To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: STEPHEN SPRENGEL, CHIEF OF POLICE
TITLE
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APPROVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITY OF TORRANCE TO ESTABLISH A TEMPORARY PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT FOR THE CITY’S 9-1-1 EMERGENCY CALLS IN THE EVENT OF AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE OR EVACUATION OF THE CITY’S COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of the agreement will allow the City of Redondo Beach Emergency Communications Center to establish an alternate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) to answer 9-1-1 emergency calls in the event of an equipment failure or incident requiring the emergency evacuation of the center. This will help to ensure the continuity of 9-1-1 emergency services to the public in the event of a localized emergency.
BACKGROUND
The Redondo Beach Police Department Emergency Communications Center serves as the PSAP for all 9-1-1 calls within the City of Redondo Beach. PSAP jurisdiction and funding for the answering of 9-1-1 calls are established statewide through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal-OES).
In the event of an interruption to the telecommunications system, localized equipment failure, disaster, or an incident that requires emergency evacuation of the City’s Emergency Communications Center, 9-1-1 calls must be transferred to an alternate PSAP location to maintain continuity of emergency services for the public, consistent with the Cal-OES 9-1-1 Operations Manual.
Currently, the City of Torrance Police Department Communications Center provides support when service outages and other events require the unplanned transfers of PSAP functions. However, there is no formal agreement in place governing this practice. This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) addresses temporary 9-1-1 call-taking continuity only. Radio dispatch responsibilities, command authority, investigative responsibility, and field response authority remain with the Redondo Beach Police Department unless otherwise arranged with the City of Torrance during an incident requiring the transfer of 9-1-1 call service.
If the MOU is approved, the City of Torrance will, upon request from the Redondo Beach Police Department, assume responsibility for answering City of Redondo Beach 9-1-1 emergency calls until such time as the Redondo Beach Police Department is able to resume normal operations.
COORDINATION
The Police Department coordinated this item with staff from the City of Torrance. The City Attorney’s Office approved the agreement as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with approval of the MOU. If required due to a localized equipment failure or evacuation, the City of Redondo Beach would be responsible for costs associated with calls being transferred to the alternate PSAP location.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Memorandum of Understanding with City of Torrance