To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: KEITH KAUFFMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
TITLE
title
APPROVE AGREEMENT WITH PROK9, LLC FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT CANINE LEAD TRAINER MONTHLY TRAINING SERVICES AT A RATE OF $175 PER TRAINING SESSION PER TEAM, FOR THE TERM OCTOBER 6, 2020 - OCTOBER 5, 2026 FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,400 DURING THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
To maintain compliance with established Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Police canine team training and certification requirements, the Police Department utilizes an outside vendor as the designated lead trainer. The Police Department has utilized two different training vendors over the course of the past fifteen years. A recent review of vendors and training options has identified PROK9, LLC as the preferred vendor for Police Department canine training services. Approval of this agreement would designate PROK9, LLC as the lead Police Department canine trainer and authorize payment for monthly training for each Police Department canine team to maintain all required standards and certifications necessary for an in-service Police canine team.
BACKGROUND
The Redondo Beach Police Canine Team was established in 1976 with two German Shepherds assigned to the patrol division. As the unit expanded and progressed throughout the years, it became one of the top police canine units in Southern California. Today, the team is comprised of four patrol dogs and one Vapor Wake Explosive detection dog. One of the patrol dogs is cross-trained for narcotic detection and another is cross-trained for explosive detection. The Police Department canine team on average conducts 80-100 deployments a year comprised of various searches as well as numerous community engagement events. Historically, the patrol dogs selected by the Police Department are primarily German Shepherds, while the current Vapor Wake Explosive dog is a Labrador Retriever.
Currently, the Redondo Beach Police Canine Team is comprised of four patrol dog positions (Ammo, Axel, Brendon) with one of those being currently vacant due to the sudden passing of one of the dogs (Boss) from cancer. The fifth dog assigned to the team (Balton) is a Vapor Wake Explosive dog. The team is comprised of one Sergeant assigned full time to the team with two other Sergeants assigned to the team as a collateral assignment. The team also has one Lieutenant assigned as a collateral assignment.
In 1991, a group of Canine Officers, Law Enforcement Managers, and Canine Trainers from throughout the state of California met to discuss the need for Canine Team Standards in California. The group believed that local liability would be reduced if statewide Canine Team Standards were available. They further believed that these standards, to be acceptable and have impact, should be supported by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). In February 1992, POST brought this committee and other interested experts together, and they agreed to develop guidelines in the areas of Obedience, Search, Apprehension, and Evaluation. After initial development work and following several reviews which resulted in consensus, the proposed guidelines were submitted to and approved by the POST Commission in July 1992. Following Commission action, POST developed suggested scenarios to test the recommended minimum Canine Team Standards contained within the approved guidelines. The Redondo Beach Police Department Canine Teams are evaluated by a POST-trained evaluator prior to general law enforcement deployment (after initial training / basic handler school) and at least once annually.
The Redondo Beach Police Department Canine Teams train individually during the handlers work days. This daily training consists of basic obedience, searching, control work, apprehension, and detection work. The entire Canine team trains together five hours one day each week. One day each month is designated as a training day and the entire Police Department canine team trains together with the retained outside training vendor / lead trainer. These monthly training sessions are professionally organized, reality-based training situations designed to prepare the canine teams for deployments, identify and correct any deficiencies, maintain required Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training canine team training and certification requirements, and protect City of Redondo Beach liability. During each monthly training session, the lead trainer / vendor sets up various exercises and training scenarios that each team must complete successfully while being monitored by the lead trainer and one or more Police Department canine team supervisors.
The Police Department has utilized two different training vendors over the course of the past fifteen years with the most recent vendor being Adelhorst International, LLC. A recent review of training options and different vendors available to serve as the Police Department lead trainer was recently conducted internally. During this review supervisors with the Police Department interviewed trainers and attended training sessions being conducted with Canine teams from other Police agencies to evaluate the quality, relevancy, and professional nature of the canine training services being provided. The supervisors from the Police Department canine team identified PROK9, LLC as the preferred vendor for future Police Department canine training / lead trainer services. Approval of this agreement would designate PROK9, LLC as the lead Police Department canine trainer and provider of the coordinated monthly team training.
COORDINATION
This agreement was coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and Risk Management.
FISCAL IMPACT
The monthly cost with PROK9, LLC will fluctuate based on the number of canine teams that are able to attend training during a given month. The maximum monthly rate for full team attendance, which is four teams at $175 per team, is a total of $700 per month with a maximum annual cost of $8,400. The maximum amount of the agreement over the six-year term based on the current number of canine teams is $50,400. The current rate for training with Adelhorst International, LLC is $192.50 per team, per month. Approval of this agreement with PROK9, LLC could result in a savings of up to $840 per year, or $5,040 over the agreement term. Funding for in-service Police Department canine team training is included in the Police Department operating budget.
Funding Expenditure
$50,400 Police Department $50,400 PROK9, LLC
Operating Budget Police Canine Team
Monthly Training
APPROVED BY:
Joe Hoefgen, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
Agreement with ProK9, LLC
ProK9, LLC Insurance