City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: JANUARY 17, 2018
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Renewal Grant to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for an Aggressive Driving/DUI Interdiction Program in FY 2019.
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of a renewal grant application to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for an aggressive driving and driving under the influence (DUI) interdiction program.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Approve the grant application to the Virginia DMV in the amount of $30,375, which will provide funds to the Police Department to operate a DUI/aggressive driving interdiction program in the City; and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: For the past nineteen years the City has obtained a grant under this program to allow the Police Department to pay overtime for police officers to conduct high intensity patrol operations, targeting aggressive drivers whose behavior contributed statistically to automobile crashes and unsafe driving complaints. The targeted behaviors included right-of-way violations, stop sign violations, speeding and following too closely. This year the Police Department will be proposing to apply for two additional grants offered through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for Pedestrian Safety and the other for Aggressive Driving and Speeding. Those will follow on separate docket items. In FY 2018, the approved grant was for $30,375.
DISCUSSION: The new grant request is for $30,375 for Federal FY 2019 (October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019). The Police Department grant request includes $28,000 for overtime operations to combat aggressive driving and DUI violations. If approved, the Police Department will employ police officers on overtime status to deploy mobile and stationary patrols as methods to reduce the number of alcohol and aggressive driving related accidents in the City.
The Police Department also is requesting $1,875 for five Alco-Sensors and $500 for regional crash investigation and DUI enforcement training. The Alco-Sensors allow an officer to determine a person’s blood alcohol content as part of the preliminary investigation for DUI offenses.
FISCAL IMPACT: To receive the DMV grant of $30,375, the City must identify 20 percent matching funds, which may be in-kind. Since the City’s share is an in-kind match of resources, there is no additional fiscal impact to the City in obtaining the grant. The proposed match is identified in the Police Department’s operating budget. Notification is expected in September 2018.
STAFF:
Debra Collins, Deputy City Manager
Michael L. Brown, Police Chief
Michael May, Lieutenant, Police, Traffic Safety Section
Brenda D’Sylva, Division Chief, Police, Fiscal Management
Jennifer Simon, Fiscal Officer I, Police, Fiscal Management