SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve acceptance of Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Grant Award in the amount of $94,230 for police overtime and related fringe benefits and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
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SUMMARY:
On July 2, 2014, Clearwater Police Department (CPD) was granted approval by the Resource Management Committee to submit a grant application in the amount of $94,230 under the state HVE program to continue its grant-funded pedestrian and bicycle safety project. The grant has been officially awarded and CPD now seeks approval to accept it.
CPD has been conducting a comprehensive enforcement/education project since March 2014 aimed at changing the behavior of all who use Clearwater's roadways - pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. Due to the success of the current project, FDOT would like to see Clearwater build upon what it has already accomplished.
Despite CPD's success, two recent pedestrian fatalities (including one of CPD's School Crossing Guards) on Clearwater's streets has highlighted the need for the increased enforcement activities that this grant funding will pay for.
CPD will again carefully select a pool of patrol officers/sergeants for this project who have demonstrated a sincere interest and affinity for traffic, bicycle and pedestrian enforcement. The details will be worked by this select group of officers, focusing on those areas with a high volume of crashes compared to other parts of the city, have a high volume of pedestrian traffic, or both.
Details will tentatively be scheduled three times per week; five hours and three officers per detail. The time period for grant activities will be from November 6, 2014 through May 31, 2015.
As with the previous grant, selected officers will receive specific training on traffic enforcement and educational opportunities with the public prior to implementation of the project. CPD will also work closely with FDOT during the project period to ensure accurate data collection and to advise of any problems or successes that are accomplished.
CPD will continue to get the word out about the project through a variety of means. CPD's Public Information Officer (PIO) has done an excellent job in working with local media sources to promote project activities and to further spread the message about pedestrian and bicycle safety and will continue to do so. The PIO will also update the public on the project by way of the department's Facebook page, which he successfully utilizes on a regular basis to inform the public about project activities and successes.
There will be no direct adverse impact to the Police Department annual operating budget nor is there a required match.
Special project number 181-99208, 2014 HVE Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety, will be established to account for the grant expenditures.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
There will be no direct adverse impact to the Police Department annual operating budget nor is there a required match. Special project number 181-99208, 2014 HVE Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety, will be established to account for the grant expenditures.
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS: N/A