Administrative
Report
N.2., File # 22-5134 Meeting Date: 12/6/2022
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: JOE HOFFMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
TITLE
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING PROPOSED PERSONNEL ADJUSTMENTS
TO NON-SWORN POSITIONS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ENHANCE OPERATIONAL
EFFICIENCY AND IMPROVE SUCCESSION PLANNING AND EMPLOYEE RETENTION
APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED PERSONNEL ADJUSTMENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recent vacancies in non-sworn positions in the Police Department have provided an opportunity for Department reorganization. In order to improve operational efficiency, provide opportunities for career development and succession planning, and retain critical staff, the Department has proposed personnel adjustments that affect five positions. Specifically, the Department is proposing reallocating funding from the Administrative Services Manager, Police Services Specialist, Emergency Services Dispatcher and Municipal Enforcement Officer positions to create three new supervisory/management positions and to fund the reclassification of an existing Administrative Specialist position to Analyst, which would be immediately filled via an over hire. All proposed adjustments would be accommodated within the Police Department’s current operating budget. No additional appropriation is required.
BACKGROUND
In order to meet contemporary operational needs and to best serve the community, the Police Department has taken the opportunity to evaluate current vacancies and has identified an opportunity to reclassify certain non-sworn positions to best address areas of concern utilizing existing Department resources. The requested personnel adjustments create four potential promotional opportunities for City of Redondo Beach employees, which would improve succession planning, career development, employee retention, and recruitment. Being able to offer advancement to supervisory and management level positions within the City is a benefit for marketing, recruitment efforts, and morale, while at the same time improving the overall operational capabilities of the Department. These personnel adjustments would have immediate effect upon approval.
The proposed personnel adjustments would reallocate current funding from four (4) positions, including an Administrative Services Manager, Police Services Specialist, Emergency Services Dispatcher, and Municipal Enforcement Officer, to create three (3) new positions of Public Safety Communications Manager, Police Records Manager, and Municipal Services Supervisor, and reclassify one (1) Administrative Specialist position to Analyst. At present, the positions
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recommended for funding reallocation are vacant.
The recently vacated Administrative Services Manager position served a dual purpose of managing the Communications and the Records Units of the Police Department. These are two very unique and essential units that will benefit from this reorganization by allowing management-level employees to oversee only one of these specialized units. This position will not be filled, and funding will be reallocated to the proposed new positions detailed below.
The position recommended for reclassification from Administrative Specialist to Analyst is currently filled by an employee that is on long term leave with no expected return date. The requested Analyst position is requested as an over hire in order to meet immediate department needs. At a future date, when the existing Administrative Specialist position is vacated, it will will be deauthorized and the assigned funding will be applied to offset the costs associated with the recommended position reclassification.
The Police Department proposes personnel adjustments as follows:
Reclassification of Emergency Services Dispatcher to Public Safety Communications Manager
The Communications Division is currently funded for ten (10) Emergency Services Dispatchers (ESD). The adjustment would reclassify an ESD position to a Public Safety Communications Manager. A dedicated Manager position directly overseeing the Communications Unit will have the responsibility to plan, prioritize, coordinate and manage the day-to-day activities of the Communications Unit. This includes responsibility for the operation and effective functioning of the dispatch center, along with coordinating Emergency Services Dispatcher schedules and staffing.
A dedicated Communication Manager will identify resource needs and allocate resources, while actively participating in the development of goals and objectives, in addition to identifying and making recommendations for improvements to standards, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance.
Adjustments are still occurring with the recent activation of a new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) program, which requires continual monitoring as needs for interface development, training and maintenance issues as they are identified. In addition, recruitment for Emergency Services Dispatcher and Communications Supervisor have proven to be some of the most difficult positions to recruit for in the Police Department. Adding a dedicated manager to oversee recruitment and retention efforts will allow for improved succession planning and an enhanced level of service.
As we continue to expand the services provided in the City of Redondo Beach, the concepts of tiered dispatching and emergency medical dispatching are being explored to provide better service through reducing call processing time, decreasing response time, providing assistance via voice prior to arrival of first responders, and dispatching fewer resources per incident. In consideration of the implementation of complex modifications such as tiered dispatching and emergency medical dispatching, a communications manager is critical for the successful adaption of these or similar programs.
