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March 7, 2023
ITEM TITLE
Measure A Expenditure Plan and Appropriation: Amend the Measure A Public Safety Expenditure Plan to Fund Vehicles, Drone as First Responder Contractual Costs, and Counseling Services for the Police Department and Appropriate Funds Accordingly
Report Number: 23-0036
Location: No specific geographic location
Department: Police
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
Recommended Action
Adopt a resolution approving the amended Measure A Public Safety Expenditure Plan to fund vehicles, Drone as First Responder contractual costs, and counseling services for the Police Department, and amending the Fiscal Year 2023 expenditure budget for the Measure A Sales Tax Fund. (4/5 Vote Required)
SUMMARY
To date, Measure A has provided funding for a total of 41 sworn and 35.52 civilian full time equivalent (FTE) positions in the Police Department. Specifically, Measure A funds have allowed the Police Department to add 41 full-time sworn positions, 26 full-time civilian positions, and 20 hourly civilian positions (9.52 FTE).
As a result of additional police staffing funded by Measure A, the Police Department is requesting to purchase additional police vehicles, expand Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations, and obtain counseling services to promote officer/employee wellness.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Director of Development Services has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in a physical change in the environment; P a g e | 2
therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
Thus, no environmental review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
During its regular meeting held on January 12, 2023, the Measure A Citizens’ Oversight Committee (COC) recommended City Council approval of funding vehicles, Drone as First Responder contractual costs and counseling services for the Police Department in fiscal year 2022/2023, based on available fund balance in the Measure A Sales Tax Fund . The COC voted unanimously in favor of Measure A funding for the se three proposed expenses.
DISCUSSION
With the successful passage of the Me asure A Sales Tax, staff is continuing to implement the Public Safety Expenditure Plan (PSEP). To date, Measure A has provided funding for a total of 41 full-time sworn, 26 full- time civilian and 20 hourly civilian positions (9.52 FTE) in the Police Department , as outlined in the chart below.
Figure 1. Police Department Public Safety Expenditure Plan as of 11/8/2022 Position FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 Total
POLICE CAPTAIN 1.0 1.0
POLICE LIEUTENANT 1.0 1.0
POLICE SERGEANT 3.0 3.0 1.0 7.0
POLICE AGENT 1.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 8.0
PEACE OFFICER 4.0 6.0 14.0 24.0
SWORN FTE TOTAL 5.0 11.0 21.0 4.0 0.0 41.0
CIVILIAN BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR 1.0 1.0
COMMUNITY SERVICES OFFICER 2.0 2.0 4.0
COMMUNITY SERVICES OFFICER (HOURLY) 9.52 9.52
DIGITAL FORENSICS TECHNICIAN II 2.0 2.0
FORENSICS SPECIALIST 1.0 1.0
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TECHNICIAN 1.0 1.0
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER MANAGER 1.0 1.0
POLICE DISPATCHER 2.0 5.0 7.0
PROPERTY & EVIDENCE SPECIALIST 3.0 3.0
PROPERTY & EVIDENCE SUPERVISOR 1.0 1.0
PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST 1.0 1.0
SR. POLICE RECORDS SPECIALIST 3.0 3.0
SR. POLICE TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST 1.0 1.0
CIVILIAN FTE TOTAL 4.0 10.0 2.0 8.0 11.52 35.52
POLICE DEPARTMENT TOTAL 9.0 21.0 23.0 12.0 11.52 76.52
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As of July 1, 2022, the Police Department has a fund balance of $21,622,808 in the Measure A PSEP. Current year Measure A revenues are estimated to total $13,949,737. T he Police Department is requesting to purchase additional police vehicles, expand Drone as First Responder (DFR) nighttime operations, and obtain counseling services to promote officer/employee wellness using a combination of ongoing revenues and available fund balance.
Shared Assigned Vehicle Proposal
The Police Department currently has 44 vehicles assigned to Patrol Officers. Of these, 16 vehicles are currently out of service permanently or temporarily. This number of out-of-service vehicles fluctuates daily, but averages approximately 15. Consequently, 29 vehicles are available to cover 30-56 patrol shifts per day, plus any special details (concerts, enforcement operations, etc.). Most vehicles are used for multiple shifts per day, with the newest vehicles being used the most.
