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TO: Mayor Richard C Irvin
FROM: Lt. W. Hull, Lt. E. Westrom and Sgt. M Worcester
DATE: 12/07/2020
SUBJECT:
A resolution to accept quotes from Ellis Systems (Woltergroup, LLC), 490 W. North Frontage Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440 to purchase handgun storage expansion shelving, long gun expansion and reconfiguration shelving, and bulk storage expansion and reconfiguration for the Aurora Police Department.
PURPOSE:
To purchase storage shelving and installation services to complete a storage expansion project for the Aurora Police Department’s long term evidence storage facility. Ellis Systems was the original vendor who supplied and installed the shelving and storage units in evidence and is the sole source provider for this specific storage units. In addition, purchasing from Ellis Systems will ensure the new storage units will be compatible with the old.
BACKGROUND:
Currently, the Aurora Police Department houses nearly a quarter of a million items of evidence in the secured evidence storage facility. This facility is broken down into two separate areas where items of evidence are generally organized by the need for security. The main storage area houses long term evidence, felony and misdemeanor evidence, traffic investigation evidence, non-criminal related evidence, bulk item storage, and administrative storage. A separated evidence vault room is located within the main storage area where firearms, drugs, and currency are stored.
When the evidence storage facility was originally built, it was designed for expansion; as we knew the storage vaults and shelves would eventually fill up. This is due to more and more requests from county prosecutors as well as changes in the law to store more evidentiary items for longer periods of time. The current evidence vault storage is nearing capacity and the inventoried handguns are intermixed with the drug item storage. Also, the only current bulk storage racks are located in the evidence vault, which takes up valuable space for specific storage needs and prevents the proper organization of the property in the facility.
DISCUSSION:
Due to the high volume of evidence that is brought into the facility every year, the evidence vault is nearing its capacity and the main storage area is being organized by storing bulk items on the floor along the outside walls of the property room and on the bulk item rack in the evidence vault.
APD is currently storing in excess of 1,000 cases where one or more firearms are inventoried into evidence. Many of these cases have more than one firearm associated with them and the total number of electronically inventoried firearms is approaching 2,000. The existing long gun storage racks are currently configured in a manner which does not allow for the maximum number of long guns to be stored on the existing shelving and the area is compressed by the only two bulk item storage racks in the facility. Also, due to the configuration of the evidence vault, there is no designated space for the handguns to be stored and the property room staff has had to combine handgun storage with the drug storage.
Re-configuring the evidence vault by relocating the bulk storage racks to the main storage area will create the space needed to expand and re-configure the long gun storage to more than double the current capacity. This adjustment will also provide for a space where designated storage for more than 1,170 handguns can be added that will allow the property room staff to properly separate the firearms from the drug storage. The relocated bulk storage racks would then be installed in the main storage area along with additional bulk storage racks. This relocation and addition would allow for the property room staff to properly inventory and store the current bulk items off of the floor while providing for additional space to be used as the total number of items increases over time.
Ellis Systems is the sole source provider for these storage units and was the provider for the original storage units in evidence, thus allowing the new units to interface with the old.
This project was the result of a 2020 approved Decision Package, however, this project was delayed due to COVID 19 budget restrictions. We are moving forward now since the funds are being secured through the asset forfeiture accounts.
The funds for this project, totaling $33,536.00 will be made available via budget amendment from the Aurora Police Department’s asset forfeiture account, more specifically account 256-3536-421.61-41.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
Approval of this evidence storage reconfiguration and expansion will provide the needed materials to properly inventory, store, and manage current and future items of evidence in the Aurora Police Department’s evidence storage facility. All of which is required by both State and Federal Laws.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
I would recommend the Finance Committee approve the purchase of additional shelving systems for long term storage from Ellis Systems, 490 W. North Frontage Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440, the sole source provider for these storage units, for the Aurora Police Department.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution to accept quotes from Ellis Systems (Woltergroup, LLC), 490 W. North Frontage Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440 to purchase handgun storage expansion shelving, long gun expansion shelving, reconfiguration shelving, and bulk storage expansion and reconfiguration for the Aurora Police Department.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, The Aurora Police Department desires to purchase storage units to increase storage space for handgun, long gun and bulk storage in our evidence storage unit. This purchase would include the installation and reconfiguration of the long term evidence storage vaults; and
WHEREAS, Quotes from Ellis Systems indicating the total cost of the storage units, reconfiguration and installation totals $33,536.00. Ellis Systems (Woltergroup, LLC) 490 W. North Frontage Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440 is the sole source provider for these storage systems which will interface with current storage systems already in use; and
WHEREAS, in accordance with City of Aurora Code of Ordinances, Section 2-335 (a) (3), the product or service desired is provided by only one (1) source; and
WHEREAS, A budget amendment will be submitted for the 2021 purchase to the Aurora Police Department’s asset forfeiture account 256-3536-421.61.41; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: to grant authorization to purchase storage units, reconfiguration and installation from Ellis Systems, 490 W. North Frontage Rd, Bolingbrook, IL 60440 for the Aurora Police Department and for the Director of Purchasing to issue necessary orders.