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Home My WebLink About1995-06-27; City Council; 13228; POLICE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ISSUE STATEMENT- ? 4 ; w ;f ZU ZQ i”; Ec 4 $ 4k I- z ‘J c sk (0 - 1- 7. 40 a- z< ‘ I’ 30 Tl zj 7 :&I a, 3 $:‘ u z I- ‘1 ,’ Cw OF CARLSBAD - AGElQA BILL r AB # /323@ TITLE. DEPl ClTV MTG. DEPT. CITY 06/27/95 FIN ’ POLICE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ISSUE STATEMENT RECOMMENDED ACTION: If Council desires to appropriate additional funds for any of the police volunteer progrz the action would be to adopt Resolution No.95-14/ appropriating a specified d amount from the asset forfeiture fund for the volunteer program. ITEM EXPLANATION: During the public hearing for the 1995-96 operating budget on June 20, 1995, se\ issue statements were presented to Council for their consideration. Of these, COI requested that the statement on the police volunteer programs be continued to Junf 1995 in order for the Council to gather additional information. The original issue statement is attached and if Council desires to appropriate fund any of the volunteer programs, they may adopt the resolution indicating the amoui the appropriation. FISCAL IMPACT: The fiscal impact will depend on the alternative selected by Council. The costs for f alternative are outlined in the issue statement. Staff is recommending the use of asset forfeiture funds for all first year costs with an) going personnel costs being moved to the General fund for fiscal years after 199f There are sufficient funds available in the asset forfeiture fund for any or all of alternatives proposed in the issue statement. EXHIBITS: 1, Resolution No, 95- 1% appropriating funds for an expanded police volur program. b 1- c\lko u3 c =a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 €3 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 0 0 RESOLUTION NO. 95-191 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR AN EXPANDED POLICE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM volunteer program in place: and involvement; and sset forfeiture fund to pay for thc RESOLVED by the City Council of the City 01 is appropriated from the asset forfeiture fund balancc d to the expansion of the volunteer program in the Cib PPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the Cit) Council on the , 1995, by the following vote, to wit: ClAUDE A. LEWIS, Mayor / ALETHA L. RAUTENKRANZ, City Clerk (SEAL) EXHlBl ISSUE STATEME w 0 Background The Carlsbad Police Department has a small volunteer program that has been in place for sev years. There are currently five volunteers participating in this program. Assignments incl filing, citation entry and other clerical duties in the Records Division (two volunteers) and ( entry along with other clerical duties in the Investigations Division (two volunteers). addition, the department has had one volunteer during the past year assisting the departme Rangemaster and Reserve Program. This volunteer was recently hired as a Police Offi Volunteers also make up the Reserve Officer Program and Juvenile Justice Panel. The volunteer programs have no formal coordination or recognition systems. Costs associated with the current volunteer program are nominal. The expenses include fingerprint fees for the background check and a small $5.00 gift for each volunteer dui "National Volunteer Recognition Week. I' Since there is no significant coordination of program, these are no staff time expenses incurred. Prouosal To enhance and expand the Police Department's delivery of community law enforcenr services, the following programs are proposed: I. Enhanced Volunteer Program The proposed enhancement of the current volunteer program would formalize the process which volunteers are recruited and assigned, starting from the initial citizen inquiry, to screening, application, approval and assignment to a division. The background investigatio: applicants and issues involving liability and insurance will also be improved. The matcl between the volunteer and the assignment, and expansion of the list of assignments should be improved. To ensure the success of a volunteer program, a "Police Volunteer Recognition Program proposed. The recognition of volunteers in the Juvenile Justice Panel and the Reserve Off Program should be incorporated into the overall volunteer program. Costs would include $2,000 for the Volunteer Recognition Program (e.g., a recogni reception or dinner, an appreciation gift, etc.) and $1,000 for increase in expenses background fingerprinting and miscellaneous supplies. As the program expands in size, tl: costs will increase. Total ongoing costs = $3,000. e IT. Citizens Police Academy A Citizens Police Academy is a six- or eight-week program in which a group of PO employees and citizens (usually 15 - 25 members per group) meet weekly to learn about varj aspects of law enforcement and increase the department’s understanding of citizens’ conce needs and perspectives, and identify areas where there is a need to improve education an( service. Participants would be selected at random to obtain a cross-section of Carlsbad residents. Participants, including citizens and police department employees , will be surveyed before after the academy as part of the program’s evaluation. After the successful completion of first academy and positive evaluation, it is expected that two to four academies per year w( be conducted. Costs for the citizens academy would include supplies of $500 per academy (materials, bind etc. for each participant). Coordination would be absorbed by current staff. Overtime expel of approximately $2,000 per academy would be incurred for employee presentations at acade sessions. Total cost per academy = $2,500. 111. Citizen Patrol Program Citizen patrols are teams of specially trained volunteers who enhance crime prevention serv and help increase services to the community. Citizen patrol members do not take enforcerr action, carry weapons or make arrests. They conduct proactive crime prevention and servic and only observe and report any suspicious activity they encounter. While performing f duties, citizen patrol volunteers would be paired in teams and in a specially designated vehi Citizen patrol volunteers attend a special citizen patrol training academy (usually 40 hours IC to receive training in various crime prevention duties and services. In addition, Citizen pa members are required to pass a thorough background check and volunteer a specified minin number of hours per week. The range of responsibilities for a citizen patrol volunteer could include: 0 0 Senior citizen welfare checks Handicapped parking enforcement Special events assistance e Provide citizen assistance such as information, directions and community resources Police Department tours 0 Parking citation assistance Graffiti patrol Vacation checks for Carlsbad residents Observation patrol in specially marked vehicles w a Assist Crime Prevention with presentations and residential security survey. Assist the police in emergencies andlor disaster situations 0 Fingerprinting for citizens Program evaluations would be conducted before, during and after the academy as well as ( regular basis after the volunteers have had field experience. Training and operations of program may be modified as needed. Volunteer Program Coordinator. To ensure the success of the program and to avoid reduc service levels in other areas of the department due to the use of existing staff to coordinate program, the addition of one full-time Volunteer Program Coordinator position is necess A coordinator is recommended for the coordination of not only the citizen patrol program, also to coordinate the other volunteer programs within the department. Although it maj possible to eventually use a volunteer to help coordinate the program, staff has determined it will be very difficult to get an unpaid volunteer coordinator for a start-up program. Costs associated with a Citizen Patrol Program would include the following: Capital Outlay for one fleet vehicle - $20,000 Annual vehicle maintenance & repair - $10,000 Two "handi-talkie" radios - $3,000 Miscellaneous supplies including fingerprinting - $2,000 per year Uniforms - $1,000 (depending on uniform purchase policy) Departmlent staff overtime expenses incurred for instruction of the citizen pa academy - $1,000 per academy One full--time Volunteer Program Coordinator - $32,000 per year 0 0 0 0 0 Total Start-up Costs = $23,000 Total Ongoing Costs = $49,000 Recognition expenses - $2,000 per year H:\LIBRAR~FINANCE\WPDATA\96BUD\ISPOLICE W m Fiscal Impact The following is a summary of total costs for each proposed volunteer program: First-Year Ongoing costs costs I. Enhanced Volunteer Program $ 3,000 $ 3,000 11. Citizens Academy (two academies per year) 5,000 5,000 111. Citizen Patrol (two academies per year) 72,000 49,000 TOTAL ANNUAL PROGRAM COSTS $ 80,000 $57,000 These volunteer programs could be funded from Asset Forfeiture dollars during the first y~ However, after the first year of operation, personnel expenses (approx. $36,000 per year) need to be paid out of the General Fund. Maintenance, operations and capital equipn expenses may remain in Asset Forfeiture fund accounts. Alternatives 1. Develop and implement any combination of the three proposed volunteer programs I all first year costs and any ongoing maintenance & operations and capital outlay c being funded through the Asset Forfeiture fund. Enhance the existing volunteer program only; implement no new programs. Take no action; maintain the existing volunteer program under its current structure. 2. 3. H\LIBRARYlFINANCE\WPDATA\96BUD\ISPOLICE