In 2021, the total mileage for these vehicles was approximately 700,000 miles, which averages to 16,000 miles/year per vehicle and gives an expected life of 6.25 years for each vehicle.
Vehicles are currently being assigned to a pool of officers in patrol. As such, there is reduced ownership and accountability for the condition of the vehicles, which accelerates the wear and tear of the vehicles.
To address these concerns, the Police Department is proposing to purchase an additional 20 vehicles to expand the patrol fleet to 64 vehicles. Of those 64 vehicles, 45 vehicles would each be assigned to two officers from opposing shifts to share. The remaining 19 vehicles would be pooled for use when a shared vehicle is down for maintenance or when needed for overtime shifts. This proposed vehicle assignment program would reduce usage to 1 shift per day with the possible exception of overtime shifts.
While there will be a cost for the initial purchase, we anticipate this purchase will result in future savings.
Vehicle life based on annual fleet miles will be extended from 6.25 years to 9 years with the reduced usage.
It is also expected that the vehicles will be better cared for as a result of an increased sense of ownership and accountability, resulting in lower maintenance costs.
The Police Department believes that the shared assigned vehicle program will boost both morale and retention as officers will be able to drive nicer cars with a sense of ownership. There will also be a reduced need to load/unload gear bags and equipment, saving time at the start and end of shifts and improving employee safety by reducing risk of strain -related injuries from lifting heavy equipment into and out of vehicles on a daily basis.
The Police Department actively seeks to be environmentally and fiscally responsible when making fleet purchases. We currently deploy 14 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and 1 fully electric vehicle (“EV”) assigned to the investigations unit. An additional 9 EV’s are used by our Community Service Officers and Senior Volunteers. This program also addresses the largest obstacle to electric vehicles being used in patrol – the downtime needed to recharge.
Level 2 chargers require up to 12 hours to fully charge an EV. In our current deployment, electric vehicles could not be used due to insufficient charging time. Vehicles are typically parked for no more than 8 hours between shifts, and often used for back-to-back shifts with officers from one shift being called into the station to hand over their vehicle to the oncoming shift.
While there currently are no manufacturers selling pursuit -rated electric vehicles designe d for police use, Ford has tested a prototype police Mach E EV and Chevrolet has reported plans to introduce an electric Blazer P a g e | 4
for police use in the near future. With this plan reducing vehicle use to 1 shift per day, the pathway to an electric future would be paved, allowing the potential to begin replacing internal combustion patrol vehicles with EV’s when they become viable.
The estimated cost to purchase and outfit 20 patrol vehicles totals $2,215,820, as outlined in Figure 2 below.
Vehicle maintenance costs (estimated at $3,732 per vehicle per year) have been included in the Public Safety Expenditure Plan (PSEP) beginning in FY24 (on July 1, 2023). Additionally, vehicle replacement costs have been included in the PSEP.
Figure 2. Purchasing and Outfitting Cost of Vehicles
Description Cost
Vehicle Purchase (Out-The-Door) $61,181
Vehicle Upfitting $32,745
Radio $7,893
Rifle/Less Lethal $3,350
Mobile Data Computer (MDC) $3,627
Ballistic Shields $1,995
Cost per Vehicle $110,791
COST OF 20 VEHICLES $2,215,820
Drone as First Responder (DFR) Nighttime Operations
Over the past four years, the Police Department has become the national leader in deploying technological innovations. One of the most successful technology deployments is the innovative use of unmanned aerial systems as a part of its Drone as First Responder (“DFR”) program.
The program has been operating since 2018 and is funded through Measure A funds and covers 2.0 Peace Officers to support daytime opera tions of the Drone as First Responder program; 1.0 Police Sergeant to supervise DFR operations; 1.0 Police Lieutenant for the day-to-day management of strategic operations such as DFR, continuous improvement, special projects, and other adjutant responsibilities; and contractual costs for the Pilot in Command (PIC), required to support daytime operations of the DFR program.
CVPD’s Drone as First Responder program has demonstrated the ability to increase officer and community safety and reduce overall poli ce response times. The DFR program currently only operates during daytime hours, and the Police Department is requesting to expand current DFR operations to include nighttime hours.
The plan is to start nighttime DFR operations from two launch locations, three days a week, 10 hours a day, with the potential for future expansion of nighttime operations. Two nighttime launch sites would cover about one -third of the city and allow the Police Department to respond to approximately 70% of all emergency calls.
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Figure 3. DFR Response Data, 2018-2023 (Daytime Operations)
Contractual Costs for the Pilot in Command:
Current FAA regulations and drone limitations require staffing a rooftop Pilot in Command (PIC) certified in drone operations at every launch location when the drone is operational. The current FAA regulations state that when a drone is in the air, the PIC is required to maintain control of the drone and ensure the safety of the flight with airspace awareness. Although a teleoperator can remotel y control the drone and camera during daily operations, the teleoperator does not have airspace awareness for safe flight operations. Thus, the PIC maintains visibility of the airspace and complete control of the drone for emergencies.
For nighttime DFR operations, the FAA requires an additional Pilot-in-Command on the rooftop to recognize and overcome visual illusions caused by darkness and other conditions that could degrade night vision.
There would be two PICs per launch location during nighttime operations, and both will maintain their listed duties and responsibilities.
Responsibilities of the PIC include:
Ensure the safety of drone flights
Setup and takedown of drone equipment
Daily coordination with members of the Police Department Daily minor drone maintenance
Diagnose errors or technical problems and determine proper solutions Document and communicate technical issues to CAPE engineers & DFR Program Manager or designee Transport and inventory equipment at all launch locations
The Police Depart ment uses a contract vendor to supply PIC services for each launching location, thus preserving our limited public safety staffing for their primary missions. Funding for contract services has been drawn from Measure A for DFR daytime operations.
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With the expansion of the DFR program to nighttime operations, staff recommends allocating a dedicated budget for PIC contractor costs for a minimum of two launch locations during nighttime hours, thus freeing other department resources and ensuring the continued operations of the successful DFR program.
Figure 4. Current DFR Operational Areas, All Locations
(Nighttime DFR Operations, two launch locations)
The annual PIC cost to expand to nighttime DFR operations at two launch locations is outlined in Figure 5 below.
Drone Pilot In Command
Night-Time Ops
Annual Cost of
2 Locations
2 PICs at 30 hours/week
(10-hour shift at 3 days/week) $322,608
Figure 5. Annual PIC nighttime costs for 2 launch locations If nighttime DFR operations are implemented in March 2023, the current fiscal year impact for the 4-month period of March to June 2023 is $107,536.
Counseling Services
The mental health and fortitude of public safety employees is important to being effective servants when seconds are critical, and when decisions can potentially have life-altering consequences.
According to Dr. Black, the chief psychologist of the California Police Chiefs Association Wellness Committee, law enforce ment employees respond to 188 critical incidents over their career. The average citizen experiences 5 to 10 critical incidents in their lifetime. A critical incident is a situation that overwhelms normal coping skills and resources. For first responders to perform, they rely on mental toughness and resilience. This reliance causes cumulative stress, which can lead to negative thoughts, poor performance,
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tumultuous personal relationships, and sometimes mental health crises. The protective shield of ment al toughness and resilience can also be a double -edged sword. It can add to the stigma that seeking mental health treatment is a sign of weakness and even viewed as jeopardizing their career.
Although we currently have psychological services available to our employees, we have access to very few practitioners who are culturally competent and understand the rigors of this industry. Culturally skilled mental healthcare providers are invaluable for several reasons. They build trust amongst employees to use these psychological services proactively rather than reactively in response to a crisis or critical incident and hopefully eliminate the stigma associated with seeking treatment.
With the inherent stress and trauma that comes with law enforcement work and impacts all first responders, the Police Department proposes providing confidential counseling services to its staff with Focus Psychological Services (“Focus”). They are well respected in the San Diego first responder community and offer psychological services to many first responder agencies in San Diego County, including the Chula Vista Fire Department.
Focus Psychological Services offers confidential counseling services for a wide range of life problems.
Services include:
• Individual Counseling
• Marriage Counseling
• Child/Adolescent Counseling
• Family/Stepfamily Counseling
• Post Traumatic Incident Counseling
• Habit Control
• Alcohol/Substance Abuse Counseling
• Stress Management
• Anger Management
• Treatment of Depression, Anxiety
• Grief Resolution / Bereavement
• Divorce Counseling
Services that are beyond the scope of what Focus Psychological Services offers may be available through other sources such as the employee’s city-provided private medical insurance plans. If an employee needs a higher level of care, there would be a collaborative process between Focus and the Police Department’s peer support team to identify additional resources for the employee (such as a treatment facility, additional mental or emotional wellness services, or workers compensation program).
