Public Safety Committee
March 8, 2022
City Administrator Date
Approval Feb 24, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Edward D. Reiskin
City Administrator
FROM: LeRonne L. Armstrong
Chief of Police
SUBJECT: Implementation Of The Council Public
Safety Budget Policy Directives
Supplemental
DATE: February 17, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive A Report And Recommendation Directing The City Administrator To Report Back On The Implementation Of The Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives, Including Status Of Conducting (1) An Analysis Of Calls For Service And Recommendations To Transfer Certain Calls To Alternative Response By April 2022, (2) An Independent Audit Of The Police Department By December 2022, And (3) Analysis Of Restructuring Investigation Units To Improve Solve Rates By Increasing Civilian Staff And Reducing Sworn Staff.
REASON FOR SUPPLEMENTAL
This report complies with the request for Oakland Police Department (OPD) staffing information which was first requested at the December 7, 2021 City Council meeting, with updates as requested at the January 11, 2022 Public Safety Committee, and covers the following topics:
• Vacancies in OPD professional (civilian) staff positions; • The status of civilianizing (replacing sworn police officers with professional staff employees) certain positions within OPD;
• Status update on special events permitting civilianization and change from OPD to the Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD); and • Status of the OPD calls for service outside analysis report.
BACKGROUND AND LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
At the Special December 7, 2021 joint City Council, Safety and Services Oversight Commission, Community Policy Advisory Board, and Police Commission meeting, councilmembers requested a report on “Implementation Of The Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives.” Thi s report was produced by the City Administrator’s Office (CAO) and OPD, and presented to the Public Safety Committee on January 11, 2022. This supplemental report provides additional updates.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Implementation Of The Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives Supplemental Date: February 17, 2022 Page 2
Public Safety Committee
March 8, 2022
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Status of Vacancies in Civilian (professional staff) Positions
Table 1 below provides up to date information on all OPD professional (civilian) staff vacancies.
Table 1: Vacancies in OPD Professional Staff Positions
Classification Authorized Filled Vacancies Recruitment Status
Account Clerk II
2 0
2 DHRM1 to survey Account
Clerk III eligible list.
Accountant II
2 1
1 Job Announcement
tentatively scheduled to
open April 4, 2022.
Accountant III
1 0
1 DHRM to schedule
recruitment.
Administrative Analyst
II
18 17
1 Interviews scheduled for
the week of February 21,
2022.
Administrative
Assistant II
1 0
1 Interviews scheduled the
week of February 14,
2022.
Crime Analyst
7 4
3 One candidate scheduled
to start March 19, 2022,
DHRM will need to conduct
a new recruitment to fill
remaining vacancies.
Criminalist II
16 11
5 Criminalist II SC- Forensic
Chemistry job
announcement open until
February 28, 2022. Exam
plan meeting for Criminalist
II SC- Firearms held on
February 14, 2022.
Criminalist III
5 3
2 DHRM is working with the
hiring manager to begin the
recruitment.
Fleet Compliance
Coordinator
1 0
1 Waiting for DHRM to begin
recruitment.
Intake Technician
6 5
1 Candidate scheduled to
start March 19, 2022.
Latent Print Examiner
II
5 4
1 DHRM to schedule
recruitment.
1 DHRM=Department of Human Resources and Management
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Implementation Of The Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives Supplemental Date: February 17, 2022 Page 3
Public Safety Committee
March 8, 2022
Classification Authorized Filled Vacancies Recruitment Status
Police Communications
Dispatcher
76 58
18 Two candidates scheduled
to start March 19, 2022. 41
candidates in the
background process. This
is a continuous
recruitment.
Senior Police
Communications
Dispatcher
4 3
1 DHRM to schedule
recruitment.
Police Evidence
Technician
20 19
1 Hiring manager to schedule
interview for remaining
vacancy.
Police Property
Specialist
6 5
1 DHRM to schedule
recruitment.
Police Records
Specialist
55 47
8 Interviews for OIG position
scheduled for February 18,
2022. Seven candidates in
backgrounds.
Police Services
Manager
5 3
2 One candidate to start
March 7, 2022.
