Paso Robles City Council
December 16, 2025

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department iii
Acknowledgments
AP Triton wishes to extend its sincere appreciation to each of those individuals whose contributions and assistance made this project possible.

Our sincere appreciation is extended to each of you!
Paso Robles City Council
John Hamon
Mayor
Kris Beal
District 1
Chris Bausch
District 2
Steve Gregory
District 3
Fred Strong
District 4
Special thanks to Chief Damian Nord,
Commander Caleb Davis, and to each of the
officers and support staff, who daily serve the
citizens and visitors of Paso Robles.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department iv
Introduction
The City of Paso Robles has experienced significant changes in recent years— demographically, economically, and operationally. These shifts have impacted public safety service demands and placed new pressures on the Paso Robles Police Department (PRPD) as it works to uphold its mission of ensuring community safety and enhancing quality of life. In response to these evolving conditions, the City of Paso Robles retained AP Triton to conduct a comprehensive Strategic Staffing Assessment of PRPD.

This study is intended to evaluate the Department’s current operational and organizational structures, assess existing staffing levels, and identify the resources necessary to sustain effective law enforcement services. The assessment examines a variety of interrelated factors including community growth, service demand trends, call volume, geographic coverage, personnel deployment, facilities, and financial sustainability. It also considers the Department’s ability to fulfill both core public safety responsibilities and emerging community expectations—such as school safety, mental health response, and community engagement.

Through a detailed analysis of departmental data, extensive stakeholder engagement, and benchmarking against national best practices, this study provides actionable recommendations to guide the future development of PRPD. The ultimate goal is to support the City in making informed, data-driven decisions that enhance public safety outcomes, ensure equitable service delivery, and maintain operational readiness amid continued growth and change.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department v
Executive Summary
The City of Paso Robles has experienced significant demographic, economic, and operational shifts in recent years, increasing public safety demands and placing new pressures on the Paso Robles Police Department (PRPD) to uphold its mission of ensuring community safety and quality of life. To address these challenges, the City retained AP Triton to conduct a comprehensive Strategic Staffing Assessment.

This report evaluates current operations, staffing, facilities, service demand, and financial conditions, and provides a framework of short-, mid-, and long-term recommendations to strengthen the Department’s ability to meet both present and future needs.

This report represents a “snapshot in time,” particularly around June 2025. Since PRPD operates in a dynamic environment, some details, such as staffing, crime statistics, or equipment, may already have changed. For example, the Department has since appointed a new Deputy Chief who was not in position at the time of this assessment. As a result, some discrepancies may appear between the report’s data and present-day conditions.

Current Conditions & Challenges
Staffing: At the time of assessment, PRPD employed 63 sworn officers and 23 non-sworn staff, supported by 14 volunteers. Current patrol staffing levels are stable and within industry norms of allocated versus unallocated time. However, deficiencies were noted with supervisory spans of control exceeding industry standards across the organization, and staffing needs were identified within ancillary divisions such as Property and Evidence and Community Service Officers (CSOs).

Facilities: The Paso Robles Public Safety Center, while modern and well-maintained, is at or near capacity. Limited office space, evidence storage, and parking constrain operations.

East-side response times are challenged by geography and congestion, highlighting the need for a future substation.

Financial Outlook: Measure J-20 has been critical in supporting personnel growth, overtime, and equipment. However, its scheduled expiration in 2031 poses a significant fiscal risk.

Overtime spending is rising, and long-term sustainability will require disciplined financial planning.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department vi
Operational Performance
Paso Robles Police Department manages an average of 40,000 police calls annually, with additional service demands from schools, traffic enforcement, and special events.

Specialized teams such as the Community Action Team (CAT) address homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse, but resource strain persists.

Key Findings
Finance
Rising Costs & Labor Dependence: Departmental expenses grew from $10.8M in FY2020 to $16.6M in FY2024, with personnel making up ~80% of expenditures. Overtime costs— especially in patrol—have risen more than 50% in consecutive years (FY2022 & FY2023).

Measure J-20 Reliance: The 1% sales tax funds 29 positions and is essential for staffing, overtime, and capital purchases. About 40% of its revenue is tourism-based. Its sunset in 2032 represents a significant fiscal risk.

Capital & Revenue Constraints: $9M is earmarked for a new police substation but delayed pending this study. Broader revenue growth is limited by Proposition 13 and tax restrictions.

Despite these constraints, the City has demonstrated prudent financial management.

Service Demand & Performance
Geographic & Demand Pressures: Beat 1 generates 57% of calls yet is under-resourced, while Beat 2 faces slower response times due to geography and traffic, and is where most new development is occurring.

Call & Crime Trends: Call demand is gradually rising across most categories (alarm, civil, crime, traffic). Violent crime is increasing, property crime is stabilizing, and Investigations face mounting pressure.

Response Times: Performance is strong overall, with 76% of Priority 1 calls answered in under 5 minutes. However, broad priority classifications (e.g., Priority 2 mixing emergency/nonemergency) dilute workload accuracy.

Data Limitations: Analysis was constrained by ~27 months of CAD data and DOJ-published crime data, limiting granularity of performance assessment.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department vii
Operations & Organization
Facilities & Logistics: The Public Safety Center is at capacity (office, storage, evidence, parking), with no room for expansion. Evidence storage is projected to reach capacity within two years. Fleet condition is strong now (mostly 2023 models), but the lack of age diversification presents long-term replacement risks.

Command & Supervision: Both the Patrol Commander and Administrative Commander have overly broad responsibilities, diluting strategic focus. Sergeants carry added burdens overseeing both patrol and specialty units.

Specialized Roles & Resources: No dedicated Public Information Officer exists, and CAT officers are diverted to tasks like riverbed security that may not require sworn personnel.

PRPD lacks armored vehicle capability and a dedicated mobile command post, relying on county/state resources.

Training & Personnel Management: Training is well-managed through POST systems, and a new training facility at Fire Station 3 will expand capacity. Recruitment and branding are strong, fostering a family-oriented culture even amid hiring challenges.

Technology & Processes: Redundant paper processes reduce efficiency; digitization could improve productivity. The CAD system lacks mechanisms to capture non-dispatched officer activities, leading to incomplete workload data.

Records & Dispatch: Unfilled positions contribute to supervisory strain and limit succession planning. Stakeholder input suggests Records Division staffing is insufficient, with reports of falling behind.

Evidence & Continuity: Evidence audits and barcoding systems are positive, but lack of cross-training for the Evidence Technician creates continuity risks.

Other Operational Risks: Running an internal jail diverts patrol officers to guard duties, creating significant staffing drains. No formal internal audit/inspection system exists for areas like fleet, equipment, and performance oversight.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department viii
Recommendations
The recommendations in this assessment are intended as planning tools and should be viewed with flexibility, particularly regarding timelines. As time progresses, priorities may shift, new needs may emerge, or unforeseen opportunities may arise. In some cases, it may be fiscally responsible or operationally efficient to implement certain recommendations earlier or later than originally suggested. This flexibility ensures the City and PRPD can adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining responsible stewardship of resources.

Short-Term (1–2 years)
• Initiate a Facilities Master Plan
• Develop East-side Police Facility to Improve Response Equity • Reduce Patrol Supervisory Burden
• Add Mid-Level Supervision to Support Patrol Commander • Track Post-Call Workload for Better Staffing Accuracy • Develop Robust Tracking for Overtime Activities and Drivers • Evaluate Acquisition of Armored Rescue Vehicle
• Update Mission to Reflect Modern Priorities
Mid-Term (3–5 years)
• Expand Community Service Officer Staffing to Extend CSO Coverage • Cross-Train CSO to Support Property and Evidence Technician • Expand or Reconfigure Property and Evidence Storage
• Implement Structured Internal Inspection Program
• Reassign Riverbed Standby Duties to a CSO When Appropriate • Fill Vacant Dispatch and Records Positions, Including Supervisory Roles • Joint Acquisition of a Mobile Command Post
• Conduct a Jail Workload Study
• Establish Dedicated Public Information Officer Position • Streamline Records Operations Through Digitization
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department ix
Long-Term (5+ years)
• Adopt Rotational Vehicle Replacement Strategy
• Implement Workload Tracking and Analysis in Records Division • Conduct Formal Staffing Analysis for Detective Division • Development of a Department-Wide Workload Analysis Plan Conclusion
The Paso Robles Police Department is a dedicated and professional organization with strong community support. However, continued population growth, rising service demands, and fiscal pressures require strategic planning and investment. By adopting these recommendations, the City of Paso Robles can ensure PRPD remains responsive, sustainable, and well-prepared to safeguard community safety and quality of life well into the future.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 1 Section I:

EVALUATION OF CURRENT CONDITIONS
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 2 Police Department Overview
History of the Paso Robles Police Department
The Paso Robles Police Department has been serving the residents of Paso Robles, California, since its formation in 1889. From its early days addressing the challenges of a growing town, the Department has evolved to meet the needs of a diverse and expanding community. In 1936, the City Council approved the purchase of a new, fully enclosed police sedan, replacing the outdated "open-air" patrol car from 1929, highlighting the City's commitment to enhancing law enforcement capabilities.1
As the city has evolved from a small town into a popular tourist destination known for its more than 200 wineries, PRPD has adapted and grown to meet the changing needs of the community. Today, PRPD continues its tradition of community connection through a variety of public programs and outreach efforts. The Department actively promotes transparency and trust through its Citizens Ride-Along Program, Community Volunteer Patrol, and Coffee with a Cop events, offering residents a firsthand look at police work and an open forum for dialogue. Initiatives like the Vacation House Check Program, Special Olympics support, and annual National Night Out demonstrate the Department’s commitment to service beyond traditional enforcement. These programs, among others, reinforce the Department’s philosophy that public safety is most effective when it is built on relationships, shared responsibility, and mutual respect between officers and the community they serve.

This community-driven approach is reflected in the Department's mission,“… to render the highest level of service, working side by side with the community to solve problems related to crime and social disorder, thereby ensuring safety and improving the quality of life in the community,” and vision, “Working together, we will continue to enjoy a safe community and an incomparable quality of life.”
1 https://pasoroblesdailynews.com/looking-back-to-1936-new-police-car-and-traffic-cop-approved/197737/ Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 3 At the time of this study, PRPD’s staffing table was comprised of 63 sworn officers, 21 fulltime and 2 part-time non-sworn professional staff, and 4 uniformed support staff. In addition, 14 volunteers supplement the patrol division. The Department maintains a 24-hour dispatch center staffed by 10 full-time dispatchers. This public safety answering point (PSAP) handles an average of 40,000 police-related calls and 5,000 fire-related calls each year. The localized nature of dispatch allows for rapid coordination between law enforcement, fire, and other critical resources.

Paso Robles Governance and Lines of Authority
Paso Robles, incorporated on March 11, 1889, operates under a council-manager form of government as a general law city. Intended to blend the strengths of democratic leadership and professional management to ensure efficient, transparent, and accountable city operations, the city’s structure consists of a five-member City Council who serves as the legislative body responsible for setting policies, adopting ordinances, approving budgets and contracts, determining land use decisions, and setting utility rates.

The mayor, elected separately to a two-year term; and four council members, each serving staggered four-year terms, represent the full electorate and conduct their governance in open forums to ensure transparency and public engagement.

The following figure illustrates the City of Paso Robles as divided into its designated City Council districts.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 4 Figure 1: Paso Robles City Council Districts
At the administrative helm is the City Manager, appointed by the Council to serve as the chief executive officer of the municipal corporation. Tasked with enforcing city laws, managing daily operations, and executing the Council’s policy directives, the City Manager oversees all departments and staff while stewarding the municipal budget. This council-manager system provides a balance between responsive political leadership and professional management, aligning Paso Robles’ governance with its commitment to accountability, efficiency, and community involvement.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 5 Central to maintaining public safety and order in Paso Robles is the Paso Robles Police Department, which serves as the city’s primary law enforcement agency. The Department operates as part of the municipal government, enforcing local ordinances and state laws while working in coordination with county, state, and community partners. Guided by the principles of constitutional policing, the Department is committed to preventing crime, promoting safety, and building public trust through transparency and accountability.

Within this structure, the Chief of Police oversees the operations of PRPD, manages personnel and resources, and ensures that the Department is aligned with both community needs and the broader goals established by the City Council. While the Chief may provide regular updates to the Council, such as crime trends, public safety initiatives, or responses to community concerns, the Chief’s direct supervision and accountability lie with the City Manager, not the Council itself.

In a typical police department, the chain of command and lines of communication are structured hierarchically, with clear lines of authority and responsibility. This structure ensures efficient operation and coordination of activities within the department.

In terms of communication, information generally flows up and down the chain of command. For example, patrol officers report incidents and information to their Sergeants, who then relay important information to Commanders, Deputy Chiefs, and ultimately the Chief of Police. Similarly, directives, policies, and decisions from higher-ranking officers are communicated down the chain of command to ensure that all personnel are informed and aligned with departmental goals and objectives.

Overview of Paso Robles Police Department’s Service Area The Paso Robles Police Department is responsible for policing the entire City of Paso Robles, which spans roughly 19.5 square miles within San Luis Obispo County. The city has a population of approximately 31,000 residents and is known for hosting major events such as the California Mid-State Fair, Paso Wine Fest, Vina Robles Amphitheatre concerts, Sensorio Paso Robles, and more. The combination of residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, and tourism-driven activity presents public safety challenges and opportunities for the Department.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 6 Geographic division through defined beats is a fundamental concept in modern policing, providing a framework for officers to effectively manage and police their assigned areas.

This division is crucial for several reasons, primarily centered around enhancing policecommunity relationships, improving response times, and increasing the overall effectiveness of law enforcement efforts.

PRPD has established formal boundaries which divide the city into four quadrants, each containing multiple districts. While the quadrant model remains in use for computer-aided dispatch (CAD), it is not actively used in daily operations. For day-to-day operational purposes, the Department utilizes two main beats: Beat 1, covering the area west of the Salinas River (quadrants 1 and 2); and Beat 2, covering the area east of the river (quadrants 3 and 4). The Salinas River, which runs parallel to Highway 101, serves as a natural geographic divider between these two primary patrol areas. When necessary, a third beat, Beat 3, is designated as a floating unit to provide flexible support across the city.

The following two figures depict the study area for this report. The first shows the City of Paso Robles divided into quadrants and districts, while the second illustrates the same area organized into operational Beats 1 and 2.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 7 Figure 2: Study Area as Quadrants with Districts
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 8 Figure 3: Study Area as Operational Beats
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 9 Paso Robles Police Department’s Organizational Design The command structure of the Paso Robles Police Department is designed to ensure efficient operations, clear communication, and effective leadership throughout the organization.

Chief of Police
At the top of the command structure is the Chief of Police, who is responsible for overseeing the overall operations of PRPD. The Chief sets strategic priorities, establishes policies and procedures, and provides direction to departmental divisions and units. As the highest-ranking officer, the Chief represents the Department to the community, city officials, and other law enforcement agencies.

Deputy Chief
Beneath the Chief of Police, the Deputy Chief assists in managing specific aspects of departmental operations. While the Chief focuses on executive leadership and strategic vision, the Deputy Chief plays a more hands-on role in operational oversight while still maintaining a high-level strategic position. The Deputy Chief also serves as the Chief’s direct representative and assumes full command in the Chief’s absence, ensuring continuity of leadership and decision-making across the organization. As of the time of this report, PRPD does not have a Deputy Chief in position, shifting these functions and responsibilities to the Chief and Commanders.

Commanders
Commanders in PRPD have a broad scope of responsibility, overseeing significant divisions or units such as patrol, investigations, and administrative functions. They are entrusted with developing and executing departmental policies and procedures, ensuring they are effectively implemented within their command. Moreover, Commanders are tasked with managing the allocation of resources and personnel under their purview, ensuring that both are optimally utilized to achieve departmental objectives.

In terms of hierarchy, Commanders report directly to the Deputy Chief or Chief of Police, serving as key liaisons between frontline supervisors and officers and top-level leadership.

This position requires a high level of strategic thinking and decision-making, as Commanders must balance the needs of their divisions with the overarching goals and priorities of the Department as a whole. They are also responsible for fostering a positive and inclusive work environment in which personnel are motivated and supported in their duties.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 10 Additionally, Commanders often play a crucial role in liaising with other agencies and community stakeholders, representing the Department in various forums and collaborations. This aspect of their role requires strong communication and interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to build and maintain effective partnerships. Overall, Commanders are instrumental in shaping the direction and success of the Department, ensuring that it operates efficiently and effectively to serve and protect the community.

Frontline Supervisors
Sergeants play a crucial role as frontline supervisors within the Paso Robles Police Department, serving as the bridge between officers and employees on the ground and upper management. Their responsibilities are varied and encompass overseeing patrol shifts as Watch Commanders, investigations, specialized units, and administrative tasks. This pivotal position requires a unique blend of leadership, mentorship, and operational skills to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of their respective units. One of the key duties of a Sergeant is to provide guidance and mentorship to those under their command. They are responsible for ensuring that all officers and employees are properly trained, equipped, and supported in carrying out their duties. This includes providing feedback on performance, addressing any issues or concerns that may arise, and facilitating professional development opportunities for their team members.

In addition to providing mentorship, Sergeants are also responsible for ensuring that departmental policies and procedures are followed. They serve as a point of contact for officers seeking clarification on policies and are responsible for enforcing these policies within their units. This requires a thorough understanding of departmental protocols and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.

Furthermore, Sergeants play a critical role in ensuring that operations run smoothly within their units. They are responsible for coordinating the deployment of personnel and resources, ensuring that shifts are adequately staffed, and responding to any emergencies or incidents that may arise. This requires strong organizational skills, the ability to make quick decisions under pressure, and effective communication skills to liaise with other units and agencies as needed.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 11 Corporals are oftentimes senior officers who serve as a bridge between patrol officers and supervisory staff, often taking on informal leadership roles within their assigned beats. While they typically do not hold full supervisory authority, they assume the Shift Watch Commander position in the absence of a Sergeant. Corporals are responsible for responding to calls for service, assisting with field decision-making, and supporting day-today patrol operations. They also play a critical mentorship role as field training officers, guiding and modeling professional behavior for newer officers, reinforcing Department protocols, and helping develop the next generation of effective and confident law enforcement personnel.

Officers
Officer-level personnel in the Paso Robles Police Department serve as the backbone of the agency, representing the Department’s frontline presence in both general and specialized assignments. Whether patrolling neighborhoods and business districts, conducting investigations, or addressing specific community concerns, these officers play a pivotal role in deterring crime, enforcing laws, responding to emergencies, and investigating crimes.

Their responsibilities are diverse and demanding, requiring vigilance, sound judgment, and a deep commitment to public service.

Overall, the command structure of PRPD is designed to facilitate effective leadership, coordination, and communication at all levels of the organization, ensuring that officers and personnel have the support, guidance, and resources they need to fulfill their duties and serve the community effectively.

The following figure presents the organizational chart of the Paso Robles Police Department, outlining the Department’s current structure, command hierarchy, and division of responsibilities.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 12 Figure 4: PRPD Organizational Chart2
General Police Operations, Allocation, and Deployment
The role of the PRPD Executive Assistant is critical in supporting the Chief of Police and ensuring the efficient operation of the Department. The responsibilities of the Executive Assistant include:
• Administrative Support: Providing high-level administrative support to the Chief of Police, including managing schedules, organizing meetings, and handling correspondence.
• Communications: Serving as a primary point of contact for internal and external communications, including intra-departmental newsletters, phone calls, emails, and inquiries directed to the Chief of Police.
• Information Management: Managing information flow to and from the Chief of Police, ensuring that important information is relayed in a timely and accurate manner. • Record-keeping: Maintaining records, files, and documents related to the Chief of Police's activities, including meeting minutes, reports, and correspondence. 2 This organizational chart is current as of June 9, 2025.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 13 • Event Coordination: Assisting in the planning and coordination of events attended or hosted by the Chief of Police, such as community meetings, conferences, and ceremonies. Planning and coordinating community outreach and special events attended by officers and other Department members.
• Confidentiality: Maintaining strict confidentiality and discretion regarding sensitive information and matters related to the Chief of Police and the Department. • Project Management: Assisting with the management of special projects which may involve coordinating with other departmental staff or external stakeholders. • Budget and Finance: Assisting in budget monitoring, as well as managing financial records and expenditures related to the Department.
• Liaison Role: Serving as a liaison between the Chief of Police and other departmental staff, as well as external agencies, community groups, and the public.

Overall, the Executive Assistant plays a crucial role in supporting the Chief of Police in their leadership role, ensuring that the office operates smoothly, and that the Chief of Police is able to focus on strategic priorities and decision-making.

Patrol Division
Patrol
At the operational level, patrol officers are the frontline representatives of the Paso Robles Police Department, tasked with carrying out a wide range of duties essential to maintaining public safety and order. One of their primary responsibilities is patrolling neighborhoods and communities to deter criminal activity, responding to emergencies, and providing a visible presence to reassure the public. This aspect of their role involves driving through areas, conducting foot patrols, and interacting with community members to address concerns and build trust.

Responding to calls for service is another key aspect of an officer's role. This includes responding to emergency calls, such as reports of crimes in progress or accidents, as well as non-emergency calls, such as noise complaints and citizen assists. Officers must assess the situation, gather information, and take appropriate action to resolve the issue, which may involve making arrests, issuing citations, or assisting those in need.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 14 Conducting investigations is also a critical part of an officer's duties. This may involve gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, canvassing neighborhoods, and interrogating suspects to solve crimes and bring perpetrators to justice. Officers must adhere to strict protocols and procedures to ensure that evidence is properly collected and preserved, and that the rights of all parties involved are protected.

In addition to their law enforcement duties, officers are also responsible for engaging with the community. This includes participating in community events, giving presentations on crime prevention, and working with community groups to address specific issues. By building positive relationships with community members, officers can gain valuable insights into local concerns and work collaboratively to find solutions.

Patrol schedules are based on 12-hour work shifts. Patrol officers are divided into two primary work groups based on days of the week. One group works the “fast side” of the week—Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday—while the other works the “slow side”—Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Each group alternates working Saturdays every other week. Within each group, officers are further divided into a day shift (6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) and night shift (6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.). Each officer is supposed to have one 8-hour day in a twoweek period; however, this is not always possible, which causes officers to frequently receive four hours of overtime. Officers rotate shifts every four months, with shift assignments being selected by officers according to their seniority.

Each patrol shift is staffed with a minimum of three officers and a Watch Commander, who may be a Sergeant or Corporal. The Watch Commander oversees operations but does not take a beat assignment. Of the three officers, one is assigned to Beat 1 (west of the river), and at least one, usually two, is assigned to Beat 2 (east of the river) due to its size. If a fourth officer is available, they serve as a floater in Beat 3, providing additional coverage where needed.

K9 Unit
The Paso Robles Police Department's K9 Program, established in 1983, serves as a vital component of the Department's operational capabilities. The program enhances officer safety and effectiveness in areas such as suspect apprehension, narcotics detection, and search operations. The K9 teams are integrated into patrol shifts and are available for callouts, providing rapid response and specialized skills that augment traditional policing methods. While staffing allows for two K9 handlers, each with their own K9, recent staffing constraints allow for only one K9 team.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 15 Beyond their operational duties, the K9 teams engage in regular training, dedicating approximately 32 hours monthly to maintain proficiency in obedience, tracking, and detection tasks. This continuous training ensures that the teams remain prepared to meet the dynamic challenges of law enforcement. The program's success is further bolstered by community support, notably from the "Friends of the K9" group, which has been instrumental in fundraising and providing resources since the early 1990s.

The K9 Program also plays a significant role in fostering positive community relations.

Through demonstrations and educational outreach in schools and at community events, the program promotes public awareness and trust in law enforcement. These interactions not only showcase the capabilities of the K9 teams but also strengthen the bond between the Department and the residents of Paso Robles. The continued success and community integration of the K9 Program underscore its importance as a multifaceted asset to the city's public safety initiatives.

Traffic Unit
The Traffic Division of the Paso Robles Police Department plays a vital role in promoting roadway safety and managing traffic flow within the city. The division’s primary objective is to ensure the safe and efficient movement of vehicles and pedestrians through proactive enforcement, education, and collaboration with other city departments. By focusing on traffic-related issues such as collision prevention and traffic control, the division works to reduce accidents and improve quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

Under the supervision of the Watch Commander, two traffic officers and two DUI enforcement officers address a wide range of responsibilities, including responding to traffic complaints, conducting accident investigations, and issuing citations for hazardous driving behaviors. Traffic officers primarily use police motorcycles to maintain a visible presence and enforce traffic laws in areas with high collision rates or speeding concerns.

The division also includes a dedicated DUI Division, which focuses on identifying and arresting impaired drivers. This unit plays a critical role in reducing alcohol- and drugrelated crashes through targeted enforcement, reinforcing the Department’s commitment to protecting lives and promoting safe roadways.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 16 School Resource Officers (SROs)
School Resource Officers (SROs) are integral to maintaining a safe and supportive environment within the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District. Assigned full time to campuses during the school year, these three officers serve as a bridge between law enforcement and the school community. Their responsibilities include responding to incidents, investigating threats, and collaborating with school staff to address safety concerns.

Beyond enforcement, SROs in Paso Robles take on roles as mentors and leaders, fostering positive relationships with students and promoting responsible behavior. They engage in activities that build trust and encourage open communication, making them approachable figures for students seeking guidance. This proactive approach not only deters potential issues but also contributes to a positive school climate, emphasizing the importance of safety, respect, and community engagement.

