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THEY'LL MAKE IT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
WELCOME TO OUR MONTHLY BUDGET MEETING.JUSTIN, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? HEY. OKAY, REAL QUICK.
REAL QUICK. CRAIG, CAN YOU HEAR US? YES, I CAN. LOUD AND CLEAR.
. YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS PRESENT.
THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM AT THIS TIME.
[3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
WE'LL NOW HAVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.SECOND, FOR THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY JUST SAYING I.
WE'VE APPROVED OUR MINUTES AND WE'RE NOW ON TO NEW BUSINESS.
OKAY. OKAY. WE'RE NOW DOWN TO OUR PRESENTATION FROM THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC SAFETY MANAGEMENT.
[4. NEW BUSINESS:]
MR. CRAIG YOUNGER.SENIOR PUBLIC SAFETY CONSULTANT.
I'M A SENIOR MANAGER WITH THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC SAFETY MANAGEMENT.
AND I WAS ALSO THE TEAM LEAD FOR THE PULASKI COUNTY SHERIFF'S PROJECT.
I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU WANT TO DO THIS.
DO YOU HAVE THE POWERPOINT? WE HAVE IT PRINTED IN FRONT OF US.
OKAY, SO LET'S MOVE TO THE SECOND SLIDE, WHICH IS THE PSM PROJECT STAFF.
AND BETWEEN US WE PROBABLY HAVE OVER 50 TO 60 OF THESE PROJECTS COMPLETED BETWEEN ALL OF US.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE ON THE METHODOLOGY, THE WAY PSM CONDUCTS THESE ASSESSMENTS IS WE USE A STANDARDIZED APPROACH TO EVERY AGENCY THAT WE DO THESE JOBS FOR, WHETHER IT'S A SMALL AGENCY OF 10 TO 12 OFFICERS OR DEPUTIES TO A LARGE AGENCY OF.
IT ALL BEGINS WITH THE DATA ANALYSIS.
THE DATA ANALYSIS IS THAT INFORMATION THAT CAN BE GLEANED OR ACCESSED FROM THE AGENCY'S CAD SYSTEM, THEIR COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH AND THEIR RECORD SYSTEM.
AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS CALLS FOR SERVICE.
THE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT ON CALLS, THE RESPONSE TIMES, THE NUMBER OF DEPUTIES ASSIGNED TO EACH CALL, HOW MUCH TIME THEY SPEND ON THE CALLS AND WHAT TIMES OF DAYS AND OF THE WEEK AND MONTHS THAT THE CALLS ARE DONE.
WAY WE OPERATE IS WE BEGAN GATHERING DATA PRIOR TO A SITE VISIT.
ALL FOUR OF US WERE ON SITE AT PULASKI COUNTY FOR TWO DAYS.
AND DURING THOSE TWO DAYS WE HAVE THE FIRST DAY CONSISTS OF SOME FOCUS GROUPS WITH SWORN AND CIVILIAN SUPERVISORS AND LINE LEVEL EMPLOYEES, AND THAT'S OUR CHANCE TO TALK TO THEM IN COMPLETE ANONYMITY AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
AND WE REALLY GLEAN DATA THAT OR INFORMATION THAT HELPS US BUILD ON GETTING INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
THEN WHAT WE DO IS DURING THIS TIME WE'VE REVIEWED ALL THE DATA, THE DATA.
REPORT PROVIDED ALL OF THAT STUFF THAT I TALKED ABOUT AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
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AND THEN WE ALSO DO THE OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OBSERVATIONS WHILE WE'RE ON SITE.SO WHILE WE'RE ON SITE, THOSE TWO DAYS, IF YOU'RE HANDLING THE PATROL ASPECT, THE CONSULTANT WENT OUT AND WROTE A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH DEPUTIES, WERE MEETING WITH PEOPLE IN EACH OF THE DIVISIONS, THE UNITS AND TALKING TO THEM TO FIND OUT HOW THEY OPERATE, MAYBE WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, IF IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SOME OF THE GENERAL OBSERVATIONS THAT THE TEAM NOTICED WHILE THEY WERE ON SITE AND GOING THROUGH THE INFORMATION WAS MOST OF THE DEPARTMENT'S EMPLOYEES REALLY ENJOY WORKING FOR THE AGENCY BECAUSE THE AGENCY FEELS LIKE FAMILY TO THEM.