Police Services
Technician II
52 37
15 Job announcement closes
February 18, 2022.
Project Manager II
1 0
1 DHRM to schedule
recruitment.
Status of Civilianization Status of OPD Police Services Positions
OPD and CAO have looked at many positions across OPD for civilianization several times over the years. Staff acknowledges desires from different stakeholders to fill various police services functions with professional (civilian) staff whenever possible for two reasons:
1. Using professional staff for appropriate police services functions frees up sworn officers for the most critical work in areas such as patrol, crime reductions teams, community policing, Ceasefire and investigations; and
2. In many instances professional staff positions cost less than sworn staff – this cost savings provides greater efficiency for budgetary purposes.
Many functions within OPD are already fully civilianized. OPDs Bureau of Services (BOS) is staffed with several professional staff positions, including the Deputy Director position, which was previously a sworn Deputy Chief position. Also, within BOS are the Fiscal Services Division, the Human Resources Section, and the Communications (911) Division, which are operated entirely by professional staff. The Research and Planning Section is also staffed by several professional staff who work across OPD to support budget, policy, training and other important functions – in conjunction with sworn subject matter experts.
The Recruiting and Background Unit (RBU), also under BOS, is staffed with a combination of sworn and professional staff. OPD needs sworn staff to speak at public events to provide details about the nature of police work. Some sworn staff must also be used for aspects of background Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Implementation Of The Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives Supplemental Date: February 17, 2022 Page 4
Public Safety Committee
March 8, 2022
investigations of potential new recruits. The RBU, however, is also staffed with many professional staff who support all administrative functions.
All Crime Lab personnel within the Bureau of Investigations (BOI) are highly trained professionals. The Crime Analysis Unit, which is part of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) within BOI, is also staffed entirely by professional staff. Furthermore, BOI is also staffed with several professional staff to help with administrative support responsibilities, one of which is the recently created Victim Liaison Specialist position – this person is embedded in CID and helps victims’ families with myriad critical support. It is important to note that many CID positions must be staffed with sworn personnel who are trained in investigations and complex investigative operations that could not be appropriately performed by professional staff.
The Bureau of Field Operations One and Two (BFO 1 and 2) are staffed primarily with sworn personnel for patrol services and law enforcement functions. BFO 1 and 2 are also staffed with several administrative and professional staff personnel to support staffing logistics, administrative functions, report writing, and evidence collection.
OPDs Training Division is staffed primarily with sworn personnel, as these positions require first- hand knowledge of law enforcement skills and abilities. For practical instruction, having a sworn member provide context and a solid understanding of the law is critical. Additionally, sworn members occupying these positions is the industry standard and commonly recognized by the California Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training (POST). Additionally, many POST courses that train officers only allow peace officers to apply and attend these trainings.
For the position of Range Master, peace officers are exempt from obtaining a permit to carry and transport firearms, which is a task a Range Master commonly satisfies. Also, holding the rank of peace officer allows for the smooth purchase and acquisition of police safety equipment.
In 2013, City Council recommended several sworn positions be civilianized and the status of those positions is listed below in Table 2:
Table 2: Status of Sworn Positions Which Council Recommended To Be Civilianized
FTE*
Count
Sworn
Classification
Civilian
Classification
Assignment Comments
4 Sergeant of
Police
Police
Communications
Dispatcher
(PCD), Sr.
Communications There are four funded
authorized PCD, Sr.
positions, three of
which are filled and
one remaining
vacancy, which will be
prioritized with other
OPD recruitments.
5 Police Officer Police Evidence
Technician a
Patrol There are currently 20
funded authorized
civilian PET positions
(all of which are filled
except one), and one
frozen PET position.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Implementation Of The Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives Supplemental Date: February 17, 2022 Page 5
Public Safety Committee
March 8, 2022
FTE*
Count
Sworn
Classification
Civilian
Classification
Assignment Comments
There are also two
sworn evidence
technician positions.
6 Police Officer Police Services
Technician II
Desk Officer The Department has
52 funded authorized
PST II positions, 15 of
which are vacant.
There is a PST
recruitment currently in
progress to fill the
vacant positions. There
are currently six Desk
Officers assigned to
the PAB and two at
Eastmont.
