ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Chief of Police with a Request for the Following:
A. APPROVE the SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE of Forty-Five (45) PICO MVS Ballistic Body Armor Systems from TYR TACTICAL BODY ARMOR, in the Amount of $126,829.00 (Requires 2/3 Vote of Council Members Voting - No Less Than 6 Votes); and,
B. ADOPT an ORDINANCE Amending the City of Peoria 2023 REVISED BUDGET Related to the Use of Asset Forfeiture Funds to Purchase Equipment in the Amount of $126,829.00. (Requires 2/3 Vote of Council Members Voting - No Less Than 6 Votes)
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BACKGROUND: The City of Peoria’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), is a tactical unit that is trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the normal duties of regular officers. Their duties include performing hostage rescues and counter-terrorism operations, serving high risk arrest and search warrants, subduing barricaded suspects, and engaging heavily armed criminals on a routine basis.
Due to the high-risk tasks performed by SWAT and EOD members, body armor must meet the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Type 3A threat level and certification. Tyr Tactical manufactures all ballistic body armor and carrier systems in house, not needing to outsource like other manufacturers.
The current vests used by the City of Peoria SWAT members were previously purchased from Tyr Tactical have shown to have exceptional quality and protection. These vest in the coming months will exceed their industry standard expiration of five (5) years. Tyr Tactical has improved the previous model vest to allow for more ballistic protection while still maintaining the low weight and extreme durability that other manufacturers can’t provide. Members of EOD currently utilize soft armor that does not fulfill the protection requirements that SWAT has requested. EOD commonly works with SWAT during counter-terrorism operations as well as all other high-risk operations.
The Tyr Pico MVS was chosen not only for its comfort, mobility, weight, quality, and fit but it provided three extremely important advantages other vests do not. The vest includes a variety of proprietary features, more specifically their TYR-HA3/7 Level III+ Hard Armor Plate, Integrated Ballistic Soft Amor System design and XFrame Design for weight distribution. Two other vests were reviewed and considered for selection. These were the Paraclete Orion and the Point Blank carrier. Neither of these were to the same standard in quality when compared to the Tyr vests.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The cost of the project is $126,829.00. The Peoria Police Department will be utilizing moneys seized through high-risk warrant operations and violent crime operation seizures. Funds will be deducted from STAFOR (State Asset Forfeiture) and PFAFF (Peoria Federal Asset Forfeiture Fund) accounts.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: None
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The Peoria Police Officers will have the most up to date equipment necessary for their protection from great bodily harm or death.
IMPACT IF DENIED: The Peoria Police Officers will not have the equipment necessary to carry out their duties as law enforcement officers in the City of Peoria.
ALTERNATIVES: N/A
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: in progress
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Safe Peoria
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Reduce crime.
DEPARTMENT: Police