HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09162014 - C.48RECOMMENDATION(S):
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent to execute, on behalf of the Sheriff-Coroner, a purchase order
with Bell Helicopter, in an amount not to exceed $4,754,579 for the purchase of a Bell Standard 407GX Helicopter
for the Office of the Sheriff, Patrol Division.
FISCAL IMPACT:
$4,754,579, 82% General Fund ($3,904,579), 18% Sale of Bell 206 Jet Ranger (STARR2) $850,000.
BACKGROUND:
The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff is responsible for providing public safety in a county that spans 750
square miles with over 240 linear miles of shoreline. Dedicated to providing innovative and professional law
enforcement services, the Office of the Sheriff established the Sheriff’s Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance and
Rescue (STARR) program in 1997 as a means to better serve the public by reducing crime and increasing boater
safety on the Bay and Delta waterways.
The mission of the Air Support Unit is to enhance community safety by patrolling our many critical infrastructures,
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 09/16/2014 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I
Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II
Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV
Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
ABSENT:Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Contact: Liz Arbuckle, 925-335-1529
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: September 16, 2014
David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: Stephanie L. Mello, Deputy
cc:
C. 48
To:Board of Supervisors
From:David O. Livingston, Sheriff-Coroner
Date:September 16, 2014
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Purchase Order - Bell Helicopter
BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)
supporting search and rescue operations, assisting vessels in distress, locating missing persons, and assisting ground
units in the detection and arrest of law violators. Additionally, the aircrew works closely with the Office of the Sheriff
Infrastructure Protection Team and the United States Coast Guard to locate vessels violating federal security zones
established around several critical facilities.
The Air Support Unit currently operates two STARR helicopters on an alternating basis, four days a week. STARR 1
is a Bell 407, five passenger, light turbine utility helicopter capable of speeds in excess of 150 MPH. STARR 2 is a
Bell 206 Jet Ranger, three passenger, light turbine helicopter capable of speeds in excess of 120 MPH. Both aircraft
are equipped with avionics including GPS mapping systems, microwave downlinks, high zoom video cameras,
thermal imaging devices, and 50 million candle power “Night Sun” spotlights.
The equipment is operated by a Sheriff’s Tactical Flight Officer trained to manage a variety of incidents to include
vehicle pursuits, search and rescue operations, suspect searches, marine incidents, and homeland security missions.
The Sheriff’s helicopters have the ability to perform the same level of observation as 12 Patrol Deputy Sheriffs,
improving response times and increasing the number of missing persons and suspects located.
The inoperable equipment in helicopter STARR 2 prompted a comprehensive review of the capabilities of both
helicopters in an effort to meet the current and future mission requirements of the Air Support Unit with the most
efficient expenditure of available resources. The review identified the need to replace helicopter STARR 2 with a new
aircraft equivalent to helicopter STARR 1. STARR 1 is a utility based platform that maintains the type of payload
requirements needed to meet the mission profile of the STARR program.
On May 29, 2014, the Finance Committee approved a financing plan to acquire a new helicopter (STARR 3) and
retire an existing helicopter (STARR 2) in the Sheriff’s Office. The plan includes $2 million currently budgeted in
FY 2014/15, $1.9 million from FY 2013/14 fund balance and $850,000 from the sale of the existing STARR 2
helicopter. Today’s action authorizes the purchasing agent to execute a purchase order to facilitate the acquisition of
STARR 3.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Failure to approve this purchase would deprive the citizens of Contra Costa County of a vital law enforcement tool,
and would limit the Office of the Sheriff to adequately respond to law enforcement emergencies in any terrain,
throughout the County.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
No impact.