DEPARTMENT: Police Department and Fire Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William McManus and Charles Hood
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
A briefing on the Interlocal agreement with Bexar Metro 9-1-1 network (“Bexar Metro”), for the purpose of defining roles and responsibilities for the installation, maintenance, and operation of 9-1-1 system and Public Safety Answering Points (“PSAP”).
SUMMARY:
COSA and Bexar Metro each provides, installs and maintains 9-1-1 system or PSAP equipment at Brooks City Base (“Brooks PSAP”) and Quarry Run Regional Operations Center (“Quarry Run PSAP”), respectively. Each PSAP facility may potentially serve as an emergency backup facility for the other and as backup to other PSAPs. An Interlocal agreement is necessary to define roles and responsibilities for the installation, maintenance, and operation of the 9-1-1 system and Public Safety Answering Points, between the City and Bexar Metro.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Bexar Metro is in the final phases of construction of the new Quarry Run PSAP. With this deployment, Bexar Metro and the City will have access to two fully redundant and geographically separated 9-1-1 call-taking facilities. The new Quarry Run PSAP is scheduled to be operational in early 2017 and will incorporate a redundant emergency communications system capable of providing fully functional backup PSAP operations for the City. The Criminal Justice Committee was briefed on September 7, 2016.
ISSUE:
Approval of the Interlocal Agreement will define the roles and responsibilities between the City and Bexar Metro for the installation, maintenance, and operation of the 9-1-1 system and Public Safety Answering Points. This formal agreement will allow for swift action and effective solutions for issues that may arise at the facilities or with the systems. It also sets and manages a clear set of expectations as to service delivery, performance, timelines and scope of work for both CoSA and Bexar County.
ALTERNATIVES:
Do not execute an Interlocal Agreement and handle issues on a case by case basis. However, operating without a formal agreement could become administratively cumbersome, inefficient and time and cost consuming. If the Interlocal Agreement is not approved, Bexar Metro and the City will still be able to operate each PSAP independently, but independent decisions regarding how each facility is managed and maintained may conflict or interfere with future facility usage and 9-1-1 backup capabilities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item is for briefing purposes only.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Criminal Justice, Public Safety, and Services Committee approve and recommend that the full City Council consider and approval of the Interlocal Agreement.