Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Public Safety Committee met on February 18, 2014, at 1:00 p.m., with Peggy Henson presiding. The committee addressed six agenda items during the meeting, taking nine votes and hearing seven public comments.

The committee approved the meeting summary and the items in committee. However, four substantive agenda items were deferred: the Division of Police Home Fleet Policy Update, the Division of Police Staffing matter, the Additional Fire Stations Report, and the Outsourcing of Fire Building Maintenance Budget Link. These deferrals indicate that further discussion or information was needed before the committee could take action on these public safety matters.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on February 18, 2014:

• Peggy Henson
• Kevin Stinnett
• Chuck Ellinger
• Shevawn Akers
• Diane Lawless
• Bill Farmer
• George Myers
• Jennifer Mossotti
• Harry Clarke
• Ed Lane
• Hilary Angelucci

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The following motions were voted on and passed by voice vote 5:30:

Approval of Previous Meeting Summary Motion by Peggy Henson to approve the summary of the previous meeting passed.

Town Branch FOP Lodge 83 Presentation Motion by Chuck Ellinger, seconded by Scutchfield, to allow the Town Branch FOP Lodge 83 to present on staffing levels and inmate-to-officer ratio passed.

Safety Vests Purchase Motion by Jennifer Mossotti, seconded by George Myers, to use remaining surplus from the general fund to purchase ten safety vests for officers who transport inmates passed.

Community Corrections Staffing Review Motion by Jennifer Mossotti, seconded by Scutchfield, to keep the Community Corrections staffing issue in committee for further review passed.

Removal of Items from Committee List Four motions to remove items from the list of Items in Committee were approved:

• Motion by Shevawn Akers, seconded by Bill Farmer, to remove Project Life Saver passed.
• Motion by Bill Farmer, seconded by Shevawn Akers, to remove Smart 911 passed.
• Motion by Shevawn Akers, seconded by Bill Farmer, to remove DEM Emergency Preparedness passed.
• Motion by Harry Clarke, seconded by Chuck Ellinger, to remove E911 Structural Imbalance passed.

Adjournment Motion by Shevawn Akers, seconded by Bill Farmer, to adjourn the meeting passed.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included two significant financial allocations for fire station improvements:

Fire Station Design and Replacement

An appropriation of $100,000 was approved for the design phase of replacing Fire Station 2 and beginning the design phase of Station 24.

Fire Station Restroom Renovation

A contract valued at $300,000 was approved for the renovation of fire station restroom facilities. This work will be performed by outside contractors.

Public Comment

Seven public comments were presented during the meeting, addressing concerns related to fleet policy, police staffing, and fire department facilities.

Home Fleet Policy Update Kevin Stinnett [0:07:09] expressed concern about the timeline for finalizing the Home Fleet Policy amendment and requested data on potential cost savings from the proposed policy change.

Police Staffing Levels Diane Lawless [0:25:24] emphasized the critical need to increase police staffing, noting that the department is currently 51 officers short of authorized strength and that the existing force is overburdened with complex, high-risk crime.

Fire Station Expansion and Building Maintenance Shevawn Akers [0:51:31] praised the forward-thinking fire station expansion plan but questioned the cost estimates for land acquisition and design, noting the need for a more detailed analysis.

Fire Station Construction Costs Harry Clarke [0:49:15] questioned the significant cost difference between Fire Station 2 and other new stations, seeking clarification on the additional expenses.

Fire Department Facilities Maintenance Ed Lane [1:14:12] questioned whether a condition assessment of fire stations had been conducted and whether the current maintenance system was cost-effective.

Work Order Tracking and Maintenance Costs Shevawn Akers [1:22:51] inquired about the current process for reporting and tracking maintenance work orders and whether costs were being tracked per station.

Fire Station Training Tower Harry Clarke [1:26:34] asked whether the training tower was included in the $15 million construction budget. The chief confirmed it was not included in that budget.

Contested Items

Police Staffing Levels and Response Capacity

Council members were divided on the question of whether to increase police staffing quickly despite declining arrest numbers. Some council members emphasized the complexity of modern crime and argued for increased staffing capacity, while others questioned whether growth in staffing levels was necessary given the downward trend in arrests. The disagreement resulted in a split vote, indicating that the council could not reach consensus on this personnel and budget matter.

Fire Station Expansion and Maintenance Costs

A heated discussion emerged regarding the allocation of resources between constructing new fire stations and maintaining existing facilities. Council members debated the cost implications of expansion efforts against the practical challenges of maintaining current infrastructure. Concerns were raised about the feasibility of current maintenance staffing levels and the need for a formal condition assessment of existing fire stations before committing to new construction. This disagreement reflected broader questions about capital investment priorities and operational sustainability.

Approval of Summary

The summary of the previous meeting was presented for approval. Peggy Henson led this agenda item 5:30.

The summary was approved without dissent from the body.

The meeting began at 1:30 PM due to a State of the Merged Government Address.

Division of Police, Home Fleet Policy Update

Jamie Amos presented an update on the Home Fleet Policy during this agenda item 6:06.

Key Points Discussed

The presentation focused on ongoing discussions regarding the Home Fleet Policy and the need to balance contract goals with officer flexibility. Amos noted that negotiations were continuing with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) as the department worked to finalize the policy framework.

Outcome

The agenda item was deferred, with a final proposal expected to be presented at the March 11 meeting.

Division of Police, Staffing

The Chief presented a strategic staffing adjustment plan addressing operational challenges within the Division of Police 8:50.

Presentation Overview

The Chief outlined a staffing proposal focused on addressing growing call volumes in the East and West sectors. The plan cited increased heroin-related incidents and complex crime as drivers for the staffing needs.

Proposed Plan

The staffing adjustment plan proposes adding beat officers over a four-year period. The plan also recommends against establishing a fourth patrol sector, citing cost considerations as the primary factor in this decision.

Outcome

The agenda item was deferred, meaning no final decision was made at this meeting and the matter was postponed for future consideration.

Additional Fire Stations Report

Assistant Chief Hoskins presented a long-term plan for expanding fire station capacity in the city 43:44. The proposal outlined the construction of four new fire stations to serve the Masterson Station, Polo Club, and Hayes Boulevard areas.

Proposed Plan Details

The plan includes a phased construction schedule spanning 2015 through 2019. The project encompasses land acquisition, facility design, and staffing considerations for the new stations.

Outcome

The agenda item was deferred, meaning the proposal was not acted upon at this meeting and will be revisited at a future date.

Outsourcing of Fire Building Maintenance Budget Link

53:06

The fire department's building maintenance operations were presented for discussion. The current maintenance staff consists of three civilian employees and one sworn supervisor.

Key Speakers: - John Shee - Captain King

Presentation and Discussion:

The presentation focused on the department's building maintenance operations and their current staffing structure. The discussion examined the existing workforce dedicated to maintaining fire department facilities.

Concerns Raised:

Concerns were raised regarding the sustainability of the current staffing levels for building maintenance operations. Participants identified the need for a comprehensive condition assessment of fire department buildings and the development of a long-term maintenance plan to address ongoing facility needs.

Outcome:

The agenda item was deferred, meaning the discussion was postponed and the matter was not resolved during this meeting.

Items in Committee

Several items were removed from the committee list during this discussion. The items removed included:

• Project Life Saver
• Smart 911
• DEM Emergency Preparedness
• E911 Structural Imbalance

Key speakers on this agenda item included Shevawn Akers, Bill Farmer, and Harry Clarke.

Following the discussion of these committee items, a motion to adjourn the meeting was passed, and the meeting was adjourned.