Agenda - Council Work Session - 06/23/2015

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CC Work Session 2. 1. Meeting Date: 06/23/2015 Information Title: Discussion Regarding the Crime Prevention Specialist Position in the Police Department Purpose/Background: The purpose of this discussion is to request the City Council's consideration of a staff position to address the City's long-term crime prevention and community -orientated policing needs. Due to a recent staffing resignation in the police department, we will not have a crime prevention specialist after July 1, 2015. In the short-term the Police Chief will assign a patrol officer to fill the crime prevention position so the City can continue to provide effective crime prevention, education, and community -orientated policing services to the community. Long-term, the Police Chief recommends filling the vacant crime prevention with a licensed police officer position. This would give the Police Department more flexibility in the deployment of the individual, and would require the hiring of a police officer for the 2016 budget. The difference in cost for a crime prevention specialist at beginning pay scale and top pay scale in comparison to the salary of a starting police officer are attached. The Council has the options of not filling the position, delaying the position hiring, keeping the position as a non -sworn officer position, or hiring a sworn officer for this position as recommended. The rationale for hiring the position is attached, along with a budget projection of the next five years based upon a sworn versus non -sworn position. It is believed that the additional functionality of a sworn position is worth the additional cost. Having an additional sworn officer will allow the City an additional person that can fill a police officers role as necessary (i.e., absences due to sickness and injury), and, consequently, will delay the need to hire additional sworn officers for a period of time. Timeframe: 10 to 30 minutes. Funding Source: The 2015 General Fund budget included $74,209 for the position of the Crime Prevention Specialist. Approximately 50% or $37,100 savings will be retained with the position being vacated as of July 1, 2015. The respective 2016 budget impacts for a Crime Prevention Specialist or a Patrol Officer are itemized in the attachment. Responsible Party(ies): Jeff Katers, Police Chief, in cooperation with Colleen Lasher, Human Resources Manager. Outcome: City Council consensus for staff to conduct recruitment for a sworn officer, crime prevention specialist. Attachments Crime Prevention Refill Cost Analysis 2