TO: Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Cale Curtis, City Manager
DATE: December 6, 2023
Title
APPROVING THE WAIVING OF BIDDING FOR ACQUISITION FROM THE FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUST FUND ACCOUNT TO ENHANCE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S K-9 UNIT TO INCLUDE THE PURCHASE OF ONE (1) REPLACEMENT CANINE, VEHICLE EQUIPMENT, MISCELLANEOUS K-9 EQUIPMENT, AND TRAINING, AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED $26,550.00
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BACKGROUND:
Acquiring a new canine in the immediate future will allow sufficient time to acquire, train, and make the canine street ready for law enforcement service.
As in the past, the canine must be purchased when they are available. Therefore, in order to ensure that we acquire the best canine available and do not lose the dogs to another agency, the Administration requests that the Commission authorize the City Manager, Assistant City Manager or the Chief of Police to execute a sales agreement at the time of purchase. These agreements historically referenced the exact canine being purchased and cannot be executed in advance. In all probability, we will be purchasing the dog from the same vendor, Metro-Dade K9 Services, which provided all but one of our previous canines. However, there is a possibility that another vendor may be utilized. Based on the uncertainty of availability and the amount of the purchase I am requesting that we waive bidding.
The department has had four apprehension K-9 teams and recently one of them retired. I am requesting that we replace this canine bringing us back to four apprehension K-9 teams. Having two dog teams working together has proven a higher success rate than only having one.
Due to the law enforcement need for this expenditure, and absent appropriated funds, I am respectfully requesting to fund this acquisition via the Federal Forfeiture - Law Enforcement Trust Fund account and to waive bidding. This acquisition is an appropriate expenditure under permissible usages of equitable shared funds that are necessary to p...
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