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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 6992 11 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 6992 Hof 4oAr,�a To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Subject: PIPELINE PROPOSAL FOR FILLING POLICE CIVIL SERVICE VACANCIES 007S Background During the Decerber 4, 1984 City Council meeting, several questions were raised regarding police staffing and the Council's goal of maintaining police manpower at authorized strength levels. In order to respond to these questions it is necessary to review the current method of filling vacancies and the resulting projection of strength levels. Budgeting for and Filling Vacancies The current method of filling vacancies calculates the number of trainees needed to end the fiscal year with zero vacancies and budgets that number of trainees. For example, in fiscal year 1984-85, two classes of thirty recruits are budgeted to end the year with an actual strength of 807 civil service employees. Using this method, vacancy levels fluctuate and throughout the year rarely reach the authorized level until late in the fiscal year. 001Z In fiscal year 1984-85, the department projects an average of twenty- eight vacancies per month ranging from a high of 53 in February, 1985 to a low of fourteen in September, 1985. These projections assume three resignations per month and thirty employees retiring throughout the year. The number of projected vacancies in Septeuber, 1985, falls short of the target established during the City Council's budget study sessions. The number of anticipated vacancies at fiscal year-end has increased over previous projections because of the slight increase in retirees (ten more than budgeted) and an unexpectedly high number of resignations through the first three months of the current fiscal year. Field Training Officers When new police officers graduate from the Training Academy they must spend an additional sixteen weeks in the Field Training Program riding with veteran officers. Although these officers are on the payroll during this sixteen week period, the departnw--nt considers the positions untitled since the new officers cannot be deployed to work solo in the field. This deployment lag time distorts the number of officers actually available for patrol. and increases the projected vacancy figures to a high of 84 in February, 1985 and a low of fourteen in September, 1985. Police Department Proposal In order to eventually eliminate the deployment lag the Police Depart- ment has requested to fill vacant civil service positions by imple- menting a "pipeline" approach. This long-term strategy would require an L-ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 6992 - Page 2 Hof 4atrr��� To the Mayor and Members of the City Council rXP Subject: PIPELINE PROPOSAL FOR FILLING POLICE CIVIL SERVICE VACANCIES create a surplus pool of available trained personnel. The "pipeline" approach would result in full authorized strength at all times, and the possibility of authorized average positions immediately following the graduation of each class from the Training Academy. This proposal can be fully implemented by the beginning of the 1986--87 fiscal year, if the department is allowed to add a training class of thirty recruits in August, 1985, and budget for two more classes of thirty recruits during the 1985-86 budget process. The attached charts show the projected vacancy rates through 1986-87. These projected vacancy rates assume the turnover rate will remain at five per month and the authorized strength level will remain at 807. IEElementation Cost The cost of an additional training class of thirty recruits in August, 1985, will total approximately $200,000 for the first eight weeks and approximately $105,000 in fiscal 1985-86 for the remaining eight weeks of training. 0ow- The two training classes of thirty recruits each in 1985-86 will cost approximately $640,000. This amount assumes a five percent increase over the current cost of training sixty recruits. Policy Options There are several policy options available to the City Council in response to the Police Department's request to implement a "pipeline" approach; these options are briefly discussed below. Option I - Approve the "pipeline" approach requested by the Police Department and direct staff to begin an additional class in August, 1985, which will be partially funded from salary savings. Factor the additional funds needed for this class in the 1985-86 budget and provide funds for two training classes of thirty each in the same fiscal year. Option II - Authorize the additional training class of thirty recruits to begin in August, 1985, but disapprove the "pipeline" approach until a more detailed study is completed. Option III- Do not authorize any additional recruit classes in the 1984-85 fiscal year, but consider the Police Department needs during the upociming budget process. -ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 6992 - Page 3 a "o, T Sot To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Subject: PIPELINE PROPOSAL FOR FILLING POLICE CIVIL SERVICE VACANCIES In light of the increase in several categories of major crimes, the staff favors Option II. The Police Department's report to Councilman Lancaster on service delivery in District 4 stated that a departmental strategic planning process is in its early stages. The process should be used extensively in developing a police staffing policy. The "Officers per Thousand" population statistic cited in the same report as the basis for increased staffing serves as only one important ingredient in determining staffing needs. The Police Department, like most other City departments, must face the problems associated with continued population growth and steps should be taken now to develop a more "localized" methodology to examine police officer deployment throughout the City. Flor example, the process for determining fire station locations takes into account such factors as population, types of structures, geography, the existing street system, and response time. It is possible that a coTparable system could be developed for the Police Department usingsimilar types of data. Cption II would permit adding thirty recruits in August, 1985, but would delay the decision on the "pipeline" approach until staff has had time to study a local methodology for police officer deployment. Additional information will be provided upon request. Vernell Sturns Acting City Manager VS:jcn Attachment ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS