REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 04/05/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Police Department
SUBJECT:
Title
CONTINUANCE OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITY OF INDIO REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT OF OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICERS AND EQUIPMENT AT THE ANNUAL COACHELLA AND STAGECOACH MUSIC FESTIVALS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to approve the continuance of a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Indio to utilize off-duty law enforcement personnel and equipment from the City of Corona at the Coachella Music Festival and Stagecoach Festival. Agencies providing services are reimbursed at full overtime rates for staff and at flat fee rates for equipment utilized during the event, as noted in the agreement.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Approve the ongoing continuance of the Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Indio for reimbursement funding for officer assistance at the Coachella Music Festival and Stagecoach Festival occurring in the City of Indio on an annual basis.
b. Authorize an annual appropriation to the Police Department’s operating budget and an estimated revenue increase of approximately $58,405, actual costs to be determined, from the unappropriated General Fund Balance and to be reimbursed from the City of Indio.
c. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to adjust the budget annually based on actual costs incurred.
Body
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (Coachella) is typically held in April in the City of Indio. This festival features musical artists from many genres of music, including rock, pop, and electronic dance music as well as art installations and sculptures. The Stagecoach Festival (Stagecoach) is an annual festival, usually held the weekend following Coachella. Stagecoach is seen as a “cousin” of Coachella and is centered on country music. The City of Corona’s Police Department staff previously worked the Coachella and Stagecoach Festivals in 2019. Due to COVID-19, both festivals in 2020 and 2021 were canceled. The Corona Police Department was approached by the City of Indio in 2022 to assist in providing public safety services to these events. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was brought to City Council and approved on April 6, 2022. The City of Corona police officers then worked the events in 2022.
ANALYSIS:
Coachella is held over two consecutive weekends, Friday through Sunday, in the City of Indio. Stagecoach is held the weekend following Coachella. The Indio Police Department is tasked with providing public safety for these events that can draw over 210,000 attendees over these three consecutive weekends. Because of the scale and duration of these events, the Indio Police Department utilizes assistance from local and State law enforcement agencies throughout the region to provide necessary public safety services.
Agencies providing services to the Indio festivals are reimbursed at full overtime rates and for equipment utilized during the event at the flat fee amount noted in the current MOU. In addition to reimbursement for the officer’s time and equipment, the City of Indio pays the City of Corona an administrative fee equal to two percent (2%) of the total amount to be reimbursed.
The Indio Police Department, other municipal police departments within Riverside County, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department operate under a common MOU through the Riverside County Law Enforcement Administrators Constitution and By-Laws (RCLEAA). Policy R-019 of the RCLEAA grants Peace Officer authority to participating agencies and affirms agreement with RCLEAA Guidelines Concerning Cross and Inter-Jurisdictional Investigations. This fosters interagency cooperation and allows for agencies to work within other jurisdictional boundaries.
The Corona Police Department has the capacity to provide the requested services in the form of one police supervisor and up to six motorcycle officers without impacting staffing needs for the City of Corona. The number of staff working these events will vary annually based on availability and need. Personnel will only be assigned to the events on regular days off. Any unanticipated staffing vacancies will be filled for the City of Corona before authorizing staffing to support the concert events. Personnel assigned to the concert events will adhere to all Corona Police Department Policies.
During the festivals, the City of Corona will assume all risk of injury to its personnel and potential liability for its activities, which is typical when working under mutual aid agreements. Staff believes this risk is acceptable, given the overall benefits provided when public agencies support and assist each other.
The Corona Police Department is requesting to work these events annually. The MOU between the City of Corona and the City of Indio shall remain in effect unless terminated or modified. Each member can withdraw from the MOU with a seven-day notice, and all parties may agree to modify or terminate the MOU. The City of Corona City Attorney has reviewed and approved as to form the current MOU.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This service will reimburse the General Fund. Below are the estimated costs and reimbursement for Fiscal Year 2023 as follows:
Police Staffing Expense $56,315
Equipment Expense $945
Administrative Fee $1,145
Project Total $58,405
Future annual costs and reimbursements will be appropriated based on actual costs incurred.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This is merely an agreement to provide police services assistance aid to another jurisdiction and there is no possibility that this will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: MICHELLE ADAMS, MANAGEMENT ANALYST II
REVIEWED BY: ROBERT NEWMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Indio and the City of Corona
2. Exhibit 2 - Indio Staff Report April 6, 2022