cf-police staffing audit 11-18-08

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Office of the City Manager INFORMATION CALENDAR November 18, 2008 To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council From: Phil Kamlarz, City Manager Submitted by: Douglas N. Hambleton, Chief of Police Subject: Status Report – Police Staffing Audit INTRODUCTION The Auditor’s Office presented the Police Staffing Audit report to City Council on April 30, 2002. The purpose of the audit was to: • Determine if Community Service Officers (CSOs) could perform tasks currently performed by sworn Berkeley Police Officers on a temporary or long–term basis to alleviate the sworn police staffing shortage. • Determine if a civilian could effectively perform specific tasks currently held by five sworn Berkeley Police officers. The complete Police Staffing audit report can be found on the City’s website at: http://www.cityofberkeley.info/auditor/currentaudits.htm. This report provides an update on the status of the implementation of recommendations previously reported as not having yet been fully implemented. To date 6 of the 11 audit recommendations have been fully implemented 1 has been partially implemented and 4 have not been implemented. Previous status reports were provided to City Council on March 25, 2003, June 14, 2005, and June 13, 2006. The City Manager will provide the next status report to City Council by May 2011. CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS This information item summarizes the status of the pending audit recommendations. ...

Informations

• Publié par: Kunum
• Nombre de lectures: 10
• Langue: English

Extrait

Office of the City Manager

2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 ● Tel: [phone] ● TDD: [phone] ● Fax: [phone]

E-Mail:

[e-mail]

Website:

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/manager

INFORMATION CALENDAR

November 18, 2008

To:

Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

From:

Phil Kamlarz, City Manager

Submitted by:

Douglas N. Hambleton, Chief of Police

Subject:

Status Report–Police Staffing Audit

INTRODUCTION

The Auditor’s Office presented the Police Staffing Audit report to City Council on April

30, 2002. The purpose of the audit was to:

•

Determine if Community Service Officers (CSOs) could perform tasks currently

performed by sworn Berkeley Police Officers on a temporary or long–term basis to

alleviate the sworn police staffing shortage.

•

Determine if a civilian could effectively perform specific tasks currently held by

five sworn Berkeley Police officers.

The complete Police Staffing audit report can be found on the City’s website at:

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/auditor/currentaudits.htm

.

This report provides an update on the status of the implementation of recommendations

previously reported as not having yet been fully implemented. To date 6 of the 11 audit

recommendations have been fully implemented 1 has been partially implemented and 4

have not been implemented. Previous status reports were provided to City Council on

March 25, 2003, June 14, 2005, and June 13, 2006. The City Manager will provide the

next status report to City Council by May 2011.

CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS

This information item summarizes the status of the pending audit recommendations.

Finding 1:

Recruitment of Community Service Officers (CSO)

Auditor’s Recommendation

: The Police Department should open a recruitment for

Community Service Officers. The number to be hired, and the decision as to whether to

hire them as temporary, or as permanent employees, should be made by the City

Manager after joint evaluations are prepared by Human Resources, the Police

Department, and the Budget Office.

Status Report–Police Staffing Audit

INFORMATION CALENDAR

November 18, 2008

Page 2

We recommend that once additional CSOs are hired, and after a reasonable period of

time, perhaps two years, the use of CSOs be evaluated to determine whether they were

used effectively by the Police Department. We further recommend that after the two-

year period the number of CSOs to be hired or maintained be evaluated to optimize

their effective integration into the Police Department.

City Manager’s Response:

Not Implemented.

Since the Police Staffing Audit was

issued, the City has endured a significant economic downturn.

There has been a

serious reduction in sworn officer positions (204 to 187), and there have not been funds

to hire additional Community Service Officers. Staff continues to evaluate the use of

CSOs in all new tasks and will consider additional CSOs when the budget allows. The

police are up to strength with sworn officers and there is no salary saving that could be

used to hire CSOs on a temporary basis. Considering the current conditions, staff does

not anticipate many opportunities to increase the number of CSOs in the foreseeable

future.

The Police Department does recognize that CSOs are a valuable asset to support their

operation.

Over the past few months a vacant Office Specialist II position was

converted to a new CSO position assigned to the property room.

Finding 3:

Administrative Work Assignment/Restructuring Study

Auditor’s Recommendation

: Work with Human Resources and the Budget Office to

review job descriptions and tasks performed throughout the department, in order to

target areas, including those that extend beyond the five positions under review, where

work may be assigned more appropriately and more economically.

