HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC AG PKT 2002-09-23 #U AGENDA REPORT
DATE: September 23, 2002
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THRU: John B. Bahorski, City Manager
FROM: Michael F. Sellers, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: Reallocating funds for Vacant Police Officer position funded by
Supplemental Law Enforcement Funds
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
It is requested that the City Council approve converting Supplemental Law Enforcement
Funds to fund an officer to backfill for overtime pay. Doing so will fill the existing
vacancy created by the resignation of one of our patrol officers who served in a patrol
position established and funded under Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Grant.
This position is currently vacant due to hiring freezes put into effect during the
2002/2003 budget hearings.
BACKGROUND:
In fiscal year 2000/01 the City Council authorized the addition of a patrol officer position
that was funded by the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund (State COPS).
This position remained funded until the officer resigned to take a position with another
law enforcement agency this past June. The position remains vacant due to the hiring
freeze in place at Council direction. Because this position was funded with this grant,
staff is requesting to backfill the position using overtime that would be funded from the
remaining grant funds. A review of Finance Department records revealed that there is a
balance of $76,547 remaining in this fund which is sufficient to continue the use of
backfill overtime for the rest of fiscal year 2002/03. On June 10, 2002, the City Council
voted to approve continuing this position if monies were approved in the State budget.
Staff is recommending this strategy until such time as a staffing analysis for the Police
Department can be completed. This study will take a few months to complete and will
provide the City Council the ability to evaluate the police service levels they desire for
the Police Department.
Backfilling the State COPS grant position through overtime will in essence provide a
short-term solution for a patrol shortage without placing a new employee in a potentially
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temporary position. This will also allow the Police Department to spread the workload of
this position throughout the Department with minimum disruption to productivity levels.
In a recent meeting, the Orange County Sheriff's Department's Oversight Committee
discussed the circumstances of our City losing the officer in this position and agreed to
allow the funds to continue to be used as long as the original patrol officer position that
was created with the SLESF continues to be utilized.
It is important to note that another officer is leaving the end of September and several
other officers are off and unavailable for patrol deployment. The backfilling of this
particular vacancy now will help offset field shortages and officer initiated activity.
FISCAL IMPACT:
These funds were approved in the 2001 /02 fiscal year and monies are available for its
use.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council approve backfilling the vacancy that exists for
the California State COPS patrol position, utilizing existing monies that were granted to
the City through this grant.
Submitted by:
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Michael F. Sellers, Chief o olice
NO : A R 0 . PPRO -
4, 4 4 i .,
,.! B.: ahorski, City Manager
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