City Council
July 19, 2022
City Administrator Approval Date
Approval Jul 14, 2022
TO: Edward D. Reiskin
City Administrator
FROM: LeRonne L. Armstrong
Chief of Police
SUBJECT: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For
Measure Z Compliance
DATE: July 5, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Modifying The City’s Hiring Plan For Hiring And Retaining Police Officers For The Purpose Of Ensuring Compliance With Measure Z, A Parcel Tax To Fund Public Safety Services Which Includes Certain Staffing Requirements For The Oakland Police Department.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Oakland’s Measure Z Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act (passed by Oakland voters in 2014) funds public safety services and includes a provision requiring minimum police staffing of 678 sworn officers for the City to collect the full tax. The Oakland Police Department (OPD) regularly offers police academies to train and hire new police officers. Regular academies are critical for hiring new officers to help combat departmental attrition. Over a five-year timespan, OPD sworn staffing levels have fluctuated between 747 filled positions on January 1, 2018, to 690 filled positions on January 1, 2022. Police departments nationally have seen the rate of officer attrition escalate in recent years; OPD faces this same challenge – heightening the need for regular academies to ensure a pipeline of new officers.
The City Council-adopted Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-23 budget contained funding for two police academies. In subsequent City Council meetings, staff informed the City Council that OPDs sworn officer staffing may fall below the Measure Z-required minimum of 678 officers. On September 21, 2021, the City Council recognized OPDs shortfalls and adopted Resolution No. 88822 C.M.S. which authorized an additional academy as well as direction to the City Administrator to return with plans for two additional academies as well as amended plans for officer recruiting.
The City Council, in recognition of the challenges of keeping staffing above 678 officers with the three academies already authorized, later adopted Resolution No. 88942 C.M.S. on December 7, 2021 which further authorized two additional police academies for FY 2022-23.
The proposed resolution accompanying this report provides modifications to OPDs “hiring plan,” within the meaning Measure Z, that are necessary to ensure that the City remains in compliance with Measure Z staffing requirements.
This report also highlights coordinated efforts OPD has recently undertaken in terms of recruitment, training, and addressing attrition challenges. OPD has undertaken concrete efforts
AGENDA REPORT
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 2
City Council
July 19, 2022
to expand and improve its recruiting efforts, including partnerships with professional advertising and marketing firms. The report also explains how OPD is improving support systems for recruits as well as new trainees in the academies. Furthermore, this report explains how OPD is addressing the attrition challenges that directly impact overall staffing levels both at OPD as well as with police departments nationwide.
BACKGROUND AND LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
In 2014, Oakland voters approved Measure Z, “The 2014 Oakland Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act”, which imposes a parcel tax to fund public safety services. Measure Z includes a provision that prohibits the City from collecting the full amount of the taxes anytime the City fails to maintain a minimum of 678 sworn police personnel, unless one of several exceptions applies.
On June 24, 2021, the Oakland City Council passed Resolution No. 88717, which adopted the Biennial Budget for fiscal years (FY) 2021-23 (“Biennial Budget”). The Biennial Budget appropriated funds for four police academies (the 186
th through 189th police academies). OPD
was able to realize cost savings through budgeted police officer positions that had not been filled and were vacant, resulting in cost savings.
In the September 21, 2021, City Council meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 88822 C.M.S. which authorized and directed the City Administrator to:
• Use fiscal year 2021-22 Police Department cost savings to conduct an additional police academy in FY 2021-22. This action allowed OPD to move the 188th police academy from FY 2022-23 to FY 2021-22.
• Return to the City Council by June 1, 2022, with costing for an additional police academy in fiscal year 2022-23.
• Enhance efforts to recruit police cadets with diverse backgrounds and from local community colleges and institutions; and
• Return to council with potential options for providing childcare for police academy cadets, including operational feasibility and projected costs.
At the same September 21, 2021 meeting, in response to concerns that sworn police staffing was going to fall below 678, the City Council approved Resolution No. 88821 C.M.S. requiring the City Administrator to return to City Council with modifications to the hiring plan to offset the loss of sworn personnel, if needed. In response to that request, as well as to satisfy the provision in Measure Z that requires the City Administrator to report to the Council when there is an unexpected failure of the City’s hiring plan to maintain the necessary staffing levels according to the Measure Z legislation, staff presented a report and legislation to the City Council on December 7, 2021.
