Title
Consider and take action on a resolution authorizing the submission of a grant application to the Governor’s Office to seek funding through the FY2024 State Homeland Security Grant (SHSP) to support the agency’s contingent of bomb technicians assigned to the Bay Area Regional Bomb Squad (BARBS) with needed equipment (Chief of Police)
Background:
The Governor’s Office is soliciting grant applications for the State Homeland Security Program (Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities). According to the grant announcement, "This solicitation is to support state, tribal and local preparedness activities that continue to build laws enforcement capabilities to prevent terrorist attacks and provide law enforcement and public safety communities with funds to support critical prevention and protection activities.”
The League City Police Department is requesting approval to submit a grant package totaling $110,000. If approved for submission, this proposal will go toward the continued effort to equip one of our two current bomb technicians assigned to the BARBS with a needed vehicle, closing a gap in response capabilities. When responding to incidents, our bomb technicians must have certain equipment and gear readily available. Standard police vehicles do not have the capacity to safely transport all mission critical equipment necessary to mitigate hazardous devices.
The item requested in this grant is a 2024 Ford F-350 truck equipped with a custom designed and purpose-built bed storage system suited for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) operations. This vehicle would provide a bomb technician with the ability to respond with all the necessary equipment readily available for the initial identification and mitigation of explosive related threats, thus reducing overall response time. Currently, bomb technicians must respond to the Police Department prior to responding to the actual scene. This unnecessarily adds a significant amount of time to their response. Additionally, this vehicle would also allow the tech to transport the Total Containment Vessel (TCV) and EOD response trailer to scenes where a larger explosive threat may exist. The TCV is an explosive hazard mitigation trailer that weighs approximately 13,000 pounds, designed to withstand a detonation of up to 15 pounds of C4. The TCV is utilized to transport IEDs, military munitions, or other explosive material through a neighborhood, city, or critical infrastructure safely. If a detonation were to occur while in transit, the TCV can contain the blast, overpressure, and fragmentation, preventing the loss of life and damage to surrounding property.
This grant does not require any matching funds but does require that the City of League City pay for the requested vehicle and seek reimbursement from the State.
Attachments:
1. Data Sheet
2. Proposed Resolution
3. Grant Announcement
4. Grant Pre-Approval Form
CONTRACT ORIGINATION:
FUNDING
{x} If approved, a budget amendment is required to increase Police Autos & Truck account #2100000-55520 in the amount $110,000 which will be offset by grant revenue to Motor Vehicle Grant Revenue account #0100-48101.
{ } Requires Budget Amendment to transfer from Account #______ to Account #______
{ } NOT APPLICABLE
STRATEGIC PLANNING
{ } Addresses Strategic Planning Critical Success Factor # ______
{ } NOT APPLICABLE