PRPD’s SROs serve eight school properties within the city, including one high school, one junior high school, and six elementary schools. They are assigned to the schools full time throughout the academic year, focusing on safety, relationship building, and proactive problem-solving within the school environment. During the summer months, while one SRO is consistently assigned to summer school, the others assist with the Mid-State Fair in July or provide instruction for the Department’s pre-academy program. SROs are also encouraged to use vacation time during the summer to avoid scheduling conflicts during the school year.

The SRO Program is funded through a cost-sharing partnership with Paso Robles Joint Unified School District, which currently covers half the cost of the SRO positions. This partnership is formally established through an agreement that extends through 2028, reflecting a long-term commitment to school safety and collaboration between the city and its educational institutions.

The following figure illustrates the school locations within Paso Robles that are served by the Paso Robles Police Department’s School Resource Officers.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 17 Figure 5: Paso Robles Schools Covered by PRPD School Resource Officers Community Service Officers
The Paso Robles Police Department is supported by a team of dedicated professional staff members which includes Community Service Officers (CSOs). These uniformed personnel play a crucial role in enhancing departmental operations by responding to nonemergency calls for service and providing vital support to sworn officers.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 18 CSOs are trained to handle a wide range of non-emergency situations, including traffic control, abatement tows, minor accident investigations, theft investigations with no known suspect, sex offender registration, city code enforcement, and assisting with investigations and evidence collection. They also provide valuable assistance in community outreach efforts, such as neighborhood meetings and public events, helping to foster positive relationships between the Department and the community.

Overall, the role of CSOs within PRPD is essential to maintaining a safe and secure community. Their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to service are integral to the Department's mission and help to ensure that the needs of the community are met in a timely and effective manner.

Animal Control Services
Animal control services are provided through an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Paso Robles and the County of San Luis Obispo’s Animal Services Division. PRPD maintains fenced animal cages with food and water at the Paso Robles Public Safety Center, where animals can be temporarily and humanely housed while awaiting county services to arrive and take possession.

Investigations Division
Detectives
Select officers of the Paso Robles Police Department may be assigned to specialized investigative units tasked with conducting in-depth criminal investigations. These three detectives play a crucial role in the pursuit of justice by investigating a wide range of crimes, including homicides, robberies, sexual assaults, narcotics offenses, gang-related crimes, and property crimes. Their responsibilities include gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, identifying victims and suspects, and ultimately working tirelessly to solve cases and apprehend offenders.

Detectives in specialized investigative units are highly trained professionals who typically bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their work. They employ a variety of investigative techniques and tools to gather and analyze evidence, including forensic analysis, surveillance, and interviews. Their goal is not only to solve individual cases but also to identify broader patterns of criminal activity and disrupt criminal networks.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 19 Collaboration is a key aspect of investigative work, and detectives work closely with prosecutors and other law enforcement agencies to bring cases to resolution. This collaboration ensures that investigations are thorough and comprehensive, and that cases are prosecuted effectively. Detectives also work closely with victims and their families, providing support and guidance throughout the investigative process.

The work of investigative officers is demanding and often requires long hours and meticulous attention to detail. However, their efforts are essential in upholding the rule of law and ensuring the safety and security of the community. By pursuing justice for victims and holding offenders accountable, detectives in specialized investigative units play a vital role in maintaining public trust and confidence in the criminal justice system.

Community Action Team (CAT)
The Paso Robles Police Department established its Community Action Team (CAT) in November 2019 to address the growing challenges associated with homelessness, mental illness, and substance abuse within the community. Operating under the detective bureau, CAT comprises three officers and a part-time psychiatric technician from San Luis Obispo Behavioral Health Department. The team's primary objective is to engage individuals who are frequently in contact with law enforcement due to acute mental health issues, extreme drug and alcohol dependence, or homelessness, and connect them with appropriate resources such as drug, alcohol, and mental health services, as well as shortterm housing options.

The goal of the Community Action Team is to reduce the strain on public safety resources by connecting in-need individuals with appropriate support services. Through targeted outreach and collaboration, the team has seen positive results in reducing repeat incidents and improving overall community well-being. Beyond individual outreach, CAT collaborates with the city's waste and community departments to address broader issues such as homeless camps and environmental concerns.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 20 While it could be debated which entity should bear primary responsibility for providing mental health and homelessness-related services, the reality is that when these issues go unaddressed, their impact is most acutely felt by law enforcement who are called upon to manage the consequences. This has the potential to create both a resource strain and liability. As such, there is anecdotal but compelling support to suggest that the Police Department is among the most directly affected stakeholders and therefore, placing this division under their purview not only ensures consistent follow-through but also helps alleviate operational strain if matters were neglected or ignored.

Property and Evidence/CSI Division
The Property and Evidence/CSI Division of the Paso Robles Police Department plays an important role in the collection, handling, and management of criminal evidence and found property. The position is staffed by one full-time technician, and this trained individual is responsible for receiving, storing, and releasing items related to criminal cases, including narcotics, weapons, clothing, vehicles, and original documents. These items are stored securely until the resolution of the respective case. Further, the Property and Evidence Technician conducts the following activities:
• Receiving and Documentation: The Property and Evidence Technician receives items of evidence and found property from officers and investigators. Each item is carefully documented, including detailed descriptions and chain-of-custody information. This documentation is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the evidence and ensuring its admissibility in court.
• Secure Storage: Once received, items are stored securely in the Department's dedicated storage facilities. Strict protocols are followed for storing different types of items, such as narcotics, weapons, and documents, to prevent contamination, tampering, or loss. The storage facilities are equipped with security measures, including access controls and surveillance, to ensure the integrity of stored items. • Release of Property: The Technician is responsible for releasing items of evidence and found property in accordance with legal requirements and departmental policies.

This may involve releasing items to the rightful owners, their authorized representatives, or other law enforcement agencies. Detailed records of all releases are maintained to ensure accountability and transparency.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 21 • Case Resolution: Items stored are held until the resolution of the respective criminal case. This may include the conclusion of a trial, plea agreement, or other legal proceedings. Once the case is resolved, the Technician coordinates the disposition of the items, which may include returning items to the rightful owners, destroying items, or transferring items to other agencies for further investigation. • Crime Scene Collection: The Property and Evidence Technician maintains an on-call status to respond to major scenes and assist officers or detectives with evidence collection and documentation. Although callouts are less frequent than in larger urban areas, this support role is critical in reducing the burden on patrol and investigative personnel during complex or resource-intensive incidents. The Technician has received specialized training in evidence handling and scene management, ensuring that items are collected, processed, and preserved according to established standards and legal requirements.
• Evidence Testing and Transport: The Technician is responsible for coordinating the submission of evidence for forensic analysis. This includes transporting biological evidence such as blood, urine, and Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) kits, as well as other items requiring specialized testing, to crime laboratories throughout the region. Proper packaging, documentation, and timely delivery ensure the integrity of the evidence and compliance with legal and investigative requirements. • Compliance and Accountability: The Property and Evidence Technician operates in compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, and departmental policies. This is accomplished by maintaining accountability for all items in PRPD custody, conducting biannual audits of drugs, guns, and money to ensure proper handling, and following the correct storage practices.

Crime Analyst
Paso Robles Police Department's Crime Analyst is a specialized assignment responsible for analyzing crime data and providing valuable insights to assist in crime prevention and resource allocation. The trained analyst plays a crucial role in helping the Department understand crime trends, patterns, and hotspots, allowing for more effective and targeted law enforcement efforts.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 22 By reviewing data from various sources, such as police reports, calls for service, and arrest records, the Crime Analyst aims to identify emerging crime patterns and hotspots. This information is then used to inform operational strategies and resource allocation, ensuring that resources are deployed effectively to address the most pressing crime issues.

In addition to analyzing crime data, the Crime Analyst may also provide support to investigators and patrol officers by assisting in developing investigative leads, providing information on suspect behavior or crime patterns, and helping to prioritize cases based on their potential impact. This support helps to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement efforts.

Special Enforcement Team (SET)
The Special Enforcement Team (SET) is a proactive unit within the investigations division of the Paso Robles Police Department. Comprised of a Sergeant and two SET detectives, this team primarily focuses on preventing and addressing serious criminal activity, often collaborating with other units within the Department and maintaining close relationships with various external agencies at the local and state levels. This collaborative approach allows SET to leverage a wide range of resources and expertise in their efforts to enhance public safety and combat crime. The team’s regular duties include conducting arrest warrant services, executing search warrants, and performing surveillance operations. The team focuses on narcotics-related crimes, gang-related investigations, and other recurring criminal activity.

Administrative Division
Personnel and Training/Recruitment
Recognizing that quality employees and training are fundamental to providing exceptional service to the community, the Paso Robles Police Department has carefully developed a training system to provide training and ongoing professional development for its officers and staff. PRPD operates under a structured training philosophy that emphasizes continual growth, technical proficiency, and preparedness. Overseen by the Administrative Sergeant and managed by a part-time, non-sworn training coordinator, training is a joint effort as many officers participate in providing instruction to other officers and outside agencies. The Department’s training plan addresses legislative changes, state mandates, and critical issues training, while ensuring compliance with California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 23 Training at PRPD includes a variety of delivery methods, such as in-person instruction, practical scenario-based exercises, and policy-driven refreshers through the Lexipol Daily Training Bulletins (DTBs)—micro-learning modules that reinforce Department policies and procedures. Officers also attend specialized courses throughout the year on topics such as arrest and control techniques, crisis intervention, de-escalation, and firearms proficiency.

The Department's commitment to continued education ensures that its members maintain high standards of safety, professionalism, and effectiveness in an evolving public safety landscape.

The recruitment process at PRPD is designed to identify candidates who align with the Department’s core values and community-focused mission. PRPD does not have a dedicated recruitment team; rather, recruitment efforts are organized by the Administrative Commander and supported by a designated recruiting group within the department, whose members perform these duties as an ancillary responsibility. Applicants undergo a multi-step process that includes an application screening, written examination, physical agility testing, oral interviews, a comprehensive background investigation, and both psychological and medical evaluations. Those who are selected attend a POSTcertified police academy where they receive foundational training in criminal law, procedures, ethics, and tactics. Upon academy graduation, recruits enter the Field Training Program where they are partnered with experienced Field Training Officers (FTOs).

Paso Robles Police Department's Field Training Program is a comprehensive 16-week initiative designed to familiarize recruit officers with the daily responsibilities of law enforcement. Throughout the program, recruit officers are closely supervised by certified FTOs who provide guidance and support as they navigate various aspects of Department operations. This hands-on approach not only equips recruit officers with the necessary skills to serve the community effectively but also offers them mentorship and support throughout the program's different phases. Over the course of the Field Training Program, each new police officer undergoes more than 588 hours of field training before being authorized to patrol solo. This is significantly more than the 400 hours required by California POST for a field training program.
3 3 https://post.ca.gov/Field-Training-Police-Training-ProgramsFAQs#:~:text=How%20long%20is%20the%20Field,a%20minimum%20of%2016%20weeks.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 24 Lateral officers, those who come to PRPD already certified as peace officers and with experience, may have reduced field training time based on their previous experience level and demonstrated abilities. However, even these officers will undergo the entire 16 weeks if needed to safely and effectively serve the community.

Professional development does not stop after field training. PRPD emphasizes continuing education and leadership development throughout an officer’s career. Officers are encouraged to pursue advanced training, formal education, and specialized certifications. The Department actively supports attendance at regional training, conferences, and POST-certified courses that enhance expertise in investigations, supervision, mental health response, and more. By investing in its personnel through highquality training and intentional recruitment, the Paso Robles Police Department ensures its officers are equipped to meet current and future public safety challenges with integrity, professionalism, and confidence.

Support Services Division
Dispatch
The Paso Robles Dispatch Center plays a vital role in coordinating emergency response for both the Paso Robles Police Department and the Paso Robles Fire Department. As the first point of contact during emergencies, dispatchers are responsible for answering 911 and non-emergency calls, quickly assessing the situation and dispatching the appropriate units to respond. Their clear communication, composure under pressure, and ability to make split-second decisions directly impact the safety and effectiveness of field personnel and the residents and visitors of Paso Robles. The center's dedicated team of a Dispatch Lead, and 10 Dispatchers manages this responsibility.

Housed within the police side of the Public Safety Center, the dispatch center, while small, is a secure and relatively modern facility that serves as the sole public safety answering point for all police and fire emergency communications. It consists of two open office spaces, one of which is equipped to accommodate up to three Dispatchers at a time, as well as a closed office space available for supervisory use or sensitive operations as needed. While the center is well-equipped to handle day-to-day operations, it is the only dispatch facility serving the city. In the event of a significant disruption, emergency calls can be rerouted to the San Luis Obispo dispatch center as a contingency. Currently no dedicated backup dispatch site exists within the city.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 25 Dispatchers are required to complete the Public Safety Dispatchers' Basic Course, a minimum 160-hour training program that covers topics such as crisis intervention, law enforcement communications, and critical incident response. This certification ensures that Dispatchers possess the skills and knowledge necessary to manage complex situations effectively. Their professionalism, training, and dedication make them a crucial component of community safety and a key support system for first responders.

Police Records
The Paso Robles Police Department’s Records Division, operated by a Records Supervisor, three full-time Records Technicians, and one part-time Technician, plays a vital role in the Department’s daily operations. The division is responsible for receiving, processing, organizing, and securely storing a high volume of records generated by officers and staff each year. These include police reports, traffic citations, criminal summonses, state accident forms, and other official documents.

In addition to document management, the Records Division processes all California Public Records Act (CPRA) requests submitted to the Department, ensuring transparency, legal compliance, and public access to information. The division supports both physical and digital records systems and contributes directly to investigative, administrative, and legal functions, making it a critical component of the Department’s overall effectiveness.

Community Outreach
The Paso Robles Police Department exemplifies its commitment to community policing through a variety of programs designed to foster collaboration, transparency, and mutual trust between law enforcement and residents. These initiatives not only enhance public safety but also strengthen the bond between officers and the community they serve. • Community-Oriented Policing (COP) – At the heart of PRPD's operational approach is the philosophy of Community-Oriented Policing (COP), which emphasizes proactive problem-solving and partnerships with community members. Rather than solely responding to incidents, officers work collaboratively with residents to identify and address the root causes of crime, aiming to improve the overall quality of life in Paso Robles.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 26 • Citizens Ride-Along and Sit-Along Programs – To promote transparency and understanding, PRPD offers Ride-Along and Sit-Along programs, allowing citizens to accompany officers during patrols or observe dispatch operations. These experiences provide firsthand insight into daily law enforcement activities and foster open communication between the Department and the public.

Education Events and Tours – PRPD actively engages with the community through educational events and tours, offering classroom presentations and demonstrations to schools, community groups, and organizations. One example of the Department’s commitment to community education is its participation in Safety Fest, an annual event that brings together first responders and safety organizations to engage with the public through demonstrations, resources, and interactive activities. Additionally, guided tours of the Public Safety Center provide residents with an inside look at police operations, further demystifying law enforcement processes. • Neighborhood Watch Program – Empowering residents to take an active role in their community's safety, the Neighborhood Watch Program encourages neighbors to collaborate and remain vigilant. By serving as the "eyes and ears" of their neighborhoods, participants help deter crime and build stronger, more-connected communities.
• Security Camera Registration and Mapping (SCRAM) – The SCRAM initiative invites residents and businesses to voluntarily register their security cameras with PRPD. This registry aids investigators in quickly identifying potential video evidence during criminal investigations, enhancing the Department's ability to solve crimes efficiently while respecting privacy.
• Youth Programs – Recognizing the importance of positive youth engagement, PRPD participates in programs like the Junior Giants baseball league and the California Police Activities League (PAL). These initiatives provide young people with constructive activities, mentorship, and opportunities to build leadership skills, fostering positive relationships between youth and law enforcement. • Volunteer Patrol Program – The Community Volunteer Patrol Program (CVPP) enlists dedicated volunteers to support PRPD operations by performing non-enforcement duties such as traffic control, vacation house checks, and assisting at community events. These volunteers extend the Department's reach and exemplify the collaborative spirit between the police and the community.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 27 Through these comprehensive programs, the Paso Robles Police Department demonstrates its unwavering dedication to community-oriented policing, ensuring that public safety efforts are a shared responsibility between law enforcement and the citizens they serve.

Other Police Service Components
Police Officers Association
The Paso Robles Police Officers Association (PRPOA) represents the sworn officers, Dispatchers, and Sergeants of the Paso Robles Police Department.4 As the collective bargaining unit, PRPOA is responsible for negotiating wages, benefits, working conditions, staffing levels, and disciplinary procedures with city leadership. These efforts help ensure fair treatment, workplace safety, and long-term job stability for its members. Importantly, the PRPOA and Department leadership currently maintain a strong, cooperative working relationship, free of the friction that is sometimes felt between police unions and administration.

In addition to contract negotiations, the PRPOA offers critical support to its members through legal defense resources, representation during disciplinary matters, and assistance with grievances or workplace disputes. This advocacy protects the rights of their members, enabling them to perform duties with confidence and peace of mind. The association also plays a key role in fostering open communication between members and Department leadership, contributing to a healthy organizational culture and the Department’s overall effectiveness.

SWAT
The Paso Robles Police Department does not operate its own standalone SWAT team but contributes personnel to the San Luis Obispo Regional SWAT Team. While PRPD does not possess an armored vehicle, it maintains specialized SWAT equipment on-site and has trained team members capable of initiating a hasty tactical response until the full regional unit arrives. This arrangement allows for rapid deployment while leveraging regional resources for more complex or prolonged incidents.
4 https://www.pasoroblespoa.com/.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 28 Drones
PRPD operates an active drone program consisting of six standard drones and one indoor drone, supported by trained departmental operators. These drones can be utilized for situational awareness, evidence collection, and support during high-risk or large-scale events. While the Department has not yet launched a Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program, it has established the foundation for expanded drone capabilities in the future.

Officer Wellness
The Paso Robles Police Department prioritizes officer wellness through a variety of proactive initiatives. While the Department does not currently have a peer support program, it contracts with The Counseling Team International for critical incident response services.

Additional wellness resources include a Department-wide Jiu-Jitsu membership, annual health screenings, bi-weekly city-sponsored physical therapy, access to customized daily workouts via the Chalk It! app, and 24/7 use of the Public Safety Center gym.

Fleet and Equipment
Fleet management is a collaborative process between the city's fleet department and PRPD’s Administrative Commander. While the city handles all vehicle ordering and contracts a third party for vehicle equipment upfitting, the Administrative Commander determines vehicle configurations. Equipment needs are jointly assessed and managed by the Administrative Commander and Administrative Sergeant, ensuring officers have reliable, mission-ready tools and technology.

Internal Affairs/Professional Standards
Internal affairs and professional standards are overseen and frequently handled by the Administrative Commander and Administrative Sergeant. Complaints and internal investigations may be assigned to supervisory personnel as appropriate, ensuring objective review and multiple levels of oversight. All case outcomes are documented and maintained within a computerized tracking system to ensure transparency, accountability, and policy compliance.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 29 Special Event Management
As a destination and vacation community, Paso Robles hosts numerous annual events that require police coordination to ensure public safety and security. PRPD is responsible for special event management, which includes developing operational action plans, determining staffing requirements, and scheduling and filling assignments to meet community needs. These responsibilities demand significant planning and resources and are currently overseen by the Administrative Sergeant. A list of major special events is provided in Appendix C.

Jail Facility
The Paso Robles Police Department is unique among agencies of its size in that it operates its own on-site jail facility. While not staffed unless an individual is being detained, the jail allows officers to conduct book-and-release procedures and temporarily detain individuals for up to six hours, with regular inmate checks conducted during those times. During special events such as the Mid-State Fair, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office may assign a jailer to the facility, enabling longer-term holds when necessary. For clarity, when an individual is being detained, a PRPD sworn officer must remain in the building to maintain care, custody, and control at all times. The Sheriff's Office only assigns a jailer monitor detained individuals during the Mid-State Fair. Currently, PRPD actively uses three holding cells, though additional capacity is available with reconfiguration. Having an onsite jail significantly enhances operational efficiency, as transporting arrestees to the county jail in San Luis Obispo can add approximately two hours to an officer's processing time depending on the case and circumstances.

Mental Health/Crisis Response
PRPD supports mental health response through a co-responder program, with a countyassigned Psychiatric Technician working part-time (approximately three-quarter time) alongside officers. The Department’s Community Action Team (CAT) lead most mental health outreach efforts, supported by department-wide training in crisis response techniques and familiarity with local mental health resources. This blended approach enhances the Department’s ability to assist individuals in crisis while reducing the burden on patrol.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 30 PIO/Community Outreach
The Paso Robles Police Department does not currently have a dedicated Public Information Officer (PIO) or Community Outreach Coordinator. Instead, these responsibilities are shared among several members of the organization, including the Administrative Commander, Executive Assistant, and other designated personnel. Despite the absence of a single point of contact, the Department maintains an active presence on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. These platforms are used regularly to share information, promote transparency, engage with the community, and support recruitment efforts.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 31 Financial Overview
For the past five years, Paso Robles Police Department (PRPD) has operated in a constrained General Fund environment while navigating growth in personnel and operational needs. Measure J-20, passed in 2020, has provided supplemental revenue to the city and allowed for the necessary growth within the Department while not increasing reliance upon the General Fund. Personnel cost growth, capital equipment requirements, and general increased expenses will continue to pressure the Department’s coffers and necessitate a continued strategic approach to departmental investments.

Five-Year Overview
Between FY2020 and FY2024, the Department’s budget has increased due to rising personnel costs. Labor-related expenses—including salaries, overtime, benefits, and CalPERS pension obligations—comprise the bulk of PRPD’s operating budget. During those five years, PRPD grew and its current FTE count is at 87 FTE. The largest growth has occurred at the officer rank, including 29 positions funded by Measure J-20 in the current biennium.

Revenues for School Resource Officers cover those positions at 50% of cost. Grants have supplemented some operational activities, notably in the area of traffic enforcement.

With this growth, personnel expenses have grown as a percentage of the Department’s total costs. Wages and benefits as percentages of total personnel costs have respectively remained fairly constant over the last five years. One noted area of increase is in overtime spending, discussed in more depth later in this section.

Figure 6: PRPD Historical Spending
Expenses 2020
Actual
2021
Actual
2022
Actual
2023
Actual
2024
Actual
Salaries & Wages 4,995,640 5,402,902 6,416,086 7,334,163 8,494,406 Benefits 2,976,121 3,163,655 3,617,420 4,222,576 4,492,877 Total Salaries & Benefits: 7,971,761 8,566,557 10,033,506 11,556,739 12,987,283 Supplies 1,248,678 1,963,924 1,467,553 1,336,618 1,916,416 Services 430,521 193,759 243,746 309,522 230,581
Total Recurring Expenses: 1,679,199 2,157,683 1,711,299 1,646,140 2,146,997 Improvements & Furniture 1,184,387 2,926,131 266,704 2,328,405 1,472,028 Total Non-Recurring Expenses: 1,184,387 2,926,131 266,704 2,328,405 1,472,028 TOTAL EXPENSES: 10,835,347 13,650,371 12,011,509 15,531,284 16,606,308 Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 32 Measure J-20
As mentioned, Measure J-20 has been instrumental to Department growth since its adoption into the city’s revenue streams. The measure was approved by voters in November 2020, authorizing a 1% supplemental sales tax. In FY25 and FY26, this tax revenue is budgeted at approximately $13.5 million and is prioritized by the Council to fund public safety and roads. PRPD has used Measure J-20 revenues to:
• Maintain full sworn staffing
• Fund overtime for court coverage, vacancy-related backfill, and mutual aid deployments
• Offset rising costs for police maintenance and replacement • Improve technology within the Department.

Measure J-20 is scheduled to expire in 2032 and there is a significant risk if it is not renewed or replaced. The voting populace has set a precedence for renewing taxes as it renewed Measure E-12 this past spring in the form of Measure I-24; neighboring San Louis Obispo has also recently voted for a similar supplemental tax and demonstrates a local proclivity for supporting public safety. The nature of this measure being a sales tax rather than a property tax relieves citizens of some of the burden, too; recent reports note that 25% of sales tax revenue is attributable to tourism. If voters were to not renew the tax the City would need to determine if, and which, services in other departments would be reduced in order to maintain public safety response, or a greater percentage of the General Fund burden would fall to individual household taxes within the limits of Proposition 13. 5 5 Due to passage of Proposition 13, the maximum property tax rate is set at 1% of assessed valuation unless otherwise approved by vote of the electorate.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 33 Financial Risks and Sustainability Considerations
Overtime
The Department has more than doubled its patrol operations overtime spending since FY2020, with over 50% increases in FY2022 and FY2023, and an 18% increase in FY2024.

While some operational overtime is always anticipated as a more efficient way to manage staffing, spending on patrol operations overtime represents 14% of wages paid in this division. Similarly, overtime expense on detective investigations more than doubled in the last fiscal year, after multiple years of significant increases. Overtime as an aggregate has continually increased in the last five years. As a percentage of personnel spending, overtime has gone from 4.4% to 6.7%, and the ratio of overtime to wages has increased from 7.9% to 11.8%.