The report proposed modifications to the City’s hiring plan, and explained the reasons for OPDs sworn staffing shortfall, steps being taken to restore sworn staffing to 678, and the timeline for doing so. The report was accompanied by a resolution for the City Council to ratify an exception to the minimum staffing requirement in Part 1, Section 3 of Measure Z due to the number of sworn personnel unexpectedly falling below 678, despite the City’s adoption and implementation of a hiring plan, as well as the proposed modifications to the hiring plan. Resolution No. 88941 Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 3
City Council
July 19, 2022
C.M.S. ratified the new hiring plan, including all the modifications staff had proposed (as modified, the “Hiring Plan”).
The City Council also adopted Resolution No. 88942 at the December 7, 2021 City Council meeting. This resolution amended Resolution No. 88717 (which authorized the FY 2021-23 Biennial Budget) to reallocate $5,822,136 in the General-Purpose Fund to support the Revised Police Academy Schedule, comprising two additional police academies in FY 2022-23 (the 191st and the 192nd police academies). Table 4 “FY 2022-23 Projected Staffing Levels; Revised Hiring Plan Projection” on page 13 shows that OPDs Recruiting and Background Unit and Training Division are on track to run consecutive and overlapping academies throughout FY 2022-23.
Four of these five academies (188
th -191st) should graduate new officers during the fiscal year; the fifth academy (192nd) is on track to graduate new recruits in August 2023 (the following fiscal year).
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Overview of Safety and Services Act
Measure Z1 section 3(C)(2)(d) “Maintenance of Sworn Police Personnel” states that “[t]he City shall be prohibited from collecting the taxes provided for in this Ordinance if at any time after July 1, 2016, that the City fails to hire and maintain a minimum of 678 sworn police personnel”, which jeopardizes the City’s ability to collect revenue which funds the important work of OPD, the Department of Violence Prevention, and the Oakland Fire Department.
Measure Z section 3(C)(2)(d)(iii) provides an exemption from the “Maintenance of Sworn Police Personnel” where there is an unexpected failure of the City’s hiring plan, provided the City Administrator reports to the City Council concerning reasons for the shortfall in officers, steps to be taken to restore the personnel level, and a timeframe for doing so. In addition, Measure Z gives the City 90 days to declare an exception to the measure’s staffing requirements, including the unexpected failure of the City’s hiring plan.
In the adopted Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 budget, OPD was allotted 737 sworn positions in year one of the budget. The 737 funded authorized positions included 48.95 sworn positions funded by the 2014 Oakland Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act (Measure Z). The FY 2021-22 budget also funded two police academies as part of the hiring plan for the fiscal year.
Based on projections of staffing at the time the budget was proposed and adopted – including attrition estimates based on historical trends and the historical number of police academies – the Council agreed with the City Administrator that this former hiring plan would be sufficient to maintain a sworn level of staffing greater than 678.
By September of 2021, however, it became apparent that sworn staffing levels would fall below 678 despite the City’s adoption of the former hiring plan. This recognition led to the adoption of the new and modified Hiring Plan, which was ratified by the City Council in Resolution No. 88941 C.M.S. on December 7, 2021. The Hiring Plan currently contains several components (explained in detail in the report to City Council on December 7, 2021):
1 https://cao -94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Measure -Z-Reso-85149.pdf Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 4
City Council
July 19, 2022
1. A Pre-Academy
The Pre-Academy is an orientation course designed to help students determine if they are prepared for the Oakland Police Academy.
2. Modifications to Police Officer Academies
• Only the POST2 objectives are evaluated, which inherently leads to a higher success rate.
• The Department accepts a 70% pass rate, unless otherwise defined by POST, and no longer has a blanket 85% minimum pass score.
• The Department does not test when a Police Officer Trainee (POT) is fatigued. • The Training Commander and his/her chain above reviews all pass/fails to ensure compliance with POST standards.
• The Chief of Police reviews all resignations, terminations, and removals for failure before a POT is removed from the academy.
3. Field Training:
• Implemented a Mentorship program.
• Implemented a chain of command review of Daily Observation Reports and other activity reports completed by the FTO.
• When a Trainee is not meeting the training standards, the Training Staff will intervene early and provide a learning plan to increase the probability of success. • A Trainee may be pulled off the street for 1-2 weeks and provided with classroom and other remedial instruction to assist in areas where he/she may be struggling. • Field Training Officers and Trainees are intentionally paired based on learning needs.
4. Anticipated Timeline for Modified Hiring Plan
• The report outlines monthly staffing levels for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 and 2022-23 years (see Tables 2 and 4 below).
Reason for Latest Shortfall
The December 7, 2021 report explained that OPD sworn staffing levels had unexpectedly fallen below projections to approach a low of 678. OPD continues to face ongoing staffing challenges despite the recent implementations of the measures listed above. OPDs enhanced officer academy schedule (with Hiring Plan modifications) has resulted in more officers matriculating into the sworn ranks. However, OPD has faced attrition levels in late 2021 and early 2022 that negatively impacted overall staffing.
2 POST = California Police Officer Commission on Standards and Training Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 5
City Council
July 19, 2022
OPD reports quarterly staffing levels and the factors that influence changes over time such as:
data on police officer hiring and attrition; demographic and residency data of sworn personnel; and information related to OPD sworn officer recruitment efforts. Recent reports have shown lower-than-expected staffing levels due to lower-than-projected new Officers and higher-than- expected levels of attrition due to resignations.
OPD initially received budget approval for four academies as part of the FY 2021-22 budget, and funding for an additional Police Academy by the Council on September 21, 2021 by Resolution No. 88822 C.M.S. The City Council subsequently funded two additional academies as shown below in Table 1.
Table 1: Timing of Police Academies in the Biennial Budget
Academy
Class No.
Academy Start
Date
When Trainees
Graduate
Academy
Field Training
Start Date
When New
Officers Complete
Field Training
186th July 10, 2021 December 24, 2021 January 22, 2022 May 14, 2022 187th November 13, 2021 April 29, 2022 May 28, 2022 September 17, 2022
188th March 5, 2022 August 19, 2022 September 17,
2022
January 7, 2023
189th May 14, 2022 October 28, 2022 November 26, 2022 March 18, 2023 190th August 20, 2022 February 3, 2023 March 4, 2023 June 24, 2023 191st November 26, 2022 May 12, 2023 June 10, 2023 September 30, 2023
192nd March 4, 2023 August 18, 2023 September 16,
2023
January 6, 2024
Table 2 below shows that beginning December 7 2021, the sworn staffing levels diverged from the Hiring Plan projections – the numbers from the December Hiring Plan are provided in the row titled “12.7.21 Hiring Plan” in Table 2 below. Beginning December 7 2021, the final “ending filled” number was 690 officers (below the December 7 2021 Hiring Plan projection of 695 officers). This trend continued in 2022. A major driver of these diminished staffing numbers was an increase in attrition. FY 2021-22 saw an average attrition of nine officers per month (108 total for FY 2021-22). In contrast, the FY 2020-21 saw an average monthly attrition of 5.4 officers (65 total for FY 2020-21).
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 6
City Council
July 19, 2022
Table 2: FY 2021-22 Staffing Levels
FY21-22
Jul-
21 Aug-
21 Sep-
21 Oct-
21 Nov-
21 Dec-
21 Jan-
22 Feb-
22 Mar-
22 Apr-
22 May-
22 Jun-
22 Filled
715
706
700
695
682
676
690
682
669
663
669
660
Attrition
(9)
(6)
(5)
(13)
(6)
(11)
(8)
(13)
(6)
(20)
(9)
(2)
Hires 0 0 0 0 0 25 0 0 0 26 0 0
Ending Filled* 706 700 695 682 676 690 682 669 663 669 660 658 Funded
Authorized
FTE
737
737
737
737
737
737
737
737
737
737
737
737
Over/(Under) (31) (37) (42) (55) (61) (47) (55) (68) (74) (68) (77) (79)
12.7.21 Hiring
Plan
706
700
695
682
676
695
687
679
671
696
688
680
Over/Under
Hiring Plan
0 0
0 0
0 (5)
(5)
(10)
(8)
(27)
(28)
(22)
186th Academy 10 Jul end 24 Dec
187th Academy 13 Nov to 29 Apr
188th Academy 5 Mar to
19 Aug
189th
Academy
* Months above Measure Z-required numbers shaded in green
Recent attrition has resulted in staffing levels below the Measure Z-requirement of 678 sworn officers. The “ending filled” number of 658 officers for June 2022 is 20 officers below the Measure Z-required 678 and 22 officers below the December 7th Hiring Plan.
