Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council
Regular Meeting of November 28, 2023
Title
PURCHASE OF VEHICLES FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT
(Public Works Director Joe SanClemente)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends City Council:
1. Authorize the purchase of four electric Chevy Blazers in an amount not to exceed $312,000 from National Auto Fleet Group, the State of California's General Services Department Statewide Contract for Fleet Vehicles, or sole source from a dealership as the vehicle becomes available;
2. Authorize the outfitting of each of the vehicles, not to exceed $108,000 for all four vehicles, through National Auto Fleet Group; and
3. Approve an additional appropriation of $195,000 to the Equipment Replacement Fund’s fund balance to the Police Department Equipment Replacement Fund to fund the purchase and outfitting of the vehicles.
Body
Executive Summary:
The City of Hermosa Beach is committed to providing exemplary services to the community and its residents. Fulfilling this commitment relies heavily on the availability of optimally performing, reliable vehicles within the Police Department. There are currently three patrol vehicles due for replacement. Along with the three replacement vehicles, the department requests funding for an additional patrol vehicle within its Patrol Operations fleet.
The ability to purchase vehicles has been extremely challenging due to limited availability and high market demand. Patrol vehicles have been very difficult to obtain due to the commonality between police departments and the models used for patrol vehicles. Staff diligently evaluated the City’s Clean Fleet Vehicle Purchasing Policy (Attachment 3), vehicle availability, and the department’s operational needs to select the most suitable replacement vehicles. Based on its evaluation, staff recommends the purchase of four electric Chevy Blazers.
Background:
The Public Works Department tracks the lifecycle and condition of the entire fleet of City vehicles and equipment. On an annual basis, the department reviews the City’s Equipment Replacement Schedule and makes recommendations for the upcoming budget. These recommendations are based on each individual vehicle’s primary use, age, mileage, fuel expense, maintenance and repair history, possible secondary uses in other departments, and potential resale value. On an ongoing basis, as vehicles are brought in for service, the Public Works Department evaluates the cost effectiveness of repairs and whether the repairs will restore the vehicle to reliable and safe operation for ongoing use.
The Police Department fleet vehicles are part of the inventory in the City’s Equipment Replacement Schedule. As part of the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget process, staff requested the replacement of two 2018 Ford Explorers. A Ford Interceptor was approved for replacement in Fiscal Year 2021-22 and funds were reappropriated to the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Budget for the replacement.
The City has traditionally purchased vehicles through the National Auto Fleet Group's master vehicle contract with Sourcewell. As a participating member agency, the City may take advantage of this competitively bid contract to expedite the procurement process. The State of California's General Services Department Statewide Contract for Fleet Vehicles (General Services Contract) is a cooperative purchasing agreement similar to National Auto Fleet Group.
Section 3.12.140 exempts from certain formal bidding procedures "[p]urchases made through a cooperative purchasing program utilizing purchasing agreements maintained by the state, county, or other public agencies." The City relies on this exemption when attempting to purchase through National Auto Fleet Group's master vehicle contract with Sourcewell or the General Services Contract with the State of California.
Past Council Actions
|
Meeting Date |
Description |
|
June 7, 2023 |
City Council approved Fiscal Year 2023-24 Budget |
Discussion:
The Hermosa Beach Police Department functions on a 24 hours per day, 7 days per week basis. A primary function of police services is patrol operations. The requirements of patrol operations, and the vehicles assigned to the division, are unique to any other City fleet or police function. The lifespan and performance of patrol vehicles require accelerated replacement based on a shortened life span caused by the unique requirements of patrol operations.
There are many factors that result in a shortened life span for patrol vehicles. First and foremost, patrol vehicles are always in service and can be operational up to 20 hours per day. The vehicles are used in hot and cold weather conditions and the air conditioning or heater is used while the vehicle is operational. Patrol vehicles also carry a large amount of radio hardware, security apparatus, and tactical equipment. These additional resources add increased weight to the vehicle which impacts all aspects of the vehicle’s performance. The radio and lighting equipment creates a significant strain on the electrical systems of a patrol vehicle.
A common function of a patrol vehicle is to be available as officers are out of the vehicle conducting enforcement activity or investigations. During such times the vehicle will be left on and idling. As a result, the mileage and age of a vehicle does not reflect the true amount of use that the vehicle experiences. Patrol Operations also require emergency responses that include high speed acceleration, stopping, turning, and driving over rough terrain.
Unlike any other City fleet, the transportation requirements of a patrol vehicle include the use of the backseat to load and unload prisoners. Often the prisoners are under the influence of narcotics, alcohol, or suffering from mental illness. Prisoners can be aggressive and will damage the vehicle through vandalism or create a biohazard through the spread of bodily fluids including vomit, urine, feces, and open sores.
