REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MINDY CASTO, Interim Chief of Police
Police Department
BY: BURKE FARRAH, Deputy Police Chief
Administrative Division
SUBJECT
Title
***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 583rd Amendment to the Master Fee Schedule Resolution No. 80-420 revising various Contract Law Enforcement Services, Regional Training Center Facilities, Public Safety False Alarm, and Witness Fees in the Police Department Section (Subject to Mayor’s Veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council adopt the 583rd Amendment to the Master Fee Schedule Resolution No. 80-420 adjusting the Contract Law Enforcement Services, Regional Training Facilities, Public Safety False Alarm, and Witness Fees in the Police Department Section.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The attached resolution addresses the following changes to fees in the Police Department section of the Master Fee Schedule: (1) adjust the Contract Law Enforcement Services (CLES) fees in accordance with the recently fully executed Fresno Police Officers Association (FPOA) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Step “F” and Fresno City Employees Association (FCEA) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Step “E”; (2) adjust the Regional Training Center (RTC)/Facilities Fees in accordance with the recently fully executed FPOA MOU; (3) adjusting the Public Safety False Alarm Fees to allow for cost recovery and to adjust the number of free false alarm calls allowed per fiscal year; and (4) adjust the Witness Fees to be in compliance with California Government Code Section 68097.2(b).
BACKGROUND
The revision of the MFS is being presented to enable adjustments approved by Council to be incorporated into the FY 2025 budget. Revenues have been estimated and based on 6-months (or .50) of prorated figures based on the time remaining on the applicable MOUs; and the balance of the fiscal year. The details for the proposed fee adjustments are outlined below.
Contract Law Enforcement Services (CLES): This program allows the public the opportunity to hire an officer for private events at a special contract rate. This fee is proposed for increase due to MOU salary adjustments. MOU changes include Officers and Sergeants being paid at one and one-half times “F” step and Lieutenants, Captains and Deputy Chiefs being paid at their hourly rate; and Senior Community Services Officers being paid at one and one-half times “E” step.
|
Fee Description |
Current Rates |
New Rates |
Increase |
|
Senior Community Service Officer |
$48.57/hr |
$55.46/hr |
$6.89 |
|
Police Officer |
$75.64/hr |
$77.91/hr |
$2.27 |
|
Police Sergeant |
$91.16/hr |
$93.90/hr |
$2.74 |
|
Police Lieutenant |
$80.15/hr |
$82.56/hr |
$2.41 |
|
Police Captain |
$92.28/hr |
$95.05/hr |
$2.77 |
|
Police Deputy Chief |
$101.97/hr |
$105.03/hr |
$3.06 |
Regional Training Center (RTC) Facilities: The RTC program allows outside first responder agencies the opportunity to use the classrooms, range, EVOC and vehicles for pursuit. These fees were last increased in FY 24, but due to FPOA MOU increases in FY 25 the training officer fees are being revised to recover the full cost of the services and equipment used to properly train the members of outside agencies.
Public Safety False Alarm Fees: The purpose of this service is to set forth regulations governing burglary, robbery, fire and medical alarm systems within the city; to reduce false alarms; to require registration certificates therefor; and to provide the authority to establish fees. Per Fresno Municipal Code section 10-811, a subscriber shall reimburse the city for the cost of the police or fire department manpower and equipment response to each false alarm in an amount as designated in the Master Fee Resolution. The Police Department proposes two changes to the Master Fee Schedule, which include (1) increasing the number of false alarms permitted before reimbursement is required and (2) increasing the fees associated with the Police Department’s response to false alarms to ensure cost recovery. The proposed increased fee was determined using the Maximum Cost Recovery Study Findings formula that was established in 2003. The procedures for responding to false alarms calls relied on in the 2003 study have not changed; however, the staff involved in the billing portion has. The proposed fee increase is also a result MOU salary increases of the involved personnel. The calculations include hours, salary, and benefits of Emergency Services Dispatchers, patrol officers, and the Accountant Auditor II assigned to preparing the necessary reports for submission to the billing agency and for appearance at False Alarm hearings representing the department; and overhead.
Witness Fees: Government Code section 68097.2 provides that any peace officer, firefighter, any state employee, any trial court employee, or any county employee, who is obliged by a subpoena issued pursuant to Government Code Section 68097.1 to attend as a witness, shall receive the salary or other compensation to which he or she is normally entitled from the public entity by which he or she is employed during the time that he or she travels to and from the place where the court or other tribunal is located and while he or she is required to remain at that place pursuant to the subpoena. He or she shall also receive from the public entity by which he or she is employed the actual necessary and reasonable traveling expenses incurred by him or her in complying with the subpoena. The party at whose request the subpoena is issued shall reimburse the public entity for the full cost to the public entity incurred in paying the peace officer, firefighter, state employee, trial court employee, or specified county employee his or her salary or other compensation and traveling expenses for each day that the peace officer, firefighter, state employee, trial court employee, or specified county employee is required to remain in attendance pursuant to the subpoena. The party issuing the subpoena must tender the person accepting the subpoena with $275 for each day the peace officer is required to remain in attendance pursuant to the subpoena, together with the subpoena. The MFS has not been updated since the Government Code was amended to increase the amount to $275.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Pursuant to the definition in California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378, the proposed changes to the Master Fee Schedule are not a “project.”
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented as this item does not include the bid or award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
The projected revenue for the fee increases of CLES, RTC, Public Safety False Alarm Fees and Witness Fees will be prorated based on 6-months (or .50). It is projected the Department will generate approximately $1,636,600 of CLES Fund revenue in FY25. The FY 25 projected revenue for the full 12-months was included during the FY 25 budget build process; however, the retroactive salary increases was not approved until after thereby increasing the expenses thus reducing the fund balance. The RTC is projected to generate approximately $516,400 of POST Fund revenue in FY25. The Public Safety False Alarm Fees will generate approximately $260,000 in revenue in FY25 with the revenue covering the salary and fringe of one full-time equivalent Accountant-Auditor II who facilitates the program and participates in False Alarm Appeal Hearings with the Independent Hearing Officers on behalf the department, the officers time for responding to the false alarm call and the Emergency Services Dispatchers who receive and dispatch the calls from the alarm companies. The Witness Fees are deposited into an interest-bearing account that is used to for officers that are called to court to testify on civil and criminal cases. Due to the uncertainty of when an officer will be called to court to testify for outside counsel, the projected revenue is unable to be determined.
Attachments:
583rd Amendment to the Master Fee Schedule Resolution and Exhibit A