Figure 7: Overtime Expense by Fiscal Year – Activity Detail $0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
$800,000
$900,000
$1,000,000
FY2020 FY2021 FY2022 FY2023 FY2024
Patrol Operations Communications Dispatch Police Investigation-Detective Other Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 34 Aging Capital Assets, Facilities Limitations, and Equipment Needs Paso Robles Police Department does not have its own unique capital spending plan; however, necessary replacements and improvements are included in the Citywide Capital Improvement Program (CIP). For PRPD capital spending plans include the future construction of a police substation, contingent upon the results of this study. $9 million has been earmarked for this project, funded by Measure J-20. Replacement cycles are also managed outside of the department, inclusive of vehicles and computer equipment. It is unclear if inflation is factored into replacement reserve collection.

General Fund Limitations and Pension Liabilities
General Fund revenue for the city is reliant upon property tax, sales tax, and transient occupancy tax, and any tax increase requires a ballot measure and voter support to approve it. Measure E-12 was recently renewed, Transient Occupancy Tax was recently increased, and Proposition 13—the maximum property tax rate—is set at 1% of assessed valuation. While there is some increased revenue projected through the addition of more hotels and the associated taxes, the ability to substantially increase General Fund revenues is limited.

Tourism and its impact on city revenues present unique opportunities and significant vulnerabilities. A continued increase in tourism and tourist activity could provide a significant boon to city revenues through taxable sales and lodging taxes associated with visitors. Transient occupancy tax (TOT) is anticipated to provide increased revenues over the next two years as rates go up and new developments come online. Increases to TOT over the last decade have been supported by voters, which is unsurprising as this revenue source for city services is effectively outsourced to visitors.

While development centered around tourism may drive additional revenue in impact fees and transient occupancy tax, a season plagued by an environmental issue like a major wildfire incident could cripple sales revenue and TOT revenue. Maintaining its robust reserves and continuing to invest in prevention and mitigation will help preserve the city’s current solid financial standing. The city has maintained over the recommended 30% for reserve balances and is well-poised to manage a period of economic downturn.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 35 Along with the reserve balance, the City has been wise to establish a Section 115 Trust to set aside additional funds to address unfunded CalPERS pension liabilities. This fiduciary fund has been performing positively year over year, and as of the June 30, 2024, the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report had a balance of about $10.5 million. Though pension liabilities exceed this amount, this money will take pressure off the General Fund to cover expenses in the coming years.

PRPD has maintained consistent staffing and service levels over the past five years despite rising cost pressures and facility limitations. Measure J-20 has been instrumental in bridging resource gaps, but its sunset date and the city’s broader General Fund constraints represent critical vulnerabilities. Long-term fiscal stability will depend on a combination of voter-approved revenue renewal, internal cost containment, and a disciplined capital investment strategy, each of which has been demonstrated in the recent past and in the current adopted budget.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 36 Capital Facilities and Vehicles
Police vehicles and capital facilities are indispensable elements in the operational framework of any law enforcement agency. These assets play a pivotal role in ensuring a department's ability to function effectively and serve its community efficiently. From enhancing response times to providing a visible presence, the significance of police vehicles and capital facilities cannot be overstated.

Firstly, police vehicles are essential for maintaining public safety and order. They serve as the primary means of transportation for police officers, enabling them to respond promptly to emergencies, calls for service, and critical incidents. Rapid response times can mean the difference between life and death in critical situations, highlighting the essential role of police vehicles in ensuring public safety.

Moreover, police vehicles are instrumental in conducting patrols and deterring criminal activity. The visibility of patrol cars in neighborhoods and high-crime areas can act as a deterrent, reducing the likelihood of criminal incidents. This proactive approach to policing helps create a sense of security and reassurance amongst residents, fostering community trust and cooperation.

Secondly, capital facilities, such as police stations, are crucial for the effective functioning of a police department. These facilities serve as command centers for law enforcement operations, housing essential resources, including communication systems, evidence storage, and administrative offices. Without this, the Paso Robles Police Department's ability to coordinate responses, manage resources, and conduct investigations would be severely compromised.

Additionally, capital facilities provide a physical presence in the community, demonstrating a department's commitment to serving and protecting its residents. Police stations serve as accessible locations where community members can seek assistance, report crimes, and engage with law enforcement personnel. This accessibility is vital for building strong relationships between the police and the community, which is essential for effective policing.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 37 In conclusion, police vehicles and capital facilities are indispensable assets for the Paso Robles Police Department to function properly and serve the community effectively. These assets enable officers and professional staff to respond swiftly to emergencies, patrol neighborhoods, and deter criminal activity. Lastly, these capital facilities provide the infrastructure necessary for coordinating operations, storing evidence, and engaging with the community.

In June 2025, the AP Triton project team toured the Paso Robles Police Department facilities, viewed the fleet, and spoke with staff regarding facility and fleet functionality.

Further, AP Triton asked the Paso Robles Police Department to rate the condition of its police headquarters using the criteria in the following figure.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 38 Figure 8: Facilities Rating Scale
Excellent
Like-new condition. No visible structural defects. The facility is clean and well maintained. Interior layout is conducive to function with no unnecessary impediments. No significant defect history. Building design and construction match the building’s purposes. Age is typically less than 10 years.

Good
The exterior has a good appearance with minor or no defects. Clean lines, good workflow design, and only minor wear of the building interior.

Roof and apparatus apron are in good working order, absent any significant full-thickness cracks or crumbling of apron surface or visible roof patches or leaks. Building design and construction match the building’s purposes. Age is typically less than 20 years.

Fair
The building appears to be structurally sound with weathered appearance and minor to moderate non-structural defects. The interior condition shows normal wear and tear but flows effectively to the apparatus bay or offices. Mechanical systems are in working order.

Building design and construction may not match the building’s purposes well. Showing increasing age-related maintenance, but with no critical defects. Age is typically 30 years or more.

Poor
The building appears to be cosmetically weathered and worn with potentially structural defects, although not imminently dangerous or unsafe. Large, multiple full-thickness cracks and crumbling of concrete on apron may exist. The roof has evidence of leaking and/or multiple repairs. The interior is poorly maintained or showing signs of advanced deterioration with moderate to significant non-structural defects.

Problematic age-related maintenance and/or major defects are evident. May not be well suited to its intended purpose. Age is typically greater than 40 years.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 39 Paso Robles Police Department Headquarters
The Paso Robles Public Safety Center houses both the Police Department and the Fire Department. While Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services (PRFES) has additional facilities throughout the city, this is the sole location for PRPD.

The following pages describe the features of the Police Department within the Paso Robles Public Safety Center.

Figure 9: Paso Robles Public Safety Center
Facility: Paso Robles Public Safety Center
Address/Physical Location: 900 Park Street, Paso Robles, CA, 80634 General Description:

Well maintained facility near downtown Paso Robles
which fosters great interdepartmental collaboration
between PRPD and PRFES; however, PRPD has
outgrown the facility and there is no room for
expansion.

Structure
Date of Original Construction 2003
Seismic Protection Yes
Auxiliary Power Yes
General Condition Good
ADA Compliant Yes
Total Square Footage 40,000 sq. ft. (entire building: PRPD & PRFES) Facilities Available
Detention Cells 3 Cells 2 Booking Cells 1 Sobering Cell Secure, custody-rated detention rooms
Maximum Staffing Capability Not staffed
Incarcerated Person Capacity 6 (Currently only 3 cells are utilized for temporary holding)
Resource Storage
Yes – Most divisions have designated storage
within/near their work areas for supplies and day-today needs. Each patrol officer has an assigned large “cubby” storage located in the sally port for gear
bags.

Dispatch
Yes – Houses 3 modern dispatch stations. Contains a
small break room with a treadmill and one office
(currently not used).

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 40 Facility: Paso Robles Public Safety Center
Address/Physical Location: 900 Park Street, Paso Robles, CA, 80634 Emergency Operations Center Yes – Currently used for training and one EOC office being utilized for PD training coordinator.

Boating Operations Storage No
SAR Operations Storage No
SWAT Resources Storage No – Mobile cargo trailer on site with SWAT equipment staged for callout.

Kitchen Facilities/Food Storage
Yes – Cabinetry, refrigeration, and microwave in
break room. Additionally, small refrigeration units
and/or coffee facilities are located in conference
rooms and other parts of the facility.

Sleeping Quarters Yes – 1 room designated with one bed.

Evidence Storage
Yes – Evidence packaging/processing area near the
patrol room contains temporary storage lockers.

Within the secured property and evidence room are
moveable shelves as well as refrigeration units for
perishable items. Large property items such as
bicycles and other property held for safekeeping are
maintained within a secure area in the storage
garage located on the property. PRPD has no vehicle
impound area and holds vehicles for processing in
the police sally port.

Forensics Lab No
Report Writing Stations
Yes – There are 7 individual workstations that support
patrol operations. Each station is equipped with a PC,
phone, and desk surface (standing desk), and various
other officer resources are available.

Exercise/Workout Facilities Yes – Fully equipped gym with modern, diversified equipment; shared with PRFES.

Individual Lockers Assigned
Yes – Individual lockers for most employees. The
lockers are integrated into men’s and women’s locker
rooms, with access to bathroom and shower facilities.

Currently there are not enough lockers for all male
employees, causing those with dedicated offices to
store their clothing and equipment in their office
space.

Bathroom/Shower Facilities
Yes – The facility is equipped with multiple restrooms
as well as designated men's and women's locker
rooms, each of which includes shower facilities to
support staff hygiene and readiness needs.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 41 Facility: Paso Robles Public Safety Center
Address/Physical Location: 900 Park Street, Paso Robles, CA, 80634 Training/Meeting Rooms
Yes: Patrol briefing room – housing approximately 16
people; admin conference room – housing
approximately 16 people; community conference
room – housing approximately 20 people. The EOC is
utilized as a training room when needed.

PRPD has secured a designated shooting range at
the northern end of the city for training use. The
location includes a shaded open area used for
instruction and/or gathering, a portable toilet, and
storage containers for range supplies.

Washer/Dryer No
Interview Rooms
1 Custodial 1 “Soft” 0 Juvenile
Y Recorded Y Video Y Monitored
Both of the interview rooms are recorded and have
live-stream capabilities for investigators and
supervisors.

Armory
Yes – Firearms storage area to include long gun
storage. Firearms cleaning station located in storage
garage on property with a clearing trap, tools, and
cleaning supplies.

Police Records and Storage
Yes – Physical records storage is within the records
division. Archived records which are either
maintained for historical purposes or awaiting proper
disposal under the Department’s records retention
policy are maintained in the storage garage on the
property.

Safety & Security
Station Sprinklered Yes
Smoke Detection Yes
Decontamination No
Security System
Yes – The facility is equipped with electronic key card access control for the rear parking lot and the
building. Within the building, access is controlled by
assignment or a need to access. The parking lot is
secured by access-controlled gates and brick walls to
protect against unauthorized entry. There is full video coverage of the exterior of the buildings and critical
areas inside.

Apparatus Exhaust System Not on the PD side of the facility.

Total Daily Staffing: Approximately 42; fluctuates based on date/time(s).

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 42 Other Areas of Note Within Paso Robles Public Safety Center Upper Floor:
• Houses administration, including the Chief, Administrative Commander, Administrative Sergeant, and Executive Assistant. Currently the Administrative Sergeant is positioned between the Chief and the Administrative Commander. There is no open office space for a Deputy Chief, a position which is currently unfilled. • Contains the Dispatch Center and Investigations Division.

Lower Floor:
• Includes Patrol, Records, Property and Evidence, Traffic Unit, Jail, and Community Service Officers (CSOs).

Sally Port:
• Equipped with garage doors that allow it to be fully enclosed. • Used to store Traffic Division motorcycles.
• Includes a drying closet for wet or biohazardous evidence (e.g., blood-stained items), as well as 36 gear cubbies for patrol officers’ equipment. • Doubles as a storage facility for evidentiary vehicles.

Secured Garage Area:
• Stores police bicycles, firearms cleaning station, and miscellaneous equipment/ records.
• Locked caged portion within the garage houses large evidence items and items for safekeeping.

Animal Holding Area:
• Two temporary cages for housing dogs until County Animal Services can respond. • Equipped with food and water for humane short-term care.

Facility Separation:
• The Public Safety Center is physically separated from other city departments such as Human Resources and Information Technology, which can delay support if on-site assistance is required.

Space Constraints:
• The Department is outgrowing the facility, with limited office space remaining. This is discussed in more detail next.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 43 • Staff are sharing or splitting offices to create additional work areas. • Only one vacant office space remains, located within the secured dispatch area, an inconvenient location for non-dispatch business.

Parking Limitations:
• All fleet vehicles and employee vehicles share the same courtyard. • Officers and staff often struggle to find adequate parking while on duty. • The majority of parking is uncovered, leaving vehicles (city-owned and personally owned) exposed to weather conditions.

Evidence Storage:
• The Property and Evidence Room is nearing full capacity. • Expansion is being considered, but construction limitations may prevent tearing down walls.

Training Space Limitations:
• No designated training room exists that can comfortably hold more than 12–16 people.
• The EOC is occasionally used for training but is not ideal due to its emergency readiness role.
• The Department has partnered with Cuesta College to utilize external training space as needed.
• An expansion of the current PRFES Training Center located at 2924 Union Road has been approved and will facilitate training for the Police Department without size or facility-use restrictions.

The following figures, presented as photographs, highlight key areas of the Paso Robles Police Department and visually demonstrate current space constraints within the facility.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 44 Figure 10: Property & Evidence Room Figure 11: Property & Evidence Room Figure 12: Property & Evidence
Packaging/Processing Area
Figure 13: Property & Evidence
Packaging/Processing Area
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 45 Figure 14: Property & Evidence Overflow
(Secured Garage)
Figure 15: Property & Evidence Overflow
(Secured Garage)
Figure 16: Records Division Storage Figure 17: Records Division Archive Area (Secured Garage)
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 46 Discussion of the Paso Robles Public Safety Center (Police Department) As inferred and explicitly stated in the preceding information, the Paso Robles Police Department has effectively outgrown its current facility, with limited office space, storage, and parking now impacting daily operations. Space limitations are already evident in key operational areas, including records storage and the property and evidence room, which is approaching capacity as noted later in this report.

In addition to these spatial constraints, the geographic location of the current facility poses significant operational challenges. While the Public Safety Center is centrally located within the west district, it is considerably distanced from the east side of the city. Movement between the two areas is limited to three major roadways that cross Highway 101 and the Salinas River. During peak traffic hours, these thoroughfares become heavily congested, causing delayed response times for incidents occurring in the eastern districts, as is evident in the Patrol Division Incident Performance section of this report. As the city's population increases and service expectations rise, this response delay will only become more pronounced.

Given these constraints, the development of a dedicated substation on the east side of Paso Robles should be strongly considered. This need is not a future projection; it is an existing concern that was consistently echoed during stakeholder interviews, including from both Department personnel and members of the community. Establishing a substation in this area would not only improve response times and strategic resource deployment, but it would also better position the Department for anticipated growth in the city’s northeast quadrant. This will better serve the community, as east side residents can more efficiently access in-person services without waiting for officers to travel across the city to handle station-based needs.

While substations are often minimal in design, intended only for report writing or brief administrative tasks, this facility should be scaled to accommodate multiple divisions and allow for future expansion. Recognizing how long capital projects of this nature can take to come to fruition, planning should begin as soon as possible to avoid delays in addressing this critical operational need.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 47 Police Department Capital Equipment and Vehicles Inventory The Paso Robles Police Department understands the importance of maintaining reliable and well-equipped vehicles and capital equipment to support daily operations and emergency response. These resources are essential for safely transporting officers, professional staff, and necessary tools for a wide range of incidents. Ensuring that the correct number of vehicles are properly maintained and equipped helps support the Department’s ability to respond effectively and without delay.

Police vehicles must meet operational demands by being both dependable and outfitted with the appropriate technology and gear, such as communication systems and emergency equipment. Regular maintenance, inspections, and adherence to service schedules increases safety, reduces the risk of breakdowns, and extends the lifespan of these assets. The Department remains committed to managing these resources responsibly to ensure continued service to the community.

As a part of this study, AP Triton requested that the Paso Robles Police Department provide a complete inventory of its fleet (vehicles, command and support vehicles, specialty units, etc.). For each vehicle listed, PRPD was asked to rate its condition utilizing the criteria described in the next figure.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 48 Figure 18: Fleet Rating Criteria
Components Points Assignment Criteria
Age:

One point is assigned for every year of chronological age, based on the date the unit was originally placed into service.

Miles/Hours: One point is assigned for every 10,000 miles or 1,000 hours.

Service:
1, 3, or 5 points are assigned based on the service type received (e.g., a patrol vehicle would be given a 5 since it is classified as heavy-duty service).

Condition:

This category considers body condition, rust, interior condition, accident history, anticipated repairs, etc. The better the condition, the lower the assignment of points.

Reliability:

Points are assigned as 1, 3, or 5, depending on the frequency that a vehicle is in for repair (e.g., a 5 would be assigned to a vehicle in the shop two or more times per month on average, while a 1 would be assigned if in the shop on average once every three months or less.)
Point Ranges Rating Condition Description
Under 3 points Condition I Excellent
4–5 points Condition II Good
6–7 points Condition III Fair (consider replacement)
8 points or higher Condition IV Poor (immediate replacement) Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 49 The following figures list the inventory of the Paso Robles Police Department’s current frontline patrol vehicles, command vehicles, professional staff vehicles, and other specialty vehicles.

Figure 19: PRPD Frontline Fleet Inventory (2025)
Type Manufacturer Year Condition Assignment (ID)
SUV Ford 2015 IV Patrol (650)
SUV Ford 2023 I Patrol (635)
SUV Ford 2023 I Patrol (645)
SUV Ford 2023 I Patrol (648)
SUV Ford 2023 I Patrol (649)
SUV Ford 2023 I Patrol (651)
SUV Ford 2023 II Patrol (630)
SUV Ford 2023 II Patrol (631)
SUV Ford 2023 II Patrol (633)
SUV Ford 2023 II Patrol (634)
SUV Ford 2023 II Patrol (641)
SUV Ford 2023 II Patrol (643)
SUV Ford 2023 II Patrol (644)
SUV Ford 2023 II Patrol (646)
SUV Ford 2023 II Patrol (647)
SUV Ford 2023 III Patrol (632)
SUV Ford 2023 III Patrol (636)
SUV Ford 2023 III Patrol (637)
SUV Ford 2023 III Patrol (638)
SUV Ford 2023 III Patrol (639)
SUV Ford 2023 III Patrol (640)
SUV Ford 2023 III Patrol (642)
½ Ton Truck Ford 2016 IV CSO (695)
½ Ton Truck Chevrolet 2017 IV CSO (679)
½ Ton Truck Ford 2018 IV CSO (678)
½ Ton Truck Ford 2019 IV CSO (615)
Motorcycle BMW 2021 IV Traffic (676)
Motorcycle BMW 2023 II Traffic (675)
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 50 Type Manufacturer Year Condition Assignment (ID)
SUV Ford 2020 IV Ptrl Volunteer (607)
SUV Ford 2020 IV Ptrl Volunteer (608)
SUV Chevrolet 2014 IV Detectives (620)
SUV Ford 2015 IV Detectives (610)
SUV Ford 2015 IV Detectives (612)
SUV Ford 2015 IV Detectives (613)
SUV Chevrolet 2022 II Detectives (623)
SUV Ford 2023 I Detectives (609)
SUV Ford 2023 I Detectives (614)
SEDAN Ford 2020 III Training Car (605)
SEDAN Ford 2024 I Training Car (605)
In the previous figure, 9 (23%) frontline vehicles have a condition ranking of “Excellent;” 11 (28%) rank as “Good;” and 8 (20%) rank as “Fair” condition and should be considered for replacement. More pressing are the 12 frontline vehicles (30%) ranked as “Poor,” indicating they require immediate replacement. It should be noted that at this time there was only one patrol-specific vehicle listed in this condition.

Figure 20: PRPD Command Vehicle Inventory (2025)
Type Manufacturer Year Condition Assignment
SUV Chevy 2019 IV Commander (616)
SUV Ford 2022 II Commander (624)
SUV Chevy 2023 II Chief (600)
SUV Ford 2023 I Commander (601)
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 51 In the previous figure, one command vehicle ranks as “Excellent,” two as “Good,” and one as “Poor” condition and should be replaced.

Figure 21: PRPD Other Vehicles Inventory (2025)
Make Description Year Condition Assignment
ATS Radar Trailer 2018 III Traffic (692)
ATS Radar Trailer 2019 III Traffic (680)
Polaris ATV 2016 IV CAT Team (661)
Polaris ATV 2016 IV CAT Team (662)
Honda UTV 2016 IV General (665)
Triton Trailer 2002 IV General (666)
Pace Trailer - Cargo 2004 IV SWAT (659)
Mighty Mover Trailer 2004 IV DUI (677)
PPT Trailer 2013 IV Streets (694)
PJ Trailer - Flatbed 2016 IV ATV Transport (660)
In the previous figure, zero other vehicles rank as “Excellent,” four rank as “Good,” and three rank as “Fair” and should be considered for replacement. Lastly, three of these vehicles are currently in “Poor” condition and should be immediately replaced.

The following figures, shown as photographs, depict fleet and other Department vehicles that were available for review during the on-site assessment.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 52 Figure 22: Patrol Explorer Figure 23: Community Service Officer Truck Figure 24: Traffic Unit Motorcycle – BMW
Figure 25: Polaris ATVs and PJ Trailer
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 53 Figure 26: Honda UTV Figure 27: Pace Trailer – SWAT
Vehicle/Fleet Maintenance and Replacement Planning
No piece of mechanical equipment nor vehicle can be expected to last indefinitely. As vehicles and equipment age, repairs become more frequent and complex. Parts may become more difficult to obtain, and downtime for repair and maintenance increases.

Since law enforcement responses to emergencies and calls for service response prove critical to the community, vehicle downtime is one of the most frequently identified reasons for vehicle/fleet replacement. As a result, most municipal police departments develop replacement plans, due to the sometimes overwhelming expense of continued maintenance potentially exceeding the cost of vehicle replacement.

Vehicle maintenance for the Paso Robles Police Department is mileage-based and initiated through the city’s fueling system, which requires officers to input vehicle mileage when refueling. This system automatically alerts the city’s Fleet Department, responsible for all city vehicles, to perform scheduled maintenance. When vehicles are damaged or require unscheduled repairs, officers can submit a request, prompting either the Fleet Department to retrieve the vehicle or the Patrol Supervisor to escalate the issue if it is urgent.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 54 Fleet oversight, including the assignment and management of pool vehicles, falls under the purview of the Administrative Sergeant. This centralized structure provides consistency in how fleet issues are managed and tracked.

For patrol vehicles, the Department follows a proactive replacement policy; each unit is replaced every three years, regardless of mileage. Internal equipment such as storage boxes, consoles, and partitions is retained and reused for up to six years, assuming continuity in vehicle make and model. This approach minimizes upfitting costs while maintaining modern, standardized patrol units. However, this strategy depends on the Department being able to continue purchasing the same make and model without significant factory-level changes, as the ability to reuse existing equipment is what drives cost efficiency.

Non-patrol vehicles, including administrative and specialized units, do not follow the same three-year replacement cycle. These vehicles are subject to a replacement schedule that operates with less regularity, which may allow for greater financial flexibility but also introduces variability into long-term replacement planning. Developing a formalized replacement schedule for these units would allow the Department to better anticipate budgetary needs, improve long-term vehicle condition tracking, and evaluate the costbenefit of resale timing more effectively.

When evaluating the number of patrol vehicles needed in a shared pool model, the goal is to ensure operational readiness without unnecessary excess. The standard patrol schedule at the Paso Robles Police Department places 12 officers and 2 sergeants on duty across a 24-hour period. However, at any given time, additional units such as traffic officers, CAT team members, K9 officers, and SROs may also require access to patrol-capable vehicles.

Therefore, ensuring sufficient vehicle availability remains a critical part of supporting patrol operations without delays or logistical issues.

According to the information provided, the Department currently has 22 patrol-assigned vehicles. Of those, 21 are 2023 models, and one is a 2015. It may be beneficial to consider implementing a rotational replacement strategy that cycles out approximately one-third of the patrol fleet every three years. This approach not only maintains vehicle reliability and performance but also serves as a risk management strategy. Should a specific model year be subject to a manufacturer defect or recall, staggering the fleet by age can help reduce the operational impact and avoid the costly challenge of replacing the entire fleet at once.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 55 Community Survey Summary
As part of its commitment to community-informed planning, the City of Paso Robles partnered with AP Triton to conduct a public safety survey focused on Fire, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Police services. The survey was inclusive, anonymous, and available in both English and Spanish to ensure broad accessibility. A total of 458 responses were received, yielding a statistically valid confidence level of 95% with a margin of error of ±4.6%. This means the results are highly representative of the broader community’s views and provide reliable insight into public perceptions and priorities.

The findings reflected strong overall satisfaction with public safety services. Police services were viewed favorably, with 71% of respondents expressing satisfaction with the department. Community members highlighted strengths such as professionalism and presence at community events, while also identifying areas for improvement, including a desire for increased police visibility in certain locations, improved communication, and concerns related to homelessness, traffic safety, and behavioral health crises.

When asked to identify their top public safety (fire and law enforcement) priorities, residents consistently pointed to wildfire prevention and preparedness, improved staffing levels, and enhanced traffic enforcement. These priorities align with regional public safety concerns and underscore the community’s interest in both effective emergency response and proactive risk reduction strategies.

