TO: HONORABLE MAYOR FROM: Anthony Mata
AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: July 31, 2023
Approved Date
8/8/23
SUBJECT: AGREEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT PSYCHOLOGICAL
SERVICES, INC. FOR THE PROVISION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL
SERVICES FOR THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute:
(a) Agreement between the City of San José and Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. for psychological services for the San José Police Department, in an amount not to exceed $149,552 for the period of July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024; and
(b) Four additional annual renewal options with the total amount of compensation for the entire contract not to exceed $747,760, subject to the appropriation of funds.
SUMMARY AND OUTCOME
Approval of this action will enable the City to enter into an agreement for the psychological testing of Police Recruit, Police Reserve, Community Service Officer, Public Safety Dispatcher, and Police Data Specialist candidates as part of the Department’s hiring process.
BACKGROUND
The San José Police Department utilizes contractual psychological services for the screening and evaluation of sworn and selected civilian candidates for hire as required by California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). POST’s peace officer selection requirements regulation 1955 – Peace Officer Psychological Evaluation states the following:
Every peace officer candidate shall be evaluated to determine if the candidate is free from any emotional or mental condition that might adversely affect the COUNCIL AGENDA: 8/22/23
FILE: 23-1080
ITEM: 2.12
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
July 31, 2023
Subject: Agreement with Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. for the Provision of Psychological Services for the San José Police Department
exercise of the powers of a peace officer and to otherwise ensure that the candidate is capable of withstanding the psychological demands of the position.
With the expiration of the existing consultant contract, it is necessary to award a new agreement in order to maintain the availability of psychological services to the Department. An evaluation panel selected Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. as the consultant to provide psychological testing as the result of a request for proposal process as described in detail in the analysis section of this memorandum.
ANALYSIS
As part of the Police Department’s background investigations process for hiring Police Recruit, Police Reserve, Community Service Officer, Communications Dispatcher, and Police Data Specialist classifications, the Department requires a psychological evaluation. Psychological evaluations are also required for fitness for duty purposes, as needed. In addition, the Department uses a pre-employment questionnaire for qualifying applicants to continue on in the candidate testing and selection process. Since the Department does not have internal resources for conducting these examinations and evaluations, external consultant services are necessary. The Department sought a psychological services consultant with the following qualifications:
• Attained a post-graduate degree, consisting of either a master’s degree in a related field, a Doctor of Philosophy, or a Doctor of Medicine.
• Rendered similar psychological testing services for a law enforcement agency for a period of not less than five consecutive years prior to January 1, 2022. • Demonstrates a solid understanding of POST regulations and law enforcement psychological testing.
• Demonstrates a deep knowledge of the psychiatric assessment model and various psychological testing tools.
• Completed a minimum of 12 hours biennially of POST-approved continuing professional education per POST Commission Regulation 1955(b).
• Minimum of three to five years of experience conducting psychological testing for public safety or government agencies of similar size in order to make specific recommendations.
• Minimum of five years of experience collaborating with large public safety or governmental agencies with 500 or more employees.
• Demonstrated experience with performance measurements and effective measures of success related to comprehensive psychological testing previously developed. • A history of comprehensive psychological testing that demonstrates at least five years of successful implementation of plans of past clients the consultant developed. • Ability of all vendor employees who may view, receive, interpret, or analyze data and other tasks involved with this project to pass a police background investigation, performed by the Department.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
July 31, 2023
Subject: Agreement with Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. for the Provision of Psychological Services for the San José Police Department
• Require that services be provided by the same individual during the entire term of the agreement.
The Department conducted a request for proposals on the City’s online e-procurement system for four weeks, where five vendors viewed the bid and two downloaded the bid. Two proposals were received and reviewed for minimum qualifications and found to be responsive bids. The two proposals received were from the following:
• Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. (Los Gatos, CA) • Integrated Psychological Assessment Services, Inc. (Gilroy, CA)
An evaluation panel was convened and scored the proposals based on proposal responsiveness, general requirements, experience and qualifications of proposer, customer satisfaction/firm reputation, fee structure, and local business enterprise/small business enterprise. Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. was selected as the most advantageous proposal for the City. A 10-day protest period was conducted and there were no protests.
