For City Council Meeting December 10, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: G. Michael Milhiser, Interim City Manager
AUTHOR: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to Approve (1) the Purchase of Five (5) Interview Room Camera Systems, to Include Installation and Warranty, with Axon Enterprise, Inc. (formerly Taser International) in the Amount of $ 193,008.04 Over Five (5) Years, Beginning in Fiscal Year 2024/2025 (2) the Purchase of One (1) PowerEdge R450 Server, with Dell Technologies, in the Amount of $13,004.88 and (3) Authorize the Interim City Manager or Designee to Execute all Documents.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends City Council:
1) Approve the Five (5) year contract and purchase of Five (5) Interview room cameras with related storage, installation, and maintenance agreement in the amount of $193,008.04,
2) Approve a purchase order for one (1) PowerEdge R450 Server with Dell Technologies in the amount of $13,004.88, and
3) Authorize the Interim City Manager or designee to execute all documents.
BACKGROUND
In 2012, the Rialto Police Department took a major step toward transparency by adopting body-worn cameras from AXON Enterprise, Inc. This initiative resulted in a 59% reduction in use-of-force incidents and an 87.5% decrease in officer complaints within the first year. Today, all field personnel, both sworn and non-sworn, wear these cameras, reinforcing our commitment to accountability. As we continue to embrace new technologies, we are exploring additional resources to further enhance transparency with our community.
Building on the success of body-worn cameras, we recognize the importance of keeping pace with technological advancements in all aspects of our operations. While the adoption of body cameras has significantly improved transparency, the installation of recording systems in our interview rooms has not yet been fully upgraded. To address this gap, we propose a comprehensive enhancement of the interview room camera systems in the new police station. This upgrade would include state-of-the-art video and audio recording capabilities, allowing for a complete, high-quality capture of all interactions. The new systems would also be seamlessly integrated with our existing evidence server, ensuring secure storage, easy access, and full compliance with our digital evidence management protocols. This enhancement will further strengthen transparency, maintain the integrity of recorded evidence, and support our ongoing commitment to accountability in every aspect of our work.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
The Rialto Police Department has consistently led the way in adopting technology that fosters trust and transparency within our community. However, one area where we face a challenge is in adequately documenting interactions in our interview rooms, where the absence of advanced recording systems limits our ability to fully capture critical exchanges. Upgrading to the AXON interview room camera system will address this gap, enabling us to record high-quality audio and video during interviews, and providing an accurate, reliable record that benefits both law enforcement and the public.
AXON Enterprise, Inc. has long been a leader in providing body-worn and fleet cameras, reinforcing the commitment to transparency and accountability in policing. Extending this technology to stationary interview room cameras was a natural progression, allowing the department to enhance its ability to document interviews and interrogations with high-definition audio and video. By upgrading to AXON's interview room cameras, the department will not only benefit from cutting-edge technology but will also ensure seamless integration with our current evidence server.
In October 2023, the department took the first step by installing two AXON interview room camera systems at our main station. As camera technology and data storage capabilities continue to evolve, we are now focused on expanding this enhancement to our new station. With AXON’s agreement to incorporate the current interview room cameras into the new facility, we will realize significant cost savings while extending the warranties of the existing systems to align with the new equipment. The new station will feature seven interview rooms, all equipped with monitoring capabilities and the ability to upload recorded content directly to the department’s evidence server. To complete this upgrade, the acquisition of five additional interview room camera systems from AXON Enterprise, Inc. is crucial to achieving our goal of improving operational efficiency and continuing our commitment to transparency.
The proposed AXON interview room camera systems offer several key enhancements:
• High-Quality Video and Audio: The new systems feature advanced audio technology and high-definition video capabilities, ensuring clarity during crucial interviews.
• Seamless Integration: Designed to work effortlessly with our existing AXON body-worn cameras, these systems create a comprehensive documentation framework that strengthens accountability.
• Remote Access and Secure Storage: The AXON system provides secure cloud storage through the department evidence server, allowing easy access to footage for investigations, training, and review processes.
