CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: March 20, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
SUBJECT: ADOPT RESOLUTION NO.___-23 ACCEPTING FUNDS AND
AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES FROM THE CALIFORNIA
SUPPLEMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES ACCOUNT
SYNOPSIS
The purpose of this item is to accept fiscal year 2022-2023 (FY 22/23) grant funds and authorize the recommended use of grant funds from the California Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Account (SLESA), formerly known as “Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Fund (SLESF). The Budget Committee reviewed the proposed expenditures at its meeting of March 14, 2023, and approved forwarding a recommendation to approve the expenditures to the City Council.
DISCUSSION
Background
In 1996, California state legislation (AB 3229) created the Citizens Options for Public Safety (COPS) program allocating $100,000 to eligible local governments yearly for front line law enforcement services. These funds are distributed through the SLESA. The funds cannot be used to supplant resources, but instead must be used to supplement existing resources or funding.
SLESA funds can be used for salaries, services, supplies, equipment, and administrative overhead.
SLESA funds cannot be diverted into an entity’s general fund and must be used for the aforementioned front line law enforcement services. The size of the total award to each recipient is proportionate to population with the minimum award for all entities set at $100,000 annually.
The award for Pleasant Hill for FY 22/23 is $100,000. Enabling legislation specifies a City Council must appropriate funds as specified in the written request of the entity’s Chief of Police.
Funds are distributed from the State to the County, which then distributes the funds to the City.
Analysis
The Police Department’s proposed uses of new and previously unencumbered SLESA funds in FY 22/23 will fund the following items:
Automated License Plate Reader
Expansion of the current Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) program. ALPR captures digital images of vehicle license plates as they pass the reader camera. Any license plate matched to a license plate in the system’s database is reported in real time to law enforcement.
This information enables officers to take action based on the type of data received. ALPR systems are very effective in locating and recovering stolen vehicles, alerting law enforcement officers to vehicles wanted in connection with other crimes, and obtaining investigative data that assist law enforcement in investigating and solving criminal cases. This technology is one of many programs designed to keep the City of Pleasant Hill safe and prevent property crimes. The police department requests $30,000 from SLESA funds for the purchase of ALPR equipment.
Dispatch Supervisor Position
Until 2019, the supervision of the professional staff in the Support Services Division fell to a single civilian supervisor, but because of the ongoing changes and significant increased work requirements, it was no longer feasible to have a single supervisor oversee the numerous employees and job functions. Consequently, this led to a reorganization of the Services Division and the recommendation for a new Dispatch Supervisor position. The police department requests $20,000 from SLESA funds to offset the cost for this position.
Scheduling Software
The Police Department’s current scheduling and time keeping system is paper based. This system is inefficient and outdated. New scheduling software created by PowerDMS will allow the police department to automate public safety scheduling, rotations, time-off, calendar management, and automated staffing notifications. The goal would be to make payroll processing more efficient and provide an exportable file to the City’s payroll system. The police department requests $6,000 from SLESA funds to cover the cost of this new software.
Dispatch Center Furniture & Carpeting
The Police Department’s main dispatch center contains two complete dispatch consoles with supportive seating and motorized monitor/data entry desks to provide an ergonomic workspace.
The motorized work desks have been essential components of this center as dispatchers have options for a variety of work postures, both standing and sitting. The existing desks are old and are beginning to break down. The model of our current motorized desks is no longer produced and cannot be repaired. In addition, new lower profile computer storage cabinetry can hold all essential equipment while allowing for proper filing in a confined space within the dispatch center. Finally, the dispatch center’s old carpeting is heavily worn and in need of replacement.
The police department requests $48,000 from SLESA funds to cover the cost of new furniture and carpeting in the dispatch center.
Recruiting Service
The Police Department is experiencing significant staffing shortages which have led to the temporary suspension of specialized assignments and has caused increased overtime costs. While authorized for a staffing of 45 sworn officers, current active staffing is 37 sworn officers.
Recruiting and hiring is a difficult challenge for law enforcement agencies locally and nationwide. Recruiting via the usual methods (CalOps, City Website, police academies, and social media) has yielded limited results. All-Star Talent law enforcement recruiting specialists utilize an approach shaped to each individual agency’s needs, to include their patent-pending diversity recruiting system that develops unique messaging to attract diverse candidates. Their system has been used with great success by other law enforcement agencies across the county.
The police department requests $25,000 from the SLESA funds to cover the cost of an All-Star Talent law enforcement recruiting campaign.
Police Department Facility Back-up Battery
The Police Department’s original battery back-up system unit needs to be replaced. When the PHPD experiences a power outage, there is a delay before the onsite generator is able to provide backup power to the entire facility. A battery backup solution is needed to avoid any disruptions to the Dispatch Center. The battery backup solution from Quality Uptime is built for such a purpose and will provide constant and consistent power to the entire facility. The police department requests $29,000 of SLESA funds to cover the cost of the building’s back-up battery unit.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Police Department requests $158,000. The City’s FY 22/23 – FY 23/24 adopted biennial budget included appropriations for $100,000 in the SLESF, therefore staff is requesting an additional appropriation of $58,000 with unencumbered fund balance. The Finance Department has confirmed funds exist in the SLESA account to cover all recommended expenditures.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the City Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center and at the Pleasant Hill Police Department. The agenda and staff report are posted on the City’s web page.
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the proposed resolution accepting the grant and the proposed use of funds as recommended by the Budget Committee.
ALTERNATIVES TO RECOMMENDED ACTION
Council could direct staff to not accept the grant, or revise the list of recommended items.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Proposed Resolution
Prepared by: Matt Kristic
Support Services Division Lieutenant
Reviewed by: Scott Vermillion
Chief of Police
Approved by: June Catalano
City Manager