Therapists at Focus are trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities, including EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), psychodynamic, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), family systems, as well as others.
Eligible clients may utilize Focus Psychological Services for any counseling problem, whether or not it is job- related. All counseling services are strictly confidential. In order to maintain services that are strictly confidential and are also perceived by em ployees as confidential, no record of the specific employees that use the services shall be released to the City of Chula Vista. Employees are afforded unlimited visits unless it exceeds the scope of their care.
Focus offers the following services to organizations:
• Organizational Consultation
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• Work-Group Problem Analysis & Intervention
• Alternate Dispute Resolution
• Supervisory Coaching
Critical incident interventions assist in the healing and recovery from exposure to a psychologically traumatizing ev ent. Critical incident interventions prevent delayed stress reactions, which may appear weeks, months, or even years after the incident. These reactions can seriously affect job performance and personal relations.
Focus professionals are available 24 hours-a-day / 7 days-a-week to respond to critical incidents. Emergency contact can be initiated through the Department's Peer Support Team or by calling Focus directly. The cost to provide these counseling services to Police Department employees is $20,000 per year.
DECISION-MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the decision contemplated by this action and has determined that it is not site-specific and consequently, the 500-foot rule found in California Code of Regulations Title 2, section 18702.2(a)(11), is not applicable to this decision for purposes of determining a disqualifying real property-related financial conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov't Code § 87100, et seq.).
Staff is not independently aware, and has not been informed by any City Council member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision maker conflict of interest in this matter.
CURRENT-YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
The chart below shows the net impact for Measure A in fiscal year 2022/2023 for the proposed costs.
Beginning Police Department Funds Available $21,622,808
Category Current
FY23 PSEP
Police
Vehicles
DFR
Night-
Time Ops
Counseling
Services
Updated
FY23 PSEP
1/2 cent Sales Tax Revenue $13,949,737 $13,949,737 COPS Grant Funding $250,000 $250,000
Transfers In (COVID19 Stipend) $24,000 $24,000
REVENUE TOTAL $14,223,737 $0 $0 $0 $14,223,737
Personnel Services $10,686,743 $10,686,743
Drone Pilot In Command Contractual Costs $579,241 $107,536 $686,777 Computers and Other Equipment $100,000 $100,000
Supplies & Services $350,515 $20,000 $370,515
Police Vehicles $578,112 $2,215,820 $2,793,932
Dispatch Equipment $68,542 $68,542
City Staff Services $480,129 $480,129
Fleet Maintenance Charges $63,079 $63,079
Transfer Out (Pension Obligations) $1,111,363 $1,111,363 EXPENSE TOTAL $14,017,724 $2,215,820 $107,536 $20,000 $16,361,080
NET FISCAL IMPACT $206,013 ($2,215,820) ($107,536) ($20,000) ($2,137,343)
Ending Police Department Available Funds $19,485,465 P a g e | 9
The current fiscal year costs for 20 police vehicles, drone pilot-in-command contractual costs and counseling services are being funded through a combination of ongoing Police Department Measure A revenues and the available fund balance of the Police Department Measure A Fund. With these requested expenditures, the Measure A available fund balance for the Police Department is projected to total $19,485,465 as of June 30, 2023.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
Ongoing Measure A revenues are projected to be sufficient to fund all authorized positions. Non-personnel expenditures will be funded through a combination of ongoing Measure A revenues and available fund balance. It is important to note that Measure A projected sales tax revenues fluctuate with the economy. The City will actively monitor revenue trends to determine if Measure A expenditures need to be reduced to avoid structural deficits or General Fund impacts . Should budgetary challenges arise due to unforeseen cost increases or sales tax revenue losses, City staff will reassess the PSEP to determine if non-personnel expenditures need to be curtailed, or positions need to be frozen or removed from the plan.
Attachment 1 (Public Safety Expenditure Plan as of February 15, 2023) shows the amended Measure A PSEP, which includes the proposed positions and amendments highlighted in yellow.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1: CVPD Measure A Public Safety Expenditure Plan as of February 15, 2023 Staff Contact: Assistant Chief Phil Collum, Police Department