Honorable Mayor and Members of the Hermosa Beach City Council Regular Meeting of January 22, 2019 March 12, 2019
Title
PURCHASE OF POLICE DEPARTMENT VEHICLES
(Continued from meeting of January 22, 2019)
(Acting Police Chief Milton McKinnon)
Body
Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the purchase of the following vehicles for the Police Department:
a. Three (3) 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe utility vehicles to replace existing Chevrolet Tahoes, which include the Watch Commander HB9 vehicle, and Patrol vehicles HB1 and HB5;
b. Two (2) 2019 BMW R1200RT-P motorcycles to replace two (2) Honda ST 1300 motorcycles; and
c. One (1) 2019 Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck to replace one (1) Ford Ranger P/U truck for Parking Enforcement.
Body
Executive Summary:
The City of Hermosa Beach is committed to providing first-class public safety services to the community. Fulfilling this commitment relies heavily on the availability of adequate emergency response vehicles within the Police Department. The department’s fleet currently has six vehicles due for replacement in fiscal year 2018-19; three (3) Chevrolet Tahoes, which include the Watch Commander HB9, and Patrol HB1 and HB5; two (2) Honda ST 1300 motorcycles for traffic enforcement; and one (1) Ford Ranger P/U for parking enforcement. Staff recommends the purchase of three (3) 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe utility vehicles, two (2) BMW motorcycles and one (1) Toyota Tacoma P/U truck to complete this replacement.
Staff has diligently evaluated the City’s clean fleet policy and the department’s operational needs to select the most cost and fuel-efficient vehicles currently available for law enforcement operations. Selections must also prioritize reliability, safety and effectiveness of vehicles for emergency response.
Background:
Police Department vehicles are part of the inventory in the City’s Equipment Replacement Schedule. The current replacement timeline for the Watch Commander vehicle is five years and six years for patrol vehicles. Prior to the economic downturn that began in 2008, Police Department vehicles were replaced every four years. Due to the different facets of police work, the overall condition of law enforcement vehicles cannot be assessed by years of service or mileage. Hermosa’s unique demands and type of roadways are strenuous on the vehicles due to constant acceleration, braking, natural elements, hills and engine run time. As an example, a typical vehicle driven by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) would have significantly higher mileage with longer replacement schedules due to the type of terrain in which they drive. A CHP officer may average 100-300 miles per shift on long stretches of highway without stop signs or traffic signals. These miles are easier on a vehicle due to less aggressive acceleration and harsh braking. In comparison, a Hermosa Beach police officer’s average mileage is typically 10-50 miles per shift. While the mileage is drastically less, the vehicle is navigated through tight roadways with a vast amount of turns, hills, stop signs, traffic signals, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic, and is rarely shut off during a shift.
In order to deliver essential public safety services to the residents of Hermosa Beach, staff continues to recommend the City return to four years as the ideal replacement cycle for patrol vehicles and three years for a Watch Commander vehicle. The extended replacement period has proven to be detrimental to the operating costs and overall reliability of vehicles that are depended upon for emergency services. As a reference, the Manhattan Beach Police Department replaces patrol vehicles every four years and the Redondo Beach Police Department replaces patrol vehicles every three years. Additionally, a shorter replacement schedule would save operating costs through a combination of lower repair bills, fuel costs, and higher revenues when the vehicles are sold at the end of their shorter life cycles.
Furthermore, the fiscal delay of vehicle replacements in years 2009-2011 resulted in numerous vehicles due for replacement during the same fiscal year(s). Between fiscal years 2016-17 and 2017-18, there were approximately 18 vehicles due for replacement. In order to mitigate the financial impact of replacing these vehicles in such a short period of time, staff proposed a phasing process of vehicle replacements to strategically plan the replacement of four to five vehicles each year, prioritizing by the Department’s needs. This phasing began in fiscal year 2017-18 and was again implemented for fiscal year 2018-19 during the regular budget process.
Following discussions with the Interim City Manager, Finance Director, Environmental Analyst, and Department staff, the City Council approved the replacement of the following vehicles with the 2018-19 budget adoption, which took place on June 12, 2018 (Report 18-0369 <https://hermosabeach.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3523841&GUID=2FE3F15A-185F-490E-A373-989BF702822B>):
Analysis:
The City Council adopted a Clean Fleet Policy and Action Plan on June 11, 2013, with a goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions for the City fleet and alternative fuels for 100% of contracted City service vehicles. Staff takes into consideration both the policy and operational requirements when selecting vehicles to purchase. Department vehicles must adhere to several performance specifications, including Certification/Pursuit rated, range, performance, reliability, and size.
The Police Department has made every effort to select vehicles that adhere to the City’s policy. Currently, all unmarked administrative vehicles have a hybrid gas/electric engine. These vehicles are not required to be “pursuit” rated but are still equipped with a siren and emergency lighting. However, the department’s vehicle options are limited by lack of available full-electric/alternative-fuel when purchasing frontline police patrol and response vehicles or unmarked detective vehicles. Currently, there are no adequate alternative fuel options that can handle the rigorous demands of a frontline patrol vehicle. All hybrids, electric, CNG, hydrogen, and biodiesel vehicles have been explored as potential patrol vehicles; however, there are limitations, restrictions and failures when these types of vehicles are tested. As an example, in an attempt to utilize a hybrid vehicle for patrol purposes, the department agreed to purchase a Toyota Highlander Hybrid and deployed its use as a beach patrol vehicle. The department has experienced several issues related to the vehicle’s performance and has difficulty keeping the battery charged. The vehicle routinely needs to be jump-started with a portable charging device. Additionally, there are no fuel savings from the hybrid system due to the constant running of the engine. The demands placed on the vehicle from electronics, heating, and air conditioning provide limited use of the electric hybrid system and ultimately drain the battery. This demonstrates how some vehicles are inadequate for use as an emergency response vehicle. Staff is working on repurposing this vehicle as a non-emergency response vehicle in another division.
Ford has purportedly developed several pursuit rated police hybrid vehicles that will be available in the near future. HBPD staff is monitoring the use of these models by the large departments (LAPD/LASD) who will be testing the vehicles to determine if they are suitable as frontline patrol vehicles. As an example, LAPD is waiting on the delivery of Ford’s “Responder” hybrid patrol but has already determined the vehicle will not be used as a frontline patrol vehicle due to the lack of spot lights, ballistic panels, and concerns that there is not enough room in the back for prisoner transportation. Conversely, LAPD believes the larger hybrid “Utility” (Explorer) will provide the same level of frontline patrol service but almost double the current version’s gas mileage (24 mph vs. 12 mph).
Five of the vehicles scheduled for replacement this fiscal year are frontline police patrol and response vehicles; one of which is strictly deployed as a Watch Commander vehicle. This vehicle is utilized every shift, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In an effort to standardize the department’s fleet, staff has made efforts to replace patrol vehicles with Ford Explorer Interceptor Utilities (SUV) because of Ford terminating the production of the Crown Victoria Police vehicle. However, Ford is currently unable to fulfill the high demand for public safety vehicle requests and no longer has the 2018 Ford Explorers available for purchase. Ford has taken the drastic step of canceling a significant number of orders for 2018 Explorers pending the release of a redesigned 2020 model; the company is not manufacturing a 2019 Explorer.
Staff spoke with the Commanding Officer in charge of vehicle purchases at LAPD and learned that they have ordered more than 500 2020 Ford Explorers, and that any new orders will not be available until after January 2020. For this reason, staff recommends replacing the two patrol Chevrolet Tahoes and the Watch Commander vehicle due for replacement with same model vehicles. Chevrolet Tahoes currently meet the department’s operational requirements and are readily available for purchase. The 2019 Chevrolet Tahoes have improved emission and fuel economy over the 2013 models they would replace. The City’s Environmental Analyst, Kristy Morris, affirmed that the purchase of 2019 Tahoes conforms to the City’s Clean Fleet Vehicle Purchasing Policy, adopted June 2013 and revised January 2018.
For many years, like many other police departments in Los Angeles County, HBPD vehicles have been and continue to be purchased using Los Angeles County’s contracted vehicle prices. The practice of purchasing under the County’s contract and taking advantage of “bulk” purchasing power has resulted in significant savings to the City.
The Police Department is choosing at this time to delay the purchase of a canine vehicle. The department is in the process of acquiring a new dog and selecting a handler. The anticipated time to train and place a dog into service is several months. As to the scheduled replacement of the K-9 vehicle (HB4 Crown Victoria), staff would recommend the purchase of a Ford Explorer for this assignment. The delay in placing a dog into service, coupled with the extended timeframe for Ford to produce a 2020 model Explorer, allows staff to reassess this vehicle in early spring 2019. If needed, staff would re-appropriate existing funds for the purchase of this vehicle in FY 2019-2020.
Staff requests that Council authorize the purchase of three (3) 2019 Chevrolet Tahoes to replace the three existing Chevrolet Tahoes. This purchase would be made from the National Auto Fleet Group, a division of Chevrolet of Watsonville, California, as part of the Sourcewell master vehicle contract order (#120716-NAF). The purchase price for three (3) Chevrolet Tahoes is $124,921.95 including all applicable taxes and fees (Attachment 1).
Although the Chevrolet Tahoe is a slightly larger vehicle than the Ford Explorer, it has nearly identical mile-per-gallon ratio and received the same rating for Greenhouse Gas and smog emissions by the California Air Resources Board’s DriveClean.ca.gov website (Attachment 2). The 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe comes with a 5.3L V8 EcoTec3 Flex Fuel, energy efficient engine. These vehicles are competently built; however, as with all vehicles used by the Police Department, they would require several safety and lighting modifications for their use as standard Patrol vehicles. Lighting and safety equipment is purchased and installed by the South Bay Regional Public Communications Authority (SBRPCA), in Hawthorne, California. The City of Hermosa Beach is a contract member of the SBRPCA; thus, able to procure and have this equipment installed by the SBRPCA at a reduced cost.
Per SBRPCA, the cost to purchase and install the necessary equipment for two of the 2019 Chevrolet Tahoes, which would be used in the patrol division, is approximately $23,072.70. This includes standard Police transport cages, push bumper, center console, and emergency equipment (PA, Siren, Lighting, storage/utility box, etc.). Some equipment from the existing Tahoes can be utilized to mitigate costs. However, as all models of vehicles are updated and redesigned by the manufacturers, some of the existing parts are not transferable.
Since the Watch Commander vehicle serves the dual purpose as a patrol vehicle and Incident Command Post, it would require additional equipment for emergency response as an incident command vehicle. Additionally, in the event the Emergency Operations Center (E.O.C) is unusable, the Watch Commander vehicle would likely become the E.O.C. command post. The vehicle can be moved at any time due to emergency conditions or threats.
The current and previous Watch Commander’s vehicle was built according to storage and technology demands from the early 2000s. The department’s current needs have outgrown the current storage solutions. As such, staff recommends removing the vehicle’s rear seat and installing a custom storage and utility cabinet to accommodate and secure the additional gear. To facilitate the next generation of Watch Commander vehicle, staff contacted an additional lighting and safety equipment vendor, 911Vehicle, to provide specific command vehicle installations. 911Vehicle designs, engineers and provides installations of emergency vehicle equipment that exceeds standard police vehicle construction. This vendor is a leader in this type of vehicle and has been contracted to build vehicles by several neighboring police and fire agencies including the City of Manhattan Beach.
The cost to purchase and install the necessary equipment for the 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe Watch Commander vehicle would be approximately $36,000 (Attachment 3). 911Vehicle offers a custom command desk/box that provides sliding access to storage, magnetic dry erase boards, charging ports, a 32-inch monitor with local television access for viewing data, news and displaying satellite maps. The command box provides a pull-out work surface and plexiglass panel for map underlay and hinged storage for hard maps. Additionally, a portable radio battery charging system, rear-facing MDC tablet, 110v plug, and secured storage would also be installed. Pictures of the equipment installed on Buena Park Police Department’s vehicle are included as Attachment 4 for reference.
The rear seat of the vehicle would be removed to accommodate electronics, radios, and computer operating equipment. Removal of the seat would allow for extra storage and is needed for the significant amount of equipment carried by the Watch Commander. The current vehicle configuration does not have any storage or space to secure all equipment. 911Vehicle would provide a storage and electronics system that would provide a transition from a Watch Commander vehicle with limited capabilities to a complete mobile command vehicle. The custom storage system developed by 911Vehicle would provide years of service and is expected to last the entire life of the vehicle. The system, expected to last 10 or more years, is transferrable and can be installed into the next Watch Commander vehicle purchase. Upgrades or replacing existing electronics can be made pending their development and implementation. With advancing technology and continual developments in the law enforcement field, staff believes this is a cost-effective approach to outfitting this multi-purpose vehicle.
