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APPROVE RESOLUTION ACCEPTING A DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE SELECTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM GRANT AWARD FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve a resolution to:
1. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to accept a Driving Under the Influence Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant award from the State of California Office of Traffic Safety in the amount of $500,000;
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute Grant Agreement PT26231 and all related documents to carry out the purpose and intent of the grant award;
3. Amend the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Annual Budget to increase the Police Grants & Special Programs revenue and expenditure appropriation by $500,000; and
4. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to take appropriate and necessary actions to carry out the purpose and intent of this resolution.
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Summary
The Stockton Police Department (SPD) seeks Council approval to accept grant funding from the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant award, for the period of October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The STEP grant provides funding for SPD overtime, training, equipment, supplies, and related expenses to support reducing alcohol-involved accidents resulting in fatalities and injuries as well as other types of distracted driving. Enforcement operations include night-time seat belt enforcement, special enforcement operations encouraging motorcycle safety and raising general public awareness regarding the problems associated with drinking and driving, as well as raising awareness in areas with high numbers of bicycle and pedestrian crashes. Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the OTS, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
DISCUSSION
Background
The SPD has received OTS grant program funding for multiple consecutive years and most recently received a $500,000 OTS grant in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 through the STEP grant for DUI-related missions. In January 2025, the SPD submitted a Memorandum Proposal to the OTS requesting consideration to continue participation in the DUI STEP Grant program. The SPD’s proposal included “best practice” strategies to be conducted on an overtime basis to help reduce the number of individuals killed or injured in alcohol-involved crashes as well as other types of distracted driving. Those “best practices” include, but are not limited to, DUI checkpoints, DUI saturation patrols, traffic enforcement, street racing and sideshow enforcement, distracted driving operations, motorcycle safety enforcement, and warrant service operations.
Under the DUI STEP grant, these missions would be conducted by the SPD during the Winter Holiday Mobilization period, which is December through January; Memorial Day weekend; Independence Day weekend/period; and during the Summer Mobilization period, which is mid-August through the Labor Day Holiday; as well as any special dates, county fairs, festivals, and other community events.
Present Situation
In August 2025, SPD received notification from OTS indicating the proposal was accepted for funding in FY 2025-26 in the amount of $500,000. Grant funds will be used to pay for overtime staffing costs for the DUI enforcement activities, printed materials, and miscellaneous checkpoint supplies. Therefore, staff recommends approval of Grant Agreement PT26231 in the amount of $500,000 (Exhibit 1 to the Proposed Resolution).
FINANCIAL SUMMARY
The SPD’s Traffic Section will be responsible for coordinating operations of the grant program. The grant program does not require matching funds. Revenue and expenditures will require an increase in appropriation to the FY 2025-26 Police Special Grants Fund Budget:
• Revenue appropriation of $500,000 to the 2026 OTS/DUI STEP Grant in the Police’s Special Grants Fund - Reimbursement, Traffic Division.
• Expenditure appropriation of $500,000 to the 2026 OTS/DUI STEP Grant in the Police’s Special Grants Fund - Reimbursement, Traffic Division.