WE HAD MORE THAN A FEW MENTIONED THAT TO US THAT THEY REALLY LIKED THAT FAMILY, THAT CLOSENESS OF WITH THE PEOPLE THAT THEY WORK WITH. THERE ARE SOME ISSUES, THOUGH.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT STRUGGLING TO RETAIN TRAINED SWORN DEPUTIES.
THE EMPLOYEES ARE FEELING THE EFFECTS OF BEING UNDERSTAFFED, WHICH IS THE RESULT OF THAT, IS WORKING A LOT OF OVERTIME, WORKING A LOT OF OVERTIME CAUSES.
BURNOUT CAUSES STRESS, AND IT CAN QUICKLY ESCALATE IF OVERTIME IS CONSISTENT OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THEY ALL VOICED ISSUES WITH.
IT APPEARED THAT MUCH OF THE DECISION MAKING APPEARED TO BE MADE AT THE TOP LEVELS, THAT DECISIONS WEREN'T PASSED DOWN TO RANKS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, THAT THE RANK WOULD BE COMPENSATED COMMENSURATE WITH THE AUTHORITY.
WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS LACK OF COMMUNICATION UP AND DOWN WITHIN THE AGENCY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO BE HONEST.
EVERY ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAVE DONE AN ASSESSMENT FOR WHICH OUR COMPANY HAS DONE OVER 350, I BELIEVE WE'VE HEARD THAT CONSISTENT.
COMMUNICATION UP AND DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND USUALLY IS NOT REAL GOOD.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NOTICED WAS THAT IN MANY OF THE SECTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT, THAT THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO. CREATE CIVILIAN POSITIONS TO REPLACE THE SWORN DEPUTIES, THAT THE SWORN DEPUTIES COULD THEN BE PLACED INTO AREAS THAT ACTUALLY REQUIRED A SWORN DEPUTY.
PROPERTY IN EVIDENCE WAS A SWORN DEPUTY.
HANDLING PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE.
IN JUST ABOUT EVERY STUDY WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO.
A LOT OF THE POSITIONS THAT TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN DONE BY SWORN PERSONNEL.
WE ALSO FOUND THAT THE AGENCY IS LACKING IN NECESSARY NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD SUPPORT LINE LEVEL ACTIVITIES, MEANING THE PATROL DEPUTIES, THE INVESTIGATORS AND ALL THE OTHER UNITS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS REPORT ISN'T A FIX ALL FOR THE DEPARTMENT, BUT IT CAN BE USED AS A ROADMAP TO MAKING THE DEPARTMENT MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE EFFECTIVE.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FOLLOWED.
THEN IT CAN HELP MAKE THE ORGANIZATION RUN SMOOTHER.
SO THE OVERALL REPORT IS 190 PAGES.
THERE'S MORE THAN 120 RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT, AND I'LL GO OVER SOME OF THEM, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM IN THIS PRESENTATION AND OBVIOUSLY TAKE TOO LONG. BUT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN RANGE FROM SIMPLE OPERATIONAL OR PROCEDURAL ITEMS TO LONG TERM HUMAN RESOURCE AND CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, A NEW NEW SHERIFF'S FACILITY.
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SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GENERAL, AND SOME OF THEM CALL FOR SOME RESEARCH AND DELIBERATION.SOME OF THE THE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN SIMPLY BE MADE BY A DECISION BY THE SHERIFF TO CHANGE A POLICY.
HE CAN DO THAT HIMSELF WITHOUT A LOT OF EFFORT AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
NOW, THE NEXT ONE IS THE ONE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
WILL DICTATE WHETHER A RECOMMENDATION IS FOLLOWED AND OUR ASSESSMENTS.
ONE IS, DOES THE DEPARTMENT HAVE THE FUNDING TO BUY TO NEW TECHNOLOGY, TO BUY NEW EQUIPMENT, TO HIRE NEW EMPLOYEES? THE SECOND ONE IS, DO THEY HAVE THE PERSONNEL CURRENTLY THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO MAYBE CREATE A SPECIALIZED UNIT OR ADD PERSONNEL TO DIFFERENT UNITS? AND THE THIRD ONE IS THE ONE THAT'S USUALLY THE MOST INTERESTING TO EVERYONE BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY WHAT IS THE WILL OF THE SHERIFF, IN YOUR CASE, THE QUORUM BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY TO ALLOW THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE ENACTED.
