REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
November 17, 2016
FROM: JEFF CARDELL, Director
Personnel Services Department
BY: KEN PHILLIPS, Labor Relations Manager
Personnel Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to Fresno Police Officers Association (FPOA), representing Unit 4, Non-Supervisory Police
1. ***Approve a Side Letter of Agreement with the Fresno Police Officers Association (FPOA), representing Unit 4, Non-Supervisory Police, Regarding Police Corporal Assignments
2. ***Approve a Side Letter of Agreement with the Fresno Police Officers Association (FPOA), representing Unit 4, Non-Supervisory Police, Regarding Senior Police Officer, Corporal, and Sergeant Assignments
3. ***Approve a Side Letter of Agreement with the Fresno Police Officers Association (FPOA), representing Unit 4, Non-Supervisory Police, Regarding Patrol Matrix Assignments and Preferred Staffing
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that Council approve the attached Side Letters of Agreement with FPOA which: 1) create a Corporal Assignment; 2) create Senior Police Officer, Corporal, and Sergeant Assignments; and, 3) revise provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and FPOA on Patrol Matrix Assignments and staffing levels.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
It is recommended that Council approve the three attached side letters of agreement with FPOA. The first side letter provides for a full time Corporal assignment that would provide training and mentoring to officers and cadets while continuing to perform as Police Officers. The second side letter provides for incentive pay for veteran Police Officers, Sergeants and those in Corporal assignments to work Watch II (swing shift) and Watch III (night shift) to ensure we have experienced staff on these shifts. The third side letter provides for a pilot project to replace minimum staffing with preferred staffing and establish a patrol “platoon schedule” with rotating days off.
BACKGROUND
In an ongoing effort to improve efficiency, training, and staffing with experienced officers on each shift, the City and FPOA have developed three side letter agreements which are summarized below. These side letters serve as an amendment to the current Memorandum of Understanding with FPOA which expires on June 30, 2017. The side letters expire with the MOU, unless mutually agreed to by the City and FPOA through successor MOU or other side letter agreements.
Corporal Assignment
Currently, the Police Department utilizes Police Officers and Specialists who receive special compensation when they are assigned to training duties for cadets and new officers. The Department will continue the use of Police Officers and Specialists as Training Officers during peak periods. Given the volume of hiring, the Police Department is experiencing an ongoing need to ensure that new officers and cadets receive proper instruction and orientation in their new roles. In a newly created Corporal assignment, the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified trainer will mentor police officers and cadets. Corporals can also fulfill the role of acting sergeant without acting pay when the assignment is for no more than five hours in duration.
In order to be selected for a Corporal assignment, Police Officers and Specialist must attend a POST certified training officer class, meet certain requirements and pass written and oral exams to become eligible for consideration in this assignment. Those who are selected for the Corporal assignment stay on the assignment for a minimum of two years. The term can be extended as long as the Police Officer or Sergeant continues to meet eligibility requirements. Those selected for Corporal assignments receive a stipend of $500 a month that will be compensable for retirement purposes
The Police Department will endeavor to have two Corporals in each policing district on Watch I, six on Watch II and two on Watch III.
Senior Police Officer, Corporal, and Sergeant Assignments
This side letter provides incentive pay for experienced officers to sign up for the swing and night shifts. The incentive pay will apply to Police Officers with a minimum of fifteen years of service, Sergeants who have completed a minimum of ten years of service in the classification, and Corporals who have completed ten years in the assignment. Department veterans who qualify will be allowed to wear an arm insignia which identifies Senior status. In addition, Senior Patrol Officers, Patrol Sergeants and those in a Corporal Assignment in Patrol assigned to Watch II would receive a $250 stipend each month, and those assigned to Watch III will receive a $300 stipend each month. The incentive pay will not be compensable for retirement purposes.
Patrol Matrix
The third side letter establishes two Patrol Matrix pilot programs, one on platoon schedules with a fixed, rotating schedule of days off, and another on a change from minimum staffing to preferred staffing.
Currently, Officers and Sergeants in Patrol bid on fixed or rotating days off; and those with the most seniority are likely to choose weekends off, leaving little opportunity for less senior Officers and Sergeants to have weekends off or a fixed and regular rotation. The side letter creates a platoon schedule which rotates through a fixed schedule with every other weekend off. In addition to greater opportunity for weekends off, the schedule is also expected to provide for the ability to have a fixed group, or platoon, which consistently works and trains together, which should result in better coordination of activities. The agreement provides for a review period and the ability to either continue or end the program depending on results.
Currently, the Chief of Police determines minimum staffing which seldom changes and with little ability to adapt to changes in seasonal changes and other variances. Among other problems, minimum staffing limits the ability of Officers and Sergeants to take time off even if police activity is reduced. This pilot program will change minimum staffing to “preferred” staffing, giving the Police Chief more leeway in determining staffing levels and an ability to adjust those levels as appropriate. The agreement provides for annual review of the change.
The side letters will be effective January 9, 2017, with the understanding that the Police Department would work towards the testing and selection of staff interested in a Corporal assignment and identification of Officers eligible for Senior Patrol Officer. They expire with the current MOU, unless mutually agreed to by the City and FPOA through successor MOU or other side letter agreements approved by Council.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
N/A
LOCAL PREFERENCE
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT
The estimated increased salary and benefit cost for the Corporal assignments for the balance of FY 2017 is $115,000. The estimated salary and benefit cost for the Senior Officer program for the balance of FY 2017 is $51,600. There is no additional cost for Patrol Matrix. The cost of these agreements will be absorbed by the Police Department within current appropriations.
Attachments:
Side Letter of Agreement with FPOA - Corporal Assignments
Side Letter of Agreement with FPOA - Senior Police Officer, Corporal, and Sergeant Incentive Pay
Side Letter of Agreement with FPOA - Patrol Matrix