City Manager’s Response:

Partially Implemented.

Since July 2002, the Police

Department has evaluated a number of positions and completed the following

conversions:

♦

July 2002: A non-sworn Senior Budget Specialist was assigned to the

Department, filling a vacant Senior Management Analyst position. The Senior

Budget Specialist handled many of the Department’s business functions.

♦

January 2003: Information Technology Department staff replaced the Support

Services Lieutenant who managed the Police Department’s computer systems

(other management duties were reassigned).

♦

October 2003: A non-sworn Crime Scene Supervisor replaced the Sergeant’s

position that supervised the Crime Scene Unit.

♦

October 2006: A non-sworn Crime Analyst replaced the retired Police Officers

who were providing statistical and data analysis services.

Status Report–Police Staffing Audit

INFORMATION CALENDAR

November 18, 2008

Page 3

♦

January 2007: A non-sworn Public Safety Business Manager replaced the

Lieutenant and Senior Budget Specialist who were providing financial

administration.

♦

September 2007: A non-sworn Assistant Management Analyst was assigned to

augment the Public Safety Business Manager’s replacement of the Lieutenant

and Senior Budget Specialist.

♦

September 2008: A vacant Office Specialist II position was converted to a

Community Service Officer to be assigned to the property room to assist in the

processing of property and evidence, including evidence in narcotics cases.

The Business Manager continues assessment of Police Department task and job

descriptions to determine possible changes for efficient and cost-effective staffing. As

part of the biannual budget process, the Business Manager will work with Human

Resources and the Budget Office to evaluate the addition of CSOs and the

civilianization of other positions within budget constraints and considering service

needs.

Finding 4:

Create and Empower a Civilian Business Manager

Auditor’s Recommendation:

Recommend that the City Manager strongly consider

creating a civilian Business Manager position, to report directly to the Chief of Police. A

skilled business manager could take lead responsibility for ensuring the implementation

of many of the recommendations contained in this report. Making a direct report to the

Chief could send a strong message that civilians with specialized skills are highly

valued.

City Manager’s Response:

Implemented

The position of civilian Public Safety

Business Manager was filled in January 2007 and is responsible for the Police

Department programmatic financial and budgetary control and completion of financial

forecasting and analysis reports for the Police Chief and Division Commanders. The

classification is characterized by the responsibility to create and develop financial tools

and business strategies to support implementation of entrepreneurial activities and

business plans. She tracks major projects and timelines, conducts staff studies and

research projects, and participates as a member of the management team in overall

departmental management, financial planning and research.

A new Assistant Management Analyst was hired to report to the Public Safety Business

Manager.

This position is responsible for maintaining the department’s false alarm

billing program, contract files and asset seizure accounts.

Finding 7:

Communications Center: Preparing to Civilianize

Auditor’s Recommendation:

The Department should prepare to

civilianize the

Communications Center management with a skilled, experienced, non-sworn employee.

Status Report–Police Staffing Audit

INFORMATION CALENDAR

November 18, 2008

Page 4

As a first step, work with Human Resources to clarify the skills, knowledge, and abilities

needed for the position.

In order to facilitate potential hiring from within, the two departments should consider

whether changes should be made to job duties and responsibilities in order to provide

more opportunities for growth, and should explore a program of non-sworn staff training.

In order to address perceived problems with patrol officers and their sergeants, this

employee should report to a high-level police department manager, possibly a civilian

business manager, and be fully empowered to monitor and resolve dispatcher and

patrol officer conflict.

City Manager’s Response:

Not Implemented

. The Police Department is in the

process of installing the new public safety computer system.

The new hardware and

software provides a completely new communications and records management system.

The current Communications Center manager should not be changed during this

system update. Since this audit was conducted, the duties for the lieutenant assigned

to the communications center have been expanded to include management oversight

for the property room, and the crime scene unit.

Changing the management structure

of the communications center under the current circumstances is not prudent.

Finding 9: Police Department Injuries/Lost Time

Auditor’s Recommendation

:

Information Technology should provide the Police

Department with improved Lost Time Reports, and provide access to the Police payroll

clerks so that Police Management can better utilize this information.

Human Resources should provide Police Department management, as well as the City

Manager and other Department Directors, the analytical reports needed to identify

specific areas and types of injuries which are contributing to lost time due to sick leave

and workers’ compensation.