In the 2018-19 Budget staff recommended the replacement of the Watch Commander’s Chevrolet Tahoe with a Ford F-150 Responder truck due to increased storage capabilities. However, later in the year staff learned of 911Vehicle’s solutions for designated command vehicles. After careful review of available options between an equipped F150 and reconfigured Chevrolet Tahoe, which included maximized storage capacities, staff determined that the Chevrolet Tahoe best meets the department’s needs for the Watch Commander vehicle. Thus, staff recommends the replacement of the Watch Commander vehicle with another Tahoe, instead of the originally recommend F150 truck.
In addition to the three (3) Chevrolet Tahoes, staff also recommends the purchase of two BMW R1200RT-P motorcycles for traffic enforcement. The BMWs would replace two Honda ST1300 motorcycles, which have exceeded their service life. Since Honda discontinued its police model motorcycles last year, staff evaluated other options from the available police manufacturers, including Harley Davidson and BMW. Harley Davidson motorcycles were not selected due to lack of safety features and handling characteristics. Staff selected the BMW due to its safety features, specifically anti-lock braking, traction control, and tire pressure monitoring. These key safety features are significant to the rider’s safety. The BMW is competently equipped from the factory with emergency lighting, including take-down lights, alley lights, handlebar switch system and a power management system for accessories. This negates the necessity to have the components and emergency equipment installed from a vendor. BMW includes oil change interval service and is backed by a three year, 60,000-mile limited warranty. The department, currently, has a BMW in its fleet, which has provided excellent service and reliability without any noted deficiencies.
This purchase would be made from Long Beach BMW motorcycle as part of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s contract PO-SH-15323008-1. The purchase price for two BMW motorcycles is $63,878.06 including all applicable taxes and fees (Attachment 5).
Staff recommends that Council authorize staff to purchase one (1) 2019 Toyota Tacoma P/U to replace one (1) existing Ford Ranger P/U. This purchase would be made from the National Auto Fleet Group, a division of Chevrolet of Watsonville, California, as part of the Sourcewell master vehicle contract order (#120716-NAF). The purchase price for one (1) Toyota Tacoma is $33,218.11 including all applicable taxes and fees. Per SBRPCA, the cost to purchase and install the necessary equipment for the 2019 Toyota Tacoma, which would be used by parking enforcement, is approximately $2,872.66. This includes standard lighting, associated controls, and installation.
The total price to purchase and properly outfit the three (3) Chevrolet Tahoes, two (2) BMW motorcycles and one (1) Toyota Tacoma is approximately $286,363.48
General Plan Consistency:
PLAN Hermosa was adopted by the City Council in August 2017 to provide a set of goals, policies, and implementations actions needed to achieve the City’s long-term vision. Collectively, City staff and the community strive to meet these goals through various initiatives and implementation actions. Part of those initiatives is the implementation of a Clean Fleet policy providing guidelines for purchasing vehicles that are cost-effective and more efficient. The department’s recommendation provides the most practical replacement for first-class delivery of public safety services while also addressing the following goals:
Governance Element
• 1.3 Priority-based budgeting. Utilize priority-based budgeting to ensure funding allocations are consistent with the priorities set by the community and City Council.
• 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.
Mobility
• 7.6 Pro-active traffic enforcement. Conduct pro-active traffic enforcement along streets where high collision rates, high speeds, and other unsafe behaviors are reported.
Public Safety
• 5.2 High level of response. Achieve optimal utilization of allocated public safety resources and provide desired levels of response, staffing, and protection within the community.
Fiscal Impact:
Council approved the Police Department’s budgeted request of $281,400 in the FY 2018/2019 budget for the replacement of these vehicles. Due to increased vehicle and emergency equipment costs, the total amount of $286,363.48 needed to purchase these vehicles is slightly higher than the budgeted funds. In order to acquire vehicles and equipment that best meet the department’s needs, staff recommends using $4,963.48 of available funds in the Equipment Replacement Fund due to the delay of purchasing a K-9 vehicle.
Attachments:
1. National Auto Fleet Group Chevrolet Tahoe quote
2. DriveClean.ca.gov vehicle rating
3. 911vehicle Command Vehicle outfitting quote
4. Pictures of Buena Park command vehicle
5. Long Beach BMW motorcycle quote
Respectfully Submitted by: Mick Gaglia, Police Sergeant
Concur: Milton McKinnon, Acting Chief of Police
Noted for Fiscal Impact: Viki Copeland, Finance Director
Approved: Suja Lowenthal, City Manager