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Home My WebLink About10A - COPS Hiring Recovery Progran (CHRP) Grant MEETING DATE: AGENDA #: PREPARED BY: AGENDA ITEM: DISCUSSION: APRIL 6, 2009 10 A JANE KANSIER, BUILDING AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DIRECTOR CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND SUPPORTING THE SUBMI~SION OF A COPS HIRING RECOVERY PROGRAM (CHRP) GRANT FOR THREE POLICE OFFICERS Introduction The purpose of this agenda item is to receive City Council authorization and support to submit a grant request for three officers before the application deadline date of April 14th. Historv The Federal government has taken various actions in an effort to stimulate the economy. One of the efforts is a grant program to encourage public agencies to hire police officers. In the last two years, the Police Department has retained the same compliment of sworn officers, despite the fact the City has grown by more than 300 households and nearly 1,000 people. Our personnel projections over the next five years would include the addition of at least two sworn officers with or without additional community growth. Current Circumstances The COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP) is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) of 2009, and provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire career law enforcement officers in an effort to create and preserve jobs, and to increase their community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts. CHRP grants cover 100 percent of the approved entry-level salary and fringe benefits of each newly-hired and/or rehired, full-time sworn career law enforcement officer over three years (36 months). There is no local match or cap on the amount of funding that can be requested, but CHRP grant funding is based on the City's current entry-level salary and fringe benefits for full-time sworn officers. Any additional costs for higher than entry-level salaries and fringe benefits will be the responsibility of the City. The grant does not cover the following costs: I Costs 2009 2010 2011 I RecruitmenUlnterview $4,100.00 0 0 I FTO OT(1) $2,940.00 0 0 I Uniform Allowance(2) $1,000.00 $851.00 $851.00 I Ballistic Vest(2) $850.00 0 0 I Initial Equipment(;j) $420.00 0 0 I Re-occurrinq CostS(4) $406.00 $406.00 $406.00 I Portable Radio(5) See below 0 0 www.cityofpriorlake.com Phone 952.447.98QO Fax. 952.447.4245 I POST License $90.00 0 0 Additional POST 0 $500.00 $500.00 Training Potential Overtime(6) $2,440.00 $2,440.00 $2,440.00 Work Station/Desk (1) $2,550.00 0 0 I I Total Cost per Officer $14,796.00 $4,197.00 $4.197.00 (1) FTO aT is based on Officer Richards' overtime rate ($49.00) x 60 hours. (2) 2010 & 2011 figures are based on 2009 budget. (3) Initial Equipment includes: badges ($250), flashlight ($110) and reflective vest ($60). (4) Reoccurring Costs includes: phone ($18/month, $216/year) and range ammunition ($190). (5) Currently we have 3 extra radios, putting all of them is service would leave us without a spare. A new radio is approximately $2,500.00. (6) Potential Overtime figures based on the average aT worked by officers in 2008 (72) x start wages ($33.89/hour). Based on these numbers, the City can expect to be responsible for about $29,592 (for two officers) in the first year of the grant and for at least $8,394 per year for the next two years of the grant. If awarded the grant, the City must guarantee the positions will be funded for an additional 12 months following the expiration of the grant. The City will be responsible for the full costs of these positions at that time. As noted above, the community has grown without a corresponding increase in police personnel. It is well documented that our Police Department is smaller than those of other comparably sized cities. The recommended number of sworn officers for a City of our size is 1.3 officers per 1,000 people. At our current staffing level, we have 1.04 officers per 1,000 people. At the same time, the Safety and Health initiatives in the 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan call for additional police time in the form of National Night Out, citizen training, car seat checks, DARE, school liaison, traffic enforcement, background checks, and many more. Each of these efforts, while very worthwhile, require additional staff time investment. Two additional officers would assist on patrol shifts, decrease response time, provide better and more consistent, City-wide coverage, and reduce overtime due to court appearances, special assignments and vacation and sick time use. The additional officers should also provide greater department flexibility in addressing special needs like crime prevention and special services like car seat checks and National Night Out. The third officer would allow the City to assign a second liaison to the SMSC. This officer would assist Officer Mark Tabone, the current liaison. The officer would be located primarily at the SMSC. This officer would focus primarily on casino-related issues and would facilitate follow-up investigations associated with SMSC businesses. The SMSC would be responsible for paying all non- funded expenses associated with the grant as identified above. The