The Police Chief should ensure that Police managers review these reports, compare

their results with divisions in other departments in the City, and take action to reduce

lost time.

Human Resources should also conduct training for all Police Department supervisors in

steps management can take to minimize workplace injuries and excessive use of sick

leave and workers’ compensation leave.

City Manager’s Response:

Implemented.

O

n

A

p

r

i

l

1

6

th

, 2008, the City Auditor’s

Office released a new revised Lost Time Report as a tool to help departments monitor

lost work time. Departments can now identify and address any attendance problems

found.

These reports are based on data in the FUND$ payroll module, and are

currently provided to all departments by Payroll Audit in hard copy once a month.

Status Report–Police Staffing Audit

INFORMATION CALENDAR

November 18, 2008

Page 5

Police Management, as well as payroll clerks, have access to the report for their

department and can also transfer the payroll data to an Excel spreadsheet and provide

customized reports, provided that only data from the payroll system is required.

Human Resources works with departments to reduce workplace injuries and worker’s

compensation leave through a citywide safety committee and safety committees in

individual departments, including the Police Department. The HR Occupation Health

and Safety Coordinator serves on the police safety committee and assists with the

analysis of injuries. This is an expansion on the initial training he provided in late 2002

to police supervisors on the steps for investigating, documenting and minimizing

workplace injuries. The number of indemnity and medical only claims filed by Police

Department employees has decreased by 11 cases from the third quarter of Fiscal Year

2006 to the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2008 and this trend is in keeping with the

gradual decline in claim volume over the past several years. The Human Resources

Department Workers’ Compensation Analyst advises police management on the status

of active workers’ compensation cases so that the Police Department is aware of the

status of its injured personnel. The Occupational Health and Safety Coordinator has

begun producing reports for the Police Chief and management staff on the occurrence

and causation of industrial injuries.

The work performed by sworn Police Officers, non-sworn Police Community Service

Officers staffing the jail and non-sworn Parking Enforcement Officers is hazardous.

Sworn Police Officers have to make forcible arrests and frequently deal with the public

in hostile and emotionally charged circumstances. Community Service Officers have to

be able to control prisoners in the jail and are exposed to a variety of potentially

hazardous conditions. Parking Enforcement Officers operate on congested streets and

are constantly moving about their vehicles enforcing traffic regulations in sometimes

difficult and emotionally charged circumstances.

The nature of this work is not

sedentary and results in work related injuries. Through training and education the City

has taken strides to reduce the incidence and costs of these injuries.

Workers’ compensation benefits for employees are governed by statute. Sworn Police

Officers are entitled, under California Labor Code Section 4850, to a one-year leave of

absence without loss of salary for the period of the disability.

Because of this

entitlement, a sworn Police Officer may be off work for a significant period recovering

from an industrial injury. A sworn Police Officer may also be off for up to one year as

provided in Labor Code Section 4850 even if the Police Officer will not return to work.

Police commanders review lost time reports, compare them to other City Departments

and take corrective action when needed. The department has a sick time monitoring

program that is initiated when appropriate to deal with excessive use of sick leave.

Through the Labor Relations Coordinating Committee Human Resources and the City

Attorney’s Office work with police managers on discipline issues related to the excessive

use of sick leave

Status Report–Police Staffing Audit

INFORMATION CALENDAR

November 18, 2008

Page 6

Staff believes that the reports that are now available through the efforts of the Auditor’s

Office along with the participation of the Occupation Health and Safety Coordinator and

Workers Compensation Analyst in the review of injury reports and our other current

practices are sufficient to satisfy this recommendation.

FUTURE ACTION

As part of the biannual budgeting process, police management, including the Public

Safety Business Manager, will continue to evaluate the use of non-sworn positions for

improving the effectiveness and efficiency of operations.

Staff will report back to the City Council by May 2011 on this topic. That report will

cover the use of CSOs and the general issue of civilianization within the Police

Department rather than continuing to cover each of the specific recommendations from

the 2002 audit.

FISCAL IMPACTS OF POSSIBLE FUTURE ACTION

Since there are no current plans the future fiscal impacts are unknown.

CONTACT PERSON

Douglas N. Hambleton, Chief of Police, 981-5700

David W. Hodgkins, Director of Human Resources, 981-6800