The December 7th report explained that OPD would initiate an accelerated plan to hold academies more regularly and expand recruiting efforts to attract an increased number of POTs into these new academies. OPD expected to graduate 26 officers with the 186th police academy; Table 2 above shows that 25 POTs graduated and became sworn officers in December 7021. The December 7th report explained that this academy was originally budgeted for 50 POTs and that several factors led to a start of only 32 POTs.
Typical reasons for academy attrition include resignations for personal reasons, including the realization that the law enforcement profession is not what the POT anticipated and removal of POTs who do not pass all the required learning domains. Additionally, the law enforcement profession, across the board, has experienced difficulty in recruiting officers due to multiple social, political, and economic forces that are simultaneously at play in shaping the current state of recruitment and retention.
Furthermore, OPD saw an increase in attrition in April 2022 (20 officers), beyond the local and national trends impacting law enforcement recruitment and attrition. The high attrition in April 2022 was an anomaly related to several factors including seven personnel who were discharged Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 7
City Council
July 19, 2022
due to non-compliance with the City’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. The attrition dropped back to nine (9) in May, and two (2) in June 2022.
Revised Hiring Plan - Steps Underway to Ensure Measure Z-Compliant Staffing Levels
The Hiring Plan staff presented at the December 7, 2021 Council Meeting still serves as a basis for OPDs current recruitment, training, and retention efforts. That elements of that plan are still less than one-year old and needs a bit more time to gauge the effectiveness of the efforts. Staff now plans to add elements that include a combination of enhanced recruitment efforts, training support, and retention strategies to reach necessary staffing levels.
The report titled, “Action Plan Regarding Recruitment, Hiring and Retention Plan” dated February 17, 2022 presented to the March 8, 2022 Public Safety Committee cites several new recruitment efforts that OPD expects to yield results moving forward in 2022 and 2023.
Additionally, the report included an attachment titled, “Action Plan Regarding Recruitment, Hiring and Retention Plan Report.” This report lists several strategies OPD has begun to employ to ensure more successful recruitment, training, and retention. These efforts constitute the City’s and OPDs “Revised Hiring Plan.”
New Officer Recruitment
Ultimately, OPD must improve the pipeline of people who become familiar with career possibilities with OPD as well as those who choose to begin the application process. Staff have implemented and enhanced recruitment efforts in terms of real-time event recruiting, the use of advertising and marketing, and cadet development. In terms of live events, staff have followed through on the many local (e.g., Oakland First Friday Events), regional, and national events listed in the Action Plan Regarding Recruitment, Hiring and Retention Plan Report. These events include both in-person and online events, detailed in Table 3 below. OPDs Recruiting and Background Unit (RBU) uses its staff to attend events each month to talk about the benefits of pursuing a law enforcement career in Oakland. These events are chosen specifically to attract local residents and people from diverse cultural backgrounds, such as applicants and college students attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCU).
Table 3: OPD RBU Real Time Recruitment Event Recruitments for Calendar Year 2022
Quarter
(2022)
Recruitment Event
Attended (Will
Attend) by
OPD RBU Staff
1st
Laney Vs. Merritt College Women’s Basketball Yes
Black College Expo (Oakland) Yes
63rd Readiness Division Meet & Greet (Military) Yes
Coast Guard Island Meet and Greet (Military) Yes
CSU Eastbay vs SF State Softball Sponsor cancelled event HBCU: Morehouse, Spellman, Clark Atlanta Universities Yes
2nd
LGBTQ+ Connect Event Yes
HBCU College Day and Career Fair Expo (Virginia) Sponsor cancelled event HBCU College Day and Career Fair Expo (Georgia) Yes
National Assoc. of Women Law Enforcement Conf. (Miami) Date TBD Naval Base San Diego Hiring Event (Military) Date TBD
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 8
City Council
July 19, 2022
Quarter
(2022)
Recruitment Event
Attended (Will
Attend) by
OPD RBU Staff
Recruit Military San Diego Naval base Moved to December 1st Greek Festival (Oakland) Yes
Bill Picket Black Rodeo (Pleasanton) July 11th and 14th
3rd
63rd Travis Air Force Base Meet and Greet (Military) Yes Women Leaders In Law Enforcement Conference (Los Angeles) September 12th- 14th 2022
SEP – 63rd Beale Air Force Base (Military) July 11th
4th
OCT – OPD Women in Law Enforcement Q&A (Oakland) Sponsor has not established the date.