Tribal Council has officially expressed its support for the grant. Conclusion: The Council should determine if it wishes to authorize and support the grant application as proposed by staff or with other changes or additions. ISSUES: The staff is not recommending submittal of this grant application solely because the funds are available. In our view, this would not be fiscally prudent because of the financial obligations associated with the grant. Rather, we view this as an opportunity to meet our staffing needs at a reduced cost to the City. The Police Department has not added positions for two years, despite the fact the City has grow by nearly 1,000 residents in that time. The grant money accelerates personnel requests which otherwise would have been made in 2010 or 2011. Grant funds may not be used to supplant our current budget. For example, the City could not layoff officers and use these funds to hire their replacements. Nor could the City budget for two additional officers and use the grant money to replace local funds. As a stimulus program, the grant is intended to provide new jobs or retain already anticipated layoffs. The Council should be aware of the costs to the City if we receive this grant. In the first year, the City would need to budget an estimated $30,000 to pay the nonrefundable costs. In the second and third year, the cost is reduced to about $10,000 per year. In the fourth year, the City would be fully responsible for about $193,000 for the two officers, including wages and benefits. At the same time, we expect some savings as a result of a reduction of overtime each year, in an amount estimated between $15,000 and $21,000 per year. So the City cost of this program for each year could be reduced by that amount. There would be no additional costs for vehicles and radios as we already have these budgeted. Nor are there additional weapons costs, since that is the officer's responsibility. There is always the chance the SMSC may withdraw their support of the third officer. In the very unlikely event this occurs, the City would assume responsibility for anytime left in the grant and for the twelve month obligation following expiration of the grant. The City would have few options but to pay the local share. FINANCIAL We have estimated the costs of the program between the City, the SMSC, and IMPACT: the Federal government for four years: Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 TOTALS Local Fed Local Fed Local Fed Local Fed Local Fed Two $234,942 $463,120 Officers $25,592 $125,294 $8,394 $161,468 $8,394 $176,358 $192,562 $0 (Prior Lake) (34%) (66%) One Officer $14,796 $64,214 I~ $80,734 $9,452 $88,179 I $100,479 $0 $134,123 $233,127 (SMSC) I J37%) _~3%) ---,-- r;7,7~ r ,I $369,065 $696,247 TOTAL I $40,388 $189,508 $242,202 $17,846 $264,537 $293,041 $0 (35%) (65%) ALTERNATIVES: 1. Adopt a resolution supporting the CHRP Grant and authorizing staff to proceed with the grant application as proposed. 2. Deny the proposed resolution. 3. Other action as directed by the City Council. The staff recommends alternative #1. RECOMMENDED A motion and second to adopt a resolution supporting the CHRP grant and MOTION: ( . aut~oriZing s[a. to proceed with the grant application as proposed. Reviewed by: ~ Frank Boyle , C' y anager A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE CHRP GRANT AND AUTHORIZING STAFF TO PROCEED WITH THE GRANT APPLICATION Motion By: Second By: WHEREAS, The Federal government has taken various actions in an effort to stimulate the economy; and WHEREAS, The COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP) is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) of 2009, and provides funding directly to law enforcement agencies to hire and/or rehire career law enforcement officers in an effort to create and preserve jobs, and to increase their community policing capacity and crime-prevention efforts; and WHEREAS, The Safety and Health initiatives in the City of Prior Lake 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan call for additional police time in the form of National Night Out, citizen training, car seat checks, DARE, school liaison, traffic enforcement, background checks, and many more; and WHEREAS, The City of Prior Lake and the SMSC wish to partner to provide additional police support to the SMSC business functions; and WHEREAS, The City of Prior Lake Police Department requires three additional sworn officers to implement the Safety and Health Initiatives of the 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan and to provide additional support to the SMSC; and WHEREAS, The City intends to submit an application for a CHRP grant to facilitate the hiring and costs of three additional sworn officers. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA as follows: 1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein. 2. The City Council authorizes the staff to submit a CHRP grant application for three additional sworn officers. PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 6TH DAY OF APRIL, 2009. YES NO I Hau~en I Erickson I Hedberq I leMair I Millar Hau~en Erickson Hedber~ leMair Millar Frank Boyles, City Manager www.cityofpriorlake.com Phone 952.447.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245