REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Fred A. Wilson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Gilbert Garcia, Chief Financial Officer
Subject:
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Approve the transfer of Fiscal Year end 2017/18 Police Department’s Budget Savings from the General Fund (Fund 100) to the Equipment Fund (Fund 323) for the Police Department’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management System (RMS) Project
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Statement of Issue:
The Police Department’s integrated Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and automated Records Management System (RMS) was implemented in 2005 and has reached the end of its useful life. Due to operational impacts and risks associated with using a system that is end-of-life, it is necessary to update to a modern, fully supported version of CAD/RMS. The Finance Department is requesting authorization to allocate $1.2 million from one-time salary savings realized in the Police Department’s budget in FY 2017/18 towards the replacement of the Police Department’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and automated Records Management Systems (RMS).
Financial Impact:
Fiscal Year 2017/18 began October 1, 2017, and ended June 30, 2018. Due to the shortened fiscal year, each department’s budget was prorated down to a nine-month fiscal year. In FY 2017/18, the Police Department realized one-time savings from vacancies. In a typical fiscal year, salary savings in the Police Department are offset by corresponding expenditures in overtime, as the department works to maintain essential levels of service. Demand for the Police Department’s services is particularly high during the summer months. However, because the fiscal year ended on June 30, expenditures for the summer months of July through September were avoided in FY 2017/18. As the fiscal year did not include most of the summer months, the Police Department realized one-time savings. Staff is requesting that Council authorize the use of unspent General Fund appropriations, in the amount of $1.2 million, to fund critically needed CAD/RMS equipment and system replacements, and to transfer the funds from the General Fund (Fund 100) to the Technology Fund (Fund 323) for that purpose.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
Approve the transfer of $1.2 million in FY 2017/18 year-end savings in the Police Department from the General Fund (Fund 100) to the Technology Fund (Fund 323) for the replacement of the Police Department’s Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management Systems.
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve the recommendation and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
The current CAD/RMS, implemented in 2005, has reached its end of life and the system is no longer supported with patches and other critical updates. The RMS system has not been updated since 2014. Because the software is out-of-date, it does not function properly on modern computers. This means that the City has to operate the systems on legacy hardware. The combination of older hardware and software means that the system’s functionality is deteriorating.
CAD and RMS systems are critical to the operation of every Police Department. Everything the Police Department does and every record kept is tied to these two systems. It is an essential tool for the efficient utilization of resources, effective tactical deployments, enhanced community policing efforts, and information sharing programs. The CAD system is the backbone to receiving and dispatching over 100,000 calls for service every year.
A robust CAD system is essential to safely keep track of each officer in the field, deploying resources, processing information quickly and getting important safety information to officers before they arrive at calls. The RMS system provides assistance on the back end and helps manage crime reports, evidence, jailed inmates, detective cases and much more. Not only are the CAD and RMS systems integral to conducting daily business and for officer safety, but they are also essential to interaction with residents, businesses, and visitors who need Police Department services.
To replace the current CAD/RMS, a transfer of $1.2 million of unspent FY 2017/18 appropriations from the Police Department budget to the Technology Fund (Fund 323) is requested. This amount coupled with a previously approved $800,000 year-end transfer into the Technology Fund that was approved two years ago will cover most, if not all, of the estimated costs of replacing this critical system. The Police Department and the Finance Department have published an RFP for the eventual replacement of CAD/RMS due to its end of life status (Attachment 1). The due date for bids to be received is December 14, 2018. There is no other ongoing funding stream that is available to replace this system. As such, this transfer is requested in order to facilitate the timely replacement of the Police Department’s mission-critical CAD/RMS.
This funding will enhance public safety and support the efficient use of resources and effective tactical deployment.
Environmental Status:
Not applicable.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Enhance and Maintain Public Safety.
Enhance and Maintain City Service Delivery.
Attachment(s):
1. City of Huntington Beach Request for Proposals for a CAD/RMS system.