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Item No:8F <br />Meeting Date: June 9, 2003 <br />Type of Business:CA <br />WK: Work Session; PH: Public Hearing; <br />CA: Consent Agenda; CB: Council Business <br /> <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From: Mike Sommer, Police Chief <br />Item Title/Subject: Replacement/Purchase Police Radar Unit <br />Date of Report: June 9, 2003 <br /> <br />Background: A dual antenna, “MPH BEE 36” speed detection radar unit has been in <br />service in various Mounds View squad cars since 1988. In recent years the unit has been <br />taken in for repairs, which continue to become more frequent. In the 2003 budget $1,700 <br />was allocated to replace this unit. This budgeted amount was based on a quote for a <br />single antenna, basic function Doppler speed detection radar unit. <br /> <br />Discussion: With the advent of Laser being used as a speed detection tool, numerous <br />advances in radar technology have occurred to make radar more competitive with that of <br />Laser. Some significant improvements in new radar devices include the ability to more <br />accurately pinpoint a specific lane of travel of targeted vehicles. Previously, radar <br />transmitted a “shotgun” shaped signal that widened with distance. New radar units now <br />also have the ability to determine the speed of vehicles closing in on a squad car from the <br />rear (when a dual/rear antenna is installed), and can also determine the speed of <br />vehicles pulling away from a squad car when both vehicles are moving. Previous Doppler <br />radar models, such as the MPH BEE 36, could only detect the speed of oncoming <br />vehicles when the squad car was in motion. Older radar units could also only detect the <br />speed of vehicles approaching AND pulling away when the squad car was sitting <br />stationary. As shown above, the features and capabilities of the newest available radar <br />technology provides significantly more opportunity to enforce state speed laws. <br /> <br />Recommendation: Three quotes were obtained after researching features and <br />capabilities of various radar manufacturers and models. The recommended make/model <br />by both the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department and the State Patrol is the “Stalker <br />DSR (Direction Sensing Radar). A dual antenna model is recommended to make <br />maximum use of the Stalker’s capabilities. The three bids that were obtained for the <br />Stalker DSR were: $3312.00, $2743.00, and $2576.00. The lowest obtained bid was that <br />provided through the State Bid Program, which expires on 6/30/03. Because $1700.00 <br />was budgeted, an additional amount up to $1100.00 is needed in order to purchase the <br />recommended unit at the lowest available price. The additional funds could be made up <br />through a dispersement from the police forfeiture fund. These funds have certain <br />restrictions on their use, and purchase and or upgrade of police equipment is an <br />allowable expenditure. <br /> <br />_______________________ <br />Respectfully submitted by <br />Mike Sommer, Police Chief