Patrol operations also reach beyond the assigned officers who work a daily patrol shift. Personnel assigned include traffic, task force operations, detectives, and the mental evaluation team. Each of these assignments also requires the use of a patrol vehicle at times. To meet the needs of a significant incident or enforcement operation, all patrol vehicles must be fully functioning and ready for use at all times.
Current Patrol Vehicle Replacement Needs
Based on its evaluation, staff recommends replacement of three patrol vehicles as shown in the table below. Each vehicle has reached the end of its useful service life and is included in the City’s Equipment Replacement Schedule.
|
Year |
Model |
Unit Number |
Years in Service |
Milage |
|
2014 |
Ford Interceptor |
HB8 |
9 |
70,650 |
|
2018 |
Ford Explorer |
HB3 |
5 |
49,729 |
|
2018 |
Ford Explorer |
HB6 |
5 |
55,961 |
The 2014 Ford Explorer was scheduled for replacement in Fiscal Year 2021-2022 and approved for replacement with a Ford Interceptor, but purchase was delayed due to vehicle shortages with National Auto Fleet. Funds were reappropriated to Fiscal Year 2022-23, where staff encountered the same problem. Funds were again re-appropriated to the current Fiscal Year 2023-24. The two 2018 Ford Explorers are budgeted and approved for replacement for the current Fiscal Year 2023-24 to be replaced by Ford Interceptor Utility Hybrids.
Over the past year, the Hermosa Beach Police Department has successfully recruited many team members, bringing the Department to full staffing. With the pending onboarding of five new police officers graduating from the police academy at the end of November 2023, acquiring the needed replacement vehicles is critical.
Patrol Pursuit Vehicle Availability
Patrol Pursuit Vehicles (PPV) are specialized vehicles outfitted with essential equipment officers need to perform their duties. As previously described, they serve a wide array of functions for patrol operations and essentially function as an office for patrol officers. These vehicles are equipped with specialized hardware, software, and equipment and are continually in high demand by police departments nationwide.
To meet the City’s clean fleet goals, hybrid patrol vehicles are currently used to provide services in the City. Historically, Ford has been the only company to produce a hybrid option for police-equipped vehicles. While in regular contact with National Auto Fleet, staff was unable to secure an order for three hybrid PPVs. Given the City’s urgent needs, staff continued searching and contacted individual dealerships in an attempt to locate hybrid PPVs available for purchase. As other police departments were in the same situation, it was difficult to find and obtain a hybrid PPV without a purchase order to submit for purchase.
Faced with inventory challenges, staff researched other options to meet the Police Department’s vehicle needs and the City’s clean fleet goals. Staff within the Police Department and its Community Services Division attended several car trade shows to examine other market options. During this extensive research, staff discovered that Chevrolet recently released its own line of PPVs, including a new electric Chevy Blazer. With similar functions to the Ford Interceptor and Ford Explorer PPVs, it offers the department another option for the replacement of its patrol vehicles.
Recommended Vehicle Purchase
As Chevrolet prepares to accept PPV orders, it is critical for the Hermosa Beach Police Department to be prepared and competitive to order vehicles for its patrol operations fleet. The Hermosa Beach Police Department reached out to other police departments currently in the process of acquiring, or have already acquired, electric vehicles for its fleet to better understand their use and emerging best practices for patrol operations. Based on this research, staff determined that having an equal number of vehicles for each shift was essential to ensure that all PPVs remain properly charged and ready for use.
The three patrol operations vehicles due for replacement must be ready for operations 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Replacing them with electric vehicles creates an odd number in the electric fleet, posing an operational challenge to ensure the availability of two charged vehicles per shift. Following the recommendation of other police departments with electric PPVs for Patrol Operations, staff recommends purchase of a fourth vehicle to ensure availability of sufficient number of PPVs per shift. A fleet of four electric PPVs would allow two vehicles to remain charging at the station, while two vehicles are available for use on each patrol operations shift. This recommended approach would allow each shift to have two electric vehicles readily available for use.
The Hermosa Beach Police Department currently deploys six patrol vehicles, with four patrol vehicles used for each shift. On occasion, up to two patrol vehicles may be out of service for repairs. Having more than one vehicle out of service leaves patrol operations limited in what vehicles they can use throughout the shift. Without properly equipped vehicles, officers would not be able to successfully fulfill their duties.