FOR EXAMPLE, I'LL GIVE YOU A SIMPLE ONE THAT MANY TIMES POLICE DEPARTMENTS, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS RESPOND TO A LOT OF FALSE ALARMS. SO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE USUALLY MAKE IS THAT THERE'S A DOUBLE CALL SYSTEM PUT IN PLACE OR THAT UNLESS THEY CAN VERIFY IT, THEY DON'T RESPOND WELL.
SO THAT'S THE WILL OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE WILL OF THE QUORUM BOARD IN YOUR CASE IS WELL, WE MAY NOT PROVIDE FUNDING FOR NEW POLICE CARS OR NEW SHERIFF'S VEHICLES, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S REALLY THE HARDEST TO HAVE THE THE AGENCIES FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATION.
WITH THE ELIMINATION OF THE MAJOR RANK.
THE CAPTAINS WOULD THEN REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE ASSISTANT SHERIFF.
THAT COULD BE LINE LEVEL POSITIONS.
OBVIOUSLY, THE SHERIFF'S NOT GOING TO BE THERE FOREVER.
HIS COMMAND LEVEL PERSONNEL AREN'T GOING TO BE THERE FOREVER.
THAT CHAIN THAT WILL BRING IN THE NEW LEADERS THAT WILL LEAD THE ORGANIZATION FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, TEN YEARS FROM NOW, OR EVEN 20 YEARS FROM NOW. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND IS THAT THE AGENCY BECOME AN ACCREDITED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND WHAT THAT USUALLY ENTAILS. IT CAN BE DONE THROUGH THE NATIONAL SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION, IT CAN BE DONE THROUGH CALEA, BUT THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO MEET. ALMOST, I DON'T KNOW, SEVERAL HUNDRED REQUIREMENTS IN EVERY UNIT AND EVERY DIVISION THAT THEY MEET BEST PRACTICES AND THAT THEY MEET THE LEGAL CONSTRAINTS.
BUT ONCE YOU ACHIEVE ACCREDITATION, IT BUILDS TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT THAT THE AGENCIES TRY TO DO THAT.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT A LOT OF CITIES, AGENCIES, COUNTIES, ETCETERA, HIRE US TO COME IN AND LOOK AT THE AGENCY IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEIR PATROL DIVISION, WHICH IS USUALLY THE BIGGEST OPERATIONAL PART OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, HAS
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ENOUGH PERSONNEL TO DO THE JOB, DO IT SAFELY, AND CAN MEET THE CRIME NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY.SO THE POLICE PATROL IS BASICALLY THE BACKBONE OF AMERICAN POLICING.
IT'S THE LARGEST PART OF THE AGENCY.
AS I SAID, IT'S USUALLY THE ONE THAT HAS THE MOST FACE TO FACE CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND IT'S TRADITIONALLY WHAT IS ALWAYS THOUGHT OF AS A POLICE AGENCY THAT DEPUTY OR THAT OFFICER IN A POLICE CAR RESPONDING TO CALLS ON THE STREET.
EXCUSE ME. WHEN WE LOOK AT PATROL STAFFING, WHAT WE LOOK AT IS WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE THE DEPUTIES DOING OR THE OFFICERS AND WHAT SHOULD THEY BE DOING? WE LOOK AT HOW MANY OFFICERS WE BELIEVE ARE NECESSARY BASED UPON THE DATA, OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE EMPLOYEES.
ARE REQUIRED TO HANDLE THE WORKLOAD OF THE PATROL DEPUTIES AND HOW THEY SHOULD BE DEPLOYED OR IN SOME CASES, HOW THEY SHOULDN'T BE DEPLOYED.
AND THAT MEANS WE LOOK AT GEOGRAPHIC SIZE OF WHAT'S CALLED BEATS.
WE LOOK AT HOW THE DEPUTIES RESPOND.
WE LOOK AT WHAT THE CRITERIA IS FOR THEIR RESPONSE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND ALL OF THAT FALLS INTO THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE DEPUTIES.
SO IF WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS THE RULE OF 60, THIS IS I HAVE TO.
UH, SAY, FIRST OF ALL, THAT THE MYTH A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE IS THAT.
THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS PER 1000 POPULATION IS THE BEST WAY TO DETERMINE STAFFING.
SAY IF YOU HAVE A CITY OF 10,000 PEOPLE, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE TEN OFFICERS.
WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE BECAUSE SOME COMMUNITIES MAY HAVE HIGHER CRIME RATES, SOME MAY HAVE LOWER CRIME RATES, SOME MAY HAVE A LOT OF CALLS FOR SERVICE. SOME MAY NOT HAVE MANY CALLS FOR SERVICE.
