For City Council Meeting [June 12, 2018]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Robb R. Steel, Interim City Administrator
FROM: Mark P. Kling, Interim Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to Approve Budget Resolution No. 7352 and Approve the Purchase of Twenty-Two Plate Hunter F3 Fixed License Plate Reading Systems and Two Mobile License Plate Reading Systems from Selex ES, Inc. in the Amount of $366,509.60.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND:
Rialto Police Department is working to combat crime with the use of technology. With the installation of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR), the City will compile data at the selected intersections throughout the City of Rialto, which will lead to the identification of criminal activity. The proposed intersections are main entrances/exits to the City of Rialto. The intersections proposed are as follows:
• Riverside Avenue / Easton Street to capture northbound and southbound traffic.
• Riverside Avenue / Valley Boulevard to capture northbound and southbound traffic.
• Linden Avenue / Foothill Boulevard to capture westbound and eastbound traffic.
• Eucalyptus Ave / Foothill Boulevard to capture westbound and eastbound traffic.
The infrastructure at the proposed intersections are City owned, eliminating the need to seek approval from an outside city or county entity.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
License plate recognition technology is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States. The systems use infrared illumination and a camera to take the image of the front or rear of a vehicle; then use sophisticated image-processing software to analyze the image and extract the plate information.
ESLAG is the world leader of License Plate Reading solutions, aiding law enforcement agencies in controlling vehicle theft and other related criminal activity. The systems allow officers to capture license plate images and instantaneously compare them with millions of records to identify vehicles of interest.
The Plate Hunter F3 System reads plates from a stationary location and cross-references each plate against an onboard wanted vehicle list. This system can process approximately 900 plates per minute looking for vehicles of interest. The system broadcasts an alarm in real time to a command center, patrolling officers, and mobile devices, for an immediate reaction. The system scans and stores an image and GPS coordinates of every plate, which can be referenced later if needed.
The installation of Fixed ALPR’s will aid in the apprehension of suspects involved in numerous crimes occurring within the City of Rialto and other jurisdictions. A vehicle can be entered into the database as a vehicle of interest for various reasons including, but not limited to, being reported as stolen (vehicle theft rings), missing and/or abducted persons, or being involved in a crime. Due to a significant increase in distribution centers being constructed in the City of Rialto, Fixed ALPR’s would also be invaluable to help deter and investigate the increased amount of cargo thefts that have been occurring in our region.
Selex ES, Inc. is the only manufacturer of the Plate Hunter F3 System and has been approved as a sole source provider. They are a proven leader in this type of technology, which will easily integrate with the department’s existing software systems. Local agencies that currently use this system are Colton Police Department, Redlands Police Department and Upland Police Department.
The total cost of the twenty-two Plate Hunter F3 Fixed License Plate Reading Systems from Selex ES, Inc. includes $313,210.00 for equipment and installation, plus sales tax of $20,299.60 for a total cost of $333,509.60.
The total cost of the two Plate Hunter M6-2 Mobile License Plate Reading Systems from Selex ES, Inc. includes $31,037.60.00 for equipment and installation, plus sales tax of $1,962.40 for a total cost of $33,000.00.
The total cost for both the mobile and fixed License Plate Reading Systems is $366,509.60.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The proposed action does not meet the definition of a project as defined by Section 15378 California Environmental 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 indirect 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 consistent with meeting these objectives.
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact
The purchase of license plate readers has no impact of the Rialto Police Department’s Operating Budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
Funding in the amount of $32,725.88 is available in FY2016 Justice Assistance Grant Account No. 213-500-6823-3030 and an appropriation of $333,783.72 in Asset Forfeiture Account No. 219-500-6093-3030 for the total needed funding of $366,509.60 for the purchase of license plate readers from Selex ES, Inc.
Per Rialto Municipal Code Section: 2.48.145 a vendor disclosure form is attached.
Licensing
The Rialto Police Department will be purchasing the license plate readers from Selex ES, Inc., located in North Carolina. A business license is not needed from this vendor because the purchase of goods will be performed outside the City of Rialto.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the purchase of twenty-two Plate Hunter F3 Fixed License Plate Reading Systems and Two Mobile License Plate Reading Systems from Selex ES, Inc. in the not to exceed amount of $366,509.60.