OCT – Cal Berkeley Women’s Athletics Discussion Planned for October - Date TBD
OCT – San Bruno Marine Corp Reserve Center (Military) Planned for October - Date TBD
Black College Expo (Houston) October 29th
Sacramento State University Black College Expo November 12th NOV – HBCU Career Development Marketplace (Maryland) Sponsor cancelled event.
DEC – San Diego Veterans Job Fair (Military) Planned for December – Date TBD
Marketing, Advertising, Radio, and Social Media
Better marketing and advertising efforts are integral to OPDs revised strategy for ensuring more candidates apply to become POTs. OPD has entered into a one-year contract with CPS Consulting - an external Human Resources (HR) consulting firm to create a marketing plan targeted to eventually fill open positions through social media advertising on Facebook and Instagram. The firm will provide ad sources for national police associations whose membership includes women and people of color. Finally, the firm plans to increase contact with local community and religious leaders who can encourage their membership to apply for positions with OPD. CPS will also be able to measure website traffic and help OPD analyze marketing efforts through analysis of the data.
OPD has also initiated a collaboration with another marketing firm called Audacy. This firm will develop both radio and social media advertising content to target audiences and drive traffic to OPDs Recruitment website. These two firms together will leverage OPD social media channels:
OPD has continued to maintain a social-media presence on the following platforms:
• OPD Jobs Website – www.opdjobs.com
• Facebook – https://m.facebook.com/opdjobs/
• Twitter – https://twitter.com/opdjobs
• Instagram – www.instagram.com/opd_jobs
Additionally, OPD has initiated agreements with local fitness organizations: 24-Hour Fitness (for two Oakland locations) and City Sports in Antioch and Vallejo. These are direct advertising campaigns between OPD and the fitness organizations that showcase a diverse group of OPD employees to attract a broad spectrum of local candidates from various cultural backgrounds.
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 9
City Council
July 19, 2022
OPD recognizes that representation is important and illustrating OPDs diversity will remain a focus of this marketing campaign.
Academy Preparation
RBU staff offers several programs to ensure applicants are prepared for the academy application process as well as success in the academy. RBU staff offers real-time workshops each month to prepare applicants for the rigors of the physical agility test (required as part of the application process) and the physical demands of the actual academy. Staff also offers workshops to practice the oral interview (application process) to help applicants succeed in this area.
OPD has also increased its testing sites to include the South Bay Regional Testing Center, which has increased the frequency of testing by expanding the days and times when testing is available. Testing has also moved to a digital format to increase participation and submission of tests.
Explained above, as well as in the December 7, 2021 report, OPDs Training Section has instituted a Pre-Academy. The Pre-Academy provides an orientation course designed to help POTs determine if they are prepared for the Oakland Police Academy. This course has helped OPD to successfully graduate greater numbers of POTs through the academy process. The February 17, 2022 detailed OPD’ Pre-Academy plans, including:
1. Introducing trainees to the concepts of the academy to acclimate them to the academy environment. More specifically, students participated in activities such as class lectures, note-taking, written tests, and physical fitness exercises.
2. Familiarizing students with self-assessment exercises to help them evaluate their individual emotional, mental, and physical readiness before entering the Academy.
Cadet Program
The Cadet Program plays an important role in expanding the pipeline of POT candidates. The Police Cadet Program is designed for hardworking, ambitious young men and women who desire to explore and develop careers in the field of law enforcement while completing college degrees. The primary intent of the program is to assist cadets to complete college degrees while providing them with insight into the law enforcement profession. The goal of the program is to prepare Cadets for a law enforcement service career as a Police Officer or other position within the Department. Cadets are hourly part-time employees who receive training and experience in various aspects of police service. Cadets may be rotated through a variety of assignments designed to stimulate their interest in professional police service. The program is comprised of intensive supervision, counseling, training, and evaluation to develop their leadership qualities and prepare them for careers in law enforcement.
