23-1003_FLOCK GROUP_Agenda Report_F1aCity of San Juan Capistrano
Agenda Report
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Benjamin Siegel, City Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Matisse Reischl, Assistant City Manager
DATE: October 3, 2023
SUBJECT: Authorization to Amend the Existing Flock Safety Agreement to
Expand Use of Automated License Plate Readers and Install
Security Cameras at City Parks, Facilities, and Traffic Signals;
Appropriation of Funds; and, Finding Said Actions Categorically
Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act Pursuant to
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize the City Manager to finalize and execute a one-year amendment to the
existing agreement with Flock Safety to install ten additional automated license
plate readers and install 20 security cameras at City parks, facilities and traffic
signals;
2.Waive the competitive bidding process for this procurement pursuant to Municipal
Code Section 3-4.310(e);
3.Appropriate $150,000 from the General Fund; and,
4.Find that the proposed actions are exempt from the California Environmental
Quality Act pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City currently contracts with Flock Safety (“Flock”) for operation of ten automated
license plate readers (“ALPRs”) at key entry and exit points across the city (Attachment
1). The ALPRs are a critical tool in assisting Police Services with criminal investigations
and staff is recommending that the Council authorize the purchase of ten additional
ALPRs to expand coverage throughout the community. To deter and assist in the
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investigation of vandalism at City facilities and other criminal activity throughout the
community, staff is also recommending the City purchase 20 security cameras for
installation at City parks, facilities and on traffic signals. Security camera footage would
only be accessible by Police Services personnel, and the cameras are already being
utilized successfully in neighboring cities.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
As part of the Fiscal Year 2022-23 budget, the City purchased and installed ten ALPRs
at entrances to the community at Camino Capistrano, Ortega Highway, Rancho Viejo
Road, San Juan Creek Road and Junipero Serra Road. Since their recent deployment,
the ten ALPRs have proven to be an invaluable tool in criminal investigations. The ALPR
is a small device affixed to existing infrastructure or installed on a standalone pole, which
captures vehicle make, model and license plate information over two lanes of traffic.
Using the Flock Safety software, deputies are able to input a particular license plate
number of interest and receive real time information from Flock or follow leads by viewing
footage captured at a particular ALPR location.
Given the success of the initial ten ALPRs, as part of this year’s Fiscal Year 2023-24
budget, the City Council authorized funding for ten additional ALPRs to be placed
throughout the community. The additional ALPRs were approved in conjunction with a
broader investment in public safety resources including the addition of a new Orange
County Sheriff’s Department deputy, a full-time Community Outreach Worker tasked with
assisting individuals experiencing homelessness with resources and long-term housing
plans, and supplemental funding for the Sheriff’s Department Mounted Patrol Unit to
provide regular patrols in the downtown.
Working cooperatively with San Juan Capistrano Chief of Police Services, Captain Justin
Montano, staff has identified the proposed locations below for installation of the ten new
ALPRs to expand coverage within the community:
•Two ALPRs at Northbound Camino Capistrano at Stone Hill Drive
•Two ALPRs at Southbound Camino Capistrano at Stone Hill Drive
•One ALPR at Northbound Camino Capistrano at Saddleback Church
•One ALPR at Southbound Camino Capistrano at Saddleback Church
•Two ALPRs at Northbound Camino Capistrano at I-5 Freeway Off Ramp
•Two ALPRs at Southbound Camino Capistrano at San Juan Creek Road
In addition to ALPRs, staff and Police Services are recommending the implementation of
Flock security cameras at certain City parks, facilities and traffic signals to deter illegal
activity and assist law enforcement with criminal investigations. Vandalism and property
damage is an ongoing challenge at City facilities. The goal of security cameras is to deter
illegal activity with the presence of cameras as well as provide law enforcement with
actionable evidence when illegal activity occurs. Signage would be posted at each
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location informing members of the public that the area is under video surveillance by law
enforcement. The proposed locations of the security cameras are as follows:
•Parks and Facilities – 14 total
o San Juan Capistrano Sports Park (2 cameras)
o Historic Town Center Park
o Northwest Open Space Community Park – “Putuidem Village” (2 cameras)
o Los Rios Park (2 cameras)
o Train Depot (2 cameras)
o Cook Park La Novia (2 cameras)
o Descanso Park/Police Services Building (3 cameras)
•Traffic Signals – 6 total
o La Zanja and Camino Capistrano
o Del Obispo and Camino Capistrano
o Ortega Highway and Interstate 5 Freeway
o Junipero Serra and Camino Capistrano
o Ortega Highway and Rancho Viejo Road
o Rancho Viejo Road and Junipero Serra
The 20 security cameras would be placed on existing traffic signals or light standards and
will require installation of conduit to attach the camera to the existing power source. Staff
would coordinate with the City’s contract electrical technician to perform the work.
