CC Min 1997-12-08 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

that doesn't happen. I think that is going to be difficult to report to us on a monthly or quarterly basis." In response to Councilman Leipzig's questions regarding vacant positions, Captain Vermeer said there were currently six vacant Officer positions: one will be filled with a recruit beginning the Academy in January; two just graduated from the Academy and the City is waiting for the results of their medical exams; a current reserve is also going to the Academy in January; and there are two lateral Police Officers "in background right now, and that looks promising." He said that he and Chief Bolanos are interviewing five or six candidates a week. He further answered that the Department is doing "way more than normal" and way more than other jurisdictions in expending resources and effort in recruitment. Couneil Member Leipzig asked for an update on the recruitment strategies employed by the Department. MEMO 12/9/97 Couneil Member Leipzig said the current P.A.L. Officer is very professional and very talented, and although Council Member Leipzig said he fully supported P.A.L., he questioned why this Officer couldn't be assigned to fill one of the current vacancies, especially in light of Council's expected approval of increasing Police personnel and creating more vacancies. Councilman Leipzig said he didn't want to make specific recommendations, but thought the position could be filled by a non-sworn Officer. Poliee Chief Bolanos said, "Generally P.A.L. has chosen to use sworn Police Officers for some very basic reasons. The relationship that we are trying to nurture is one that the youth of our community recognize that the Police Officer is their friend. That is the basic premise upon which P.A.L. is based." Police Chief Bolanos said the use of a sworn Police Officer is supported by the community, and "to do it without a sworn Police Officer would severely diminish the value of the program." Council Member Leipzig agreed that the City needed to keep the P.A.L. program but said the Staffing Study "says we have a staffing issue to deal with, and we have a crisis, and I don't want to see us delay if we can put another Officer on the street to protect the citizens and protect fellow Officers." He said, "I think we have to look at that, and maybe go with part time people on that, that's your Department, but I would seriously look at that position." City Manager Everett said the Staffing Study didn't say "we had a crisis. We are handling the calls for service... but we are not doing the Community Policing prevention work that we could be doing with 35% availability." He said current crime statistics throughout the country are going down, more likely due to a good economy than the number of Police Officers on the streets. City Manager Everett said that more Officers on the streets does not equate to fewer crimes being committed, because if the country goes into a major recession, crime will go up. He said he is convinced that P.A.L. is a very, REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 DECEMBER 8.1997 MINUTES Page No. 094 PAGE 9