Overall, the results demonstrate that the community values its public safety agencies and supports ongoing efforts to improve service delivery. The feedback provided is constructive and forward-looking, offering clear insights to help guide departmental planning and resource decisions. A full summary of the survey results, including quantitative findings and analysis of open-ended responses, is provided in a separate document.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 56 Section II:

ORGANIZATIONAL AND

STAFFING ANALYSIS
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 57 Current Organizational and Staffing Analysis
Police departments must consider their employees as their most valuable assets, especially under the current conditions of the policing industry, which has been blighted by staffing challenges in both recruiting and retention. Leading personnel and managing performance to achieve positive outcomes and balancing efficiency, professionalism, and personal well-being is as much an artform as it is a science. The task can be daunting and only becomes more so the more complicated and complex a police department becomes with growth and shifting cultural expectations. Consistency, fairness, safety, personal growth, and professional development opportunities are critical for maintaining a healthy and engaging work culture. An absence of any of these can create challenges for retention and recruitment and can impact the operations of a police department.

Central to maintaining a healthy culture and successful operations in a modern police department is the management of resources through appropriate staffing and supervision.

While the primary outcome of policing must be providing for community safety, achieving this is not a simple equation of the sum of personnel strength, but requires ensuring supervision and critical support functions are in place as well.

The size and structure of a police department’s staff depends on the organization’s specific needs. These needs must directly correlate to the needs and funding capacity of the community; a structure that works for one community may not work for another.

However, there are generally held standards for span of control, typically defined as the number of personnel directly reporting to any one given supervisor. Research has also indicated spans of control must be examined not simply as a formulaic ratio of supervisor to personnel supervised but must consider the responsibilities of a position, the level of task saturation, and the complexity of the task being performed. These factors are critical in understanding the appropriate span of control. This is especially true in the area of emergency and incident management, a core function of the police industry. This section will provide an overview of the Paso Robles Police Department’s staffing, leadership, and management practices.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 58 Under California law, Paso Robles is a general law city and operates under a council– manager form of government. In accordance with California Government Code § 36501 and related provisions, the City Council has the authority to establish departments necessary for the public good, including a police department. The Paso Robles Police Department is led by a Chief of Police appointed by the City Manager, with staffing and organizational structure determined at the local level. This framework provides broad authority without prescribing specific guidance or limitations on the Department’s internal design, rank structure, or staffing levels, allowing flexibility in meeting the city's public safety needs.

Administration
As previously described in the organizational overview, the Paso Robles Police Department is led by the Chief of Police, who reports directly to the City Manager. While the Department has an authorized Deputy Chief position, it is currently vacant. As a result, Division Commanders and the Support Services Manager (non-sworn) are responsible for patrol, investigations, administrative functions, and support services and report directly to the Chief of Police by default. The Deputy Chief role is expected to be filled in the near future, at which time oversight of the Department’s major divisions will transition accordingly. In addition to the command and management staff, the Chief is also supported by an Executive Assistant who reports directly to him.

Until the Deputy Chief role is filled, which is expected to occur Q32025, the Executive Assistant, Commanders, and Support Services Manager continue to report directly to the Chief of Police. While this falls within the traditionally recommended “1 to 5” span of control ratio, this metric should be viewed cautiously. Research, particularly in the area of incident management, suggests that appropriate spans of control vary significantly depending on the complexity of responsibilities. In cases where tasks are high in volume or technical complexity, even a 1:5 ratio may be too broad. Effective delegation and appropriate layering of responsibilities are essential, particularly when administrative positions are expected to lead strategic planning, oversee labor relations, guide long-term policy direction, and represent the Department in citywide initiatives.

The Paso Robles Police Department’s upper management structure is not atypical of many law enforcement agencies. However, as agencies have grown and societal expectations for transparency and accountability have increased, many departments have not proportionally expanded their administrative and supervisory roles to meet these evolving demands.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 59 The current vacancy in the Deputy Chief position places a greater operational burden on the Chief of Police. Without this role filled, the Chief faces greater potential to be pulled into day-to-day operational matters, reducing the time and capacity available to focus on long-range planning, interagency collaboration, and performance evaluation of command staff.

Commanders and Support Services Manager
Dividing the Police Department along the major divisions of patrol, investigations, administrative, and support services, and assigning a commander or professional staff manager to each division allows for a more manageable span of control within each portfolio of work.

The Patrol Commander is particularly strained under the current organizational structure.

Although a Sergeant serves in a Watch Commander capacity, all Patrol Sergeants still report directly to the Patrol Commander, placing a significant operational burden on the position. The Commander is frequently engaged in managing day-to-day issues, responding to field inquiries, and overseeing shift coverage, which limits the ability to focus on higher-level responsibilities such as aligning patrol operations with the Chief’s strategic direction, enforcing policy adherence, and conducting field audits to ensure accountability and professionalism.

This dual-role demand, balancing upward strategic oversight with downward operational supervision, is inherently inefficient. Even with a Watch Commander in place, the scope and complexity of the Patrol Commander’s responsibilities remain unsustainably broad. The absence of a Deputy Chief or additional mid-level manager means there are few mechanisms for effective delegation. As a result, both the Patrol Commander and Watch Commander positions are overextended, leading to a reactive leadership posture and diminishing the capacity to proactively guide division performance and long-term improvement.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 60 A potential solution to alleviate this burden would be the addition of a mid-level management position (such as a Lieutenant) between the Watch Commander and the Patrol Commander. While it would not be practical to create a second Commander role, establishing a Lieutenant-level position could provide the necessary support. This role could assume the day-to-day operational oversight currently handled by the Patrol Commander, while also enhancing accountability and supervisory coverage across shifts. Splitting the responsibilities between shifts could further strengthen supervision, ensure a better span of control, and allow the Patrol Commander to focus more effectively on strategic alignment and long-term planning.

The Investigations Commander, while not as operationally burdened as those in other divisions, oversees a wide scope of responsibilities, including direct supervision of two Sergeants and oversight of several critical functions. One such area is Property and Evidence, a high-risk function that requires consistent, close oversight to maintain legal integrity and reduce liability. In addition, the Investigations Commander is responsible for high-level case management, ensuring investigative resources are aligned with departmental priorities, and monitoring clearance rates to support both accountability and community trust.

In addition to these core duties, the Investigations Commander has been assigned responsibility for managing and updating departmental policies. While this function is essential to maintaining a sound operational foundation, it is also time-intensive and strategically significant. When policy development falls on a Commander already responsible for a full investigative management portfolio, there is a risk that either the quality of policy work or the effectiveness of divisional leadership will suffer. This dual expectation may lead to delays, reduced oversight, or missed opportunities for proactive case and personnel management.

Future expansions discussed next within the administrative side of the Department would allow for the reassignment of policy management responsibilities away from the Investigations Commander. Shifting this critical but time-consuming function would enable the Investigations Commander to maintain a more focused and manageable span of control. This adjustment would also enhance the Investigations Commander’s capacity to provide direct oversight of investigative priorities and ensure proper supervision of high-risk areas such as Property and Evidence.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 61 The Administrative Commander, like many in similar positions across law enforcement agencies, is tasked with a wide range of responsibilities, many of which fall outside the traditional scope of field operations. These include fleet management, facilities oversight, recruitment and hiring, promotional assessment development and administration, training coordination, equipment logistics, Public Information Officer, and professional standards/internal affairs to name a few. The position is supported by an Administrative Sergeant, resulting in a span of control that appears manageable on the surface.

However, the breadth, complexity, and saturation of tasks assigned to this role may be unassumingly high, presenting challenges that are not immediately evident from organizational charts alone. It should be noted that this is not uncommon for administrative functions in police agencies.

Several of the Administrative Commander’s responsibilities, such as training coordination and recruitment, are highly time-sensitive and cyclical, often demanding immediate and sustained attention. This role is also responsible for overseeing all background investigations for new hires, which is a detailed, time-consuming process with strict deadlines that directly impact operational staffing. As a result, the Administrative Commander is frequently consumed by urgent, transactional duties and has limited capacity to engage in higherlevel planning, strategic development, or long-term program evaluation. Without additional support or redistribution of responsibilities, this role is at risk, if not already there, of becoming reactive rather than strategic, limiting its contribution to broader organizational goals.

As referenced later in this narrative, the addition of a dedicated officer within the administrative division could help alleviate workload pressures on both the Administrative Commander and the Administrative Sergeant. Reducing the burden on the Administrative Sergeant, who currently manages a wide array of responsibilities, would provide an avenue for relief to the Administrative Commander, helping to better balance administrative duties across the division and support more strategic focus at the command level.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 62 Many police departments, recognizing that technical expertise in organizational management is as valuable as expertise in police operations, have established professional staff positions equivalent in rank to Deputy Chiefs or Commanders. These roles provide oversight of critical support functions such as communications, facilities, fleet, supply and logistics, records and public records, crime prevention, and project management. The Paso Robles Police Department has implemented this exact approach on its Support Services side, where a professional staff manager oversees Records and Dispatch operations, ensuring these essential services are managed with a high level of expertise and accountability.

The Support Services Division appears to be appropriately staffed at the manager’s level, with the Support Services Manager overseeing two direct reports. While this structure is currently sufficient, it requires ongoing evaluation to ensure it remains sustainable as service demands and regulatory requirements evolve. Unlike some other divisions within the agency, support services functions, particularly in dispatch, require continuous, on-site coverage. As a result, there is always the potential that this position may need to step in to maintain operations during staffing shortages, critical incidents, or training needs.

This potential for added operational pressure is especially relevant given that there is currently no Dispatch Supervisor; instead, a Dispatch Lead provides limited oversight. The absence of a formal supervisory position in Dispatch shifts additional responsibility to the Support Services Manager, who must balance high-level oversight with direct engagement in daily operational issues. This role must also remain current on process improvements, inefficiencies, new regulations, and training standards, all demands that become increasingly difficult to manage without adequate supervisory support in place.

These structural changes may not seem immediately necessary, but the workflow advantages to efficiency and effectiveness will be self-evident as the size of the city and Department increases, and workload and expectations commensurately increase as they have in recent years.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 63 Patrol Operations
Patrol operations are the backbone of any law enforcement agency, providing a continuous and immediate response to incidents and serving as the most visible component of police services. At the Paso Robles Police Department, patrol staffing includes a single Patrol Commander who oversees four Patrol Sergeants. Each Sergeant is supported by a Corporal, and collectively, the patrol division consists of 20 officers. While the Department has two dedicated K9 officer positions assigned to patrol, only one of these is currently filled. A notable characteristic of PRPD’s patrol force is its relatively young composition, a reflection of broader trends in policing. In 2020, the Department received approval to increase its staffing and subsequently hired 18 new officers by 2024. While this growth has helped fill specialty positions, those roles are often occupied by the more experienced personnel, leaving newer officers assigned to patrol. This creates a supervisory and management challenge, as it requires consistent oversight to ensure tasks are performed correctly, policy is followed, and officer development remains a priority. With a young and relatively inexperienced patrol force, strong first-line supervision becomes even more critical to maintain operational effectiveness and professional standards.

PRPD operates on a 12-hour shift model, with shifts running from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Teams are organized into two scheduling groups: the "fast side" (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) and the "slow side" (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday), with alternating Saturdays to ensure 24/7 coverage. This structure includes daily patrol briefings held at the Public Safety Center located on the west side of the city. Officers rotate shifts every four months based on seniority, a system that has benefits over a “rotating squad” staffing model, which can lead into team siloing and offers flexibility to realign staffing allocation with workload demands.

A recurring concern raised during on-site interviews was the broad span of control borne by Patrol Sergeants. As the Watch Commander, their primary responsibilities include supervising their assigned patrol officers and Corporals, but they are also tasked with overseeing numerous other field-based roles during their shifts. These include the Department’s traffic officers, DUI officers, school resource officers, community service officers, civilian volunteers, and even the Community Action Team when active in the field. This broad scope of supervisory responsibility, combined with a patrol force composed largely of newer officers, places significant pressure on Sergeants to remain both operationally responsive and administratively effective.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 64 Despite these demands, there remains an organizational expectation and need that Patrol Sergeants be present and engaged in the field, mentoring and guiding their teams. This is particularly critical given the relative inexperience of much of the patrol division. The presence of Sergeants on the street supports officer development, morale, and accountability. However, this expectation must be balanced against the growing list of administrative and supervisory tasks that compete for their time and attention.

The current patrol division staffing analysis completed by AP Triton revealed that the number of officers currently allocated to patrol provides an unallocated time percentage of approximately 40%. These findings, presented in the Future Service Demand Projections section of this report, indicate a reasonable balance that allows for sufficient proactive time, enabling officers to engage in community policing, traffic enforcement, and other preventative measures beyond merely responding to community-generated calls for service. While there is no universally accepted standard or best practice regarding unallocated time, and the appropriate level is ultimately determined by each jurisdiction’s priorities and service model, a commonly referenced range is between 30–40%. The 40% currently observed within Paso Robles Police Department is within this range.

It should be noted, however, that this analysis was based on a little over two years of available CAD data. A larger dataset would likely yield more accurate and stable results.

Furthermore, while 20 officers are currently allocated to patrol, not all were actively deployed during the study period due to academy and field training obligations. Until staffing levels stabilize and the Department begins to consistently feel the full effect of these new additions in the field, no changes to patrol staffing levels are recommended.

Instead, the Department should monitor staffing impact and consider repeating this study with at least five years of data to establish a more reliable long-term baseline.

Traffic and DUI
Traffic-related issues universally rank among the top concerns of community members for their local police departments. In many ways, traffic-related violations have the most widespread and direct impact on many community members, who may never be the victim of a crime. It is important to any modern police agency that its traffic enforcement is effective, efficient, and well-supervised.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 65 The PRPD Traffic Division currently consists of two traffic officers and one DUI officer. The traffic officers work partially offset schedules, one from Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the other from Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The DUI officer covers the late-week high-activity periods, working Thursday through Sunday from 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Despite their specialized roles and staggered schedules, there is no dedicated supervisor assigned to the Traffic Unit. Instead, these officers report to the onduty Watch Commander while in the field. Although they represent only a few positions numerically, their assignments are distinct and require targeted oversight and case followup. Placing this responsibility on an already burdened Patrol Sergeant who carries significant day-to-day operational responsibility can quickly lead to span of control challenges, especially if that supervisor is already at or near capacity. Assigning traffic oversight to the Patrol Commander is similarly problematic, as that role is too high-level to regularly review reports, conduct case checks, or manage daily field deployment decisions efficiently.

Traffic enforcement requires both objective and subjective probability of detection, and the subsequent sanctions and measures for traffic violations. Police presence on roadways accounts for the objective probability of detection; it is the pressure of enforcement activity. Road users weigh the chances of being detected based on this enforcement pressure and on the perception of the enforcement through media coverage and community conversations; this is the subjective probability of detection and the deterrent effect of traffic enforcement.

For the subjective probability of detection to be sufficiently high to alter driver behavior, it is important to have a regular police presence that is highly visible, somewhat unpredictable in its patterns of deployment, and difficult to evade through either sheer numbers or technical proficiency of those tasked with traffic enforcement (with the latter of these two options being viewed as the most cost effective for a small- to mid-size police agency).

Traffic enforcement is most effective when guided by data-driven models that identify high-collision corridors and patterns, ideally combined with real-time observations and experience from police staff. This approach requires a dedicated supervisor to actively monitor crash and citation data, account for time-of-day and location-based trends and deploy targeted enforcement missions accordingly. These are complex, dynamic tasks that require ongoing attention and coordination, which is nearly impossible to manage without a dedicated Traffic Division supervisor.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 66 The current absence of a traffic-specific supervisor not only contributes to a supervision gap but also limits the Department’s ability to apply data in a focused and strategic manner. While PRPD benefits from crime analysis support, the lack of specialized review by someone experienced in traffic enforcement reduces the impact of that information. A supervisor with expertise in traffic operations would be better positioned to analyze and act on DUI trends, crash reports, and citation data, ensuring those insights directly inform operational decisions. Without such oversight, the Department risks missing opportunities to proactively improve roadway safety, evaluate enforcement effectiveness, and align traffic efforts with community concerns and departmental goals.

The technical expertise that allows for fast and efficient traffic enforcement also translates to the specialized skills needed to conduct traffic investigations involving driving under the influence or major and fatal crashes. It is more efficient to have a traffic specialist in a midsized agency than leaving these technical tasks to general patrol.

It is worth mentioning that research indicates that the certainty of enforcement is more important than the severity of the sanctions in deterring crime and traffic violations.

Additionally, the visibility of traffic enforcement can have a suppressive effect on crime in general.6
Traffic enforcement and investigations are a significant concern to the community and are one of the few areas of policing with replicated studies showing the impact of high-visibility deterrence.
6 Harris, W., Does Traffic Enforcement Reduce Crime? Law and Order, Vol. 47, Issue 5, p. 30–33, 1999.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 67 Analysis of community-generated calls for suspected DUI drivers indicates that the highest volume of calls occurs between 1:00 p.m. and midnight, with the highest percentage of arrests from those calls peaking around 11:00 p.m. Unsurprisingly, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays see significantly more DUI-related calls than other days of the week, with Saturday and Sunday yielding similar call-to-arrest ratios. The summer months, June and July, are significantly higher in call volume than the remainder of the months. While not every call results in an arrest, oftentimes due to factors such as inability to locate the suspect vehicle or a lack of impairment, the data suggests the current DUI officer deployment from 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. aligns well with peak need. Additional support during the summer months from available units, such as SROs on school break, could enhance enforcement. If utilizing a 4/10 schedule, selecting Monday or Thursday, the days with the lowest DUI call volume, as either end of the work week would preserve necessary administrative time while maximizing weekend coverage.

Using traffic collisions as a benchmark to evaluate the Traffic Division is appropriate, as collisions and the resulting injuries are key drivers behind traffic enforcement and public education efforts. Data indicates that collisions begin to increase around 6:00 a.m., peaking at approximately 3:00 p.m., and then steadily decline until around 11:00 p.m.

Between midnight and 5:00 a.m., collisions remain relatively low. Fridays consistently see the highest number of collisions, followed closely by Monday through Thursday and Saturday, which show similar rates. Sundays record the lowest number of collisions. Notably, arrests resulting from collisions are slightly elevated on Saturdays and Sundays, potentially indicating a higher rate of DUI-related incidents on those days.

From a seasonal perspective, collisions have a gradual increase over the year with slight peaks in July, August, and December. The current deployment schedule of the Traffic Unit, Monday through Thursday and Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., aligns well with peak collision times and appears to be appropriate based on available data.

However, as with all operational strategies, ongoing monitoring and data review are recommended to ensure alignment with evolving community needs.

Given the elevated number of collisions on Fridays, combined with the fact that only a single traffic officer is currently assigned that day, the Department should consider options for supplemental coverage. This could include the use of traffic safety grants or targeted overtime deployments during peak collision hours to support enforcement and visibility.

Such efforts would enhance traffic safety on high-incident days without requiring immediate increases in permanent staffing or overburdening patrol.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 68 School Resource Officers (SROs)
PRPD currently assigns three School Resource Officers (SROs) to serve the city’s schools, providing dedicated law enforcement presence and support within the educational environment. Like the Traffic Unit, the SROs at PRPD do not have a dedicated supervisor and instead report to the on-duty Watch Commander for day-to-day operations. This further strains the span of control of the Patrol Sergeant, who is already operating at a oneto-three minimum supervisory ratio. Adding three SROs, the Traffic Unit, and other specialized assignments to that span creates a supervisory burden that is increasingly unsustainable.

It is important to recognize that school campuses function much like miniature towns, each with their own unique dynamics and needs. One floating SRO is currently responsible for covering six different elementary schools, making the need for oversight and coordination even more critical. Dedicated supervision could help track and evaluate how time is being allocated across campuses, ensuring coverage is effective. While experienced officers often develop an intuitive understanding of how to balance these demands, turnover is inevitable. With the SRO position limited to three-year rotations, new officers will regularly enter these roles, reinforcing the need for consistent, structured oversight to support continuity and effectiveness.

As the city continues to grow, it is likely that the school district will expand as well, adding new campuses, increasing student populations, and introducing more complex safety needs. Without dedicated supervision, the challenges of managing multiple school sites and ensuring consistent coverage will only become more pronounced, further straining already limited supervisory capacity.

The work of SROs goes far beyond school safety and forging positive relationships with youth. SROs, by fostering trusting relationships with students, often serve as the initial investigators for a myriad of abuse- and domestic-related investigations.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 69 In the time period analyzed, School Resource Officers (SROs) handled a total of 2,824 calls for service, with 84.3% being self-initiated. Only 150 calls resulted in reports being written, and just 11 led to arrests, less than 0.5% of total activity. While SROs cover multiple campuses across the district, nearly 33% of all calls originated from the high school campuses, primarily Paso Robles High School, with a smaller portion from the adjacent alternative high school. Although call type data was not broken down by individual school site, further analysis into the specific call types and the proportion of reports generated from these locations would be useful in evaluating the workload and deployment of the SRO assigned to that campus.

Additionally, of the self-initiated activity, 62% was categorized in the system under the call type “School Resource Officer.” This call type is a generalized category used by SROs when they initiate an enforcement contact or when the school requests their involvement in an enforcement-related matter. The next most frequent call type was “Juvenile Problems,” which accounted for only 8.7% of the total, though this too appears to be a general category. Breaking the “School Resource Officer” designation into more specific call types could improve accuracy in workload analysis and support future staffing decisions.

At no time during AP Triton’s interviews with community stakeholders, school personnel, or PRPD employees was there an expressed need for additional SROs. There was interest in having SROs provide classroom instruction on topics such as drug prevention and gang awareness, and this type of engagement, depending on the number of schools requesting such programming, could warrant additional staffing in the future. However, based on the current data showing a high volume of self-initiated activity coupled with low arrest and report numbers, the SRO Division appears to be appropriately staffed to meet existing demands.

Community Service Officers
The work of Community Service Officers (CSOs) helps to alleviate lower-level responsibilities for fully sworn officers. This frees sworn members to direct their attention to tasks that only sworn personnel should do for safety reasons or are authorized to do by statute. When a CSO is unavailable, these duties fall to patrol officers, adding to their workload and diverting resources from higher-priority calls. For the purposes of this section, the top six call types handled by CSOs were considered and included Parking, Found/Lost Property, Theft, Drug & Sex Offender Registrations, Citizen Assists, and Code Enforcement.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 70 An analysis of the call types commonly handled by CSOs at PRPD reveals that the highest call volume occurs between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Considering the same call types by day of the week, the data indicates that Mondays and Fridays see the highest volume, followed by Thursdays and Saturdays, which had only slightly more activity than Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Seasonally, CSO-related call volume remains relatively stable throughout the year. There is a slight increase during the summer months of July and August, along with a modest uptick in October, followed by a minor decline in November and December.

The current deployment of PRPD’s 3 CSOs is structured around a 4/10 schedule, with coverage provided Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. During the timeframe of CAD data analyzed, CSOs were responsible for handling 19.8% of the previously mentioned call types. In order to fully align with demand, increase efficiency, and reduce the strain on patrol resources during peak periods, PRPD could consider extending CSO coverage to 6:00 p.m.

Consideration should be given to adding an additional CSO position which would provide additional CSO coverage hours, enabling the Department to extend coverage later into the day as recommended. Additionally, this would allow for cross-training opportunities to support the Property and Evidence Technician, ensuring continuity of operations during absences and assisting with backlog reduction.

Investigations
The mission of an investigations division is to support the broader goals of a police department by handling cases that require specialized skills, extended resources, interagency coordination, or long-term investigative effort. These cases often go beyond the capacity or expertise of patrol personnel. A well-staffed, coordinated, and supervised investigations division is essential to meeting community expectations and ensuring thorough resolution of complex criminal matters.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 71 The Paso Robles Police Department’s Investigations Division falls under the command of the Investigations Commander who supervises two Sergeant: one assigned to general investigations and the other responsible for the Special Enforcement Team (SET), discussed in a separate section. The Detective Sergeant directly manages three general-assignment detectives, who are not divided by specialty (e.g., person crimes vs. property crimes) but instead handle a broad range of cases. This Sergeant also supervises the three officers assigned to the Community Action Team. While CAT personnel may fall under the Detective Sergeant for higher-level initiatives, their day-to-day operational oversight in the field is generally provided by the Watch Commander. Additionally, the Detective Sergeant oversees the Department’s sole Property and Evidence Technician who has also received training in crime scene investigations; and a Crime Analyst, whose role is intended to support both patrol and investigative functions.

This structure places the Detective Sergeant at a span of control of 1: 8, which exceeds the generally accepted upper limits and should be carefully considered in investigative divisions where case complexity, confidentiality, and coordination demands require closer oversight and more direct supervision. While detectives are usually more experienced than their patrol counterparts, there is not always an abundance of experience and the oversight burden can still be considerable, particularly when personnel are engaged in time-intensive tasks like case management, evidence review, and external coordination with other agencies. Close supervision remains critical to maintaining investigative quality, ensuring timely follow-up, and preventing potential oversights in high-profile cases. Shifting some oversight responsibilities from the Detective Sergeant to the SET Sergeant could help reduce the current span of control and improve supervisory effectiveness. This adjustment could be as simple as reassigning supervisory duties for the Property and Evidence Technician, as well as the Crime Analyst, to the SET Sergeant, who appears to have the capacity to absorb additional oversight functions.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 72 Detective positions are subject to a five-year rotation, a practice that has both advantages and drawbacks. On the positive side, rotating personnel helps prevent complacency and encourages fresh perspectives. However, it also creates the challenge of ongoing training, as newly assigned detectives require time to become proficient in investigative techniques, case management systems, and departmental expectations. If rotations are not staggered appropriately, it can result in the simultaneous onboarding of multiple new detectives, which can stretch supervisory and training capacity. As of this assessment, none of the general-assignment detectives have received specialized training in Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigations, a growing area of concern in many jurisdictions. This gap may warrant consideration as part of future training plans or specialized assignment discussions.