• User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive interface enables officers to operate the system with minimal training, ensuring swift deployment during interviews.
Equipping the interview rooms in the new police facility with advanced systems will enhance our documentation capabilities, foster transparency, and strengthen our relationship with the community. Upgrading our technology is essential to the success of progressive policing and building public trust. By purchasing and installing interview room camera systems through AXON Enterprise, Inc., we will improve accountability and better serve our community. These recordings will provide crucial evidence for legal proceedings, potentially reducing court costs and speeding up investigations. The proposed purchase also includes maintenance fees, equipment upgrades, warranties, data plans, and cloud storage costs.
To ensure the equipment's compatibility, continuity, and operability, we recommend purchasing five AXON interview room camera packages, along with the required storage, from AXON Enterprise, Inc. at a total cost of $193,008.04. This will be spread over a five-year payment plan. Should the police department choose to terminate the agreement before the end of the term, the department will be responsible for covering the remaining balance for the equipment, fees, and services rendered.
As part of the ongoing expansion of interview room cameras, the department's IT staff has been working closely with the AXON team to ensure the infrastructure can handle the increased demand. With the addition of five new AXON cameras, it became evident that an upgraded server was necessary to maintain optimal performance and storage capacity. After thorough discussions and assessments with the AXON team, the IT staff identified the PowerEdge R450 server from DELL Technologies as the ideal solution. This server is well-equipped to support the growing volume of video footage, ensuring reliable data processing, storage, and security for the expanded camera network.
AXON Enterprise, Inc. has been awarded Sourcewell contract 101223-AXN for the procurement of public safety video surveillance solutions, including related equipment, software, accessories, and AXON interview room technology. This acquisition complies with the Rialto Municipal Code’s cooperative purchasing provisions, or "piggybacking," ensuring adherence to established procurement guidelines. Valid until December 15, 2027, the contract was verified by City Procurement to meet municipal code requirements. As outlined in Rialto Municipal Code 2.48.430, the city council can authorize purchases through cooperative agreements, enabling the city to secure high-quality equipment at competitive prices while ensuring transparency and fiscal responsibility.
Dell Technologies is recognized by the City as a sole source manufacturer of the department severs, computers and related infrastructure. Staff has collaborated with the City Purchasing Division to confirm that this purchase complies with Rialto Municipal Code 2.48.280 - Sole Source Procurement by the City.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action does not meet the definition of a project as defined by Section 15378 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and excludes the following:
1) Continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases for supplies, personnel-related actions, general policy and procedure making
2) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or in direct physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City of Rialto has outlined key goals and objects relating to public safety. The purchase of this technology is in consistent with meeting these objectives.
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
Policy 5-8.4: Initiate proactive crime suppression and prevention strategies throughout the community.
LEGAL REVIEW
The Staff Report has been reviewed and approved by the City Attorney.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
This report does not impact the Police Department’s operating budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
Funding in the amount of $97,053.94 is available in Police Station Building Account No. 33006150 53001, for the installment due in Fiscal Year 2024/2025, with Axon Enterprise, Inc., for the interview room camera systems and warranty.
Staff will budget the annual needed funding for each year for fiscal years 2026/2027 through 2029/2030 in Account No. 10106281 52011 for the obligations for years 2 - 5, for a total contract amount of $193,008.04, as stated in the chart below.
|
FISCAL YEAR |
YEAR OF CONTRACT |
CONTRACT AMOUNT DUE |
|
2024/2025 |
1 |
$97,053.94 |
|
2026/2027 |
2 |
$23,988.53 |
|
2027/2028 |
3 |
$23,988.53 |
|
2028/2029 |
4 |
$23,988.53 |
|
2029/2030 |
5 |
$23,988.51 |
|
TOTAL |
|
$193,008.04 |
Funding in the amount of $13,004.88, for the PowerEdge R450 Server, with Dell Technologies, is available in account 33006151 53030 PDSTN.
Per Rialto Municipal Code Section: 2.48.145 a vendor disclosure form has been received from the vendors and is attached to this report.
Licensing
This action does not trigger a requirement for a business license.