AGENDA DATE: 9/5/2018
TITLE:
Title
Police Department Over-hire
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Authorize the Police Department to over-hire one Full-Time Police Officer
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, Lantz
PRESENTER (S): Chief Ron L. Lantz
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: On July 8, 2018, the Albemarle County Police Department (ACPD) was provided orders from the Department of the Army for the deployment of a full-time member of the ACPD’s sworn staff, starting July 9, 2018, and extending for a period of three years, to end on ending July 8, 2021. The deployment of this officer leaves the ACPD’s Training and Professional Standards Unit down one full-time position for a three year period.
Currently, the Training and Professional Standards Unit is comprised of three officers and is responsible for:
• all of the recruitment and hiring of new police officers and civilian staff,
• police academy training,
• regional SPARTAN training,
• the Firearms Training Facility,
• and all of the ACPD’s in-service training for staff.
The loss of this position for three years would have a significant impact on this unit’s ability to continue to meet the demands required for the recruitment and hiring of new police officers, as well as the required Department of Criminal Justice Services training for ACPD staff at its highest levels. Over-hiring one full-time police officer would allow the Training and Professional Standards Unit to sustain its high levels of service during the length of the deployment.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Quality Government Operations: Ensure County government’s capacity to provide high quality service that achieves community priorities.
DISCUSSION: ACPD has been challenged to meet and maintain minimum staffing levels for police officers for a number of years, and has faced an attrition rate for police officers of approximately five officers per year for the past five years. ACPD proposes to over-hire one FTE for the ACPD’s authorized sworn staff operations with the expectation that the normal attrition rate will offset the additional hire prior to the deployed officer’s expected return to full duty with the ACPD in July, 2021. The approval to over-hire one full-time police officer can be accomplished in a cost-neutral manner within the ACPD’s existing budget through surplus in salary lapse for the deployed officer’s position. The current officer’s salary is $47,404.72 per year, plus 30% in benefits, which totals $61,221.42 per year in salary as of July, 2018. A new officer’s starting salary is $38,727, plus 30% in benefits, which totals $50,345.10 per year. Therefore, there is no expected additional expense to the existing budget. It is projected that the ACPD will be able to absorb the over-hire position into existing FTE’s due to projected attrition over the course of the three year period.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no budget impact anticipated
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board authorize ACPD to over-hire one additional police officer over the current FTE staff level.
ATTACHMENTS: None