The purpose of this Mayor and Council Communication (M&C) is to adopt an ordinance to reduce the Police Department's authorized staffing levels by seventeen positions in the classification (rank) of Police Officer. These positions were among those added with the intention of providing additional positions on a temporary basis. These "overage" positions were primarily for the purpose of accommodating academy graduates when there were insufficient vacant officer positions due to lower-than-projected attrition and promotion rates and accelerated recruit-and-training schedules associated with staffing the sixth patrol division. Sufficient attrition has now occurred that some of the authorized overages are no longer required. On August 1, August 29, and December 9, 2017, the City Council adopted Staffing Ordinances 22813-08-2017, 22856-08-2017, and 23008-12-2017 to increase the authorized positions in the Police Officer rank by a combined total of ninety-four (94) in order to accommodate Police Recruit Classes 142, 143, and 144. Combined with attrition-and-promotion vacancies, the overage positions provided more than sufficient positions for placement of cadets graduating from Class 145 in April 2018.
As noted above, the accelerated recruitment and training schedules were largely due to creation of the sixth patrol division. The staffing ordinance adopted in connection with the approved Fiscal Year 2018 Budget (Ordinance 22942-09-2017; M&C G-19054), increased the number of positions in the classification of Corporal/Detective by ten (10), increased the number of positions in the classification of Sergeant by eleven (11), increased the number of positions in the classification of Lieutenant by two (2), and increased the number of positions in the classification of Captain by one (1) for the last phase of staffing for the sixth division.
Although the adopted budget also approved five additional positions in the classification of Police Officer (three for the sixth division and two additional School Resource Officers), additional Police Officer positions were not included in Ordinance 22942-09-2017. Instead the five budgeted "permanent" Police Officer positions offset the ninety-four (94) overage positions described above, leaving a balance of eighty-nine (89) overage positions that are planned to be eliminated once promotional testing and lists are brought current and other anticipated retirements and attrition occur. The attached ordinance takes the first step by reducing authorized overage positions from eighty-nine (89) to seventy-two (72).
Approval of the attached ordinance would result in new authorized staffing levels, to be effective immediately, as follows:
Position | Current Authorized Positions | Change | Revised Authorized Positions | Remaining Temporarily Authorized Positions | Future Intended Authorized Strength | Assistant Chief | 3 | | 3 | | 3 | Deputy Chief | 5 | | 5 | | 5 | Commander | 6 |
| 6 | | 6 | Captain | 17 | | 17 | | 17 | Lieutenant | 50 | | 50 | | 50 | Sergeant | 184 | | 184 | | 184 | Corporal/Detective | 241 | | 241 | | 241 | Police Officer | 1,253 | -17 | 1,236 | (72) | 1,164 | TOTAL | 1,759 | | 1,742 | (72) | 1,670 |
NOTE - The position changes at issue in this M&C and ordinance do not in any way affect the civil service positions that were added with the receipt of the COPS Hiring Program Grant (M&C C-27135).
This M&C does not request approval of a contract with a business entity. |