Administrative
Report
H.10., File # 23-6017 Meeting Date: 6/6/2023
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: JOE HOFFMAN, CHIEF OF POLICE
TITLE
APPROVE A SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE REDONDO BEACH CITY EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION (CEA) AMENDING MOU ARTICLE III - SECTION 20 SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT PAY TO INCLUDE POLICE FACILITY DOG HANDLER IN THE JANUARY 1, 2021 TO DECEMBER 31, 2023 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE CEA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council previously approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Redondo Beach and the Redondo Beach City Employees Association (CEA) for the term January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023. The negotiated side letter amends Article III, Section 20 of the CEA MOU to include subsection 20.04 Police Facility Dog Handler with similar provisions as canine handlers in the Police Officers Association. The position of Police Facility Dog Handler is a secondary assignment within the employees permanently assigned job classification.
BACKGROUND
The Facility Dog program for the Redondo Beach Police Department began in 2017 as a tool for victim assistance, peer support, and child advocacy for the Redondo Beach community and beyond.
The outside organization chosen to provide the facility dog was Canine Companions. Canine Companions, an Assistance Dog International (ADI) accredited organization, provides expertly trained dogs, which are bred to be calm, reliable and affectionate in order to assist their clientele.
The dogs go through two years of expert training before being matched with a handler, either as a service dog, hearing dog or facility dog. The dogs, training and follow-up assistance is all at no cost to the City.
The first Facility Dog for the Redondo Beach Police Department performed staff and student visits at each local school, held individual sessions with students experiencing anxiety, visited senior centers and centers for persons with special needs, attended forensic interviews and court proceedings with victims of crime to ease their nerves and provide them courage for their testimony and offered peer support to City of Redondo Beach employees, and employees from outside agencies, experiencing hardships and loss.
In 2017, the Facility Dog Handler position was open to all Police Department employees as a secondary assignment within the employees permanently assigned classification. After an internal application and selection process, a CEA member was selected. At the time of appointment, CEA did not have any provisions in their MOU (bonus pay, etc.) for this secondary assignment. Although the Police Department does not presently have a Facility Dog, future opportunities for continuation of this
H.10., File # 23-6017 Meeting Date: 6/6/2023
Police Department does not presently have a Facility Dog, future opportunities for continuation of this popular program are being considered. Only Police Department employee groups that have a specific MOU provision addressing dog handler duties, will be eligible to apply for future openings.
As a result, CEA agreed to amend their current MOU to include similar handler provisions as canine handlers of the Redondo Beach Police Officer’s Association. This MOU modification will allow CEA members (within the Police Department) to apply for any future Facility Dog handler openings.
COORDINATION
The Police Department coordinated with the Human Resources Department and the City Attorney’s Office to prepare the side letter. The side letter was negotiated and agreed to by CEA.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is available in the Police Department annual operating budget to cover costs associated with the addition of a Facility Dog handler pursuant to the applicable MOU.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
· Side Letter - Amending Article III, Section 20 of the CEA MOU to include subsection 20.04 Police Facility Dog Handler