City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Ed Ormonde, Chief of Police
Date: 04/11/2023
Subject: Staffing Request
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve and authorize the Police Chief to reimburse up to $5,000 per Police Academy Cadet hire for police academy tuition assistance or other related expenses.
UPDATE SINCE MARCH CITY COUNCIL MEETING:
Staff has surveyed other agencies to get a better understanding of the benefits being offered to police officer cadets. Below is a summary of the benefits provided by nearby agencies:
City of Modesto Police recruits attending a police academy hired as full-time employees paid $25-31 per hour.
City of Stockton Police recruits are paid $5,637 per month while attending a police academy full-time.
City of Tracy Police recruits are paid $6,618 per month while attending a police academy full-time.
City of Lathrop Police recruits are not currently being hired by the City of Lathrop.
City of Manteca Police recruits are provided assistance with academy expenses on a caseby-case basis. Currently there is no cap to academy expenses that may be paid or reimbursed.
Staff discussed potential options with the City Attorney and found that reimbursement contracts and other repayments options by the cadet should they ultimately rescinds his or her acceptance of the Ripon Police Department conditional job offer were unenforceable or unpractical considering case law and industry standards.
BACKGROUND:
Police Departments across the nation are struggling with recruiting and hiring qualified police officer candidates. The Ripon Police Department has experienced these same struggles, as we have seen low police officer applications being submitted for open positions and the quality of police officer candidates generally being below average, resulting in several hiring cycles to end without the hiring of needed staff.
This staffing phenomenon has had and will continue to have negative impacts on the police department and its current staff with prolonged vacancies, increased mandatory overtime, postponed trainings, delayed promotions and special duty assignments, and restricted time off.
The Police Department believes that a program that financially assists the police academy cadet applicant in becoming eligible to hold a police officer position with the agency by graduating from the police academy will reinforce our commitment to the applicant, demonstrate our department philosophy, and validate our efforts in providing for our staff’s physical and emotional wellness.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The Police Department is requesting the ability to assist with tuition or other academy related expenses for a police officer cadet applicant that is currently enrolled in a legitimate police academy upon passing all phases of the hiring process and being offered a conditional job offer by this agency pending graduation from the police academy.
Upon the police officer cadet applicant accepting the conditional job offer the Police Chief would have the authority to authorize up to $5,000 in tuition or other academy related costs that would assist the police officer cadet applicant with graduating from the police academy and to be hired by this agency.
The police officer cadet would be required to have check-in conversations with this agency’s FTO Sergeant or his/her designee on dates and times designated by this agency, and may be required to complete other department tasks such as ride-alongs, attend meetings or complete specific trainings. The FTO Sergeant or his/her designee will also have check-in conversations with the police officer cadet applicants Recruit Training Officer at the police academy.
If the City Council approves the reimbursement request, staff will create a reimbursement request form for the associated police academy fees accrued by the cadet after the conditional job offer was accepted.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Up to $5,000 per Police Academy Cadet hire that would be funded through the General Fund.