Out of 35 points, the final rankings were as follows:
Rank Vendor Total Points
1 Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. 32.10
2 Affiliated Psychologists and Counselors, Inc. 28.70
Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. was selected to provide the following services:
• Provide and administer a web-based Personal History Questionnaire for Police Recruit, Police Reserve, Community Service Officer, Public Safety Dispatcher candidates, and Police Data Specialists applicants for pre-test screening purposes. • Conducting pre-employment psychological screenings on Police Recruit, Police Reserve, Community Service Officer, Police Data Specialist, and Public Safety Dispatcher applicants. Screenings will include comprehensive psychological testing, individual personal interviews, and examination and evaluation of background data. • Consulting training officers, line supervisors, and command officers in the psychological aspects of supervision and evaluation of personnel.
• Assisting in the development and coordination of training programs. • Screening candidates to determine suitability for assignment to specialized units. • Designing and conducting jointly with the City an ongoing program to evaluate and refine the predictive validity of the psychological assessment procedure. • Providing counseling therapy and crisis intervention for those employees referred for evaluation and treatment as the result of involvement in traumatic events that could have an adverse psychological impact on their ability to function as effective employees.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
July 31, 2023
Subject: Agreement with Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. for the Provision of Psychological Services for the San José Police Department
• Providing “additional services” that are included in the scope of services but exceed the specified level of the scope of services or services that relate but are not included in the scope of services.
The initial term of the agreement is for one year, with four, one-year options for the City Manager to renew. The compensation for the initial term of the agreement is $149,552. The total amount of the agreement including all approved option periods is an amount not to exceed $747,760, subject to the appropriation of funds. Approval of this agreement will ensure the hiring process for Police Recruit, Police Reserve, Community Service Officer, Public Safety Dispatcher, and Police Data Specialist candidates is not delayed.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
No subsequent City Council action on this issue is necessary. Staff will monitor the performance of the agreement and communicate any issues to the City Council through Public Safety, Finance, and Strategic Support Committee.
COST SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS
The City has on-going funding for Psychological Services Consultant under the Police Department’s Non-Personal/Equipment appropriation of $149,552 in fiscal year 2023-2024.
BUDGET REFERENCE
The table below identifies the fund and appropriation to fund the contract recommended as part of this memorandum.
Fund
#
Appn
# Appn Name
Current
Appn
Amt. for
Contract
2023-2024
Proposed
Operating
Budget
Page*
Last Budget
Action (Date,
Ord. No.)
001 0502 Police Department’s
Non-
Personal/Equipment
$22,954,500 $149,552 684 06/20/2023
Ord. No.
30933
* The 2023-2024 Adopted Operating Budget was approved on June 13, 2023 and adopted on June 20, 2023 by the City Council.
COORDINATION
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
July 31, 2023
Subject: Agreement with Law Enforcement Psychological Services, Inc. for the Provision of Psychological Services for the San José Police Department
This memorandum has been coordinated with the Office of the City Attorney and the City Manager’s Budget Office.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City’s Council Agenda website for the August 22, 2023 City Council meeting.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AND INPUT
No commission recommendation or input is associated with this action.
CEQA
Not a Project, File No. PP17-003, Agreements/Contracts (New or Amended) resulting in no physical changes to the environment.
PUBLIC SUBSIDY REPORTING
This item does not include a public subsidy as defined in section 53083 or 53083.1 of the California Government Code or the City’s Open Government Resolution.
/s/
ANTHONY MATA
Chief of Police
For questions, please contact Lisa Perez, Division Manager, at (408) 537-1624 or Lieutenant Michael Bui, at (408) 537-9883.