For City Council Meeting [May 12, 2020]
TO: Honorable City Council
APPROVAL: Rod Foster, City Manager
FROM: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to Approve the Purchase of two (2) TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzers from Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. in the Amount of $56,282.14.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND
The recent epidemic of fentanyl-related overdose deaths poses a serious safety risk for first responders. Sworn employees regularly come into contact with unknown substances in the course of their daily duties. The TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer offers officers protection from dangerous substances, including fentanyl.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid prescribed for treating severe pain. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and is lethal in extremely small doses. Illegally produced fentanyl is commonly mixed with heroin and cocaine to increase their euphoric effects. Synthetic opioid overdoses cause tens of thousands of deaths annually across the nation.
The risk of fentanyl exposure in law enforcement is especially prevalent during the handling of drugs found during the course of officers’ duties. Fentanyl is commonly found in odorless powder form and a small lethal dose can be unknowingly inhaled, ingested, or transferred through the skin. This risk can be minimized by the safe and accurate identification of drugs without handling and exposure.
The TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer is a handheld device for presumptive testing of narcotics, and it can identify controlled substances, precursors and cutting agents. It also can identify emerging threats such as fentanyl and bath salts. TruNarc utilizes non-contact, non-destructive sampling for most samples. The user can scan directly through plastic bags or glass containers to minimize contamination, reduce exposure and preserve evidence. The TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzer increases officer safety in the field and reduces potential contamination of evidence.
Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., is a proprietary manufacture of handheld narcotics analyzers due to their ability of accurately identifying an expansive catalog of illegal substances. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., ability of accurately identifying illegal substances, in contrast with the limited ability of its competitors makes TruNarc a sole source purchase. Staff has worked with the Purchasing Department as determined this purchase request is acceptable as a specified under Rialto Municipal Code 2.48.060 - Sole Source Provision. The TruNrc analyzer is currently in use by law enforcement agencies across the country and has proven to be the most reliable and effective analyzer available.
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 objectives relating to public safety.
Goals 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed and supports this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
There is no immediate impact to the police department’s operating budget.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
Funding in the amount of $56,242.18 is available in FY16/17COPS Annual Allocation Account No. 214-500-6973-3030 for purchase of two (2) TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzers with Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
Per Rialto Municipal Code Section: 2.48.145 a vendor disclosure form is attached.
Licensing
This action does not trigger a requirement for a business license.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the purchase of two TruNarc Handheld Narcotics Analyzers from Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. in the amount of $56,242.18.