OPD currently has five active cadets in the program with three more in the hiring process. OPDs RBU shares information about how college students can become cadets while in college. There are currently new cadets from local and regional universities, and several current POTs began their OPD employment as cadets. OPD is also working with the local 501c3 nonprofit organization Youth Education Partnership (YEP) on the Cadet Program; YEP is helping OPD to recruit and hire up to ten cadets. OPD currently authorized to employ 18 cadets.
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 10
City Council
July 19, 2022
Training Support
OPD continues to take steps as outlined in the December 7, 2021 and February 17, 2022 reports. As a result of Training’s efforts, there have been no recent removals from the FTO program due to performance deficiencies.
Retention
While the focus of this plan is on attracting new recruits, OPD understands that it must also put strategies in place to retain employees. Part of the modified hiring plan is to lower attrition from nine officers per month, to eight officers per month – with a goal to continue to lower attrition further. OPD has undertaken several strategies to enhance sworn and professional staff retention (as originally outlined in Attachment B in the February 17, 2022 report):
1. Increased Training
Providing training to employees reinforces their sense of value and helps them build their skillset, leading to an engaged and capable workforce. Officer CPT (Continuous Professional Training) is an ongoing series of trainings provided to sworn staff. This training is designed to enrich and grow staff’s knowledge and abilities in their respective jobs.
2. Mentoring
Field Training Officers (FTO) motivate, train, and guide new officers into the department and position of Police Officer. After the probationary period, it is expected the FTOs maintain a relationship with the new officer as a continuing reference.
Mentoring pairs a less experienced individual with someone with more experience.
Mentoring benefits the mentor, mentee, and organization. Effective workplace mentoring helps decrease turnover and increase employee engagement and productivity. A moderate level of mentoring is occurring during the entire 16-week FTO program, but OPD plans to eventually provide a more robust and structured 18- month mentoring program when resources are available.
3. Improve Communication
Communication up and down the organization is important to help employees feel involved and valued. Quarterly “all-hands” meetings are one way to improve communication. OPD is also looking to establish a process for employees to anonymously ask questions for the Executive Team to answer at this meeting. OPD will evaluate these items, along with other strategies in Q3 2022 as we strive to improve organizational communication.
4. Make Employees Feel Valued
When employees feel valued, they are more engaged and committed to their organization. Here are some strategies to achieve this goal:
a. Upon approval from City officials, explore incentive programs that will reward performance and longevity.
b. Provide more positive feedback – even a simple thank you for a job well- Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 11
City Council
July 19, 2022
done goes a long way towards making employees feel valued. Currently the police department holds Command retreats which include Sworn and Professional Staff. The retreats offer various trainings, speakers, and a meaningful space to thank employees collectively and individually for their contributions to the Department. Furthermore, OPD has initiated an employee recognition program – staff-nominated members are highlighted internally each month based on noted achievements.
c. Poll employees to solicit ideas on what other rewards might work for them.
OPD is targeting Q3 2022 to launch anonymous employee surveys which will go out to employees to obtain feedback about their jobs and gauge the employees' thoughts regarding the organization.
5. Make Senior Leaders More Accessible
It is important to foster strong rapport between senior leaders and employees. OPD will establish two working groups (sworn and professional staff) that will meet quarterly with Senior Leaders to discuss what is working and not working in the organization. This will allow employees to become change agents that help improve the organization, increasing their engagement and sense of contribution. Recently all captains and above attended a sideshow detail. This was done to allow the commanders to see what is going on and help plan for future details. In addition, the commanders provided support and gleaned what additional resources to help curtail these events are needed. OPD will continue to explore different ways to make leadership more accessible to sworn and professional staff in Q3 and Q4 of 2022.
6. Strategic Plan Goals
OPD also has several goals outlined in our Strategic Plan that should help increase retention, such as instituting 360 review processes and emphasizing career development and promotional opportunities for employees. OPD continues to make progress on all strategic planning goals. We are targeting Q3 2022 to launch 360 reviews up the chain of command.
In addition to the foregoing, the Administration entered into discussions with the Oakland Police Officers Association regarding additional retention strategies. Based on those discussions, the Administration negotiated a proposed amendment to the current Memorandum of Understanding between the OPOA and the City that includes the following changes designed to increase retention.
