2A Work Session 2008 1013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Identifying Scenarios by B"EST AND WORST CASE SCENARIOS In identifying the best and worst case scenarios for each division we examined many different factors. The primary emphasis was placed on the historical crime rates the department has experienced and our ability to effectively combat it. We also factored into our decision the needs and expectations of the community and City government, as well as the services we feel would ensure the safest community possible. The final factor that impacts all of the planning is the funding required to increase staffing levels and update/improve equipment over the next three years. A. Patrol Division Best Case Scenario would increase staffing by eight officer and one sergeant positions. The following is the breakdown of where the staffing would be deployed: 1. There are currently three crews during the week that have six officers assigned, leaving one beat void for minimal amounts of time during the day. We would like to add one officer to each of those crews to fully staff all of the beats 24 hours a day. This would also allow officers to work smaller geographical areas, provide a higher visibility to citizens and improve on response times. 2. There are currently three officers and a sergeant assigned to the TAC Unit, allowing them to only provide coverage on selected days of the week. We would like to add three more officers and a sergeant to the unit. By enhancing the size of the unit it would allow for seven day a week coverage and concentrated gang enforcement duties. 3. Our current vacation relief pool consists of four officers who provide coverage for officers on vacation for one week or longer. We do not have any positions to fill in for officers who are off due to injury, illness, or training classes. Our most recent studies have shown that we generally operate well below our allotted strength, and must rely on overtime to staff the shortages. By adding one officer position to the vacation relief pool we could provide the replacement for many of these overtime funded schedule voids. 4. We would like to create a new walking beat officer for the downtown area. During the past several years there have been numerous requests made to establish such a position in the downtown area from local businesses. The walking beat officer would create a stronger feeling of safety for patrons in the area, as well as enhance a stronger partnership with the business community. 5. The added staffing would require the addition of one new TAC vehicle and two new patrol vehicles to the fleet. Two of the new vehicles would be equipped with the plate reader technology. The current watch commander or patrol sergeant vehicle would be replaced with a more versatile type of vehicle, capable of storing more equipment to be deployed at a critical incident. 6. Providing more advanced training class opportunities for the field training officers would allow us to improve our Field Training Program. These classes would provide more expertise to the training officers, allowing them to share those skills with our new hires. B. Patrol Division Worst Case Scenario would be dictated by several different financial measures that could negatively impact City finances, and subsequently the department budget. The information in this document is based on two different sets of potential reductions that ranged from 2.5 and 4.1 million dollars from the police budget. The majority of the cuts would be absorbed by divisions other than the Patrol Division. The following is a list of the proposed reductions in the patrol staffing: 1. Eliminate the TAC Unit. This will severely impact the Patrol Division's ability to work specialized areas or to address specific problems within the city. It will also 13