Analysis of the Detective Division was limited by the scope of available data, which consisted primarily of publicly accessible California DOJ NIBRS reporting and division-level performance metrics. This data provided a valuable overview of investigative trends in Paso Robles. Overall reported offenses initially declined, reaching a low in September 2020, before reversing course and trending upward beginning in early 2021. Most notably, violent crime has increased significantly year over year, more than doubling from 53 incidents in 2019 to 124 in 2023. Aggravated assaults alone rose from 31 to 82 incidents during the same period, an increase of 165%. In contrast, property crimes have declined overall, largely driven by a reduction in larceny/theft. Although burglary experienced a sharp drop during the pandemic, it has begun to rebound but has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels.

Motor vehicle thefts have remained relatively stable, though trends suggest a slow upward rebound.

Despite the increase in violent crime, PRPD has demonstrated an ability to maintain and even improve investigative effectiveness. Clearance rates for violent crimes improved from

39.6% in 2019 to between 49.1% and 52% in subsequent years, a strong indicator of division performance. Property crime clearance rates varied more widely, from a low of 11.8% in 2021 to a high of 24.5% in 2023.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 73 The Detective Division should be commended for maintaining strong investigative performance, all while experiencing a notable increase in overall workload. Detective Division performance data indicates that demand for the division has increased; this includes a 14.2% rise in case assignments, a 117% increase in callouts, and a 75% increase in search warrants written as of 2024. These figures appear consistent with the increase in violent crime as reported by the CA DOJ.
7 This increase in workload has occurred while Detective Division staffing has remained flat since at least 2021, with no change in the number of assigned personnel. The combination of an increasing workload and static staffing levels shows a growing imbalance that leans toward the need for additional detective support.

While there is no universal formula to determine the appropriate number of detectives, staffing decisions should be guided by key performance indicators such as workloadbased metrics, investigative outcomes, and demand on employees. These include the number of cases assigned annually, case complexity, clearance rates, time spent per case, and the proportion of follow-ups versus original cases. Other benchmarks, such as the ratio of detectives to residents or sworn staff, may provide general guidance but do not account for the qualitative demands of investigative work. The need to regularly monitor callout levels, case volumes, and growing overtime usage is also critical as rising demands begin to erode performance or contribute to burnout, an indicator that additional staffing is warranted.

Community Action Team (CAT)
The Community Action Team (CAT) at PRPD is currently comprised of three officers who are formally assigned under the supervision of the Detective Sergeant. However, when operating in the field, CAT officers are supervised by the on-duty Watch Commander, typically a Patrol Sergeant. As with other specialized units, this multi-supervision model expands the span of control of the Watch Commander and contributes to the growing supervisory burden, a concern further addressed in the patrol section of this report. 7 https://openjustice.doj.ca.gov/exploration/crime-statistics/crimes-clearances.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 74 A limited dataset provided by PRPD allows for a light analysis of the Community Action Team’s activity. From the last quarter of 2022 through the 2023–2024 timeframe, CAT handled 930 transient and/or mental health calls for service and conducted 1,737 selfinitiated contacts. During this same period, the Department received a total of 2,819 calls related to transient or mental health concerns. This means approximately 1,889 of those calls, roughly two-thirds, were handled by patrol officers, not CAT. Interestingly, the majority of transient- and mental health-related calls occurred between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, peaking on Tuesdays and remaining steady through Fridays, with only a slight decline on weekends. This suggests a predictable pattern that could inform a more effective deployment of CAT resources.

During on-site interviews, it was reported that CAT officers frequently spend extended periods stationed at the Salinas River and other homeless encampments during contracted trash cleanup operations. Unverified Department records show that from January 1, 2024, through June 2025, the team spent approximately 584 hours providing security at these sites. While this presence is reportedly required under the terms of the cleanup contract, assigning sworn officers to passive security functions raises concerns about efficient use of personnel and public resources.

Time spent on non-enforcement duties reduces the availability of CAT officers to directly address their core responsibilities, including homelessness response, quality-of-life enforcement, and community engagement. These findings highlight the value in accurate call tracking, data-informed deployment, and reassessment of resource allocation to ensure CAT remains aligned with its intended mission.

Special Enforcement Team (SET)
The Special Enforcement Team (SET), consisting of one Sergeant and two officers, has a significant role in keeping Paso Robles safe. Their duty is to focus on the pursuit and apprehension of violent or repeat offenders, known gang members, and drug offenses, all important investigative functions.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 75 Currently, there is insufficient data captured within the CAD to allow for a comprehensive analysis of the workload and effectiveness of the SET Team. Without a clear method to distinguish SET activities from other investigative or detective functions, the Department lacks the ability to monitor performance, evaluate resource allocation, or demonstrate the impact of the unit. To ensure the SET team is being used effectively, it is critical to develop both practices and policies to ensure accurate capture of workload and outcomes to assess performance and need. This could include tagging SET-specific activity in CAD or case management systems and supplementing with additional performance metrics such as number of search warrants executed, arrest warrants served, cases filed or prosecuted, and proactive enforcement results.

Property/Evidence/CSI
The Property and Evidence Technician at the Paso Robles Police Department is currently classified as a Community Service Officer but is assigned full-time to manage evidence.

This position falls under the direct supervision of the Detective Sergeant. In addition to their property responsibilities, the Technician has received training in crime scene investigation and is called out to scenes multiple times per year to assist with evidence collection. The Technician is the sole employee assigned to this division, meaning the efficiency of the Property and Evidence function is directly tied to one individual’s availability and workload capacity.

Two core areas of Property and Evidence operations requiring close examination are staffing and storage capacity. Though broader facility concerns are addressed elsewhere in this report, those specific to Property and Evidence warrant additional consideration.

Effective staffing levels cannot be separated from facility conditions, specifically, how full the storage areas are and the Department’s ability to purge old evidence. An optimal Property and Evidence operation achieves a balance between evidence intake and disposal. However, when a backlog exists, especially one caused by staffing limitations, storage can become inefficient and disorganized.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 76 Between October 1, 2023, and May 1, 2025, the Department recorded 7,370 pieces of evidence received and 4,914 disposed of. This equates to approximately 4,422 items entered and about 2,948 items removed per year, an annual net increase of roughly 1,474 items. This imbalance places pressure on both personnel and space. At the time of this review, approximately 9,500 items were being stored in evidence, with the Department estimating storage capacity to be roughly 80% full (indicating an approximate capacity of 12,000 items). Based on the current net increase of approximately 1,474 evidence items per year and with an estimated 20% of storage capacity remaining, the evidence storage area is projected to reach full capacity in less than two years. This timeline underscores the urgency of addressing both continued purging efforts and long-term storage needs.

Based on the rapidly approaching storage capacity limit, the Paso Robles Police Department should seriously consider the addition or expansion of its Property and Evidence facility. Because these functions are typically housed in a single secured area, a long-term solution may require either substantial internal remodeling of the existing public safety building or the development of a new facility. A more detailed space-needs assessment should be conducted to determine future storage projections and feasibility.

Additionally, current California regulations restricting the destruction of narcotics may further increase storage demands if these items must be retained indefinitely, compounding the urgency for expanded capacity.

The management of property and evidence can be time-intensive and includes tasks such as transferring evidence from temporary lockers, preparing items for court, coordinating with labs, and pulling evidence for destruction or review. The Property and Evidence Technician also supports patrol, traffic, and other divisions as needed with evidencerelated tasks, crime lab runs for evidence drop-off and pickup, property destruction runs, crime scene call-outs (averaging approximately five per year), and court appearances.

Beyond these responsibilities, the Technician is also tasked with reviewing and determining evidence dispositions, such as whether items should be held, released, or destroyed, a process that can be particularly time-consuming and requires a high degree of accuracy and discretion.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 77 While the range of additional duties assigned to the Property and Evidence Technician adds to the overall workload, it was noted that only approximately 10% of the current inventory is eligible for disposal, meaning that the Technician has been able to keep up with evidence disposals fairly well. Importantly, this 10% backlog was cited not due to time constraints or backlog management, but rather to narcotics that cannot be destroyed due to changes in state regulations.

One additional process currently underway within the Property and Evidence Division is the completion of a full inventory following the Department’s transition to the RIMS records management system in September 2022. This inventory effort remains active and is an important step in aligning records, evidence, and property with current systems. Biannual audits have also been implemented to support compliance and accountability within the unit. The Department’s use of barcode scanning technology supports efficiency by improving the speed at which items are located, retrieved, and managed, thereby helping to streamline daily operations and maintain organization within the facility.

While there is no one-size-fits-all formula, a general industry rule of thumb is that one fulltime Property and Evidence Technician should be able to manage 6,000 to 7,000 incoming pieces of evidence annually, assuming the current system is well-run and the Technician is not burdened by significant non-evidence-related tasks.8 Given the Department’s incoming volume of around 4,422 pieces per year, the current staffing level appears adequate. However, to fully comprehend the workload saturation for management decisions, it is recommended to accurately track the time spent on, and frequency of, all ancillary duties, CSI response time, evidence review obligations, and the ongoing demands of inventory reconciliation.
8 Gordon Bowers and Joseph Latta, Property & Evidence by the Book (Gainesville, VA: Storybook Communications, 2011), Chap. 1.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 78 Even when incoming evidence numbers are within the acceptable industry range, a backlog, however slight, may still develop due to one or more contributing factors. These may include a lack of proficiency or experience in the role, ineffective prioritization of tasks, or the accumulation of additional non-evidence-related duties that divert time and focus away from core responsibilities. Regardless of the cause, these areas should be carefully examined. The entire chain of custody process, from officer packaging and submission to Technician intake, storage, and eventual disposition, should be evaluated for inefficiencies, delays, or redundancies that may contribute to a backlog.

In alignment with the previous recommendation to add an additional CSO position, it is also recommended to cross-train a CSO in the Property and Evidence function. Doing so will support Property and Evidence efforts, enhance operational resilience, and ensure continuity and efficiency during personnel absences or large-scale evidence entries. This approach would not only provide critical coverage but also accelerate the completion of the ongoing inventory tied to the RIMS transition. While this may compete with other CSOrelated needs discussed earlier in the report, intermittent support could be scheduled during CSO lower-demand periods to balance workload across divisions.

Training
The Paso Robles Police Department demonstrates a strong commitment to training, consistently emphasizing professional development and industry standards. Approximately one year ago, the Department appointed a retired officer with substantial experience to serve as its Training Coordinator, a non-sworn, part-time professional staff position. Unlike many agencies where training coordinators serve primarily in a clerical capacity, PRPD’s Training Coordinator plays a more engaged role, not only managing course registration and compliance tracking but also assessing training needs and identifying appropriate courses based on officer career paths and departmental priorities.

PRPD is recognized for its training culture, often hosting training opportunities for neighboring agencies, further solidifying its regional credibility. Training is tracked through a computerized system and the California POST EDI platform, ensuring compliance with state mandates and internal training plans. The Department’s training approach considers position and experience level, improving efficiency and helping avoid unnecessary or redundant training expenditures. While PRPD’s current training facilities are modest, limited to small on-site meeting rooms and shooting range, with use of the Cuesta College classrooms as needed, the forthcoming joint-use training facility with the Fire Department is expected to significantly enhance instructional capacity and flexibility.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 79 Although the Training Coordinator formally reports to the Administrative Sergeant, day-today coordination and oversight occur more directly through the Administrative Commander. This dual-reporting relationship could benefit from clarification to ensure consistent direction and support. The Training Coordinator is also solely responsible for managing the training budget, with final oversight resting with the Administrative Commander.

Stakeholder interviews suggested that, over time, this position may need to be elevated to a sworn supervisory level such as a Corporal or Sergeant to give it the appropriate authority to direct personnel to attend required training.

The position, while efficient and effective within its current scope, does not provide direct instruction. As the Department continues to grow and expectations around training evolve, consideration should be given to transitioning this part-time position into a full-time role and expanding its capacity.

As a full-time and sworn supervisory position, there is opportunity to further integrate the Training Coordinator into both pre-academy and post-academy programs to provide new hires with consistent, department-specific orientation and guidance throughout their initial development. Elevating this position to a supervisory role makes it a logical fit to assume responsibility for all academy cadets during the pre-academy, academy, and postacademy phases, providing consistent oversight and a clear point of accountability throughout the training pipeline. Furthermore, the Field Training Officer (FTO) program, which is currently managed as an ancillary duty by a Patrol Sergeant, could be formally placed under this position, reducing the workload on patrol supervision and ensuring better continuity and focus on recruit development.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 80 While PRPD’s training plan is notably robust for sworn personnel, training opportunities for non-sworn professional staff appear to be more limited, often focused on Property and Evidence functions. Other critical areas such as records, dispatch, and administrative support may receive fewer structured opportunities. Additionally, administrative roles filled by sworn personnel, such as the Administrative Commander or Administrative Sergeant, often require knowledge and skill sets outside of traditional patrol or investigative experience. These positions would benefit from specialized training in areas such as budgeting, procurement, contract management, personnel law, and organizational development to enhance performance and confidence in their new responsibilities. The Executive Assistant role, which supports the Chief of Police and interfaces across the organization, is another position that could gain from targeted professional development in municipal systems, communication, and executive-level administrative functions.

Continued investment in professional development for both sworn and non-sworn personnel in administrative roles should be a deliberate priority. These opportunities not only improve technical proficiency and operational consistency but also contribute to morale, retention, and a sense of investment in career growth. Professional staff often observe that training efforts are concentrated on sworn personnel, which can lead to perceptions of inequity. Expanding training to include non-law enforcement content, such as leadership, customer service, data management, and compliance, would better equip these critical staff members to meet the increasing demands of their roles and the evolving expectations placed on modern police agencies.

Recruiting and Hiring
Recruiting qualified police officers has become increasingly challenging nationwide. The combination of heightened scrutiny of the profession, generational shifts in career preferences, and competitive job markets has made it more difficult to attract and retain law enforcement candidates. Despite these challenges, maintaining fully staffed patrol shifts is essential to ensuring officer safety, response times, and community trust. For this reason, recruitment and hiring are mission-critical components of agency stability and public safety. While turnover is inevitable in any organization, its impact can be mitigated through a sustained, proactive approach to recruitment and a strong emphasis on retention. Retention, in particular, must be viewed as a shared responsibility across the Department, with every leader playing a role in creating an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and invested in the agency’s long-term success.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 81 Using sworn police personnel as a standard, it takes roughly a year or more to train, educate, and evaluate an officer to be cleared for autonomous work. However, it is widely accepted that roughly 5 years/10,000 work hours are needed before an officer truly becomes a seasoned and experienced veteran that requires minimal supervision and is positioned to begin developing expertise in new areas of policing, such as investigations or tactical operations. While PRPD has outperformed many agencies in regard to recruitment and hiring, it is essential that they continue to develop and refine their strategies to meet evolving needs and expectations.

Recruitment and hiring responsibilities at PRPD currently fall almost entirely under the Administrative Commander, including the highly time-consuming task of conducting all background investigations. While this arrangement may have functioned in the past, the increasing complexity of recruitment processes and the requirement for legal compliance and strategic outreach suggest a need for reevaluation. In smaller agencies like PRPD, staffing limitations make it impractical to assign one person to full-time recruiting duties; hiring activity tends to fluctuate with Department vacancies and budget cycles. As such, many agencies rely on shared or ancillary assignments across agency personnel. While this approach can be appropriate for routine tasks, elements such as background investigations, interview panels, and onboarding coordination demand significant time and attention.

The Paso Robles Police Department has demonstrated a strong and effective approach to recruitment, reflected in their current staffing outcomes and outreach efforts. Their recruitment materials and website provide clear, accessible, and engaging information for potential applicants. The Department has invested in high-quality branding, including videos that highlight both the agency and the community, and an easy-to-navigate webpage that clearly outlines compensation, benefits, and specialty assignments. Their Police Officer Recruit Handbook serves as a step-by-step guide to the hiring process with detailed explanations of each testing component and the academy. Additionally, the department supports lateral recruitment through incentive programs, including hiring bonuses and housing assistance loans. Overall, PRPD’s recruiting strategy is well-organized, visually appealing, and applicant-friendly, representing best practices in modern law enforcement recruitment.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 82 Given PRPD’s recent growth in staffing to near at-capacity levels, there is no immediate need to designate a full-time or temporary recruiter. However, the Department should prioritize building a small, on-site recruitment team with sufficient training in employment law, including ADA, Title VII, and California-specific hiring regulations. This team must also be well-versed in identifying key competencies in candidates, understanding procedural requirements, and mitigating the risk of bias or disparate impact. A viable solution to help alleviate the growing workload on the Administrative Commander could include the addition of an officer assigned to the administrative division. This position can not only assist with recruitment, hiring processes, training coordination, logistical planning, and compliance-related duties, but other duties within the administrative division as well, such as Quartermaster. This added role could also assist the Administrative Sergeant with organizing and supporting community events the Department participates in, pairing nicely with PRPD’s visibility and engagement in the community while reinforcing recruiting efforts.

It should be noted that AP Triton did not receive any formal hiring or recruitment goals, metrics, or benchmarks during the assessment process. This absence may be for good reason. Both the information gathered prior to the on-site visit and the stakeholder interviews conducted during the assessment made it clear that the Paso Robles Police Department has done an exceptional job of capturing and promoting its organizational culture through its hiring practices. Numerous interviewees consistently highlighted the agency’s strong internal culture and authentic “family atmosphere” as key strengths. These characteristics appear to play a significant role in attracting and retaining quality personnel.

Public Information Officer (PIO)/Community Outreach Coordinator The Paso Robles Police Department currently does not have a dedicated Public Information Officer (PIO) or Community Outreach Coordinator. As outlined earlier in this report, responsibilities related to community events and public communication are informally shared between the Executive Assistant and the Administrative Sergeant. While this arrangement has helped maintain the Department’s presence at events and facilitated some level of outreach, it may not be a sustainable model given the number of community events in Paso Robles, the growing need for public engagement, and the increased volume of officers to attend. Numerous stakeholders interviewed during the onsite assessment specifically noted the Department’s high visibility in the community and the heavy workload associated with managing event participation and public messaging.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 83 In today’s law enforcement environment, building public trust and demonstrating transparency are essential. One of the most effective tools for accomplishing this is through the strategic use of social media. Social media platforms not only allow departments to highlight their cultures, values, and positive actions, but also provide real-time communication during critical incidents, thereby helping agencies control the narrative, dispel misinformation, and convey accurate, timely information. From public safety alerts (e.g., road closures, severe weather, ongoing incidents) to showcasing community engagement efforts, social media plays a vital role in modern policing. However, using these platforms effectively requires more than basic posting; it demands communication skills, awareness of public perception, digital literacy, and strategic timing, skills not all personnel possess by default.

Currently, many PIO responsibilities fall to the Administrative Commander and Executive Assistant. While this may suffice for a smaller agency in the short term, it diverts focus from other high-priority duties and limits the Department’s ability to proactively manage communications. Paso Robles may not yet warrant a full-time PIO solely for public information, but combining this role with that of a Community Outreach Coordinator could create a hybrid position that delivers significant organizational value. There was even discussion during the on-site visit of a shared PIO/outreach position between the Police Department and Fire Department, an approach that could be highly effective given the agencies’ overlapping responsibilities and shared facility.

This position, if created, would not need to be a sworn employee. It could remain nonsworn, with flexibility regarding on-camera presence for media interactions. Command staff, such as the Deputy Chief or Chief, could continue to handle formal interviews as needed. In addition, a qualified individual with media production or editing skills could greatly enhance the Department’s ability to produce professional content such as explainer videos, community updates, and incident clarifications to share with the public.

This position has become commonplace in many agencies, and for good reason. In an era where community trust must be earned and maintained, showing the public what law enforcement does, how it operates, and who it serves is critical. Social media and structured public engagement are among the most powerful, accessible tools available to law enforcement, and the Paso Robles Police Department should take full advantage of them.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 84 Volunteers
The Paso Robles Police Department currently operates a Volunteer Patrol Program, which at the time of this report consists of 14 dedicated community members who provide support services to the Department. These volunteers are managed by the Administrative Sergeant, though when they are deployed in the field, they fall under the direction of the on-duty Watch Commander. While PRPD did not furnish data regarding the number of hours served or workload offset by the program, volunteer contributions should not be evaluated on numbers alone. Programs like this carry significant value beyond efficiency metrics, particularly in building community trust, fostering transparency, and developing public ambassadors for the agency.

Assumingly, many of the volunteers in PRPD’s program are passionate about public service, have a strong connection to their community, and seek to contribute meaningfully; often gaining a renewed sense of purpose in the process. While this level of community engagement is a strength, volunteer roles must be meaningful without becoming burdensome for officers or inadvertently creating safety risks. These programs should not serve as a public “ride-along” experience or symbolic role but rather fill actual operational needs within a clearly defined scope.

PRPD could benefit from exploring additional, well-structured volunteer opportunities in other divisions, such as records, administrative services, or property and evidence. These assignments, when completed by qualified individuals, could help offset limited staff resources and provide volunteers with purposeful contributions. That said, proper oversight is essential. Volunteer programs must have clear policies, position descriptions, and standardized training to ensure participants do not unintentionally drift outside the scope of their authority. Tracking hours, tasks, and impacts would also help the Department better assess both operational and reputational value.

Records
The Records Division of the Paso Robles Police Department plays a critical role in the administration of justice by serving as the central repository for the collection, processing, and distribution of police records. These records must be maintained and managed throughout their lifecycle, from creation to destruction or archiving, according to legal requirements. The appropriate staffing and efficient management of this division are essential to agency operations.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 85 The division is overseen by the Support Services Manager, a professional staff (non-sworn) position. Reporting directly to the manager is the Records Supervisor, who is responsible for supervising three full-time Records Technicians and one part-time Technician. At the time of AP Triton’s site visit, all full-time positions were filled; however, the part-time position was vacant.

AP Triton was not provided with detailed data related to Records Technician workload demand. However, during the on-site visit, it was noted that the division handles a substantial volume of tasks. Stakeholder interviews and internal feedback suggested that the Records Division is perceived as understaffed relative to current demand. Although the agency experienced a notable increase in officer staffing following the passage of Measure J-20, support services staffing, specifically Records, has not kept pace.

A practice of records inefficiency identified during the on-site visit was the repetitive process involving officer-submitted paperwork: reports are scanned into the system by Records Division personnel, only to be printed again for submission to the District Attorney’s Office. This print-scan-print cycle creates unnecessary workload and should be evaluated for digitization and modernization.

Additionally, multiple stakeholders highlighted the agency’s reliance on hard-copy paperwork in general. A shift to electronic or PDF-based processes would improve efficiency, reduce physical storage needs, and align with modern records management practices.

The Department also has a significant backlog of cases eligible for destruction under retention laws but has not processed them, contributing to overcrowding in an already space-constrained facility. This points to a clear need for capacity-building within the division.

Aside from filling the part-time position currently available, these observations lead to recommendations to implement a system to track workload demand and ensure equitable distribution among Records Technicians; explore opportunities to digitize and streamline redundant paperwork processes; evaluate future staffing needs based on technology, case report volume, processing measures, and other tasks such as California Public Records Act requests, and case file destructions needs; and consider the designation of a Records Lead position which could enhance operational continuity and career development.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 86 Dispatch
The Paso Robles Police Department’s Dispatch Center is currently managed by the Support Services Manager, who oversees a Dispatch Lead. The Dispatch Lead is responsible for a total of 10 Dispatcher positions, with one vacancy at the time of this review. However, there is not a lead or supervisor consistently present on the floor at all times. Typically, only two to three Dispatchers are working per shift, which limits immediate supervisory support during active operations. During on-site interviews, there were no specific concerns raised regarding Dispatcher staffing levels, suggesting that the current configuration generally meets the Department’s operational needs. However, this does not eliminate the potential for future challenges, especially as community demands evolve or call volumes increase.

Similar to the Records Division, where it is recommended to have both a supervisor and a lead, the Dispatch Center may benefit from the addition of a dedicated Dispatch Supervisor. While a Dispatch Lead position already exists, introducing a supervisory role could enhance operational oversight and support career progression for dispatch personnel. This added layer of supervision would also help absorb some of the daily management responsibilities, thereby relieving the Support Services Manager and allowing that role to focus more on broader strategic planning, interagency coordination, and other high-level initiatives essential to long-term organizational success.

While a full dispatch staffing analysis is beyond the scope of this study, it is recommended that the Department conduct regular, data-driven assessments of Dispatcher workload.

While there are some models utilized through organizations like NENA, dispatch staffing lacks a universally accepted formula due to variability among Public Safety Answering Points. For a meaningful analysis, the agency should ensure it is collecting detailed data on total call volume, the type and complexity of calls received, average answering and dispatch times, and the extent of non-dispatch responsibilities such as warrant entry, administrative tasks, and interagency communications.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 87 Service Demand and Incident Staffing Performance
This section is intended to provide the Paso Robles Police Department (PRPD) with insight into service demand and related performance information. A discussion of the data sources and analytical methodology used is provided at the beginning of this section.

