AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: December 5, 2023
Item Number:
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Mark Stainbrook, Chief of Police
Shelley Ovrom, Director of Human Resources
Subject: FIRST PUBLIC MEETING TO SOLICIT PUBLIC INPUT FOR THE MODIFICATION OF ARTICLE 4 – SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT – OF THE
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF
BEVERLY HILLS AND THE BEVERLY HILLS POLICE OFFICERS’
ASSOCIATION
Attachments: None
RECOMMENDATION
The Council receives public comment related to the modification of article 4 – Special Assignment – of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Beverly Hills and the Beverly Hills Police Officers’ Association (POA).
INTRODUCTION
On May 24, 2022, the City Council approved the formation of the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) Mental Health Evaluation Team (MHET). Through this program the BHPD and Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) partnered to establish a BHPD Mental Health Evaluation Team (MHET) to provide outreach to community members struggling with mental illness.
DISCUSSION
BHPD MHET provides mental health support, field crisis intervention, and appropriate psychiatric placement in situations involving contact with persons suffering from mental illness. The team consists of two Police Officers and two Los Angeles County Licensed Clinical Social Workers. The goal of this co-response model is to provide comprehensive alternatives for mental health assistance and options other than incarceration for severely mentally ill persons, and to reduce incidents of use of force. MHET also attends and provides training for de-escalation, crisis negotiations during major incidents, averting use of force and reducing incarceration of mentally ill persons.
Meeting Date: December 5, 2023
By assigning dedicated police personnel to the MHET, other police resources are freed up to respond to other emergency calls. The DMH clinicians are partnered with a sworn Police Officer and combined provide a mental health response team five days a week/10 hours a day.
In order to attract interest among Police Officers of the department eligible to apply for the MHET assignment, the Chief of Police recommends a 5.5% bonus pay for Officers selected for the assignment. Special Assignment pay is offered to recognize and compensate employees for taking on specific duties and responsibilities that go beyond their standard duties. These assignments often require additional training, expertise, or involve increased risks, and they play a crucial role in enhancing public safety and maintaining law and order in the community.
Inclusion of MHET as a Special Assignment with an assignment pay of 5.5% in the Memorandum of Understanding between the City and POA requires amending article 4 – Special Assignment of the MOU. The City Council follows a process set forth in the City Ordinance (Title 2, Chapter 5, Article 5) that prescribes a procedure for adopting or amending a Memorandum of Understanding Between the City and an Exclusively Recognized Employee Organization, often referred to as the COIN Ordinance (Civic Openness in Negotiations). The Ordinance includes the following provisions:
1. The City Council may adopt or amend a memorandum of understanding only after conducting two (2) public meetings.
a. The purpose of the first meeting shall be to solicit public input. b. The purpose of the second meeting shall be to place a proposed memorandum or amendment on an agenda, after concluding the negotiation process, for the City Council to consider adoption.
2. Fiscal analysis conducted by an independent firm.
3. A proposed memorandum of understanding or amendment to a memorandum of understanding, shall be posted on the city's official website at least two (2) weeks before the City Council meeting at which the proposed memorandum of understanding or amendment is considered for approval.
Tonight’s meeting fulfills the requirement for the first meeting under the COIN ordinance.
The proposed amendment will be brought back to Council at the December 11, 2023 Council meeting for consideration of adoption, fulfilling the second meeting requirement under the COIN ordinance.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the soliciting of public input on this item.
Mark Stainbrook
Chief of Police
Shelley Ovrom
Director of Human Resources
Approved by Approved By