1 Captain of
Police
Police Services
Manager II
Internal Affairs Position not added to
OPDs current budget.
2 Lieutenant of
Police
Police Services
Manager I
Internal Affairs Positions not added to
OPDs current budget.
7 Sergeant of
Police
Complaint
Investigator III
Internal Affairs One frozen position
that cannot be filled at
this time.
10 Police Officer Complaint
Investigator
II/Intake
Technicians
Internal Affairs Four Complaint
Investigator II positions
frozen and cannot be
filled at this time. There
are six funded
authorized Intake
Technician positions,
five of which are filled
and one candidate
scheduled to begin
March 21, 2022.
3 Police Officer Range Master Recruit Training Positions not added to OPDs current budget.
1 Lieutenant of
Police
Police Services
Manager I
Recruit Training Position not added to
OPDs current budget.
2 Sergeant of
Police
Police Personnel
Operations
Specialist
Recruiting &
Backgrounds
One funded authorized
position filled.
4 Police Officer Administrative
Analyst II
Recruit Training Positions not added to
OPDs current budget.
2 Police Officer Systems Analyst
III
Information
Technology
One Business Analyst
III position added to
budget and filled.
47 Total
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Implementation Of The Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives Supplemental Date: February 17, 2022 Page 6
Public Safety Committee
March 8, 2022
* FTE = Full Time Equivalent Position
Status Update on Special Events Permitting Civilianization and Change from OPD to the Economic and Workforce Development Department
Staff from the EWDD anticipate presenting ordinance amendments to City Council to finalize the transfer of special event permitting from OPD to the Special Activity Permits Division in EWDD in April 2022. As noted in the informational report provided to the October 12, 2021 Public Safety Committee, Resolution No. 88236 C.M.S. did not provide any resources to support the transition of special event permitting. As a result of this transition additional responsibilities will be allocated to existing under-resourced staff. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and related health and economic emergency shifted the focus of the Special Activity Permits Division to deploy its resources to emergency response activities supporting businesses and entrepreneurs during the pandemic. Nevertheless, staff has been working on a number of fronts to both facilitate the transition of special events permitting from OPD and improve related programs, which will culminate in legislation for the City Council's consideration this Spring.
Calls for Service report
The City of Oakland contracted with the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) in 2021 to evaluate how OPD assesses and prioritizes calls for service – OPD Communications Division received 929,845 total calls for service in 2021 (over 2,500 calls each day). NICJR is in the process of conducting an analysis of three years of calls for service data to determine how resources are being used and what types of calls may be responded to by alternative sources.
The assessment of Calls for Service conducted by NICJR is based on data from OPDs computer-assisted dispatch (CAD) system. The CAD system is archaic and is in need of improvements and upgrades
2. Due to the data limitations, some of the findings in the report need to be verified by reviewing the notes made by responding officers in association with calls for service. Due to the extremely large volume of calls, NICJR will review notes from a representative sample number of calls from each call category. This extended review will be completed by May 2022. OPD plans to bring the full complete report to the Oakland Public Safety Committee and City Council for discussion and review as soon as NICJR completes this process.
2 OPD has contracted with Motorola Solutions and has begun the implementation of a new CAD system.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Implementation Of The Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives Supplemental Date: February 17, 2022 Page 7
Public Safety Committee
March 8, 2022
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive A Report And Recommendation Directing The Administrator To Report Back On The Implementation Of The Council Public Safety Budget Policy Directives, Including Status Of Conducting (1) An Analysis Of Calls For Service And Recommendations To Transfer Certain Calls To Alternative Response By April 2022, (2) An Independent Audit Of The Police Department By December 2022, And (3) Analysis Of Restructuring Investigation Units To Improve Solve Rates By Increasing Civilian Staff And Reducing Sworn Staff.
Reviewed by:
Kiona Suttle, Deputy Director
OPD, Bureau of Services
Tracey Jones, Police Services Manager
OPD, Research and Planning Section
Written by:
Bruce Stoffmacher, Privacy and Legislation Manager
OPD, Research and Planning Section