Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Enter into a Purchase Agreement with Vigilant Solutions for Four, Vehicle Mounted, 3-Camera Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Systems and to Negotiate and Execute Related Documents, Agreements and Modifications in an Amount Not to Exceed $80,000. (Police 3116)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: John A. Russo, City Manager
Re: Authorize the City Manager to Enter into a Purchase Agreement with Vigilant Solutions for Four, Vehicle Mounted, 3-Camera Automated License Plate Recognition Systems and to Negotiate and Execute Related Documents, Agreements and Modifications in an Amount Not to Exceed $80,000
BACKGROUND
On October 1, 2013, Council authorized the Alameda Police Department to pursue grant funding sources for the purchase and implementation of Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) equipment. Subsequent to that meeting, Police Department personnel completed the application process for a Department of Homeland Security grant through the Bay Area Urban Area Security Initiative (Bay Area UASI) for the purchase of four, vehicle mounted, 3-camera ALPR systems. In March 2014, Alameda Police Department personnel were informed the grant application for funding through the Bay Area UASI had not been approved. Although no other outside funding sources for the purchase of ALPR technology have been identified at this time, significant salary savings during FY13-14 would allow the purchase to be made without an increase to the existing budget.
DISCUSSION
ALPR technology is a significant tool in the arsenal of law enforcement and public safety agencies. It automates a tedious, distracting, and manual process that officers regularly complete in their daily operations, and vastly improves their efficiency and effectiveness in identifying vehicles of interest among the hundreds or thousands they observe during routine patrol. Moreover, it generates a record of vehicle sightings, complete with time, date, and geographic location information for each observation. This data can substantially enhance the investigative capacity of law enforcement, and greatly contribute to intelligence collection and analysis functions.
In 2013, the Alameda Police Department completed a field test of ALPR equipment from Vigilant Solutions, a Livermore, California based company that is a leading provider of advanced video analytics solutions for law enforcement. Vigilant Solutions is the exclusive software developer and manufacturer of similar types of ALPR units for the California Highway Patrol, the Colorado State Patrol, the U.S. Military, and many other military and law enforcement agencies. The equipment was installed by Lehr Auto Electric (dba Pursuit North), the sole source vendor for Vigilant Solutions in Northern California, and the current emergency vehicle equipment installer for the Alameda Police Department.
The Alameda Police Department wishes to purchase the materials from Vigilant Solutions which is one of only a few vendors that provide ALPR equipment and the only vendor based in Alameda County. Vigilant Solutions owns and manages the single largest license plate recognition data sharing initiative, known as the National Vehicle Location Service (NVLS). NVLS consists of over 1.5 billion ALPR scans, and is growing at a rate of 60-70 million monthly. This extensive LPR data set provides intangible value from an investigative perspective.
Vigilant Solutions also offers a centralized hosted ALPR offering, eliminating any requirements of server hardware, database expertise, and software maintenance by Department staff. This hosted offering is made available by Vigilant in a secure data center with full backup and redundancy. The service provides data storage, database optimization, and software updates. Police Department staff also believes the purchase of ALPR equipment from Vigilant will provide a lower price than found in the open market because Lehr Auto Electric, as the City's current installer of emergency equipment, is the sole source installer for Vigilant; and installation of the equipment will thus be more cost-effective than if the City were to hire an alternative equipment provider.
Based on the aforementioned field test, Alameda Police Department personnel determined a vehicle mounted, 3-camera system would provide better results than a 2-camera system without the increased costs associated with a 4-camera system. The purchase of these systems for four separate patrol vehicles would allow for effective deployment throughout the entire city. The total cost for the installation of a 3-camera system from Vigilant Solutions on four vehicles would be $76,742. Priority for the deployment of vehicles equipped with ALPR technology would include areas experiencing an increase in stolen or recovered vehicles as well as other increases in vehicle related crime.
Due to privacy concerns expressed at the October 1, 2013 City Council meeting, the Alameda Police Department was directed to host a public forum on issues related to the use of Automated License Plate Recognition by law enforcement. The forum was held on February 3, 2014, at the Alameda Free Library and was moderated by Assistant City Manager Alex Nguyen. Included in the forum were representatives from the Alameda Police Department, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC). Approximately 50 members of the public were present and many offered comments about the use of this technology. Although concerns varied, the most common issues raised were relative to retention of the data, accessibility of the data through Public Records Act or private requests, and the strength of a draft policy provided by the Police Department.
In order to be an effective investigative tool, retention of ALPR data for a predetermined period of time is essential. Although retention periods by law enforcement agencies across the nation vary from no retention at all (once the system determines there is no match on a hot list) to unlimited retention into perpetuity, the NCRIC recommended retention period is one year. A one year retention period would be ideal to allow for historical data to be used in criminal investigations. However, a six month retention period is being recommended at this time as a compromise to address privacy concerns expressed during the forum. Accessibility to the data through Public Records Act requests or even private requests from the registered owner of a particular vehicle will still be routinely denied based on existing California and Federal law.
The initial draft Alameda Police Department policy was provided by Lexipol, a subscription policy guide service for law enforcement agencies. Although Lexipol provides policy based on Federal law, state law, and best practices, staff has revised the policy based on the public comments received. The revised, and much more comprehensive, draft policy is attached to this report for Council information.
In summary, ALPR systems give patrol officers quick and nearly effortless access to vital information about vehicles observed in public without requiring the officer to manually enter a plate number and request a database search. This will result in the recovery of more stolen vehicles, the apprehension of additional wanted suspects, and the clearance of more crimes. ALPR technology will greatly enhance Police Department goals and objectives of providing a safe community while still respecting privacy concerns of residents and visitors.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The purchase of ALPR technology was not initially included in the FY13-14 and 14-15 budget; however, the Police Department has realized significant salary savings during FY13-14 resulting from funded but, as yet, unfilled positions. A mid-budget cycle transfer of $80,000 funds in the General Fund due to revised estimates in personnel and non-personnel spending would allow the purchase to be made from Program 3116 - Materials and Logistics, Account 51990 - Miscellaneous Operating Supplies. No increase to the FY13-14 and 14-15 budget would be necessary to make this purchase.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is authorized pursuant to Alameda Administrative Rule 5, and Alameda Municipal Code Section 2-62.2, which exempts contracts with any single or source supplier for supplies, material or equipment from the City's local purchasing policy.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is not a project for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines section 10561(b)(3) as there is no possibility that this action may have a significant effect on the environment.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to Enter into a Purchase Agreement with Vigilant Solutions for Four, Vehicle Mounted, 3-Camera Automated License Plate Recognition Systems and to Negotiate and Execute Related Documents, Agreements and Modifications in an Amount Not to Exceed $80,000.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul J. Rolleri, Chief of Police
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Fred Marsh, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Vigilant Solutions Sole Source Letter
2. Project Quotation - Lehr Auto
3. Draft Alameda Police Department ALPR Policy