1. Increased Longevity Premium Pay
The current MOU provides for additional pay for sworn staff, starting for those with seven years of service, and increasing over time. One issue identified in discussions is that the department is losing sworn staff with tenures starting at four years of service. The proposed MOU therefore starts the additional pay at four years, and increases it for those seven years and higher, as attrition has been significant at all levels.
2. Establish Crisis Intervention Training Premium Pay
OPD sworn staff often are confronted with situation where they are in contact with people in distress. A national model training approach to better equip police officers Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 12
City Council
July 19, 2022
in dealing with such situations is crisis intervention training. Those who are CIT trained are better able to assess an individual’s needs, deescalate difficult situations, and refer individuals in need to other professionals. Establishing a premium pay category for sworn staff that successfully complete the program will have the dual benefit of more of our staff being better able to address these situations while also providing additional incentive for those staff to remain at OPD.
3. Increase Repayment Requirement
The City invests significant resources to provide the necessary training for individuals to become Oakland Police Officers. There is a provision in the current MOU that requires sworn employees who voluntarily separate within their first five years of service to reimburse the City, up to a maximum of $11,000. The proposed MOU would increase that amount to $20,000, or the maximum amount allowed by law, whichever is greater, in order to create a stronger disincentive to leave the department shortly after having received training.
4. Establish Recruitment Incentive
The proposed MOU would establish mentorship training for existing sworn staff.
Those who successfully complete the training and successfully recruit a new Police Officer Trainee will be eligible for one-time incentive payments upon the Trainee’s completion of police academy training and field training. This incentive would provide the dual benefit of supporting both recruitment and retention.
5. Extend the Labor Agreement
The current MOU is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2024. The above provisions and others in the contract that are of value to employees (and management) have greater value when assured over a greater duration. The proposed MOU would extend the MOU by two years, providing stability and certainty for all parties.
Staffing Analysis
The December 7, 2021 report explained that OPD has been recruiting for the 187th and 188th academies. The 187th graduated 26 officers in April 2022 – these officers are currently in the field training program. The 188th academy began in March 2022. The 189th academy began shortly afterwards in May 2022; OPD had a short recruitment window for 189th academy which resulted in the hiring of fewer POTs (26 POTs) than projected in the December Hiring Plan.
FY 2022-23 will see the start of the 190th, 191st, and 192nd police academies – these new training academies, funded in current FY 2021-23 budget, will play a vital role in ensuring increased numbers of POTs matriculate into OPD as officers and help OPD keep numbers above Measure Z-required 678 officer level going into FY 2023-24. Table 4 below represents OPDs Revised Hiring Plan and a timeline for returning to full compliance with Measure Z staffing requirements.
Hiring Levels
The Department expects staffing levels to increase in October 2022 to above the required 678 officers, then fluctuate around that number and stay above that number by May 2023 (highlighted cells in the “ending filled” row show the months where staffing stays above 678).
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 13
City Council
July 19, 2022
These projections are based upon graduation levels of 31, 26, 30, and 30, respectively, in the 188th through 191st academies that will occur in the FY 2022-23.
OPDs original projection in support of Resolution No. 88942 C.M.S., adopted by the City Council on December 7, 2021, which further authorized two additional police academies for FY 2022-23, included graduating all academies within FY 2022-23. Table 4 below shows that the 192nd Police Academy begins in March 2023; the academy will not graduate new officers until August 2023 – two months past the end of FY 2022-23. OPDs RBU and Training Division are planning these academies as expeditiously as possible with the dual priorities of hiring new officers as quickly as possible while also allowing the required minimum time to recruit and support potential recruits so that the academies maximize the number of recruits who enter the academy and graduate as new officers.
New marketing and advertising strategies are only now beginning to positively impact recruitments. OPD expects that the 191
st and 192nd academies will be more positively impacted by these new efforts and allow OPD to maintain training academies with larger numbers of POTs.
Attrition
Table 4 below shows an actual attrition of six (6) for July 2022, based on actual personnel data, then an average attrition of nine (9) officers per month for August and September 2022 – this monthly attrition reflects contemporary retention challenges. Table 4 then shows that OPD expects a lower monthly attrition of eight officers starting October 2022 through June 2023. This projection reflects OPDs expectation of lowering attrition through academy preparation, training, and retention efforts.
