HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10022001 - C.34 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff-Coroner Contra
_ Costa
DATE: September 18, 2001 County
SUBJECT: Contract with City of Richmond
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
I. RECOMMENDATION ACTION:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Sheriff or designee to execute an agreement with the City of
Richmond for Airborne Law Enforcement Services.
II. FINANCIAL IMPACT:
NONE. The agreement with the City of Richmond will provide revenue to offset costs of
operating the Sheriff's Airborne Law Enforcement Support Unit.
III. BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
In June of 1997, the Sheriff's Office placed a Bell 407 Helicopter into service and began a Law
Enforcement Air Support Unit. To enhance the airborne support capabilities available in the
unincorporated area and to assist the Richmond Police Department in combating crime, the
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office and the City of Richmond Police Department propose a
partnership to share airborne law enforcement resources. This partnership will allow the
Sheriff's Office to acquire an additional helicopter to enhance the law enforcement services
provided to all of Contra Costa County.
IV. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the agreement creating this partnership is not approved, the County will miss out on an
opportunity to enhance the public safety services provided directly to the unincorporated area
and City of Richmond and made available to all law enforcement agencies in the County.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
---RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOM ENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
yAPPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE (S): r X42 � —
ACTION OF BOARD N ber 2, 2001 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
,I
AYES:III1 IV, V NOES: IIS i I AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Contact Person: Stacey L.Sutter,5-1526
CC: CAO,Justice Administration ATTESTED October 2, 2001
Sheriff(for distribution) John Sweeten,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ,
BY J4,4, 0 p
DEPUTY
OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF
Contra Costa County
Administration Division
335-1500 `.
Cos TA
Date: September 13, 2001
To: Board of tPers
VIA:Joh Snty Administrator
From: Wa re E..
Subject: Publi afep with City of Richmond
In June of 1997, the Sheriffs Office placed a Bell 407 Helicopter into service and began a
Law Enforcement Air Support Unit. Establishing the Air Support Unit was possible because
of support from the Board of Supervisors in using State funds distributed under Assembly
Bill 3229 (commonly referred to as State Law Enforcement Supplemental Funds) and a
partnership with the Alameda County Sheriffs Office.
While in use in Contra Costa County, the Sheriffs helicopter, STARR-1, has become
an integral piece of public safety equipment. Since implementation, this unit has assisted
the Sheriffs Office in protecting the unincorporated jurisdiction and provided assistance to
every other law enforcement agency in Contra Costa County and to several public safety
agencies in surrounding counties (see Attachment One). In particular, the City of
Richmond has found the.specialized assistance of a helicopter beneficial in some of its
efforts to combat crime.
The City of Richmond and adjacent unincorporated areas make up the largest
metropolitan region in Contra Costa County. This area has a variety of geographic
features, such as dense business districts, sprawling urban neighborhoods, large open
spaces and many miles of shoreline.
For several years, violent crime and major illegal drug violations have plagued this
region. During calendar year 2000 alone, there were more than 2000 violent crimes
against persons and over 1500 major illegal drug violations recorded for this area.
Homicides, once rare anywhere in the County, are now all too frequent, especially in the
Richmond and adjacent areas. Other violent crimes, many related to gang activity, such as
robbery and aggravated assaults have also increased. And criminals have become more
sophisticated in their operations, making it more difficult to identify and apprehend them.
There is also a growing propensity to flee from law enforcement officers, creating a new set
of dangers to the public and law enforcement officers as these criminals are pursued.
To combat the rising crime rate, the Sheriffs Office and City of Richmond Police
Department have become partners. We share a facility on 3`d Street in Richmond and have
joined forces in numerous operations. The Sheriffs Office and Richmond Police
Board of Supervisors Page 2
RE: Public Safety Partnership with City of Richmond September 13, 2001
Department conducted Operation Clean Street, which matched one Sergeant and three
officers from each agency in an enforcement effort that targeted areas active in street sales
of drugs. For the past ten years, both agencies have participated in the West County
Narcotics Enforcement Team, coordinated and supervised by the Department of Justice,
Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, which targets mid- and upper-level narcotics dealers and
traffickers. Regular Vehicle Theft Sweep operations occur, the purpose of which is to stem
the rise in stolen vehicles by targeting known suspects and disrupting the business in 'chop-
shops'. Both agencies also participate in the Marshal's Taskforce in making regular sweeps
of the area for federal fugitives. Recently, Operation Twin Towers, which involved the use of
the Sheriffs helicopter, STARR 1 and members of the Sheriffs Justice Team and
Richmond Police Metro Team, provided high visibility, pro-active uniform enforcement in
the Twin Towers area of Richmond. In fact, it is the success of Operation Twin Towers that
prompted the Sheriffs Office and the Richmond Police Department to discuss an Airborne
Law Enforcement partnership.
Richmond Police Department recognize the benefits and usefulness of airborne law
enforcement support. Specifically, Richmond believes that the use of a helicopter can
provide the much-needed surveillance services to monitor illegal drug trafficking and other
criminal activity, and assistance with pursuits and locating suspects with greater efficiency
than can be achieved through other means.
