Memorandum 15-019 Homer Police Department Project Drive

Memorandum 15-019

DATE:

January 30, 2015

TO:

Marvin Yoder, City Manager

FROM:

Mark Robl, Chief of Police

SUBJECT:

Project Drive

We have received a grant from the state last fall to fund our “Project Drive” program. I request that we obtain council approval to obligate funds and proceed with Project Drive.

Project Drive is a program we have been doing for approximately five years. It involves us conducting clinics at local schools and events to teach kids the effects of alcohol and drug impairment on driving. We do so by having the children drive a side by side ATV with a police officer in it while wearing fatal vision goggles that simulate the effects of impairment. The program has been well received and seems to be very effective. It also provides us with a great opportunity to connect with young teenage children and have positive interaction with them.

We have been conducting Project Drive with borrowed equipment from other police departments. Every time we want to do it we have had to coordinate the equipment loans and scheduling with the departments and send an officer up to either Soldotna or Anchorage to pick-up the equipment and then take it back when we’re finished. This has taken considerable time and expense. This grant funds the purchase of the equipment we need to run the program.

We would like to purchase the two main pieces of equipment for this program as soon as possible. The low bidder for the side by side ATV, a Polaris RZR, is Homer Saw at $12,699.99. The low bidder for an enclosed trailer to haul it in is White Spruce Trailer Sales at $10,250. The state has issued us a notice to proceed and begin Project Drive. We are ready to do so.