DeKalb IRPS committee approves fire‑rescue and HR contracts, accepts forfeiture funds; civilian review board resolution withdrawn

The DeKalb County Employee Relations and Public Safety (IRPS) Committee on an unspecified date approved a series of procurement and contract actions for Fire Rescue and Human Resources, accepted state and federal asset forfeiture funds, and withdrew a resolution to establish a police civilian review board.

The committee approved a cooperative contract through HGAC (contract EC0723) for annual maintenance and support of the First In alerting system used in county fire stations. A committee presenter said the contract text will be corrected to reflect 26 fire stations rather than 24 and that the price will not change. The item was approved by voice vote.

The committee also approved change order number 3 to contract 1218886 for self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) purchase, repair and maintenance, extending the term through Sept. 30, 2025, and increasing the contract amount to a not‑to‑exceed $150,000. A presenter described the equipment as the air tanks firefighters wear into hazardous environments and said an invitation to bid is in process; the change order was approved by voice vote.

Under human resources, the committee approved an award of RFP 24‑500663 for pre‑ and post‑employment psychological testing and related services to Dr. Joseph A. Hill. The contract is an annual award with four renewal options and an amount not to exceed $175,000. County HR and procurement staff described the services as (1) mandatory pre‑ and post‑employment psychological screening for public‑safety candidates, (2) fitness‑for‑duty evaluations for current employees, and (3) critical‑incident debriefing and evaluations for employees involved in high‑impact incidents.

The committee accepted two routine forfeiture items: authorization to accept state forfeiture property and authorization to accept federal forfeiture property, each with an acceptance cap of up to $600,000. A police department representative told the committee the department has not typically reached the $600,000 cap in recent years and cited roughly "just over $500,000" in state and federal forfeiture receipts in the prior year; both forfeiture acceptance items were approved by voice vote.

On police oversight, the committee heard a presentation proposing a standing community advisory board modeled on the temporary community advisory board created during CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) certification. The resolution would ask the county law department to draft membership criteria and operational guidelines and return with a formal item for approval. Committee members asked for scope and measurable outcomes, and the item was deferred for two weeks to allow the chief and law department to provide CALEA guidance and additional detail.

Separately, the committee approved a motion to withdraw Resolution 20230558, which had proposed establishing a police civilian review board to review certain complaints against the DeKalb County Police Department. The item was withdrawn on the request of the commissioner who sponsored it after feedback from stakeholders and the police department.

Two other policing items were deferred for two weeks for additional conversations: a resolution asking the police department to develop a diversion policy related to enforcement against unhoused individuals, and the community advisory board resolution described above.

Committee procedure: most approvals were taken by voice vote; where a recorded roll call was not provided in the transcript, the minutes reflect "All in favor? Aye. Motion passes." Several motions were seconded; the transcript does not include a full roll call tally for these items.

Votes at a glance: the minutes of the prior meeting were approved by voice vote; cooperative contract EC0723 (First In alerting maintenance) approved; change order #3 to contract 1218886 (SCBA) approved, not to exceed $150,000; RFP 24‑500663 (psychological testing) awarded to Dr. Joseph A. Hill, not to exceed $175,000; authorization to accept state forfeiture property approved (up to $600,000); authorization to accept federal forfeiture property approved (up to $600,000); resolution to establish a police civilian review board withdrawn; resolutions to establish a community advisory board and to develop a diversion policy for unhoused individuals deferred for two weeks.

Why it matters: the votes authorize ongoing maintenance and emergency equipment support for Fire Rescue, set mental‑health assessment services for public‑safety hiring and critical‑incident response, and confirm the county’s routine acceptance of seized funds within statutory forfeiture frameworks. The committee’s withdrawal of the civilian review board and the deferral of other police‑oversight items indicate further negotiation is expected before the county adopts a permanent oversight or diversion policy.

What’s next: the law department and police department were asked to provide additional CALEA‑related guidance and structural details on the proposed community advisory board and to return to the IRPS committee; deferred items are scheduled to return after two weeks for further consideration.