Data Sources
One data file, multiple lookup tables, emails, interview responses, and open-source information were used to create two datasets for this analysis: calls for service and reported crime.

First, community-generated demand for service was analyzed, as identified by calls for service records from PRPD’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system. In late September 2022, PRPD migrated to a new CAD vendor. The Department provided one data file containing two separate datasets, one from each system. The first dataset covered January 1, 2020, to September 28, 2022; this data was extracted from the Executive Information Service, Inc. (EIS) CAD system. The second dataset covered September 28, 2022, to December 31, 2024, and was pulled from their current system, Sun Ridge Systems, Inc. RIMS CAD.

The following table provides a summary of both CAD datasets.

Figure 28: PRPD CAD Datasets, Record Count and Time Period Dataset Record Count Time Period
EIS CAD 149,210 1/1/2020 – 9/28/2022
RIMS CAD 101,393 9/28/2022 – 12/31/2024
Following a review of the data and conversations with PRPD records staff, it was determined that the EIS CAD data did not contain the necessary information to distinguish between community-generated and officer-initiated calls. Due to this limitation, the EIS CAD data could not be used.

The RIMS CAD dataset included both police and fire calls. According to PRPD staff, when a police officer is dispatched to assist with a fire-related incident, a separate police call record is created in addition to the Fire Department’s record. To avoid counting the same incident twice, all fire-related calls were excluded from the dataset.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 88 After this filtering, 90,380 police call records remained. These records served as the foundation for all subsequent analysis. Any further filtering, grouping, or summarizing of the data is described in the relevant sections that follow.

Second, open-source information obtained from the California Department of Justice, Open Justice Data Portal on reported crime and crime clearances in Paso Robles was used to complete the Investigations Section analyses. A more comprehensive discussion of this dataset and its limitations can be found at the beginning of that section.

Community-Generated Demand for Service
This section provides a baseline of demand for Paso Robles Police Department services. An analysis of community-generated calls (CGC) for service using the RIMS CAD data file was conducted.
9 Based on feedback from PRPD staff, the following criteria were used to identify a call as being community-generated:

1. The call must have been dispatched as a ‘Police’ call, identified by ‘P’ in the RIMS CAD dataset.

2. The call must not have been a ‘Call Out’ or ‘Test’ call type, identified by ‘CO’ and ‘TEST’, respectively, in the RIMS CAD dataset.

3. The source of the call must have been one of the following, signifying it was community-generated as opposed to officer-initiated:
a. 9 – E911
b. A – Alarm
c. T – Telephone
d. X – Text Message
e. W – Wireless 911

4. The call must have a disposition code other than ‘HD’ (Handled by Dispatch) in one of the three disposition fields of the RIMS CAD dataset. a. Additionally, for any response time analysis, calls with the ‘LN’ (Log Note) disposition code were also excluded.
9 EIS CAD data could not be used for service demand analysis due to limitations in distinguishing between community-generated and officer-initiated calls.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 89 Using the previous methodology, the data comprising community-generated demand for service totaled 42,869 distinct call records that occurred between September 28, 2022, and December 31, 2024.

As shown in the following figure, the Paso Robles Police Department responds, when necessary, to incidents that occur outside the city.

Figure 29: Community-Generated Demand for Service, Call Locations Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 90 Based on identifiers in the RIMS CAD data and geographic information system (GIS) analysis, of the 42,869 community-generated calls for service, 827 occurred outside of the city during the scope of this review. The following figure provides a list of the most frequent call types that occurred outside of the city.

Figure 30: Most Frequent Call Types That Occurred Outside Paso Robles Call Type Call Group Call Count % of Total
911 Hangup Disorder 344 41.6%
Vegetation Fire PD Assist 71 8.6%
Information Other 65 7.9%
Traffic Collision Injury Traffic 39 4.7%
Assist Other Agency Assist 38 4.6%
Be on the Lookout Disorder 34 4.1%
Single Residential Structure Fire PD Assist 29 3.5%
Reckless Vehicle Traffic 26 3.1%
Vehicle Fire PD Assist 17 2.1%
Citizen Assist Assist 14 1.7%
Follow-up Other 14 1.7%
Suspected Drunk Driver Traffic 14 1.7%
Missing Person Civil 12 1.5%
Juvenile Problem Disorder 9 1.1%
Traffic Hazard Traffic 9 1.1%
Animal Call Disorder 8 1.0%
Commercial Structure Fire PD Assist 6 0.7%
Alarm Alarm 5 0.6%
Check the Welfare Disorder 4 0.5%
Stolen Vehicle Crime 4 0.5%
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 91 Records in the RIMS CAD system are assigned call types based on the context of the incident during the call-taking process. These call types range from 911 Hangups, to Robbery, to Vehicle Burglary. In total, there were 123 unique call types in the service demand data. Those call types were placed into groups following methodology published by the Portland Police Bureau.
10 The list of call types and their corresponding call group can be found in Appendix B.

Although the number of calls outside city limits account for just under 2% of all communitygenerated calls analyzed, these have the possibility to impact service levels as they tend to be assistance-, traffic-, or disorder-related. A response outside the city will generally take unit(s) out of service for a longer period of time compared to calls within the city due to its location. The impact is compounded during multi-unit response scenarios.

The following map illustrates which parts of the city experienced higher or lower volumes of calls for service between September 28, 2022, and December 31, 2024. 10 The Portland Police Bureau’s call grouping methodology can be found here:
https://www.portland.gov/police/open-data/police-dispatched-calls Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 92 Figure 31: Spatial Distribution of Service Demand in Paso Robles, All Call Types The figure shows the number of community-generated calls inside 500-foot by 500-foot squares throughout the city. These grid cells are color coded to show areas with higher and lower concentrations of calls. Other geographic elements, provided by Paso Robles, were added to provide additional context and ease of discussion. These included Quadrants, which split the city into four parts: 1 to 4; and Districts, which are smaller sections within each Quadrant. The number of Districts within each Quadrant varies. Both Quadrants and Districts will be referred to throughout these sections when discussing incident locations.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 93 Quadrant 2 incurred the most demand, followed by Quadrants 4 and 1. Nearly 10% of Quadrant 2’s calls were attributable to the Police Department. This is not surprising as it is common with calls for service data that a police agency’s address gets entered as the call location when incidents are reported at its police department, when they are telephone reports, or when locations are unknown.

Figure 32: Community-Generated Calls by Quadrant
Quadrant Call Count % of Total
Quadrant 2 12,754 30.3%
Quadrant 4 12,041 28.6%
Quadrant 1 11,324 26.9%
Quadrant 3 5,880 14.0%
Unknown Address 43 0.1%
As shown in the previous figure, Quadrants 2, 4, and 1 have a relatively even disbursement of service demand, while Quadrant 3 has significantly less demand for police services as measured by community-generated calls. While the map and table illustrate where calls for service were most concentrated across the city, the following figure shifts the focus to the types of issues officers are responding to most frequently.

Figure 33: Community-Generated Calls by Call Group in Paso Robles Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 94 Disorder-related calls make up nearly half of all police responses and are by far the most common category. These include situations like disturbances, reports of suspicious activity, welfare checks, and calls about unwanted individuals.

The next most frequent call group is labeled Other, which mostly includes lower-priority or administrative matters such as parking incidents, lost or found property, and follow-ups.

These types of calls typically involve less urgency and are generally not seen as major community concerns. Of the 42,042 community-generated calls during the scope, the following figure provides insight into the most frequently occurring.

Figure 34: Most Frequent Community-Generated Call Types in Paso Robles Call Type Call Group Call Count % of Total
911 Hangup Disorder 4,204 10.0%
Alarm Alarm 3,050 7.3%
Citizen Assist Assist 3,040 7.2%
Peace Disturbance Disorder 2,432 5.8%
Transient-Related Disorder 2,356 5.6%
Check the Welfare Disorder 2,176 5.2%
Suspicious Circumstance Disorder 1,765 4.2%
Theft Crime 1,433 3.4%
Noise Disturbance Disorder 1,400 3.3%
Parker Other 1,370 3.3%
Traffic Collision Traffic 1,166 2.8%
Suspicious Person Disorder 1,097 2.6%
Reckless Vehicle Traffic 969 2.3%
Animal Call Disorder 950 2.3%
Found/Lost Property Other 914 2.2%
Juvenile Problem Disorder 756 1.8%
Follow-up Other 707 1.7%
Any Civil Problem Civil 697 1.7%
Traffic Hazard Traffic 692 1.7%
Suspicious Vehicle Disorder 668 1.6%
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 95 The previous figure lists the 20 most common community-generated calls. Together, these calls account for a substantial portion of the total call volume, with the top five alone representing over one-third of all community-generated incidents.

The most frequent call type was 911 hangups, making up 10% of the total. These are often accidental calls but may still require a police response to ensure there is no emergency.

Alarm activations and citizen assist calls followed, each accounting for just over 7%.

Calls related to disturbances and disorderly activity dominate the list, with categories such as peace disturbances, transient-related calls, welfare checks, and various suspicious circumstances appearing prominently. In fact, over half of the top 20 call types fall under the Disorder group, reflecting the wide range of quality-of-life concerns reported by community members.

Other notable categories include traffic-related incidents (e.g., collisions, reckless driving, and hazards) and property-related concerns such as theft and lost or found property.

Lower-frequency call types like juvenile problems, civil issues, and follow-ups round out the list but still represent recurring needs for police attention.

Overall, the data highlights the diverse nature of community demand for service, with a strong emphasis on disorder, public assistance, and general safety concerns.

Using the same 500-foot by 500-foot grid cells as before, the following series of figures show each call group and its call volume throughout Paso Robles.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 96 Figure 35: Spatial Distribution of Community-Generated Alarm Calls in Paso Robles The previous figure displays the distribution of alarm calls across the city; most areas experienced relatively low volumes of alarm calls, with most grid cells registering between 1 and 7 during the study period.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 97 A few localized high-volume areas stand out. The most notable concentrations appear in District 2-2, in west-central, and District 1-3, just north of downtown. These areas contain several grid cells with 35 or more alarm calls. In contrast, the outer Districts of 3-5 and 3-6 in the north and 2-8 in the south recorded very few alarm calls. These patterns align with less densely developed or rural areas where alarm system usage is lower.

Overall, the spatial distribution suggests that alarm call volume is closely tied to urban density and land use, with higher activity centered in developed commercial and mixeduse corridors. As the city experiences increased community development, these types of calls can be expected to increase in frequency and location.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 98 Figure 36: Spatial Distribution of Community-Generated Assist Calls in Paso Robles The previous figure shows where Assist calls, such as citizen assists, public service assists, and other agency assists, were reported across the city. Most grid cells show relatively low volumes of assist calls, with the majority falling in the 1 to 5 call range. However, several higher-density pockets are clearly visible. The most significant concentration is in District 2-2, which contains multiple cells with over 100 assist calls. District 2-2 is where the Police Department is located and over half of the assist calls have the Department address as the call location.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 99 Figure 37: Spatial Distribution of Community-Generated Civil Calls in Paso Robles Civil-related calls across the city, visualized above, are relatively infrequent compared to other call types. Most grid cells recorded between 1–3 calls over the study period. A few modest clusters are visible, with slightly elevated activity in parts of District 2-2 due to the Police Department, and in Districts 1-3, and 4-8, where certain cells registered between 9 and 26 calls.

The distribution seen emphasizes that while civil issues are part of police response, they are less common and more dispersed, with only a few areas showing notable concentration.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 100
Figure 38: Spatial Distribution of Community-Generated Crime Calls in Paso Robles Crime call locations are shown in the previous figure. These calls typically include reports of theft, assault, burglary, and other criminal offenses. Crime calls were spread broadly across the city, but most areas experienced relatively low volumes; the majority of grid cells fell in the 1–9 call range during the study period. However, there are several areas with significantly higher activity.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 101
The most concentrated area is found in District 2-2, with over 160 crime-related calls, attributable to the Police Department. Additional pockets of elevated activity appear in Districts 1-3, 4-5, and 4-1. Overall, this pattern highlights how crime calls are concentrated in key central areas but remain a dispersed part of police activity across Paso Robles.

Figure 39: Spatial Distribution of Community-Generated Disorder Calls in Paso Robles The previous figure shows disorder-related calls, which include a broad range of public disturbances such as suspicious activity, noise complaints, welfare checks, disturbances, and reports of unwanted persons.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 102
Disorder calls were among the most widely distributed and frequently occurring call types in the city. While many areas reported modest volumes (1–22 calls per grid), there are several high-density ones.

The most prominent concentrations appear in Districts 2-2 and 1-3, where multiple cells recorded over 290 disorder-related calls during the study period, the highest range on the map. Elevated activity is also seen in Districts 4-5, 4-1, 2-4, and 2-6, where clusters of cells fall in the 105–289 call range.

This widespread presence of disorder-related calls underscores their role as a core part of day-to-day police work in Paso Robles, reflecting the community’s demand for public order, presence, and reassurance.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 103
Figure 40: Spatial Distribution of Community-Generated “Other” Calls in Paso Robles The volume of Other calls, which generally include administrative and lower-priority service requests such as parking complaints, lost or found property, and follow-ups, are shown in the map above. These calls are fairly widespread across the city, but most grid cells recorded low to moderate volumes, typically between 1 and 16 calls. However, several grids did stand out, most notably District 2-2. This is not surprising as administrative call types are commonly logged using the address of the police station.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 104
Other moderate clusters appear in District 1-3, 4-7, and 4-8. These patterns suggest that while Other calls are less urgent, they remain a routine part of the workload for PRPD. The distribution reflects the administrative footprint of policing, with volume driven less by emergencies and more by the need to support everyday community operations.

Figure 41: Spatial Distribution of Community-Generated Traffic Calls in Paso Robles Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 105
The final call group examined is Traffic calls, shown in the previous figure. These calls include reports of traffic collisions, reckless driving, hazards, and road-related concerns.

Unlike some other call types, traffic-related calls show distinct clustering along major corridors and intersections, rather than a uniform or evenly distributed pattern.

The highest concentration of traffic-related calls is in Districts 2-6 and 4-1, with grid cells reaching 92–187 calls, the highest range on the map. Large portions of the city, especially in the north and far south, registered very low traffic call volumes. The traffic call locations are typical, with clustering along major thoroughfares and transit zones.

The spatial distribution of community-generated calls reveals clear and meaningful patterns tied to land use, population density, and roadway infrastructure across Paso Robles. While call types vary in nature, their geographic concentrations consistently reflect the city's urban core and major transit corridors. These patterns discussed in this section offer insight into how different types of community demand for police service are distributed throughout the city, which can help inform resource deployment, patrol planning, and neighborhood engagement strategies.

While the maps highlighted where specific types of calls were concentrated throughout the city, the following table summarizes this same information from a broader perspective, showing the total volume of each call group by Quadrant. This Quadrant-level view helps illustrate how different areas of the city experience varying levels and types of demand for service.

Figure 42: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Call Group and Quadrant Call Group Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Unknown
Address Group Total
Alarm 649 1,005 655 742 0 3,051
Assist 559 2,419 235 549 3 3,765
Civil 281 269 145 450 1 1,146
Crime 1,301 981 511 1,254 3 4,050
Disorder 6,258 4,963 2,771 6,436 33 20,461
Other 1,215 2,123 553 1,433 3 5,327
Traffic 1,061 994 1,010 1,177 0 4,242
Quadrant Total 11,324 12,754 5,880 12,041 43 42,042
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 106
The figure reveals several key takeaways about how call types vary by quadrant:
• Quadrants 1, 2, and 4 all experienced high overall call volumes, each logging over 11,000 calls, while Quadrant 3 saw significantly fewer calls, totaling just under 6,000. • Disorder-related calls were the most common in every quadrant, with Quadrants 1 and 4 each recording over 6,000 disorder calls, making up a substantial portion of their total service demand.
• Assist and Other calls were especially high in Quadrant 2, which saw most of the assistrelated calls (over 64% of that group). As discussed previously, this is attributable to the police station.
• Crime-related calls were relatively evenly distributed across Quadrants 1 and 4, with a slightly lower number in Quadrant 2, and significantly fewer in Quadrant 3. • Traffic calls were evenly distributed throughout.

The number of calls with unknown or unassigned locations was very low, with just 43 out of more than 42,000 total calls. Overall, this quadrant-level breakdown reinforces the insights seen in the maps: while service needs exist throughout the city, the nature and volume of those needs vary by area.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 107
Trends in Community-Generated Service Demand
Due to the limitations in the EIS CAD data preventing its use and the relatively short time window in which the RIMS CAD system has been operational, yearly trend identification is difficult. However, it is possible to identify monthly trends in service demand, which can be used as a basis for longer-range forecasting.

Figure 43: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Month, All Calls Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 108
The previous figure shows monthly community-generated calls between October 1, 2022, and December 31, 2024. Although RIMS CAD data does include the last four days in September 2022, they were omitted from the monthly charts to avoid skewing the visual and trendline with a partial month count. A seasonal effect on service demand can be seen, with the summer months showing an increase in activity. This type of pattern is common in policing, with peaks in the summer months and dips in the winter months.

During the summer months, people tend to increase their outdoor activity, young people are out of school, there is greater visibility of those with social needs, and heat-induced aggression may also play a contributing role.
11 In addition to the seasonal pattern typical in
law enforcement, we see that the overall trend is in a slight upward direction.

Overall, monthly call volumes fluctuated between approximately 1,200 and 2,100 calls, with noticeable short-term variation and a subtle long-term trend. Seasonal peaks are evident, particularly in mid-2023 and again in mid-2024, when call volumes jumped sharply above average, peaking at over 2,100 calls in mid-2024. These spikes may reflect seasonal factors such as increased activity during warmer months or specific local events. 12 The lowest call volumes were observed in the early months of 2024, suggesting a temporary dip that may warrant further investigation. Despite the short-term ups and downs, the overall trend line (dashed) indicates a slight upward trajectory in community-generated calls over the two-year period, pointing to a gradual increase in demand for police services. However, given the limited scope of call data analyzed, caution must be taken when drawing any conclusions from it.

To better understand the types of service demands contributing to the overall trend, each call group is examined and discussed in the following section. 11 For additional information on the seasonality of crime and calls for service, see:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242349365_Effect_of_weather_and_temporal_variation_on_calls _for_police_service
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002242787000700204 12 For additional information on the seasonality of crime and calls for service, see:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242349365_Effect_of_weather_and_temporal_variation_on_calls _for_police_service
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002242787000700204 Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 109
Figure 44: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Month, Alarm Calls Alarm calls have shown consistent month-to-month variation, ranging from around 85 to 160 calls per month over the two-year period. The most notable increase occurred in mid2024, when call volume peaked.

Although there was a noticeable dip in fall 2023, the overall trend line indicates a gradual upward trajectory, suggesting that alarm calls are slowly increasing over time. However, it should be noted that the overall number of alarm calls is relatively low compared to others.

The following figure focuses specifically on assist-related calls—those involving requests from the public for help, such as citizen assists or general non-emergency support. Also included in this group are assistance calls to other agencies. These calls often reflect ongoing community needs that don’t involve criminal activity but still require police presence or intervention.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 110
Figure 45: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Month, Assist Calls Assist-related calls show a substantial decline in call volume over the two-year period.

Monthly calls dropped from a high of over 220 in late 2022 to below 100 by the end of 2024.

The trend line reinforces this decline, showing a clear downward trajectory.

While there is some month-to-month fluctuation, particularly a spike in early 2023, volumes generally stabilize around 120–140 calls per month before continuing their gradual decline.

Depending on the nature of the assistance being requested, these calls may require significant resources from PRPD. Although the overall volume of these calls is relatively low compared to other call groups, a decrease in demand for service in this area may have a disproportionate impact on service levels for the agency.

It is important to understand the trends within less common but still relevant categories, such as Civil calls. These typically involve non-criminal issues requiring police presence. The following figure illustrates how these calls have changed over time.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 111
Figure 46: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Month, Civil Calls Although Civil calls represent a relatively small portion of overall call volume, this category shows a gradual upward trend over the two-year period. Monthly call counts ranged from the low 20s to mid-60s, with notable peaks in May 2023 and July 2024. The overall trend line shows a slow but steady increase, indicating that civil issues have become slightly more common in recent months. Despite some short-term fluctuations, call volumes have generally hovered around 40–50 per month since mid-2023.

This upward trend may reflect an increased reliance on police for support in resolving community disputes or civil conflicts, possibly in areas where alternative services are limited or underutilized.

Next, an examination of crime-related calls is conducted, which includes reports of theft, burglary, assault, and other offenses typically classified under criminal activity.

Understanding how these calls fluctuate over time provides insight into both public safety trends and police workload related to enforcement and investigative response.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 112
Figure 47: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Month, Crime Calls Crime calls show an upward trend, with the summer of 2024 seeing much more volume than in 2023. These community-generated calls are perhaps the most susceptible to traditional seasonal patterns as increased opportunity for crime to occur presents itself during the summer months for reasons discussed previously. The summer months in 2024 displayed the seasonal pattern one would expect of crime calls, although 2023 did not.

Crime-related calls have remained fairly stable month-to-month, with counts mostly ranging between 130 and 180 calls per month. A noticeable uptick occurred in mid-2024, peaking near 200 calls, the highest in the two-year period. This seasonal spike may reflect increased activity during summer months, a time when many cities experience more public incidents and property-related offenses.

The overall trend line shows a modest rise through mid-2024, followed by a slight decline toward the end of the year. This indicates that while crime calls temporarily increased, the longer-term trend appears to be leveling off. Despite short-term fluctuations, the volume of crime calls has remained within a relatively narrow band, suggesting consistent reporting patterns and a steady baseline of criminal activity requiring police response.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 113
The largest and most consistently reported category, disorder-related calls, is depicted in the following figure. This group includes a broad range of quality-of-life issues such as disturbances, welfare checks, suspicious activity, and unwanted persons. Given its volume and scope, tracking changes in this category over time offers valuable insight into ongoing community needs and frontline police workload.

Figure 48: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Month, Disorder Calls Disorder-related calls account for much of the community-generated demand in Paso Robles and have remained consistently high over the past two years. They follow the typical seasonal pattern with peaks in July 2023 and July 2024, and dips in February and November 2024. Like crime-related calls, disorder-related calls will be more prevalent during the summer months due to increased outdoor activity of city residents which lends itself to an increase in opportunity for disturbances, social service need-based calls, and welfare checks.

Despite some month-to-month fluctuation, the overall trend is relatively flat with a slight decline, suggesting that while disorder-related calls continue to represent a major share of service demand, their volume has remained stable during the scope without a clear upward or downward trajectory.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 114
This sustained level of activity reflects persistent public reliance on police to manage noncriminal incidents that still require attention, presence, and resolution, especially in areas with vulnerable populations or frequent public disturbances.

In addition to public safety and service-oriented calls, a significant portion of police workload is driven by traffic-related incidents, including vehicle collisions, traffic hazards, and reckless driving. These calls not only impact roadway safety but often require timeconsuming responses from officers. The following figure shows how traffic call volume has shifted over the last two years.

Figure 49: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Month, Traffic Calls Traffic calls were relatively flat throughout 2023 but saw a dip at the beginning of 2024 and then a sizeable jump in July. This is likely attributable to increased outdoor activity, which equals more cars on the road. An increase in activity was seen in July 2023 as well, but it was not nearly as large as in 2024.

Traffic-related calls have remained relatively consistent month to month, typically ranging between 140 and 180 calls, with a few notable spikes. The most prominent increase occurred in mid-2024, when monthly traffic calls peaked at just over 200, likely corresponding to seasonal traffic volume or an increase in collisions during high travel periods.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 115
While there was a dip in early 2024, the overall trend line indicates a gradual upward trajectory, particularly accelerating toward the end of the scope. This suggests that trafficrelated incidents may be increasing over time. Given the resource-intensive nature of traffic responses, especially collisions, this trend may have implications for patrol resource allocation and traffic enforcement strategies.

The final examination looks at the Other call group, which includes administrative and nonurgent calls such as parking complaints, lost or found property, and follow-ups. While individually these calls may be of lower priority, they represent a steady stream of activity that contributes to overall workload and officer time.

Figure 50: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Month, Other Calls The Other call group, which accounted for over 12% of the community-generated service demand during the scope, shows a clear upward trend over the two-year period. Call volumes increased from around 130–180 calls per month in late 2022 to peaks of over 300 in mid-2024. This rising trend is especially noticeable from mid-2023 onward, when monthly call counts frequently exceeded 200.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 116
The trend line reinforces this pattern, showing a steady increase. Short-term fluctuations are visible, but even the dips in 2024 remain higher than early 2023 averages. This consistent growth may reflect expanded use of law enforcement for non-emergency community functions, improved reporting mechanisms, or increases in certain administrative categories (e.g., parking enforcement or follow-ups). As these calls grow in volume, they may warrant greater consideration in workload planning, especially for civilian roles or alternative response models.

Control charts provide a statistical method for monitoring the monthly variation in community-generated service demand over time. It shows whether things are staying consistent or if something unusual is happening. Each control chart consists of:
• A centerline (CL) which represents the average number of calls per month. • An upper control limit (UCL) which provides the top line indicating the upper boundary of a “normal” month.
• A lower control limit (LCL) which provides the bottom line indicating the lower boundary of a “normal” month.

