TO: Mayor Bien-Willner and Town Council Members
FROM: Brian Dalke, Town Manager
Peter Wingert, Chief of Police
DATE: January 24, 2019
DEPARTMENT: Police Department
Staff Contact Peter Wingert 480-948-7418
End
AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Consideration of the Acceptance of a Governor's Office of Highway Safety Grant for a motorcycle
Body
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Authorize the Town Manager to sign a Governor’s Office of Highway Safety grant for $27,000 toward the purchase of a Zero Police Motorcycle.
Background
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
In FY 2017, the Police Department was given a $27,000 grant with which to purchase a Zero Police motorcycle. That project came in at approximately $30,000 when fully outfitted for patrol use. The total cost of a fully outfitted electric police motorcycle costs approximately $33,000 in FY 2019.
The use of a police motorcycle has been an effective deterrent and enforcement tool for Paradise Valley. The motorcycle officer has been deployed to assist with traffic enforcement on neighborhood streets to enforce traffic and bicycle laws on a regular basis. The officer has been flexible in his scheduling to be present at the times that are most likely for conflict between bicyclists and pedestrians to occur. Additionally, he has been effective on the major arterials in Paradise Valley in both enforcement and response to collision scenes.
The GOHS has offered the Town $27,000 for the purchase of a second outfitted police motorcycle. Best practices for motorcycle officers is that they are assigned their own motorcycle. The motorcycle is then tuned to the rider’s height, weight and riding style. This precludes a single motorcycle from being shared between two or three officers, unlike the Police Tahoes, which can be shared more readily.
An officer already on the department would staff the second motorcycle. This person would be assigned to the Wednesday through Saturday day squad, which is opposite of the current motorcycle officer, and would provide seven days per week motorcycle enforcement.
Since the reimplementation of the police motorcycle program in 2016, there has been one injury reported surrounding its use. An officer was leaning against the motorcycle when it fell over, causing him to fall. This incident resulted in no lost time or medical costs.
BUDGETARY IMPACT:
The acceptance of this grant would cost the Town approximately $6000 for the costs of items not included in the grant, such as connectivity for the laptop, motorcycle breeches, and uniform boots.
During subsequent years, maintenance of the motorcycle would be the responsibility of the Town. Since the first Zero Motorcycle was placed into service in February 2017, the operations and maintenance costs have totaled $1,128.62.
ATTACHMENT(S):
2019-PTS-070 Contract.pdf
2019-PTS-070 Signed Sig Ltr.pdf