REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Travis Hopkins, City Manager
VIA: Eric Parra, Chief of Police
PREPARED BY: Yasha Nikitin, Police Captain and Kimberly Rodriguez, Management Analyst
Subject:
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Approval of Sole-Source Purchase and Installation of Two Trakka TL-360 Searchlight System for Police Department Air Support Unit
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Statement of Issue:
The Huntington Beach Police Department's Air Support Unit currently utilizes the Spectrolab SX-16 searchlight system on its helicopters. This system is outdated and increasingly presents operational and maintenance challenges. The SX-16 requires a high level of electrical power, placing significant strain on the aircraft's electrical system and contributing to reliability concerns during flight operations.
As the system ages, maintenance costs have continued to rise due to more frequent repairs and the increasing need for replacement parts. Additionally, the SX-16 presents compatibility challenges with the department's existing camera and mapping systems, further impacting overall system performance and efficiency. Although the department's Spectrolab SX-16 searchlight system, which is approximately 15 years old, has been refurbished to extend its service life, these efforts have not fully addressed ongoing issues related to age, wear, and technological limitations.
The SX-16 is also limited in functionality, offering only approximately 45 degrees of motion. This restriction often requires repositioning of the helicopter to properly illuminate a target area, reducing operational efficiency.
In contrast, the Trakka TL-360 searchlight requires significantly less electrical power, approximately one-third of the SX-16, reducing strain on the aircraft's electrical system and improving reliability. It also integrates with the helicopter's existing camera platform and provides a full 360-degree range of motion, allowing precise illumination w...
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