from
the drivers point of view. The driver is presented with tactical, as well as
visual and aural feedback, including wheels resisting directional steering
during a turn, the sensation of the wheel vibrating:when going.over a bump,
and the sensation oflan impact, should the driver have an accident or hit an
object. The instructor has the capability of creating innumerable scenarios
for judgement and decision making, which are very realistic and teach proper
procedures, multiple unit cooperation,. dispatch, and command and control
techniques.
DISCUSSION: In August of this year the council approved the purchase of one
driving simulator.. The training center, which houses the simulator was
completed and the simulator was received in November. The facility offers
easy access and can be operated 24 hours a day if necessary.
During the month of December course outlines were completed, as well as
instructor training,and a preview of the facility was offered to outside
agencies. Since then the interest level in the facility has been significant
and includes the Rio�Hondo.Regionalized Training Academy, as -well as other
cities and private organizations, including ambulance companies, public
utility companies and guard services.
The current limitation of having only
to only one .student at a time and is
The other four agencies in the state
four training simulators. This helps
it more attractive, while increasing
current training facility has room to
one driving simulator restricts training
not.as cost effective as it could be.
who have driving simulators each have
to reduce the cost of the course to make
the overall opportunity for profit. Our
house 2 additional driving simulators
1P
0
and has been prewird to accomodate them.
i
The purchase of the
impact the City and
statewide and possi
for employees and o
liability managemen
risk areas and fis
involvement in simu
even more advanced
committee.
two additional driver training simulators will positively
the Department in a number of ways. Results include
ly national attention and interest in our training program
hers (as contracted through user fees) as well as our
program, affecting the City's potential exposure.in high -
al responsibility and cost recovery.philosophy. Our
ator training will also allow the Department access to
raining as part of a State program development steering
The two additional driving simulators will provide a highly cost effective and
innovative means of1providing realistic, on -going, verifiable and measurable
training. In addition to training our officers, the Department will be in a
position to offer this valuable training to other Public Safety agencies, a
variety of educational institutions and participants in other programs
sponsored by the Department. Since the simulators also
emulate the realism�of driving.a fire engine, a large truck and a bus they
will also provide valuable training for fire and city yard personnel.
Professional law en
Training (POST) Com
training through th
established a Steer
create and update d
Commander and one T
the Department the
working statewide t
includes West Covin
opportunity. POST
themselves and enco
other agencies for
anticipates working
and sell simulater
agencies would have
FINANCIAL IMPACT: f
simulators would con
and would not impact
use of the simulator
Regional Training Ac
Department are diffi
revenues at the curr
Price of l ses�
x of participar
x of sessions �
x of days per.3
orcement trainers from the Peace Officers Standards and
ission recognize the value and need of technological
use of driving simulators. The Commission has
ng Committee that is working with software developers to
iver training programs. The department currently has a
affic Officer assigned to the POST committee, affording
pportunity to be part of a development team, .which is
create and improve regionalized training sites, which
This creates a mutually beneficial training
ecognizes that the training systems must pay for
rages departments with simulators to charge a user fee to
raining. In addition to working with state agencies, POST
with the federal agencies involved in training to create
oftware at a profit, so that California.law enforcement
free access to the completed projects.
riding for the purchase of the two - -additional driving
from the Department's restricted Drug Enforcement Rebate
the general fund. The exact revenues from the outside
by other law enforcement agencies, the Rio Hondo
demy and participants of other programs sponsored by the
ult to estimate. The following reflects the projected
nt time:
on
s per session
r day
ar
Total revenues.for one year
The cost to purchase the simulators is
Simulator 'already purchased
2 additional simulators
Totallestimate
$ 50
6
2
133
$ 70,000
105,000
$175,000
Since there arelno additional costs to the program, the
payback period is 175,000 - 79,800 = 2.19 years.
After that point; all revenues will be profit, which will
go to reimbursing the D.E.R Budget.
RECOMMENDATION: It his recommended that the City Council approve the purchase
of two additional driving simulators from AGC Simulation Products (sole source
manufacturer) at a cost not to exceed $105,000.. This -represents a pre -
negotiated total sav[ngs of $9,660 and includes a dispatch module and
instructor playback monitor at no extra cost.
H, Chief of Police
J N T. DIST��RATPublic Safety Division Manager