Title
Request Authorization to Apply For, Accept and Enter Into Agreements for Fiscal Year 2025-26 Governor's Office of Highway Safety Grants (Ordinance S-51679) - Citywide
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to allow the Police, Fire, City Prosecutor and Street departments to apply for, accept and enter into grant agreements for Fiscal Year 2025-26 with the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) in an amount not to exceed $3,588,634. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept, and the City Controller to disburse, all funds related to this item.
Report
Summary
The GOHS announced the availability of funding in January 2025. Grant proposals are due by March 7, 2025. If awarded, these funds will be used to support new traffic safety programs and enhance existing programs in the City Prosecutor's Office, as well as the Fire, Street Transportation, and Police departments. The total Citywide request for funding is $3,588,634.
City Prosecutor's Office - Total Funding Request $300,000
Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor: If awarded, grant funds will be used to pay the salary, expenses, supplies and travel for an existing Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor (TSRP), Attorney IV. Approximately half of the funding will be sought from the Oversight Council on Driving or Operating Under the Influence Abatement Council. The other half will be requested through a grant from GOHS. GOHS will administer all funds. The TSRP program has four primary objectives:
- Provide training for prosecutors and law enforcement officers in the prosecution of traffic safety related crimes.
- Act as a resource for questions about traffic laws and trial advocacy.
- Improve communication between prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and members of the judiciary.
- Act as a liaison for individuals and agencies committed to the enforcement and prosecution of traffic safety related crimes.
GOHS has funded the TSRP program since its inception in 2007. Though the grant project is administered by Phoenix, it also benefits citizens, law enforcement, and prosecutors across Arizona. The TSRP is a resource to both small and large jurisdictions for legal issues related to the enforcement of DUI and traffic laws. The TSRP also provides training to prosecutors, law enforcement officers, crime lab personnel, interns and community groups. It is anticipated that up to $45,000 of employee-related expenses may need to be covered by City general funds.
Fire Department - Total Funding Request $445,000
Occupant Protection and Child Car Seat Program: Funding will be requested for training, overtime, related fringe benefits, materials, public education, and equipment related to child safety seats and seat belt usage. This funding will maintain current occupant protection efforts and increase the frequency for conducting child safety technician certification and recertification classes, increase the opportunities to educate residents at car seat check events, increase the number of locations of designated car seat check fitting stations to enhance geographical outreach, and to enhance outreach for occupant protection public education in K-12 schools.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety: Funding will be requested for overtime, related fringe benefits, materials, and equipment related to education campaigns to increase safety awareness, traffic awareness, and skills necessary for young pedestrians and bicyclists. This program provides bike rodeos for young cyclists, bike and pedestrian school safety assemblies, and public education opportunities at community safety fairs and events.
Distracted Driving: Funding will be requested for overtime and related fringe benefits, materials, and equipment related to high school education campaigns including teen and adult education as we build this program with the idea of eliminating or minimizing injuries and deaths from a preventable choice to drive distracted. Education will include educating drivers to recognize distractions, taking your hands of the wheel to adjust electronic devices in the vehicle, texting or talking on cell phones, visual and mentally focusing on the primary task of driving. The program informs young drivers of the danger of distracted driving, with the goal of decreasing preventable injuries and fatalities associated with distracted driving.
Police Department - Total Funding Request $1,250,000
DUI Enforcement (Traffic Bureau and Laboratory Services Bureau): Funding will be requested for training, overtime, related fringe benefits, and equipment to support and enhance DUI enforcement within the City of Phoenix and joint enforcement efforts throughout the valley.
Occupant Protection (Traffic Bureau): Funding will be requested for training, materials, supplies, overtime and related fringe benefits associated with Click It or Ticket enforcement activities, child passenger safety technician certification classes, car seat events, Buckle Up, Baby Hotline, and various seatbelt enforcement campaigns.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety (Traffic Bureau): Funding will be requested for training, materials, supplies, overtime and related fringe benefits associated with education and enforcement campaigns designed to increase safety awareness, traffic law knowledge, and skills among pedestrians and bicyclists.
Traffic Services (Traffic Bureau): Funding will be requested for training, materials, supplies, equipment (radar/laser speed detection devices), overtime and related fringe benefits associated with education and enforcement campaigns such as: Traffic Impact Programs, school zone enforcement, construction zone enforcement, Traffic Complaint Hotline enforcement, and Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs (STEP).
Street Racing Enforcement (86Z Squad): Funding will be requested for training, materials, supplies, overtime, and related fringe benefits associated with the prevention of street racing.
DUI Abatement Council (Traffic Bureau): Funding will be requested from the DUI Abatement Council for overtime and related fringe benefits associated with DUI enforcement and innovative "Know Your Limit" Programs.
Street Transportation Department - Total Funding Request $1,593,634
Roadway Safety/Education Programs: This funding will promote the tools for school and bicycle safety. Requests for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety ($14,500) include funds for: bicycle helmets and LED flashing STOP paddles.
Pedestrian Safety Program: Funding will be requested to improve pedestrian safety by installing sidewalk, ADA ramps and streetlights in locations where there is currently no existing sidewalk or streetlights in the neighborhood, which forces residents to walk in the street to get places including school, work and public transit stops.
Contract Term
The contract term is for one year beginning October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with no options to extend.
Financial Impact
No matching funds are required.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays, Deputy City Manager Inger Erickson, the Fire, Police and Street Transportation departments and the City Prosecutor's Office.