Agenda Item Wording:
title
Authorize a sole source purchase to replace three (3) Police Services Dogs from Gold Coast K9 Services located in Ventura, CA, appropriate $83,300 and accept a donation of $40,000 from the non-profit organization, Friends of Visalia Police K-9.
body
Deadline for Action: 1/26/2023
Submitting Department: Police Department
Contact Name and Phone Number: Chief Jason Salazar, ext. 4215, jason.salazar@visalia.city <mailto:jason.salazar@visalia.city>; Captain Luma Fahoum, ext. 4103, luma.fahoum@visalia.city <mailto:luma.fahoum@visalia.city>; Financial Analyst Liz Ybarra, ext. 4250, liz.ybarra@visalia.city <mailto:liz.ybarra@visalia.city>.
Department Recommendation:
Authorize a sole source purchase to replace three (3) Police Service Dogs from Gold Coast K9 Services located in Ventura, CA, appropriate $83,300 and accept a donation of $40,000 from the non-profit organization, Friends of Visalia Police K-9.
Summary:
The Visalia Police Department has utilized the services of Police Service Dogs for more than 40 years. Police service Dogs have proven to be a valuable tool enhancing officer and public safety through a variety of service applications such as their ability to search, track, assist in apprehensions of suspects, locate evidence, detect narcotics, and as a valuable community outreach asset. Police Service Dogs can be utilized to assist in searching, tracking, and locating persons or evidence beyond the abilities of their human partners and can also be deployed in situations to minimize risk to police officers enhancing officer safety.
Beyond the service enhancement benefits provided by Police Service Dogs, the Visalia Police Department has historically involved the Police Service Dogs in a variety of community outreach events and public engagements including, but not limited to: Coffee with a Cop, Hometown Heroes, service club and school presentations. Police Service Dogs have proven to be a great tool for making positive connections with the community and interactions with officers.
One of the Police Service Dogs purchased will be cross-trained as a Patrol Service Dog and as a Bomb Detection Dog. This dog will be assigned to the K-9 Handler who also serves as the department’s trainer. A donation from Friends of Visalia Police K-9 will cover the expenses related to the purchase of this dog and the instructor certification course that will be attended by the training officer.
The second Police Service Dog purchased will be a Narcotic Detection Dog that will be assigned to a handler yet to be selected from within the Special Enforcement Unit. This dog will be able to help with narcotic detection and interdiction during traffic stops, search warrants, and package interdiction.
The Third Police Service Dog will be a Patrol Service Dog and also have the capability of detecting discarded evidence. This dog will be utilized in the Patrol Division to assist in searching and locating individuals who are attempting to evade arrest and pose a public safety risk.
The Visalia Police Department will work to select high caliber individuals to be K-9 handlers, evaluate and select well balanced dogs, and have appropriate policies in place to allow us to develop a highly specialized, professional unit.
Background Discussion:
The Visalia Police Department K9 Unit currently consists of (2) Police Service Dogs and their Officer handlers. At one time the K9 Unit consisted of (6) Patrol Service Dogs and (1) Narcotics Dog but (5) of these Police Service Dogs have been retired from service over the last few years This proposal seeks to replace (3) of those previously retired Police Service Dogs. This will be the first replacement purchase since 2018. The K-9 handlers are scheduled to attend training with their new partner and after the training is completed, the new service dog and handler will be presented to Council in a separate meeting along with a presentation from Friends of Visalia Police Canine to accept their donation.
Fiscal Impact:
Appropriate $83,300 and issue budget adjustment for the expenditures and a budget adjustment for the donation in the amount of $40,000 in Fund 621/Asset Forfeiture Funds. The current available balance in the Asset Forfeiture Fund is the cumulation of payments over several years from The District Attorney’s Office of Tulare County for cases that resulted in forfeited cash assets. When the District Attorney’s Office reaches a settlement with a claimant, any remaining funds are distributed to the qualifying agencies. The distribution of asset forfeiture funds is authorized under California’s Health and Safety Code 11488.4(j).
|
Fund 621 / 6210 Asset Forfeiture State Funds |
|
Cash Balance 1/30/2023 |
$497,818.00 |
|
|
Less- Cases Pending 25029 |
$(227,080.00) |
|
|
Beginning Available Balance |
$270,738.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Donation |
$40,000.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditures |
|
|
|
3 Dogs/training/Supplies |
$83,300.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ending Available Balance |
$227,438.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Visalia Police Department |
|
Expenditures for 3 Police Service Dogs |
|
Description |
Vendor |
Cost |
Donation Friends of Visalia K-9 |
Funding Required VPD |
|
Dog Purchase (3) |
Gold Coast K9 Svs |
$25,500 |
$(25,500) |
$ - |
|
6 Weeks Handler School (2) * |
Gold Coast K9 Svs |
$23,000 |
|
$23,000 |
|
Dual Purpose Instructor Course |
Gold Coast K9 Svs |
$8,500 |
$(8,500) |
$ - |
|
Supplies (3) |
Various |
$3,000 |
|
$3,000 |
|
Kennels (3) |
Various |
$7,500 |
$(6,000) |
$1,500 |
|
Ballistic Vest (3) |
ProForce |
$3,600 |
|
$3,600 |
|
Hotel 6 weeks (2 Officers) * |
Various |
$8,000 |
|
$8,000 |
|
Meals ($70 x 30 days x 2) * |
Various |
$4,200 |
|
$4,200 |
|
Total |
|
$83,300 |
$(40,000) |
$43,300 |
|
*1 Officer will be trained in-house |
|
|
|
There is no need to purchase any vehicles as we currently have three police K-9 vehicles completely outfitted and ready for use. All three of the Police Service Dogs will be transported in marked Visalia Police Department patrol cars.
Gold Coast K-9 Services is a sole provider located in California because the Department requires that the vendor provide (1) of the (3) K-9 Officers with the certification training required to become the Department’s Certified K-9 Trainer during the same 6 -week handler training period. This requirement is critical because it would prevent additional cost and the K-9 training officer from attending a separate (6) week training session. Another feature of Gold Coast K-9 Services is that Gold Coast sells an almost fully trained canine when it is assigned to the handler compared to the other California vendors that sell green dogs, which means they have very basic training. The canine from Gold Coast knows obedience, agility, bite work and out work, area searching, building searching and vehicle deployments. Having this taught prior to the handler being assigned the canine allows for more growth between the canine and handler and when they deploy on the street, they are further along than if they were assigned a canine from another vendor. In addition, Gold Coast also deals in smaller numbers which means they can focus on quality and not quantity. The other vendors are importing larger number of canines for their accounts which means the quality of canine diminishes.
The Department will schedule training for the K-9 Officers when operationally feasible.
Prior Council Action: N/A
Other: N/A
Alternatives: Do not replace the Police K-9
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
Authorize a sole source purchase to replace three (3) Police Services Dogs from Gold Coast K9 Services located in Ventura, CA, appropriate $83,300 and accept a donation of $40,000 from non-profit organization, Friends of Visalia Police K-9.
end
Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: N/A