The functionality of the Flock security cameras would allow law enforcement to
manipulate the cameras in real time to pan and zoom to areas of interest. Operationally,
the Flock camera footage would only be accessible by Police Services personnel and not
City staff, and all data and footage would remain on the Flock cloud-based server unless
downloaded by law enforcement and processed as evidence. Staff recommends utilizing
Flock as the security camera vendor do to the efficiency achieved by using the same
company for both ALPRs and security cameras. Deputies are already familiar with the
Flock user interface and integration of security camera footage would be seamless.
Pursuant to Municipal Code Section 3-4.310(e), staff is recommending that the City
Council waive the competitive bidding process for this procurement. Flock Safety is
utilized by the majority of Orange County Sheriff’s Department contract cities as the
preferred vendor for ALPRs. Flock has the necessary expertise to support the unique
needs of law enforcement agencies and efficiencies are experienced when law
enforcement personnel can utilize the same software across communities. Additionally,
utilizing the same vendor for both ALPRs and security cameras provides efficiency to
users in that they only need to access one software interface to view device data.
Pending Council approval of the recommended action, staff would coordinate with Flock
to finalize a one-year amendment adding ten additional ALPR devices and 20 security
cameras which would be fully operational before the end of the calendar year. Based on
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the operational value of the additional devices, staff would return to the City Council prior
to the expiration of the one-year amendment to discuss the efficacy of the cameras and
potentially recommend additional locations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
To implement the addition of ten new ALPRs and 20 security cameras, staff is
recommending a $150,000 appropriation from the General Fund to cover the cost of the
improvements. A table outlining the total cost of the existing and additional devices is
provided below, as well as available funding in the current year operating budget for this
purpose. Following year one installation cost, a recurring $121,000 annual license fee
would be assessed and programmed into future year operating budgets. The requested
appropriation would be funded by budget savings realized in Fiscal Year 2022-23 and
would have no impact on the current fiscal year fund balance.
Item Year One Cost
10 Existing ALPRs $28,000 (annual license fee only)
10 New ALPRs and 20
Security Cameras $113,500 (one-time installation fee and annual license fee)
One-time Conduit
Installation for Security
Cameras
$80,000
Total Year One Cost: $221,500
Available Funding in Fiscal
Year 2023-24 Budget $73,500
Recommended General
Fund Appropriation $150,000
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the recommended
action is exempt from CEQA per Section 15061 (b)(3), the commonsense exemption that
CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on
the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the
activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not
subject to CEQA. The recommended action is not an activity with potential to cause
significant effect on the environment and is therefore exempt from CEQA.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW:
•On June 7, 2022, the City Council authorized the City Manager to enter into an
agreement with Flock Safety for implementation of an ALPR program.
COMMISSION/COMMITTEE/BOARD REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION:
Flock Safety
ATTACHMENT(S):
Attachment 1 – Existing Flock Safety Automated License Plate Reader Agreement
ATTACHMENT 1