Fiscal Note
The COPS Hiring grant would pay $125,000 of the salary and benefit expense for each of fifteen entry-level police officers for three years for a total of $1,875,000. This represents a 3% increase in the total commissioned authorized strength for the Department.
The terms of the grant would require the City to maintain its authorized strength for the three grant years plus one additional year. Total estimated City costs for 2018 through 2021 (including May 2021 through December in 2021 after the grant ends) are $2,653,300 and would need to be included in the Department’s operating budgets. Annual ongoing costs for 2022 and beyond are estimated to be $1,220,000; a $253,042 increase from 2021 or 26%.
The current practice is to start the annual academy in September of each year. Under this assumption, the City would pay the remainder of the salary and benefit costs for a total of $1,902,350. The City would also incur costs for initial issue uniforms, equipment and supplies ($144,060) and for vehicles ($267,500).
In 2018, the positions would begin in the September Academy and cost the City $241,000, including $144,060 for initial issue uniforms, equipment and supplies. City costs would be $705,126 in 2019, a $464,125 increase over 2018, or 193%.
The terms of the grant would require the City to maintain its authorized strength for the three grant years plus one additional year. Total estimated City costs for 2018 through 2021 (including September 2021 through December in 2021 after the grant ends) are $2,313,900 and would need to be included in the Department’s operating budgets. Annual ongoing costs for 2022 and beyond are estimated to be $1,220,000; a $423,465 increase from 2021 or 53%.
The Police Department has proposed moving up the annual academy up to May. This change would allow MPD to fill vacant commissioned officer positions faster, resulting in a higher overall strength of force throughout the year. Under this assumption, the City would pay the remainder of the salary and benefit costs for a total of $2,241,800. The City would also incur costs for initial issue uniforms, equipment and supplies ($144,060) and for vehicles ($267,500).
In 2018, the positions would begin in the May Academy and cost the City $341,000, including $144,060 for initial issue uniforms, equipment and supplies. City costs would be $756,495 in 2019, a $415,132 increase over 2018, or 122%.
See the attachment for costs by year, assuming either a September or May academy.
Title
Authorizing the Police Department to apply for and accept a FY2017 COPS Hiring grant of $1,875,000 for the purpose of hiring fifteen police officers to expand community policing efforts in patrol.
Body
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services has issued a solicitation for grant applications to hire law enforcement personnel in an effort to increase their community policing capacity and crime prevention efforts, with a special focus on building trust; and,
WHEREAS, this grant, if awarded, will cover approximately half of the approved entry-level salary and fringe benefits of each newly-hired full-time sworn career law enforcement officer over three years (36 months); and,
WHEREAS, the Police Department plans to submit a request for funding a total of fifteen (15) additional officer positions under the terms of this grant; and,
WHEREAS, the positions obtained through the grant would then be assigned to patrol in order to increase, on average, the amount of proactive time available to officers in order to allow more community policing efforts across districts; and,
WHEREAS, proactive time is the part of an officer’s workday that doesn’t consist of mandatory and routine tasks, and is the time where an officer can problem solve and build relationships; and,
WHEREAS, the Department’s goal has been to have patrol officers time, on average, split between reactive and proactive time; and,
WHEREAS, MPD workload analysis indicates that patrol officers are spending more time on reactive work and have less time available for proactive work; and,
WHEREAS, the Department’s problem-oriented policing focus searches for solutions to social and community issues by working with residents and community organizations.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Madison Police Department is authorized to apply for, and the Mayor and Chief of Police to accept, a FY2017 COPS Hiring grant for fifteen additional commissioned law enforcement officers.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the grant application will indicate that the Department will increase its commissioned strength by fifteen (15) positions to be assigned to patrol to allow for more community policing, problem-solving and relationship building activities by officers.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Department will include funding for the positions in its 2018 through 2021 operating budgets and that those positions will continue to be funded in 2022, as required by terms of the grant, if award awarded and accepted.