The UCL and LCL are +3 and -3 standard deviations from the average, respectively. These provide the “normal range” expected of each call category during the period. A standard deviation is a way to measure how spread out a set of numbers are. If the numbers are close together, the standard deviation is small. If the numbers are spread out, the standard deviation is large. Most months should fall between the UCL and the LCL if things are going as expected.

The intent of the control chart is to identify months that were statistical outliers.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 117
Figure 51: Community-Generated Calls for Service Control Chart, All Calls The control chart for all community-generated calls for service shows that monthly call volumes have remained relatively stable over the two-year period, averaging 1,550 calls per month. Most months fall within the expected range; however, one notable exception occurred in July 2024, when the call volume spiked to 2,103, which is just above the upper control limit. This suggests an unusual increase in demand that may reflect a specific event or seasonal surge during that time. No months fell below the lower control limit, indicating that while call volume fluctuates from month to month, it typically stays within a predictable range. Overall, the data suggests a generally consistent level of community demand.

The following set of statistical control charts provide a side-by-side look at each call group, highlighting when community-generated call volumes remained within “normal” limits and when they approached or exceeded statistical control thresholds. This helps identify which types of calls were stable throughout the scope and which experienced unusual spikes.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 118
Figure 52: Community-Generated Calls for Service, Control Charts by Call Group Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 119
When viewing these control charts by call group, a notable system-wide elevation in community-generated calls for service is observed in July 2024. While the Crime group was the only one that exceeded its upper control limit (UCL), all other groups except for Assist approached their respective UCLs. This indicates broad-based increases in service demand. This suggests that the overall exceedance in July was not isolated to a single type of incident but rather reflects a general increase in calls across most service areas, with crime-related calls pushing into statistically significant territory. The elevated activity across all but one call group points to a high-tempo month for patrol and response operations, likely influenced by seasonal factors.

Community-Generated Service Demand by Day and Time
To complement the monthly and group analysis of community-generated calls for service, this section examines the temporal distribution of call activity; that is, when calls occur throughout the day and week. These visualizations provide insight into when demand for police services is highest, helping to identify peak periods of activity that may inform staffing, scheduling, and resource allocation.

The average number of calls by hour of day and day of week are shown in the following heatmap, where each cell represents a one-hour period throughout the week. Cells are color-coded based on volume, ranging from dark blue on the low end to dark red on the high end.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 120
Figure 53: Community-Generated Calls for Service Heatmap The figure reveals a clear pattern where call volume is lowest during the early morning hours, especially between midnight and 6:00 a.m., and steadily increases as the day progresses. The busiest hours tend to fall between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., with a noticeable peak around the afternoon hours, particularly from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. During this time, call volumes consistently rise across nearly all days.

Fridays stand out as the busiest day, especially between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., when call averages reach their highest levels. The quietest times are in the early morning hours of Monday through Thursday, when average calls often fall below 1 per hour. This pattern highlights the strong daytime and weekday concentration of community-generated calls, which is typical of policing, pointing to when services are most in demand.

To further explore the timing of community-generated calls, the following figure shows the average number of calls per day, broken down by each day of the week. This view helps identify which days tend to be busier for call activity and when overall service demand is highest.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 121
Figure 54: Community-Generated Calls for Service by Day of Week The weekly breakdown in the figure shows that Fridays consistently generate the highest average number of calls, with 56.8 calls per day, followed by Saturdays at 53.1. These two days stand out as the busiest of the week, suggesting increased public activity heading into or during the weekend. Weekdays, Monday through Thursday, see fairly consistent call volumes, averaging around 48 to 51 calls per day. Sunday has the lowest average at 47.9 calls per day, though the difference compared to most weekdays is relatively small.

This figure reveals a modest increase in call activity as the week progresses, culminating in a clear peak on Fridays. This pattern aligns with broader social behaviors, where public movement and community activity tend to rise toward the end of the week.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 122
Patrol Division
Most community-generated calls for service discussed previously were handled by PRPD’s Patrol Division. The following figure provides a summary of call volume by primary unit assigned.

Figure 55: Community-Generated Call Handling by Primary Unit Type Primary Unit Type Call Count % of Total
Patrol 29,288 69.7%
No Unit Description 5,081 12.1%
CSO 2,180 5.2%
Sergeant 1,636 3.9%
Motor 1,191 2.8%
Detective 1,028 2.4%
Dispatch 637 1.5%
Parking 528 1.3%
School Resource Officer 438 1.0%
Volunteer 19 0.0%
Commander 15 0.0%
Squad 1 0.0%
Total 42,042 100%
This section of the report analyzes service demand specific to the Patrol Division between September 28, 2022, and December 31, 2024. For purposes of this analysis, the Patrol Division was identified as any primary unit in the RIMS CAD dataset with a unit type value of ‘A’. As can be seen in the previous figure, the Patrol Division accounted for over two-thirds (69.7%) of all community-generated calls for service. This type of distribution is standard for a police department, whereby the bulk of call-related service demand falls to Patrol.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 123
In addition to limitations discussed earlier with regard to the EIS CAD data that prevented its use, there were limitations with the RIMS CAD data that do not allow for as robust an analysis package. The specific limitation was that RIMS CAD data contained only call-level information; no unit-level data other than the primary unit was provided. If a unit was nonprimary and responded to a call, that data was not available for analysis. As such, this section and all others that focus on unit-level workload demand and performance must be viewed through that lens. It is likely the demand is underreported throughout these unitlevel sections due to this lack of unit-level data.

Patrol Division Service Demand
Community-generated calls for service by call group are shown in the following figure for the Patrol Division. These calls occurred between September 28, 2022, and December 31, 2024.

Figure 56: Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service by Call Group Similar to the overall community-generated demand analyzed previously, disorder-related calls were the most prevalent throughout the period. Unlike the overall service demand, Patrol Division calls skewed more heavily in the crime and traffic groups. This is not surprising as those types of calls would be typical of patrol officer handling.

To better understand how community-generated calls for service have impacted the Patrol Division over time, the following figure presents a statistical control chart. This allows for visual inspection of whether monthly call volume has remained within the expected range or if there were any unusual increases or decreases in workload.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 124
Figure 57: Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service by Month In contrast to the overall service demand that did not differentiate between primary units, Patrol Division demand saw no months when the volume of calls exceeded the upper control limit (UCL). The control chart shows that the average number of monthly community-generated calls for the Patrol Division is 1,080, with most months falling well within the expected range of 736 to 1,425 calls (three standard deviations above and below the average). This means that call volumes have generally remained stable and predictable.

There were two noticeable spikes, one in July 2023 and another in July 2024. Although high, the peak of 1,368 still remained within the normal control range, suggesting these increases, while significant, were not statistically unusual. No months fell below the lower control limit, further reinforcing the overall consistency of call volume.

While the Patrol Division experienced some temporary increases in demand, call activity remained within expected boundaries, indicating a system that was largely stable from a workload perspective throughout the scope.

To better understand what’s driving Patrol Division workload, the following control charts break down community-generated calls by group, showing how each has fluctuated over time and whether any call group has moved outside of expected limits. Reviewing them side by side helps identify areas of stability, emerging growth, or potential outliers.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 125
Figure 58: Patrol Division Community-Generated Demand Control Charts by Call Group Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 126
Alarm, Civil, Crime, Traffic and Other call groups show an upward trend, while Assist and Disorder calls are trending downward. The Other call group was the only one that had a month exceed its UCL, which occurred in July 2024.

Across most Patrol Division call groups, monthly volumes remained within expected control limits, reflecting a stable pattern of demand. Alarm, Civil, Crime, Traffic, and Other call groups show an upward trend, while Assist and Disorder calls are trending downward.

There are several additional observations worth noting:
• Other calls are the most significant outlier, exceeding their upper control limit in July 2024 when they spiked to 146 calls, above the UCL of 142. This signals a statistically unusual increase in administrative or non-emergency service requests. While the cause is not immediately clear, it suggests a shift in community behavior or internal practices that may warrant further investigation.
• Alarm and Civil calls approached their upper control limits, with Alarm peaking at 129 (limit: 137) and Civil at 53 (limit: 56), indicating a possible upward trend in lower-priority service calls.
• Crime and Traffic calls both showed short-term spikes, reaching 149 and 137 respectively, but remained just under their UCLs. These may reflect isolated periods of elevated activity rather than systemic changes.
• Assist calls followed the opposite pattern, showing a gradual decline in volume over time, with no values approaching control boundaries. This may signal an evolving demand change or shift in how these calls are handled.
• Disorder calls, the largest contributor to patrol workload, fluctuated moderately but stayed well within control limits, peaking at 677 in July 2023. This consistency suggests that while Disorder remains high in volume, it is operationally predictable.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 127
Taken together, the control charts show that most patrol call groups are experiencing gradual upward movement in call volume over time, including Alarm, Civil, Crime, Traffic, and Other calls. The only two categories not following this upward trend are Assist and Disorder, both of which have either remained flat or declined. Because Disorder calls represent the largest share of the Patrol Division’s workload by a sizeable margin, their relative stability can hide growth in other, smaller groups. This can create the impression of overall stability, even as underlying increases in lower-priority or administrative call types may be placing added pressure on patrol resources. Recognizing this dynamic is critical for proactive planning, ensuring staffing and deployment strategies are aligned not just with total call volume, but with the changing composition of service demand.

Patrol Division Service Demand, Hour of Day and Day of Week Temporal analysis examining average hourly demand for patrol service throughout the week was conducted. The following heatmap visualizes those results, with dark blue cells representing the smallest average call volume and dark red cells the largest.

Figure 59: Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service Heatmap Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 128
The previous figure shows the average number of patrol-handled calls per hour throughout the week, offering insight into when demand for patrol services is highest. Overall, the pattern is consistent with expected daily fluctuations: call volume is lowest during the overnight hours (midnight to 6:00 a.m.) and begins to rise in the morning, peaking during the afternoon and early evening hours.

The busiest period occurs between 12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., especially on Fridays, which show the highest hourly averages, reaching a peak at 4:00 p.m. with 2.8 calls per hour.

Saturday and Sunday also show relatively high call activity during the afternoon and evening hours.

Weekday mornings before 9:00 a.m. see the lowest call volumes, suggesting reduced demand during those early hours, which is a common pattern seen in municipal policing.

The heatmap confirms that patrol workload is heavily concentrated in the afternoon and early evening, with Friday afternoons standing out as the period of greatest activity.

While the overall heatmap gives us a broad view of when patrol service demand is highest, it combines all types of service requests into one picture. To better understand what kinds of calls are driving activity at different times, examining the data by call group is necessary.

The following heatmaps show the hourly distribution of each call group, allowing us to see how their timing patterns differ. This more detailed view helps reveal important differences in when certain types of calls occur, which can inform more tailored resource planning and staffing strategies.

Figure 60: Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service Heatmaps by Call Group Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 129
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 130
Given the relatively small dataset, average calls by group per hour are similarly small. Even with these small figures, it is still fruitful to examine the demand throughout the week. Note that numeric values displayed on the heatmaps are rounded to the nearest decimal, while color variation of the cells leverage the exact value. It is for that reason two cells with the same value may be colored differently.
• Alarm calls show sporadic demand, with the overnight and early morning hours incurring the most. This likely reflects automatic system triggers from businesses or residences when premises are closed or vacant.
• Assist calls show increased demand during the day between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., especially on the weekend.
• Civil calls are steadily high on Sundays during the late-morning and afternoon hours, with sporadic jumps in demand during shorter time periods on other days throughout the week.
• Crime calls show a high demand throughout the week between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., with a slightly higher demand seen on Fridays between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
• Disorder calls have a broad distribution throughout the day and week but are most concentrated in the afternoon and evening hours, especially on Fridays and Saturdays. The consistent activity across all days reflects their ongoing, routine nature. • Traffic calls cluster around late afternoon and early evening hours, with a noticeable bump around commute times. Fridays stand out with the highest activity, aligning with increased vehicle travel heading into the weekend.
• Other calls are concentrated on weekdays mid-morning to late afternoon hours, with very little activity outside that window. The highest volumes are around 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekdays, suggesting these calls are closely tied to regular working hours.

Each call group has its own distinct time-of-day and day-of-week footprint. Disorder and Crime calls drive much of the evening workload, while Assist, Civil, and Other calls are tied to daytime administrative demand. Alarms and Traffic calls have their own focused time blocks, often tied to business operations and driving patterns.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 131
After exploring how calls vary across the week, it is helpful to look at how demand shifts over the course of a single day. The following chart displays the average number of community-generated calls by hour, giving a clear picture of when call volume typically rises and falls throughout a 24-hour period.

Figure 61: Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service by Hour of Day Call activity is lowest in the early morning hours at 4:00 a.m., when the average drops to just 0.4 calls per hour. Activity begins to increase starting at 7:00 a.m. and continues throughout much of the day.

The busiest hours of the day are from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., when call volume peaks at 2.2 calls per hour. Activity remains relatively high until 10:00 p.m., before gradually decreasing overnight.

In addition to understanding when calls occur throughout the day, examining how demand changes across the days of the week is critical. The following chart shows the average number of calls per day for the Patrol Division throughout the scope, offering a view of which days typically have the highest service demand.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 132
Figure 62: Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service by Day of Week The figure shows a normal demand curve for patrol, where weekends bring about increased activity. Although Friday’s demand is lower than that of the weekend, the demand is typically concentrated in the afternoon and evening hours, as demand in the morning aligns more closely with those of other workdays.

The heatmaps, hour-of-day, and day-of-week figures all tell a consistent story: that patrol demand is heavily concentrated in the afternoon and early evening hours, particularly on weekends. While the heatmap offers a broad, visual overview of these patterns, the bar charts show the calls in a more focused way, confirming the peaks in service demand.

The following figure highlights the 20 most frequent call types handled by patrol officers.

Grouped by broader call categories like Disorder, Traffic, and Assist, this breakdown helps identify which specific issues patrol responds to most often.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 133
Figure 63: Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service by Call Type, Top 20 Alarm calls are the most commonly occurring call type, followed by Peace Disturbance, Check the Welfare, and Transient-Related. These top call types suggest that a significant portion of patrol workload is related to quality-of-life concerns and non-criminal activity.

The only crime-related call in the top 20 was Theft, which occurred 1,148 times throughout the scope. Although a call may be coded as something other than a crime, that does not necessarily mean no crime occurred. Computer-aided dispatch (CAD) data often lacks the context needed to decipher exactly what transpired during an incident, short of examining call remarks fields (if available), which is beyond the scope of this report.

This more granular view reinforces earlier findings that patrol in Paso Robles is most often called upon for proactive service, reassurance, and support in managing disorder and non-urgent incidents, rather than traditional crime enforcement.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 134
Patrol Division Service Demand, Call Priority
A comprehensive understanding of the Paso Robles Police Department Patrol Division’s service demand extends beyond the number of calls they are responding to. A critical element that requires examination is the urgency of those calls. Calls for service are assigned a priority level based on the immediacy of the threat to life, property, or public safety, based on information received by dispatch. By examining demand through the lens of call priority, additional insight into the nature of patrol workload is gained. This section looks at community-generated call volume by priority level.

Three priority levels are used in the RIMS CAD dataset whereby every single call is assigned a call priority:
• Priority 1 calls are considered an emergency and necessitate an immediate response.

This generally involves “running code” (lights and sirens). • Priority 2 calls are those that occurred within the last ten minutes and may still be an emergency and necessitate an emergency response. This would generally happen if the victim or party involved is injured or the suspect is still in the area. • Priority 3 calls are non-emergency or “cold” calls that do not require an emergency response.

The following figure displays call volume by priority level where patrol was the primary unit.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 135
Figure 64: Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service by Call Priority Most calls, over 97%, were classified as Priority 3 (P3), meaning they were considered nonemergencies or routine in nature, such as disturbances, welfare checks, and suspicious circumstances that do not pose an immediate threat.

In contrast, Priority 1 (P1) and Priority 2 (P2) calls, which represent emergencies or urgent situations requiring faster response, made up a very small share of the total, 0.9 % and 1.9%, respectively. While it may seem that having such a low emergency call rate is abnormal, research has shown that true emergencies, such as violent crimes in progress, lifethreatening situations, serious accidents, and active threats that require an immediate response, account for approximately 1 to 7% of 911 calls. 13 13 https://vera-institute.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/publications/911-analysis-we-can-rely-less-onpolice.pdf Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 136
The call priority distribution seen in Paso Robles reinforces the earlier finding that patrol officers are primarily tasked with handling low-risk, non-urgent community issues, rather than high-priority emergencies. Understanding that the vast majority of patrol activity centers on P3 calls helps inform how response strategies, staffing, and performance expectations might be shaped, focusing more on presence, availability, and engagement, and less on immediate high-stakes intervention.

It is important to consider where different priority-type calls occur. The following figure of patrol calls by priority level provides insight into how different types of demand are spread across the city. This will allow for the identification of areas with higher concentrations of emergency versus non-emergency incidents and offer additional context for deployment planning and resource alignment.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 137
Figure 65: Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service by Priority and District Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 138
For additional context on the location of each Quadrant and District, a reference map is provided next. Based on the “Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service by Priority and District” figure, it was found that:
• Quadrant 1 saw a substantial portion of Priority 1 calls (27.0%). It also saw the most total call volume, with 8,350 calls overall. District 1-3 stands out in particular, with 26 P1 and 46 P2 calls, more than any other district in quadrant 1 for both high-priority categories.
• Quadrant 2 has a similar total call volume (8,332 calls) but slightly lower shares of P1 (19.9%) and P2 (21.4%) calls. Districts like 2-2 and 2-3 see the highest activity in this quadrant. While this area handles substantial volume, the urgency of service demand is somewhat lower than Quadrants 1 and 4, indicating more routine or non-emergent calls.
• Quadrant 3 contributes 13.5 % of total calls and has the lowest share of P2 calls (9.1%) and one of the lowest for P1 (23.6%). This quadrant shows a clear pattern of low service demand with low urgency.
• Quadrant 4 is responsible for the highest number of Priority 1 calls (79, or 29.6%) and has the second-highest share of P2 calls (34.3%). Districts 4-5 and 4-8 are especially active, with the most high-priority demand in the quadrant. With 8,624 total calls (29.5%), this quadrant handles the most volume but also represents an area of elevated urgency.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 139
Figure 66: Paso Robles, Reference Map
Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 140
Much of Paso Robles’ on-going and planned development is concentrated on the city’s east side, in Quadrants 3 and 4. According to the city, housing production is likely to increase in the coming years, with housing units in Quadrant 4 totaling at least 2,200, while Quadrant 3 will see growth of approximately 1,200 units. 14 The following figure is an excerpt
from the Paso Robles Planning Division 2024 Development Update (linked in the footnote), which shows the geographic location of planned and on-going development projects, along with their new housing unit projections.

Figure 67: Paso Roble’s Planning Division 2024 Development Plan Update Excerpts 14 https://www.prcity.com/DocumentCenter/View/37963/240426-2024-Development-Presentation---CityManager-Coffee Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 141
The City’s Specific Plan development areas, outlined in the previous figures, are poised to bring more than 4,300 new housing units across several key quadrants. This expansion has direct implications for future patrol workload, particularly in areas already experiencing elevated service demand.

Quadrant 4 is already the highest-volume quadrant for Priority 1 calls and among the top for total service volume. It is expected to see the most substantial residential expansion, including:
• Olsen/South Chandler Ranch (1,293 units)
• Beechwood Specific Plan (911 units)
• Portions of South Chandler Ranch
This concentrated growth will likely place even greater demand on patrol officers, especially given the urgency levels already observed.

The Uptown/Town Center Specific Plan (929 units) spans both Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2.

These quadrants already experience a combined 56% of Priority 1 and 2 calls, particularly in Districts 1-3 and 2-2. As this central area grows, there is a strong likelihood of:

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 142
• Increased calls for service in a mixed-use environment (e.g., noise complaints, suspicious activity, parking).
• Rising complexity tied to foot traffic, business growth, and transient populations.

When we view expected residential growth alongside existing service demand patterns, it becomes clear that Quadrants 3 and 4 warrant close monitoring and proactive planning.

Quadrant 4 may require staffing increases or resource redistribution in the near term, while Quadrant 3’s growth suggests a shift in demand may be forthcoming, even if urgency remains lower at first.

Patrol Division Incident Performance
Two time-based metrics are used to analyze performance of the Paso Robles Patrol Division: call response time and call handling time.

As noted previously, a significant limitation with the RIMS CAD data is the lack of unit-level information. An assessment of all responding units to a community-generated call for service would ideally be included in performance analysis. Unfortunately, that was not possible. All performance measures discussed in this section are based on the primary responding unit only.

Response Time
The first performance measure analyzed was patrol unit response time. The same methodology that was used to identify a community-generated call assigned to the Patrol Division was discussed previously. One additional criterion needed for a call to be included in the response time analysis was it could not have been cleared by ‘LN’ (Log Note) in the disposition field. This resulted in an additional 76 calls being excluded from the analysis.

For the purposes of this report, response time is defined as the duration between the dispatch and on-scene time stamps in the RIMS CAD data. If the dispatch time or on-scene time was missing, the call was excluded from the analysis. The following figure provides an overview of the final dataset used in the response time calculations.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 143
Figure 68: Patrol Division, Response Time Dataset
Record Category Call Count % of Total
Patrol Division Community-Generated Calls for Service 29,288 100% Excluded Due to ‘LN’ (Log Note) Disposition 76 0.3%
Missing Dispatch or On-Scene Timestamp 3,812 13.0%
Final Dataset 25,400 86.7%
In all, approximately 87% of the community-generated calls for service assigned to the Patrol Division were analyzed as part of this process. The “Patrol Division, Response Time Descriptive Statistics” figure shown next provides a cursory look at the overall response times for these calls.

Figure 69: Patrol Division, Response Time Descriptive Statistics Statistic Value
Calls for Service 25,400
Maximum Response Time 189.52 min.

Minimum Response Time 0.00 min.

Average Response Time 6.61 min.

Median Response Time 4.95 min.

Based on the descriptive statistic calculations, it is apparent that the distribution is rightskewed, meaning the tail stretches to the right and most of the data cluster at the lower end (faster response). The average is likely impacted by a few high values that pull it upward. Additional analysis based on call priority, location, and category is conducted to identify such outliers and paint a clearer picture of Patrol Division response within Paso Robles.

The right-skewed distribution of patrol response times, with the tail extending to the right, can be seen in the following figure.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 144
Figure 70: Patrol Division, Response Time Distribution in Minutes The previous figure shows the distribution of patrol unit response times, measured in minutes, for calls for service. A breakdown of what it reveals and what it might mean for operations and public perception is as follows: Just over half (50.4%) of calls are responded to in less than 5 minutes, while another 32.5% of calls have response times under 10 minutes. This is a strong operational indicator suggesting that, overall, patrol response is timely and efficient for the vast majority of community-generated calls.

Response rates decline steeply after 10 minutes:
• 10–15 minutes: 2,477 calls (9.8%)
• 15–20 minutes: 860 calls (3.4%)
• 20–25 minutes: 392 calls (1.5%)
While still relatively fast, these longer waiting times may indicate periods of higher workload, traffic barriers, or distance-to-call challenges, possibly in outlying districts. Very slow response times are rare, but present. A small but non-negligible number of calls took 30+ minutes to receive a response:
• Roughly 540 calls (2.1%) had response times between 30 and 60 minutes. • Another ~70 calls took an hour or longer to receive a response.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 145
Although rare, these outliers may point to resource constraints, queueing delays during high-demand periods, or low-priority calls held due to higher-risk incidents.

Staff and dispatch efficiency appear strong, especially given that over half of all calls are responded to within 5 minutes. Growth areas (as discussed in earlier sections) may increase pressure on response performance, particularly in lower-staffed or geographically larger parts of the city.

While the previous analysis gave us a broad overview of how quickly patrol units respond across the city, it is important to look at where those differences in response times are happening. The following figure shows the median patrol response time by district, giving us a geographic view of how efficiently patrol units are able to reach community-generated calls across the city.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 146
Figure 71: Patrol Division, Spatial Distribution of Median Response Times The figure highlights clear spatial trends in response performance. Districts in and around the city center, especially those in Quadrants 1 and 2, tend to have the shortest response times, often under 4 minutes. These areas are in close proximity to the Police Department and likely benefit from a denser patrol presence and more direct road access.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 147
Moving outward, response times gradually increase. Most Quadrant 3 and 4 districts show moderate to extended response times ranging from 5 to 7 minutes, particularly in outlying neighborhoods like 3-9, 3-12, 4-8, and 4-4.

The longest median response times, those above 9 minutes, are concentrated in Districts 3- 5, 4-10, and 4-13, areas that are furthest from the station, less densely developed, and possibly limited by fewer access points or lower patrol coverage. These are also the same areas where several future housing developments are planned (e.g., North Chandler, Beechwood, Olsen Ranch), suggesting that response performance here could face further strain unless addressed proactively.

Since this particular analysis displays all community-generated patrol calls and does not differentiate by priority, it is possible that the typical call from one area to another is different and plays a contributing factor in these response time differences. That dynamic is examined further in the following section.

Response Time by Call Priority
Although it is the goal of every police department to respond to all calls for service as quickly as possible, non-emergency calls do not necessitate immediate response and will generally have a higher response time. Given that Paso Roble’s call priority skews heavily toward non-emergency calls, it is important to segregate priority levels to further assess performance.

Figure 72: Patrol Division, Response Time Descriptive Statistics by Call Priority Statistic Priority 1 Priority 2 Priority 3
Calls for Service 256 497 24,647
Maximum Response Time 36.70 mins. 189.52 mins. 170.13 mins.

