Report Prepared by: Jeff Bennyhoff, Director of Information Technology
Title
SUBJECT: CCTV Camera Storage System Expansion
REPORT IN BRIEF
The City of Merced Information Technology Department is requesting the City Council approve the purchase of a CCTV Camera storage system expansion from CDW-G for $149,317.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion authorizing the Finance Officer to make necessary budget adjustments for the purchase of a CCTV Camera storage system expansion from CDW-G for $149,317.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve as recommended by Staff ; or
2. Deny; or
3. Refer back to Staff for further evaluation.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Public Safety.
DISCUSSION
In 2009 the City procured a centralized CCTV Camera system. This system was mainly paid for by a grant from the FAA, and included a total of 31 cameras at the airport, in the downtown area, and at City Hall. The goal of the project was to allow the TSA agents to view the airport cameras and for the Police Department to access all the cameras from the Central Police Station. At the time, the decision was made to retain the video for 14 days. This retention period was selected as it was a reasonable balance between system costs and the security it provided.
Since 2009, the City has added an additional 39 cameras to the system. These additions were added with a combination of grants and City funds. When the CCTV system was expanded, the retention requirement of 14 days was maintained.
In addition to original partnership with the TSA, the City has also partnered with Merced Union High School District, Merced City School District (currently in process), and Merced County Association of Governments. With this collaboration, the Police Department has access to approximately 200 CCTV Cameras.
Technological advances since 2009 in storage capacity have made increasing our retention of the video from 14 days to one year more attainable. This change would have several benefits to the City. One benefit would give the Police Department an increased level of historical video to be able to review as part of any investigation. This system expansion would match the retention period of the City’s CCTV system with body-worn cameras and in-car cameras. The City would now be in compliance with Government Code Section 34090.6 that requires all video to be retained for one year.
In April of this year, I was subpoenaed for the People vs Oscar Saenz Case #15CR-03135 over CCTV video around the “G” Street undercrossing. The video requested would have been approximately nine months old. The City no longer had the video, as it was destroyed within the 14-day retention cycle we currently maintain. With the purchase of this expansion system, we would be in compliance with Government Code and, in the future, would be able to provide the video in these types of subpoena requests.
The CCTV Camera storage system expansion was put out to bid on April 29th. All vendors submitted bids on the identical systems. A total of five vendors submitted bids. The following is a list of five vendors and their bids:
1. CDW-G $149,316.09
2. AMS $151,639.39
3. NWN $160,591.53
4. Wachter $164,806.78
5. IPVision $181,759.22
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
Funding is available within the Fiscal Year 2015-16 budget and the cost will be allocated among different departments based on use.
ATTACHMENTS
1. CDW-G Quote