Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Police topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
San Fernando police propose administrative sergeant, records specialist, software and equipment upgrades; council and staff debate staffing levels
Summary
The San Fernando Police Department proposed adding an administrative-sergeant assignment and a part-time records specialist, plus recurring software and recruitment funds, as part of the FY25–26 budget; police leaders said the changes would centralize training and reporting functions and reduce overtime.
The San Fernando Police Department presented a package of staffing and technology recommendations that the city manager included in the FY25–26 proposed budget and answered council questions about staffing levels, recruitment and the department’s use of new technology.
Commander Chaisson (police department) described two primary recommended organizational changes: creation of an administrative-sergeant assignment to centralize training, mandated program coordination, internal affairs investigations and community engagement; and funding for a part-time police records specialist to address increased administrative reporting demands. Chaisson said the administrative-sergeant function would “centralize oversight and accountability, streamline workflows, and ensure consistent execution of these critical functions.”
The department reported it was staffed at 31 sworn officers with a budgeted strength of 35; police leadership said recruitment was active and multiple candidates were in background or interview steps. Staff described active hiring steps: written and physical tests, interviews and placement in the field-training program for new hires.
Key personnel and technology items discussed:
- Administrative sergeant: an ongoing reclassification estimated at about $55,000 annually (city manager recommendation) to perform regulatory training compliance, coordinate mandated grant-related programs, reduce reliance on outside contracted investigators for internal affairs, and support community engagement and succession planning.
- Part-time records specialist: an ongoing position estimated at $35,000 to address reporting requirements (NIBRS, DOJ submissions, EASER entry), reduce overtime and tackle backlogs such as record sealing and file purging.
- Software and administrative tools: personnel-evaluation software ($6,730 ongoing), scheduling software integration ($7,080 ongoing) and a $20,000 onetime recruitment allocation were recommended to improve efficiency and recruitment.
- Existing or prior-year purchases and outcomes: staff reported ticket writers (handheld citation devices) implemented with prior funding led to a 38% average monthly increase in citations written; an opioid-settlement-funded narcotics incinerator was purchased under budget and remaining funds will support a drug disposal program.
- Cameras, drones and MDC/AVL: staff described Flock license-plate–reading cameras as successful investigative tools (used in multiple arrests and at least one homicide-linked investigation) and discussed a proposed drone purchase (~$25,000 as discussed) to provide rapid aerial imaging for officer safety and search tasks. Mobile-data terminal (MDC) or mobile-data upgrades were discussed; staff said some replacements may be pursued through grant programs (federal/state technology grants) rather than the city’s recurring budget.
Council and staff exchanges focused on workforce balance and overtime: several members questioned whether the department’s supervisory-to-officer ratio and the number of new administrative responsibilities might affect patrol capacity. Police leaders said the administrative-sergeant assignment would be staffed from existing ranks through an internal selection process and argued the role would reduce overtime by centralizing investigations, training records and special-event planning. Staff acknowledged that replacing patrol vehicles is handled through the city’s equipment-replacement fund rather than as a budget enhancement; the department said several new vehicles were ordered or in process and noted prior investments (e.g., a Tesla vehicle purchase funded through AQMD grant money) are near completion.
What’s next: The staffing and software items were recommended in the manager’s proposed budget for council review. No formal personnel actions were taken at the meeting; hiring and reclassification would follow the usual personnel processes and satisfy meet-and-confer obligations where required.
Ending: Councilmembers asked for additional detail on background-investigation costs, vehicle replacement schedules, and the operational impacts of adding administrative assignments. The police department was directed to continue recruitment and provide follow-up details during subsequent budget deliberations.