Minimum Response Time 0.02 mins. 0.03 mins 0.00 mins.

Average Response Time 3.85 mins. 6.56 mins 6.64 mins.

Median Response Time 3.15 mins. 4.22 mins. 5.00 mins.

As is to be expected, the previous figure shows that response times for Priority 1 (emergency) calls were nearly twice as fast on average than for Priority 2 and 3 calls.

When looking at the median, Priority 1 response times were just over 3 minutes and were more than 1 minute faster than Priority 2, and 2 minutes faster than Priority 3 calls.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 148
Priority 1 Call Response Time
The goal established by the Paso Robles Police Department for Priority 1 calls is a response under 5 minutes.

Figure 73: Patrol Division, Response Time Distribution for Priority 1 Calls The previous figure shows that over 76% of the 256 Priority 1 calls in the scope were responded to in less than 5 minutes, meeting the Department’s established goal. Another 52 calls (20.3%) were responded to in less than 10 minutes. It is important to remember that the response time analysis includes only the primary unit associated with the call. It is conceivable that a non-primary unit arrived on scene more quickly but was not captured in the analysis due to limitations in the data discussed previously.

After reviewing the overall distribution of response times for Priority 1 calls, it is helpful to examine how those response times vary throughout the day. The following figure breaks down median response time by hour for these highest-priority incidents, offering a more detailed look at when delays are most likely to occur.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 149
Figure 74: Patrol Division, Median Response Time by Hour to Priority 1 Calls Given the relatively small number of calls in the analysis (256), it is difficult to distinguish true patterns since a few incidents can have significant impact on calculations when drilling into subsets of the data. Call counts are provided in the figure for additional context on the number of calls contributing to each hour’s median calculation.

The previous figure reveals that response times for Priority 1 calls fluctuate significantly by hour, suggesting that time of day plays a role in how quickly patrol units can respond. The fastest response times occur between midnight and 1:00 a.m. (1.48 minutes) and again between 1:00 and 2:00 a.m. (1.18 minutes). These hours likely benefit from lower call volume and reduced traffic, allowing for quick deployment.

Starting at 2:00 a.m. through the early morning hours, response times increase noticeably, peaking at 4.56 minutes around 4:00 a.m. Despite lower call volumes, this may reflect reduced patrol staffing or units being committed to other incidents. Between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., response times stabilize between 2 and 4 minutes, suggesting more balanced conditions.

Late afternoon and early evening (5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.) show some of the longest response times. These hours also had the highest number of Priority 1 incidents, pointing to peak demand competing for limited patrol availability.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 150
To further understand when patrol response times may vary, performance across the days of the week is analyzed. The following figure displays the median response time for Priority 1 calls by day of the week, offering insights into how day-to-day dynamics might be influential.

Figure 75: Patrol Division, Median Response Time by Day to Priority 1 Calls It would stand to reason that days with larger overall call volume (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) may lead to slower response times as officers are potentially tied up with other calls. That does appear to be the case on Saturday and Sunday; however, median response times on Friday are almost a full minute faster than those of Saturday and Sunday. In contrast, the median response time on Wednesday was the third slowest throughout the week.

The previous figure shows that response times for Priority 1 calls are not consistent throughout the week. Saturday and Sunday show the slowest response times, at 4.05 minutes and 3.90 minutes, respectively. These elevated times likely reflect higher weekend call volumes due to increased public activity.

Midweek days, especially Tuesday (2.38 minutes) and Thursday (2.77 minutes), have the fastest response times, suggesting smoother operations and fewer simultaneous highpriority demands. Wednesday’s response time (3.51 minutes) stands out slightly above surrounding weekdays, despite having one of the lowest incident counts.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 151
While day and hour analyses reveal when response time challenges arise, it is equally important to understand where those delays occur. The following figure illustrates the geographic distribution of median response times for Priority 1 calls, broken down by police districts. This view helps identify areas where distance, coverage gaps, or other geographic factors may be affecting service delivery.

Figure 76: Patrol Division, Spatial Distribution of Median Response Times to Priority 1 Calls Citywide, the median response time is 3.15 minutes, which reflects generally efficient service levels. With some exceptions, the general pattern holds that areas further from the Police Department see longer response times.

The most notable outlier is District 3-5 in the city’s far northeast, where the median response time is 10.65 minutes, well above the city average. These areas tend to not have many emergency incidents, but when they do, response times are slower. This extended delay is likely due to the district’s distance from the Police Department and its limited accessibility.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 152
Other elevated response times appear in the city’s southern and southeastern districts, including 4-9, 4-13, and 4-3, each with median response times above 4.5 minutes. In contrast, several central and western districts, particularly those in Quadrant 2 such as 2-1 through 2-4, show the shortest response times in the city, with medians near or below 2 minutes. These areas are closer to patrol resources and main thoroughfares, enabling faster deployment.

Priority 2 Calls for Service
Although there are no established goals for Priority 2 incidents by the Paso Robles Police Department, it is prudent to analyze performance related to these incidents. Priority 2 calls are defined as those that occurred at least 10 minutes prior, but may still constitute an emergency response, depending on the context of the call. The following figure displays the median response time distribution for Priority 2 calls for service.

Figure 77: Patrol Division, Response Time Distribution for Priority 2 Calls Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 153
The distribution of response times for Priority 2 calls reflects a pattern like that of Priority 1, though with a slightly broader spread. Most of the Priority 2 calls (58.1%) were responded to within 5 minutes, and another 26.2% fell within the 5-to-10-minute range. Together, these account for over 84% of all Priority 2 responses, suggesting that patrol units are generally reaching moderately urgent calls in a timely manner. While response times began to taper off beyond the 10-minute mark, a small number of calls, roughly 16%, took longer than 10 minutes, with isolated instances extending beyond 30 minutes. These outliers may reflect low-priority circumstances within the P2 category, resource availability, or geographic challenges. Overall, the response time profile indicates that Priority 2 calls are typically addressed quickly, but with slightly more variability than Priority 1 calls.

To better understand how response times for Priority 2 calls fluctuate throughout the day, the following figure breaks down the median response time by hour. This view helps identify whether certain times of day consistently pose challenges for timely response.

Figure 78: Patrol Division, Median Response Time by Hour to Priority 2 Calls The hourly breakdown of Priority 2 response times reveals notable variability throughout the day. The fastest median response times occurred during the early morning hours between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., with times generally below 4 minutes. However, there was a significant spike at 7:00 a.m., when the median response time peaked at over 11 minutes, the highest of any hour. This sharp increase is due to non-priority calls held during morning briefing.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 154
After this peak, response times gradually stabilized, though they remained higher than overnight levels, consistently ranging between 4.5 and 6 minutes throughout most of the afternoon and evening. Overall, the data suggests that while Priority 2 calls are typically handled within a reasonable timeframe, there are windows, particularly in the early morning, where response efficiency may be impacted.

Building on the hourly analysis, the following figure examines how Priority 2 response times vary by day of the week.

Figure 79: Patrol Division, Median Response Time by Day to Priority 2 Calls Median response times to Priority 2 calls maintained a tight range throughout the week, with Saturdays seeing the fastest response (3.92 minutes) and Mondays the slowest (4.82 minutes). This is indicative of a properly allocated patrol force throughout the week, able to adequately handle the demand for these types of calls, regardless of when they occur.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 155
The data shows that response times remain relatively consistent across the week, generally ranging between 4 and 5 minutes. However, Monday (4.87 minutes) and Wednesday (4.85 minutes) recorded the slowest median response times, suggesting the start and middle of the workweek may place additional demands on patrol resources. In contrast, Saturday had the fastest response time at 3.92 minutes, despite having the highest call volume. The relatively modest fluctuations in response time throughout the week are an indicator of a properly allocated patrol force, able to adequately handle the demand for these types of calls, regardless of when they occur.

The following figure illustrates noticeable geographic variation in median response times at the district level.

Figure 80: Patrol Division, Spatial Distribution of Median Response Times, Priority 2 Calls Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 156
While the overall median response time of 4.22 minutes is impressive for Priority 2 calls, the figure highlights some geographic areas where response times are lagging. Districts in the southeasternmost part of the city (4-8, 4-9, 4-11, 4-13), along with the northeastern tip (3-5), saw their median response times exceed 8 minutes. The nature of the Priority 2 call makes assessing performance difficult; it may be that calls with longer response times did not require anything faster. However, given the clustering of slower times in the outermost areas of the city, namely the southeast, it is likely that geography does play a factor. The largest quadrants by land area, Quadrants 3 and 4, have the slowest response times overall (6.09 and 5.63 minutes, respectively)—over 2 minutes slower than the smaller quadrants closer to the Police Department.

Priority 3 Call Response Time
The third priority level used by the Paso Robles Police Department is Priority 3, for nonemergency or “cold” calls. They would traditionally not require a fast police response since public safety is not at risk. However, timely responses to these calls will ultimately build community trust and improve police-community relations as they comprise by far the largest number of calls for service for the Patrol Division (24,647 out of 25,400, or 97%).

Figure 81: Patrol Division, Response Time Distribution for Priority 3 Calls Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 157
The Patrol Division’s response time to Priority 3 calls is heavily skewed less than 15 minutes.

Over 92% of all calls were responded to in less than that time, while 98.4% of calls received a response in less than 30 minutes. Being able to respond to the least pressing calls for service in a timely manner is a good indicator of adequate staffing in patrol and a serviceoriented mindset.

The Priority 3 response time distribution reveals that most calls were responded to quickly, with over 90% responded to within 15 minutes. Specifically:
• Fifty percent of P3 calls were handled in 0–5 minutes (12,321 calls), indicating strong performance for lower-priority incidents.
• An additional 32.7% were responded to in 5–10 minutes (8,067 calls), keeping the cumulative response rate under 10 minutes for the vast majority of calls. • Response times begin to taper off significantly after the 10-minute mark, with just under 10% (2,426 calls) falling in the 10–15-minute range.

Just over 7% of P3 calls took more than 15 minutes to respond to, and extremely delayed responses (beyond 30 minutes) accounted for less than 1% of all P3 calls.

This distribution suggests that for non-urgent incidents, patrol units are consistently able to maintain a reliable and timely presence. The sharp drop-off in frequency after the 10- minute mark is a strong indicator of operational efficiency for lower-priority events.

However, having such a large proportion of calls fall into the Priority 3 classification while maintaining consistently fast response times may be an indicator that a large number are being misclassified. Such misclassification of call priority warrants further examination as it has a direct impact on PRPD’s ability to meaningfully assess their operational reality through call data.

Building on the overall response time distribution for Priority 3 calls, the following figure shows how those response times vary by hour of day.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 158
Figure 82: Patrol Division, Median Response Time by Hour to Priority 3 Calls Median response times for Priority 3 calls appear to correlate with call volume. During the overnight hours (12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.), median response times are relatively lower, hovering between 3.6 to 5.2 minutes, likely due to reduced call volume and less traffic congestion.

However, beginning around 6:00 a.m., response times begin to rise, peaking at 6.71 minutes, followed by sustained higher medians throughout the midday and evening hours.

Of note are the following observations:
• Late morning through early evening (10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) sees steady response times ranging from 5.0 to 5.8 minutes.
• A secondary peak occurs at 6:00 p.m., with a median response time of 6.50 minutes, potentially reflecting increased call volume and traffic congestion.

Despite these fluctuations, even during peak hours, the median response time for Priority 3 calls remains under 7 minutes, which is generally acceptable for lower-priority incidents.

The following figure provides a view of median Priority 3 response times by day of the week, alongside the total call volume for each day (noted in parentheses).

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 159
Figure 83: Patrol Division, Median Response Time by Day to Priority 3 Calls Priority 3 calls show a flat median response time from day to day, with the weekends (Saturday and Sunday) having the fastest response. At odds with the hourly correlation of higher volume leading to slower responses, the weekends brought about the fastest response times while having the highest call volume. It should be noted that the difference between the slowest and fastest median response time by day was less than 30 seconds.

The daily median response time figure reveals a relatively stable pattern throughout the week, with all daily medians falling within a narrow band between 4.8 and 5.2 minutes:
• Wednesday has the highest median response time at 5.22 minutes, despite a slightly lower call volume compared to some other days.
• Friday also shows a slightly elevated response time (5.17 minutes), which may reflect heavier traffic or call volume.

In contrast, Saturday and Sunday both have the lowest average at 4.80 minutes, even though they see the highest call volume of the week. The consistency in median response time across the days suggests that the Patrol Division maintains service levels adequately throughout the week, regardless of fluctuations in demand.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 160
Given the large number of Priority 3 calls in the dataset, it is possible to analyze their temporal distribution by both time of day and day of week. The following figure shows a heatmap of those calls that provides more granularity as to how response times differ throughout the week.

Figure 84: Patrol Division, Heatmap of Median Response Times, Priority 3 Calls It is apparent that the 0600 and 1800 hours show the slowest response times, while during the overnight hours throughout the week they are relatively fast. Mid-day hours vary, but range in the 4.5-to-6.5-minute mark. A few clear patterns are seen:
• Morning spikes in response times are consistently visible between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., especially Tuesday through Friday, with values frequently rising above 6 minutes.

This likely reflects the convergence of early morning traffic, increased call activity, and shift change.
• Midday hours (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) maintain relatively stable response times, generally hovering around 5 to 6 minutes—still slightly elevated but more consistent across the board.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 161
• Evening hours show some additional increases, particularly between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., mirroring earlier daily findings that highlighted minor upticks during evening activity periods.
• Overnight and late evening hours (roughly 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.) consistently show shorter response times, often dipping below 4.5 minutes, which is likely due to lighter traffic and lower call volumes.

Shifting focus to the spatial distribution of Priority 3 response times, the following figure provides a clear picture of how response performance varies across Paso Robles. This analysis offers insights into where low-priority service demand may experience longer delays and where performance is relatively strong.

Figure 85: Patrol Division, Spatial Distribution of Median Response Times, Priority 3 Calls Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 162
Overall, the citywide median response time for P3 calls is 5.00 minutes, but as the figure shows, there is significant variation by district. Districts in the urban core (Quadrants 1 and 2) consistently fall within the 3-to-5-minute range, with some areas even achieving sub-4- minute medians. These are the districts closest to the Police Department and likely benefit from the highest density of patrol coverage, leading to quicker response times.

In contrast, outlying districts, particularly in Quadrants 3 and 4, show noticeably longer response times. For example:
• District 3-5 stands out with a median time of 10.34 minutes—the highest in the city— likely driven by its large geographic size and distance from core patrol areas. • Other east and southeast districts, like 4-13 (9.48 minutes) and 4-11 (9.88 minutes), also reflect response challenges, indicating that the farther a district is from central patrol deployment, the greater the service delay.

This spatial analysis underscores the potential benefit of reassessing patrol coverage or station location in underserved parts of the city, particularly as residential growth continues in these longer-response areas.

Individual Patrol Officer Response Time
The entirety of this section thus far has focused on response times in aggregate. Officerlevel response times can also be analyzed in a meaningful way to identify outliers. The following figure displays a box-and-whisker plot of average response times for each patrol officer, by call priority. Each dot on the chart represents an individual officer’s average response time to calls where they were designated as the primary unit.

A box-and-whisker plot is a simple way to display how a set of numbers is spread out. It helps to quickly see the range and the middle value (called the median), and how tightly or loosely grouped the numbers are. Each vertical plot represents one priority level of police calls (Priority 1, 2, and 3), with the box showing where the middle half of the response times fall and the whiskers showing the range of most of the other times. Any dots outside the whiskers are considered outliers; these are unusually fast or slow response times.

Since a small number of observations can have a significant impact on average calculations, officers with less than ten calls in the dataset as the primary unit were excluded from the analysis.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 163
Figure 86: Patrol Division, Box-and-Whisker Plot, Avg. Response Time by Call Priority Priority 1 calls (the highest urgency) had the tightest spread of response times, indicating that officers are arriving at these calls relatively quickly and consistently. The median response time is under 4 minutes, and there is little variation, showing reliable prioritization and deployment for urgent incidents.

Priority 2 calls show more variability. The middle half of response times range roughly from

4.5 to 8 minutes, with some slower responses reaching as high as 12 minutes. This broader spread may reflect the disparity in urgency that can be seen in P2 calls based on how it is defined.

Priority 3 calls have the widest distribution, with response times generally slower and more dispersed. The median is higher than for both P1 and P2, and there are more high-end response times. This is expected given that these calls are less urgent and will be queued behind higher-priority events.

Overall, the figure shows that PRPD is appropriately triaging calls based on priority.

However, the wider range and longer delays for P2 and P3 calls suggest ongoing opportunities for resource optimization or demand management, especially during busy periods or in geographically distant districts.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 164
A broader operational view of response patterns looking at how average response times vary by quadrant of the city at the officer level is provided in the following figure. This boxand-whisker plot breaks down individual officer averages across the city’s four quadrants, lending insight into consistency and potential resource imbalances across geographic areas.

Figure 87: Patrol Division, Box-and-Whisker Plot, Avg. Response Time by Quadrant When viewing the previous figure, more outliers are present. These represent patrol officers whose average response times were statistical anomalies—in this case with longer response times than their peers.

Quadrant 2 stands out for its tight clustering and relatively lower average response times, suggesting officers in this area are responding consistently and efficiently. The narrow range and absence of extreme outliers may reflect good access, manageable coverage areas, or favorable call density.

Quadrant 1 shows slightly more variability, with a few officers recording notably higher average times (including a prominent outlier above 14 minutes). While most officers are clustered in the 5-to-7-minute range, this spread suggests there may be occasional logistical or workload challenges affecting some.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 165
Quadrants 3 and 4 both have higher median response times and a wider distribution, indicating greater variability in officer response performance. These patterns could be due to the larger geographic areas, less concentrated call volumes, or staffing distribution differences. Quadrant 3, in particular, includes several of the city’s more remote or developing districts, which may contribute to longer average response times for some officers.

Handling Time
The second performance measure analyzed was handling time. A call’s handling time is defined as the total time in which the patrol unit was assigned to an incident: call dispatch time to call clear time, as logged in the RIMS CAD dataset. Criteria for a call to be analyzed as part of the handling time calculations are:
• The call was community-generated, as defined in the ‘Community-Generated Demand for Service’ section of this report
• The call was assigned to the Patrol Division
• The call did not have a disposition code of ‘HD’ (Handled by Dispatch) or ‘LN’ (Log Note)
• The call was not missing its dispatch or clearance timestamps • The clearance timestamp was after the dispatch timestamp Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 166
Figure 88: Patrol Division, Handling Time Dataset
Record Category Call Count % of Total
Patrol Division call for service 29,288 100%
Excluded due to ‘LN’ disposition 76 0.3%
Missing dispatch or clearance timestamp 3 0.0%
Clearance timestamp was before
dispatch timestamp 48 0.2%
Final Dataset 29,161 99.7%
The previous figure provides an overview of the final dataset used in the handling time calculations, after accounting for all exclusionary criteria. In total, 99.7% of the communitygenerated calls for service assigned to the Patrol Division were analyzed as part of this process. The reason more records are available for the handling time analysis compared to the response time analysis is the on-scene timestamps. In general, CAD systems require manual acknowledgement of unit on-scene arrival, either via the mobile data terminal (MDT) or through radio to dispatch. This does not always happen, and on-scene timestamps can and do get missed during an incident. Handling times, however, do not require on-scene timestamps, resulting in a more complete dataset available for analysis.

Figure 89: Patrol Division, Handling Time Descriptive Statistics Statistic Value
Calls for Service 29,161
Maximum Handling Time 1,421.43 min.

Minimum Handling Time 0.00 min.

Average Handling Time 26.15 min.

Median Handling Time 15.12 min.

The previous figure provides a cursory look at the overall handling times. Like the response times, the handling time distribution is right-skewed, meaning the tail stretches to the right and most of the data cluster at the lower end (shorter handling time). The average is therefore likely affected by a few outliers that pull it upward, such as the maximum.

Because of this, the median is a more appropriate measure of central tendency and will be used throughout the rest of this section to discuss handling time performance.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 167
Figure 90: Patrol Division, Handling Time Distribution
The previous figure shows the distribution of handling times for the Patrol Division throughout the scope. Over three-quarters (77.2%) of the community-generated calls for service are handled in less than 30 minutes, while 91.2% are handled in an hour or less. Longer duration calls accounted for a smaller proportion of the total, with calls taking more than 2.5 hours accounting for 1.6%. Given the relatively fast response times identified in the previous section, a similarly short handling time is not surprising for most calls.

These figures emphasize that while most calls are cleared relatively quickly, a smaller subset of calls tie up resources for extended periods. More complex incidents involving mental health, substance use, and transient issues may have longer handling times given their nature, in addition to an expected longer handling time for emergency incidents.

To further understanding of patrol handling times, the geographic distribution across the city is examined. The following figure visualizes how long officers remain committed to calls from dispatch to clearance, broken down by district to reveal potential operational inefficiencies and regional disparities in service demand.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 168
Figure 91: Patrol Division, Spatial Distribution of Median Handling Times The distribution of median handling times for Patrol Division community-generated calls for service indicates that most areas of Paso Robles share similar call handling times in the 13- to-19-minute range.
• Quadrant 2 saw the fastest overall handling times with a median of 13.57 minutes.

Notably, District 2-8 (17.88 minutes) had the longest handling time in this quadrant, highlighting a potential growing service pressure on the southern fringe of the city. • Quadrant 1 stands out as efficient, with a median handling time of 14.07 minutes overall. Districts like 1-5 (11.87 minutes) and 1-7 (12.02 minutes) in the city’s core are among the lowest, likely benefiting from dense call clusters and proximity to the police station.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 169
• Quadrants 3 and 4 show the longest durations, with both having a median handling time over 16.5 minutes. Quadrant 4 contains districts with the highest handling times citywide: 4-13 (26.12 minutes) and 4-9 (20.03 minutes). Similarly, District 3-5 (19.08 minutes) and 3-2 (18.72 minutes) in Quadrant 3 reflect longer durations in more peripheral areas.

The spatial patterns reiterate the operational reality that incidents in outlying or developing areas take more time to handle, whether due to longer travel times or more complex incidents. As new housing develops in Quadrants 3 and 4, these already extended handling times may increase, potentially straining overall response capacity.

Handling Time by Call Priority
Analyzing community-generated call handling time by priority is important to assess differences in duration between emergency and non-emergency incidents. The following figure presents descriptive statistics amongst the three call priority types.

Figure 92: Patrol Division, Handling Time Descriptive Statistics by Call Priority Statistic Priority 1 Priority 2 Priority 3
Calls for Service 265 568 28,328
Maximum Handling Time 640.92 mins. 599.87 mins. 1,421.43 mins.

Minimum Handling Time 0.22 mins. 0.05 mins 0.00 mins.

Average Handling Time 51.45 mins. 63.71 mins 25.16 mins.

Median Handling Time 36.10 mins. 36.83 mins. 14.87 mins.

The differences in handling times between Priority 1, 2, and 3 calls is typical of patrol operations. Given that Priority 1 calls constitute emergencies, Priority 2 calls may constitute an emergency, and Priority 3 calls are non-emergencies, it is expected that emergency calls require longer handling times. The fact that non-emergency calls are being handled in a relatively short window is a good thing, provided adequate resolution is occurring. It allows patrol resources to be available to handle emergency incidents as they arise.

Longer handling times for non-emergency calls would be indicative of inefficiencies in incident processing, which does not appear to be the case here.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 170
Priority 1 and 2 Call Handling Time
Given the extreme similarities shown in the descriptive statistics figure between Priority 1 and Priority 2 calls, they were combined for purposes of call handling analysis in this section. Doing so provides a larger set of data to analyze and allows for additional computations that may otherwise not be feasible.

The following figure provides the distribution of Priority 1 and 2 call handling times throughout Paso Robles.

Figure 93: Patrol Division, Handling Time Distribution for Priority 1 & 2 Calls The distribution of handling times for Priority 1 and 2 calls reveals several key insights:
• A total of 41.7% were cleared within 30 minutes, with 13.9% handled in under 10 minutes, and an additional 15.7% in the 10–20-minute range. This indicates a strong capacity to manage high-priority calls efficiently in many cases. • Nearly 2 out of 5 calls (30.9%) took longer than 60 minutes, with 8.6% extending beyond 150 minutes. This longer tail of high-duration events suggests certain incidents—potentially involving complex investigations, arrests, or prolonged field presence—significantly impact officer availability.

Attachment 2

Strategic Staffing Assessment Paso Robles Police Department 171
• The 30–50-minute range accounts for another 21.6% of calls, which is notable. These durations are long enough to affect deployment flexibility, especially during periods of peak demand.

While most P1 and P2 calls are resolved relatively quickly, the volume of longer-duration incidents implies that a small portion of calls can tie up significant patrol resources. This can strain coverage, particularly during busy periods or when multiple extended calls occur at the same time. Ultimately, this distribution reflects a Patrol Division that handles most urgent calls swiftly but must also accommodate a meaningful number of complex or resourceintensive incidents.

To better understand how patrol resources may be most impacted by longer handling times, potentially affecting availability and coverage throughout the day, the following figure takes a closer look at how these durations vary by hour throughout the day.

Figure 94: Patrol Division, Median Handling Time by Hour for Priority 1 & 2 Calls The previous figure shows that handling times throughout the day are variable with no discernable pattern. Incidents occurring during the 04:00 hour had the longest median handling time (79.13 minutes), while midnight incurred the shortest handling time (18.45 minutes).

Attachment 2