Reclassification of Police Services Specialist to Police Records Manager The Records Division is funded for seven (7) Police Services Specialists (PSS). The PSS oversee all department records and assist the public counter. Proposed is the reclassification of a PSS position to Police Records Manager. A dedicated Records Manager would have responsibility to supervise the clerical operations of the Police Department Records Unit relative to data entry, maintenance, Page 2 of 4 N.2., File # 22-5134 Meeting Date: 12/6/2022
the clerical operations of the Police Department Records Unit relative to data entry, maintenance, retrieval, purging, sealing, document imaging and storing of police records and reports such as crime, arrest and accident reports. Each year, legislative changes occur that impact Police Department records operations. The Records Manager has the responsibility to ensure compliance with new and existing laws, court decisions, rules and regulations relating to the use and confidentiality of police reports, policies and other documents and acts as the Department's Custodian of Records. In addition, this position monitors the fees collected by the Records Unit and directs the preparation of statistical information and reports generated from the Department’s computerized data systems. This position provides support to police administrators by gathering and processing information needed for special projects and makes effective recommendations regarding hiring and promotion.
The Police Department has experienced a significant increase in complex and difficult requests including a high volume of Public Records Act requests and Concealed Weapon permit applications.
Proper management and oversight of the process and procedures for handling these, and other sensitive requests, is essential to the continued efficient operation of the Police Department and will be enhanced by the authorization of the dedicated Records Manager position.
Reclassification of Municipal Services Officer to Municipal Services Supervisor The Police Department is staffed with eight (8) full-time Municipal Enforcement Officers (MSO), and additional part-time MSOs. The MSOs support various units and primarily perform parking enforcement and animal control duties. They are currently supervised by a Police Sergeant. In FY 2022-23, the Police Department has actively increased the methods of response to quality of life issues in the City of Redondo Beach. Many of the quality of life incidents addressed by the Police Department are directly related to parking enforcement and/or animal control. All of the MSO’s are currently under the supervision of the Traffic Unit Sergeant. The current supervisory span of control is large, and is not conducive to efficient supervision of all assigned employees. The Traffic Sergeant, in addition to supervising the assigned traffic officers, also oversees the Crossing Guard program, Volunteers in Policing, and other volunteer groups. The Sergeant in this position is also the primary contact for special event planning and staffing, which is a significant portion of the workload for this position.
The proposed reclassification would transition a full-time MSO position to Municipal Services Supervisor, creating a dedicated supervisor for all full-time and part-time parking enforcement and animal control staff. The position can provide field supervision and perform all work functions of an MSO. Further, it will give the Police Sergeant the ability to focus on the other priorities of the Traffic Unit. This Municipal Services Supervisor position will allow the Police Department to better manage assigned schedules, prioritize and efficiently respond to parking enforcement and animal control concerns, such as four-hour parking enforcement and regular park monitoring for animal violations.
The reclassification of this position will further offer a promotional opportunity for current employees, which will enhance career development opportunities and encourage employee retention.
Reclassification of an Administrative Specialist to Analyst and authorization for an over-hire in FY 2022-23
The proposed adjustment would reclassify an Administrative Specialist position, which currently supports all payroll functions in the Department, to an Analyst. The new Analyst would assume additional duties in support of financial processes, including budget and contract monitoring, purchasing and invoice processing. The Police Department currently staffs a Senior Management Analyst that has the primary responsibility for coordinating and managing all Police Department
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budget, grant management, contracts and related tasks.
The lack of dedicated support for this important role creates a void in the Police Department’s succession planning. The proposed reclassification of the Administrative Specialist position to Analyst will allow for the establishment of a finance unit within the Department consisting of a supervisor and an employee working in conjunction to manage budget, grant and contract related tasks. The position will also support Department Payroll functions and other general administrative work items. The opportunity created through this reclassification will enhance the supervisory skills of the existing Senior Management Analyst, while providing a promotional opportunity for a current employee. This will create redundancy for this critical and essential aspect of operations and allow employees to develop the skills necessary to support enhanced financial capabilities within the Department.
The Administrative Specialist position is currently filled with an employee on long-term leave, and therefore approval of an over-hire for the reclassified position of Analyst is requested to fill this vital role. The currently filled Administrative Specialist position will remain active until vacated through attrition by the existing employee and be deauthorized at the appropriate time.
COORDINATION
The Police Department coordinated with the City Manager’s Office in preparing this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
All proposed personnel adjustments will be fully funded within the Police Department’s FY 2022-23 approved operating budget. Cost savings from vacant positions and the planned deauthorization of two current positions will offset the short term and long term costs of the proposed new positions and reclassification.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager