Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council weighs public-safety staffing needs, medical-call response and possible split of police and fire duties
Summary
Councilors and staff discussed recruitment and retention, a pay study, staffing shortages, a potential multi-year transition away from heavily triple-certified personnel, and short-term proposals to add firefighters and equipment to improve medical-call response.
Fate City Council members in the March 24 workshop gave extended attention to public safety, focusing on staffing, response capacity and whether the city should continue hiring "triple-certified" personnel (officers certified for police, fire and emergency medical services) or transition toward separate police and fire workforces.
Staff and the police chief described recruitment challenges, background checks that narrow applicant pools and a current shortfall of sworn officers. A pay study is underway and staff said implementation of any pay adjustments would be considered in the next budget. "There's a pay study going on right now. And that would be implemented in your budget for next year," a staff member said.
Council members discussed the pros and cons of triple certification. The police chief and others noted triple-certified personnel can provide flexibility but can only perform one role at a time. Several councilors urged a multi-year transition plan rather than an immediate split. One councilor described the transition as a multi-year process and staff characterized it as a staffing and scheduling change that would likely unfold over several years.
Staff proposed several operational improvements the council could include as goals: retain and recruit personnel; broaden public-safety strategy improvements (including traffic calming and home safety); and strengthen emergency-call response. Specific short-term proposals listed by staff included implementing license-plate-reader technology in some fixed locations, training and equipping a crisis intervention response team, and adding three firefighters plus a pickup truck to boost flexibility for medical calls.
On call volume, staff said overlapping medical calls are occurring about "0.6 times every day" (roughly one overlap every couple of days), and argued that adding a small rapid-response vehicle and additional personnel would reduce delays. The chief told the council the bond program had identified the police building as the largest facility deficiency and that apparatus and ladder truck needs are being addressed through the existing bond program.
Councilors also discussed evidence-processing and the need for an additional detective dedicated to narcotics in the coming year, and questioned whether existing facility and equipment plans were adequate as staffing increased.
No formal action or vote was taken on staffing changes at the workshop; staff said the discussion would inform the draft strategic plan and budget proposals to be returned to council.
Ending: Staff will incorporate council direction on public-safety recruitment, response needs and transition planning into the draft action plan and bring cost and timing estimates back for council consideration.