As a result of current inventory shortages, the department’s aging fleet, and an increase in patrol staffing levels, replacement of these three vehicles is vital along with the request for a fourth vehicle to further support the department’s operational needs and transition to an electric fleet. Staff requests the appropriation of additional funds from the Police Department’s Equipment Replacement Fund to purchase the recommended fourth vehicle for patrol. If approved, the Police Department would utilize two vehicles for the day shift and two vehicles for the graveyard shift. Each shift requires vehicles to be ready for service for at least a 12-hour shift. Patrol is expected to operate on a continual basis, so it is critical that an equal number of vehicles be available.
Chevrolet has not provided final pricing for its electric Chevy Blazer PPV and representatives at National Auto Fleet can only provide a current estimate of the cost (Attachment 1). National Auto Fleet representatives also indicated that Chevy has not released vehicle allocation information; so while they have taken the City’s order, there is no guarantee that the orders would be filled.
In order to provide the necessary purchasing flexibility in this challenging market, staff recommends the purchase of four electric Chevy Blazers PPVs from either National Auto Fleet, the State of California’s General Services Department Statewide Contract for Fleet Vehicles, or sole source from a dealership, as they become available for an amount not to exceed $312,000. An allocation of $78,000 for each of the four requested vehicles would allow some contingency on the current pricing estimate. The additional funding would allow the necessary flexibility to place an order from other vendors, should the initial order with National Auto Fleet not come to fruition.
The Police Department’s vehicles require special outfitting, painting, and badging before entering field service. These services are usually completed through the City’s ongoing services contract with South Bay Regional Public Communications Authority (SBRPCA). electric Chevy Blazers PPVs are new vehicles and SBRPCA does not have actual costs for the outfitting, painting, and badging for this vehicle. National Auto Fleet provides outfitting, painting, and badging services for the new electric Chevy Blazer and has estimated a total cost of $27,000 for each vehicle. Staff recommends Council approve a not-to-exceed amount of $108,000 for vehicle outfitting.
General Plan Consistency:
This report and associated recommendation have been evaluated for their consistency with the City’s General Plan. Relevant Policies are listed below:
Governance Element
Goal 1. A high degree of transparency and integrity in the decision-making process.
Policy:
• 1.6 Long-term considerations. Prioritize decisions that provide long-term community benefit and discourage decisions that provide short-term community benefit but reduce long-term opportunities.
Sustainability and Conservation Element
Goal 1. Hermosa Beach is a low-carbon municipal organization, reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a rate that meets or exceeds 80% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Policies:
• 1.1 Low-carbon municipality. Demonstrate environmental leadership and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal facilities and operations by at least 80% below 2005 levels by 2030.
• 1.2 Highest return on investment. Prioritize the implementation of greenhouse gas reduction projects that simultaneously reduce ongoing operational costs to the City.
Fiscal Impact:
The estimated purchase cost for the Police Department’s vehicles is $312,000. For the current Fiscal Year 2023-24, $165,000 is budgeted for vehicle costs, while $59,500 is budgeted for outfitting costs. National Auto Fleet is providing outfitting, painting, and badging services for the new electric Chevy Blazer and has estimated a total cost of $27,000 for each vehicle. The outfitting costs are generally consistent for all vehicle types regardless of fuel type.
The Police Department budgeted for the replacement of three vehicles; one of these vehicles was re-appropriated from Fiscal Year 2021-22. The budgeted amount for each vehicle for Fiscal Year 2023-24 will require additional funding due to the higher estimated vehicle purchase price and outfitting costs. In addition to the three budget replacement units, staff recommends the addition of one patrol vehicle to maintain consistent availability of two charged vehicles for both shifts. The additional patrol vehicle would also assist the department in providing vehicles for officers because it will be at full staffing at the end of November 2023.
|
Vehicle |
Estimated Purchase Price |
Estimated Vehicle Outfitting |
FY24 Budgeted Amount |
Total Funds Requested |
|
Electric Chevy Blazer PPV |
$78,000 |
$27,000 |
$59,500 |
$45,500 |
|
Electric Chevy Blazer PPV |
$78,000 |
$27,000 |
$82,500 |
$22,500 |
|
Electric Chevy Blazer PPV |
$78,000 |
$27,000 |
$82,500 |
$22,500 |
|
Electric Chevy Blazer PPV |
$78,000 |
$27,000 |
N/A |
$105,000 |
|
Total |
$312,000 |
$108,000 |
$224,500 |
$195,500 |
Attachments:
1. 2024 Electric Chevy Blazer Quote
2. Link to June 7, 2023 City Council Staff Report
3. City of Hermosa Beach’s Clean Fleet Vehicle Purchasing Policy
Respectfully Submitted by: Joanne Loeza, Management Analyst
Concur: Paul LeBaron, Chief of Police
Concur: Joe SanClemente, Public Works Director
Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Legal Review: Patrick Donegan, City Attorney
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager