I. RECOMMENDATION:
The Police Chief is requesting approval from
Council to add four part-time paid Reserve Police Officer Positions. City Manager also recommends.
II. BACKGROUND:
The primary purpose of the Reserve Police
Officers’ Program is to provide the community a support unit of trained and competent
police officers. These officers
supplement our regular personnel and can be used in the event of an emergency
when manpower is critical. In the past,
the Police Department has used Reserve Police Officers to help supplement
patrol by handling calls for service, transporting prisoners to the Fresno
County Jail, and assisting with special operations and community events.
With budgetary constraints over the past years, the Police Department has given
up those positions, both paid and non-paid, to help pay for full-time officer
positions.
III. DISCUSSION:
The Police Department would like to add four
paid Reserve Police Officer positions to help supplement patrol needs to assist
in lowering the cost of overtime of full-time officers with staffing issues.
This is a minimal cost position and would help increase the number of officers
working without putting a strain on the budget.
In addition, it allows those interested in law enforcement to get
involved and serve as a Reserve Police Officer, while attending a modular-style
Police Academy.
The paid Reserve Police Officers would be
compensated at an “A” step Police Officer pay level ($26.77 per hour). The Reserve Police Officers would be limited
to 960 hours per fiscal year to make sure they stay under the full-time hours
set by PERS.
IV. ALTERNATIVES:
None.
V. FISCAL IMPACT:
There would be a fiscal impact of approximately
$1,600 per fiscal year per officer for equipment. Also, depending on the number of hours worked
for each Reserve Police Officer, there could be a fiscal impact of $25,669.20 per
Reserve Police Officer, who works the maximum of 960 hours throughout the
fiscal year. The maximum fiscal impact would be $1,600 + $25,669.20 X 4 = $109,076.80. This is unbudgeted and would impact the General Fund. However, the cost for the current fiscal year will likely be offset by full-time salaries from vacant positions as well as potentially reducing overtime expenses. |