Compliance with Measure Z Staffing and the December 7, 2021 Hiring Plan
OPDs new Revised Hiring Plan is composed of the elements listed in this report: recruiting and marketing efforts, better support for new POTs in academies and field training, and organizational efforts to better support staff. The enhanced schedule of recruiting and academies requires coordinated efforts by OPDs RBU and Training staff – and these efforts are showing progress. OPD is projecting to achieve Measure Z compliance as well as alignment with the December Hiring Plan by October 2022, with the graduation of the 189 th Academy. The
190th and 191st Academies will allow OPD to again surpass the 678-staffing number in February 2023, then again starting in May 2023.
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 14
City Council
July 19, 2022
Table 4: FY 2022-23 Projected Staffing Levels; Revised Hiring Plan Projection
FY22-23 22-
Jul
22-
Aug
22-
Sep
22-
Oct
22-
Nov
22-
Dec
23-
Jan
23-
Feb
23-
Mar
23-
Apr
23-
May
23-
Jun
Filled 658 652 674 665 683 675 667 659 681 673 665 687
Attrition (6) (9) (9) (8) (8) (8) (8) (8) (8) (8) (8) (8) Hires 0 31 0 26 0 0 0 30 0 0 30 0
Ending Filled* 652 674 665 683 675 667 659 681 673 665 687 679 Funded
Authorized FTE3 726 726 726 726 726 726 726 726 726 726 726 726 Over/(Under) (74) (52) (61) (43) (51) (59) (67) (45) (53) (61) (39) (47)
12.7.21 Hiring
Plan 706 700 695 682 676 695 687 679 671 696 688 680
Over/Under
Hiring Plan (54) (26) (30) 1 (1) (28) (28) 2 2 (31) (1) (1) 188th
189th Academy 14 May
to 28 Oct
190th Academy 20 Aug to 3 Feb
191st Academy 26 Nov to 12 May
192nd Academy 4 Mar
to 18 Aug
* Months above Measure Z-required numbers shaded in green
FISCAL IMPACT
Measure Z has strict requirements for maintaining and budgeting 678 sworn officers. There are a limited number of exemptions that can be triggered should the City fall below this value.
Failure to trigger one of these exemptions, given the City is currently below this value, will result in loss of Measure Z revenue during FY 2022-23. The loss of revenue will be proportionate to the number of days that the City is out of compliance. Measure Z is budgeted to support $28.8 million in Public Safety Expenditures primarily in the Police, Fire, and Violence Prevention Departments. Failure to approve an exemption could compromise up to 1/3rd of this revenue or approximately $9.5 Million based on current staffing projections.
Staff also notes that there is a separate but complementary resolution that proposed adding additional academies with corresponding fiscal impacts. Additional academies would reduce the fiscal risk of Measure Z non-compliance in the coming fiscal year.
3 FTE = full-time equivalent; “Funded Authorized FTE” for FY 2022-23 is 726 officers as approved in the City’s mid-cycle budget passed on June 30, 2022.
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 15
City Council
July 19, 2022
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for this report beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures.
COORDINATION
Coordination with OPD and the Office of the City Attorney was utilized in the production of this report.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: There are no economic opportunities associated with this report.
Environmental: There are no environmental opportunities associated with this report.
Race and Social Equity: Maintaining Measure Z funding is a benefit to residents and visitors to the City of Oakland regarding crime trends and reduction activities.
Edward Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: OPD 2022 Revised Hiring Plan For Measure Z Compliance Date: July 5, 2022 Page 16
City Council
July 19, 2022
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Modifying The City’s Hiring Plan For Hiring And Retaining Police Officers For The Purpose Of Ensuring Compliance With Measure Z, A Parcel Tax To Fund Public Safety Services Which Includes Certain Staffing Requirements For The Oakland Police Department.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Kiona Suttle, Deputy Director, at [email protected].
Reviewed by:
Kiona Suttle, Deputy Director, Bureau of Services
Dr. Carlo Beckman, Manager II,
OPD, Research, Planning, and IT Section
Lynette Hart, Police Services Manager,
OPD, Personnel Division
Prepared by:
Bruce Stoffmacher, Legislation and Privacy Manager
OPD, Research, Planning, and IT Section