San Gabriel receives first AB 2561 staffing report; police and fire vacancies highlighted

Human Resources and Risk Management Director Edward Macias presented San Gabriel's first compliance report under Assembly Bill 2561 on June 3, showing point-in-time vacancy rates for recognized bargaining units and unrepresented positions and describing recruitment and retention steps the city has taken.

Macias said AB 2561, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2025, requires agencies to report full-time position vacancies annually and to detail remediation efforts for any unit with a vacancy rate of 20% or more. "The agency must also report recruitment and retention efforts for the year, challenges experienced for the year, and any outstanding policies, procedures, and or practices that may be hindering the hiring and retention process," Macias said.

The report included two point-in-time snapshots. For Jan. 1, 2025, the presentation showed the Firefighters Association (FFA) had 30 authorized full-time equivalents and six operational vacancies (a 20% rate). By the May 31, 2025 snapshot, the FFA had one operational vacancy (about 3.3%). The Police Officers Association (POA) was shown at 39 authorized positions; the Jan. 1 snapshot listed five operational vacancies (reported as 12.8% when counted with underfilled positions) and the May 31 snapshot listed eight operational vacancies (20.5%), which triggered the additional required reporting for that unit.

Macias reviewed steps taken to reduce vacancies: contemporaneous recruitments for firefighter EMT and paramedic positions (including a side letter to allow conversion of up to nine EMT hires to paramedic vacancies), streamlined testing, a compensation and benefits study, temporary modular facilities, implementation of the NeoGov online application system, online testing, and hiring/retention bonuses for police hires (up to $15,000 through the MOU).

Councilmembers pressed for details on several items. Vice Mayor Eric Chan asked Macias to explain the difference between a vacant position and an "underfilled" position; Macias said underfilled positions include trainees who occupy an FTE but are not yet performing full operational duties (for example, police officer recruits in training). Macias noted average hire timelines and referral/hire counts presented in the report: for example, staff received 107 applications for firefighter EMT, tested 26 applicants, referred 13 for hiring consideration and hired six.

Councilmember John Wu asked about timelines for reviewing outdated staffing and scheduling policies and whether long-term facility improvements were planned for the police station. Macias said there are both short- and long-term plans, that a facility study has been discussed, and that temporary modules and minor remodels have been used while the city evaluates longer-term capital investments.

Mayor Denise Menchaca and other council members asked about exit interviews and employee satisfaction surveys; Macias said the city has recently begun offering optional exit interviews and staff will consider an annual employee satisfaction survey as an internal tool. The report was received and filed as an informational item; there was no formal policy action taken to adopt changes at the meeting.

The council discussed whether staff should report vacancy data more frequently; Macias said the state requirement is annually, but the council can ask staff to return with more frequent updates if desired.

The presentation and council discussion highlighted recruitment challenges the city faces in a tight labor market and the tension between speeding hiring and maintaining due diligence. Macias summarized the city's approach as "strategic, data driven, innovative, and committed to continuous improvement" in recruitment and retention.

Ending: The report will be part of the public record for the FY 2025-26 budget process; staff said the AB 2561 report will be repeated annually and that the city will apply lessons learned to subsequent recruitments.