Partnership
To enhance the airborne support capabilities available in the unincorporated area
and to assist the Richmond Police Department in combating crime, the Contra Costa
County Sheriffs Office and the City of Richmond Police Department propose a partnership
to share airborne law enforcement resources. With authorization from the Board of
Supervisors, the Sheriffs Office will enter into an Airborne Law Enforcement Services
Agreement with the City of Richmond. This agreement and the Helicopter Service
Agreement Protocol will provide the guidelines for sharing the Airborne Law Enforcement
resources. The Sheriffs Office will maintain ownership and responsibility of the helicopter
and the City of Richmond will reimburse the Sheriffs Office for its use of the equipment.
Although the Sheriffs current aircraft, STARR 1, a Bell 407 model, successfully
accomplishes its primary mission of patrolling along the Delta Waterways and providing
assistance in other public safety areas, it is not designed to provide the surveillance and
pursuit assistance that law enforcement also requires. To meet these requirements, the
Sheriffs Office intends to use restricted revenue (discussed below) to purchase a smaller
helicopter, STARR-2. It can easily maneuver through diverse geographic and topographic
terrain and provide discreet surveillance, not possible with STARR-1. These capabilities will
allow the Sheriffs Office to provide more of these services to the unincorporated areas and
in joint operations with other agencies and will allow Richmond to formally contract with us
to have the capabilities to meet their law enforcement needs.
Board of Supervisors Page 3
RE: Public Safety Partnership with City of Richmond September 13, 2001
Sheriffs Office research concludes that a smaller model is the most appropriate
aircraft to supplement our airborne support program. The base price of this model is
approximately $880,000; the required and specialized law enforcement equipment
necessary to equip this model is estimated at $350,000. The total estimated cost of
$1,230,000 will be paid for using Federal Asset Seizure Funds.
The Sheriffs Office Federal Asset Seizure fund has a balance of approximately
$500,000. An additional $1,050,000 from the Kona Coffee Investigation should be
received by November 1, 2001. The purchase.of the second helicopter will be paid for
using these funds. Purchase of the helicopter with Federal Asset Seizure funds is an
appropriate and reasonable use of these funds since Federal regulations restrict usage to
law enforcement agencies for expenses directly related to illegal drug activity interdiction
and these regulations specifically prohibit use of these funds for personnel expenses.
Furthermore, since receipt of these funds is unpredictable, these funds are best used for
one-time costs. Operating expenses for STARR-2 will be offset by revenue from the
contract with Richmond. Attachment Two shows the estimated operating budget for
STARR-2.
This partnership with the City of Richmond is a winning proposition. The Sheriffs
Office will have an additional tool in providing public safety services to the citizens of this
County; other agencies will have this tool available to assist in their law enforcement efforts
and, the City of Richmond will have contractual use of this tool to combat crime within its
jurisdiction.
cc: Chief Joseph Samuels, Richmond Police Department
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF
Air Support Unit (STARR-1)
July 1, 1998 - June 30, 2001
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.'',krie�Sis,�1e`Mr.'arta, •Ya:rh:�uf� 1�L1�'• f +f.
Waterway &Marina Checks 467 Forward-Looking Infrared
Arrest Assists 180 (FLIR) Assists 42
Education/Public Appearances 51 Search & Rescue Assists 38
Pursuits 34 Miscellaneous Call-outs 22
Pursuits Forward-Looking InfraRed (FLIR) Assists
Of the 25 pursuits that STARR-1 assisted with, 17 led With use of the FLIR, STARRA assisted ground units
to apprehending suspects. in locating two missing juveniles; search for a
possible kidnapping victim; and assisted in the
Search & Rescue capture of 27 suspects for crimes from rape to
STARR-1 located a near-drowning victim in the Delta assault with a deadly weapon.
and provided a life line with flotation device, relayed
the victim's location and stood by until a rescue boat Miscellaneous Call Outs
arrived; located a suicidal female who was The 22 miscellaneous call-outs were requests for
unconscious from a drug overdose and directed service during off-duty hours. The assistance
medical units to her location; coordinate rescue provided including apprehending a fleeing homicide
response for more than nine vessels in distress; and suspect; locating an at-risk child; locating a downed
located three missing juveniles. aircraft; and using the video-downlinking capabilities
to assist ground units.
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Alameda County 5 Fire Departments 6
Animal Control 1 Lafayette Police Department 55
Antioch Police Department 173 Los Vaqueros 82
Benicia Police Department 1 Martinez Police Department 14
Brentwood Police Department 40 Narcotics Task Forces 13
California Department of Corrections 1 Orinda Police Department 9
California Highway Patrol 22 Oakley Police Department 36
California State Parks 2 Pinole Police Department 15
Clayton Police Department 4 Pittsburg Police Department. 160
Concord Police Department 48 Pleasant Hill Police Department 1
Concord Naval Weapons Station 4 Richmond Police Department 170
Danville Police Department 11 Other Sheriffs Office 6
East Bay Regional Parks 7 San Pablo Police Department 7
El Cerrito Police Department 8 Walnut Creek Police Department ] 1
Federal Agencies 15 iota sOu ,s11 idets ,ts ; . ,��,
Attachment One
OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF
Contra Costa County
STARR-2
Estimated Budget
Expenses
Pilot Services Contract $37,463
Insurance 70,000
Operating Costs (fuel, lubricants,
airframe and powerplant maintenance 19,826
Major Parts Replacement 22,712
Total Estimated Expenses $150,000
Revenue
Partner (City of Richmond) Contribution 150,000
Total Estimated Revenue $150,000
Attachment Two