AND IT'S ALSO THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE DEPARTMENT, AS IN PULASKI COUNTY.
THEIR PHILOSOPHY IS WE RESPOND TO ALL CALLS.
WELL, WHEN YOU HAVE A PHILOSOPHY LIKE THAT, YOU MAY NEED MORE PERSONNEL THAN DEPARTMENTS THAT ONLY RESPOND TO A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CALLS. SO THE RULE OF 60 WAS A WAS BASICALLY.
DEVISED BY ONE OF OUR CONSULTANTS WHO IS A PHD, WAS AN ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER WITH NYPD, AND HE CAME UP WITH THE RULE OF 60 AND THE RULE OF 60 HAS TWO PARTS.
PART ONE IS THE RATIO OF THE PATROL DEPUTIES IN THE DEPARTMENT COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE AGENCY.
SO JUST FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE 100 DEPUTIES, 60 OF THEM SHOULD BE ASSIGNED TO PATROL.
THE OTHER 40% ASSIGNED TO INVESTIGATIONS, SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENTS, SAY A COMMUNITY IMPACT TEAM, A WATER, A LAKE PATROL, THINGS LIKE THAT.
PULASKI COUNTY SHERIFFS HAD 48 DEPUTIES ASSIGNED TO PATROL, WHICH WAS BASICALLY 62% OF THEIR DEPUTY FORCE.
SO FOR US, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT AND GOING THEY THEY HAVE WHAT'S NEEDED TO ADEQUATELY POLICE THE COMMUNITY BASED UPON THE RULE OF 60 THE SECOND PART OF IT IS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT 60% OF THEIR TIME SHOULD BE SPENT RESPONDING TO CALLS AND 40% OF THE TIME IS DISCRETIONARY TIME.
AS YOU CAN SEE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, DISCRETIONARY TIME IS USED FOR PROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT, CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT REPORT WRITING, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE DATA FOR PULASKI COUNTY, THE WORKLOAD NEVER EXCEEDED 40%.
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60%, THAT'S WHEN DEPUTIES OR OFFICERS ARE BECOMING STRESSED OR FATIGUED.THE PATROL DIVISION IS BECOMING STRESSED AND DEPUTIES OR OFFICERS ARE BASICALLY RESPONDING.
THERE IS NO TIME FOR PROACTIVE ENGAGEMENT.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WAS LOOKED AT AND WE LOOKED AT SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2021 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST OF 2022.
SO THIS ONE SECTION THAT THAT WAS ANALYZED IS THE SUMMER OF 2022 WEEKDAYS.
SO YOU CAN SEE BY LOOKING AT THE THE CHART THAT THE GREEN LINE IS THE TOTAL WORKLOAD.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE MORNING HOURS IT'S DOWN, UH, BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND BASICALLY 7 A.M.
DOWN AROUND THE 20%, WHICH IS PRETTY NORMAL.
THAT'S USUALLY THE SLOWEST TIME IN ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION.
AND THEN BY 7 OR 8:00 IN THE MORNING, WHEN MORE AND PEOPLE, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE OUT GOING TO WORK, THE WORKLOAD BEGINS TO INCREASE.
NOW, I HAVE TO SAY THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAD DOING THE ASSESSMENT OF THE WORKLOAD OF PATROL DEPUTIES WAS THAT WE FOUND THAT PULASKI COUNTY IS NOT ACTUALLY ACCURATELY CAPTURING THE WORKLOAD OF THE DEPUTIES. FOR EXAMPLE, OUT OF A 12 HOUR SHIFT, THEY MAY NOT.
OKAY. LET ME LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.
SO WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF AND EMPLOYEES WAS THAT.
PULASKI COUNTY HAS HAD A LONG STANDING PHILOSOPHY THAT YOU STAY AVAILABLE FOR CALLS, WHICH MEANS IF YOU GO HANDLE A FAMILY DISPUTE OR A DOMESTIC ISSUE OR A THEFT ISSUE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND THERE HAS TO BE A REPORT WRITTEN THAT YOU WRITE THE REPORT WHILE STAYING AVAILABLE FOR THE CALL FOR CALLS THAT MIGHT COME UP.
MOST AGENCIES TRY TO CAPTURE THEIR TIME MORE ACCURATELY BY HAVING THE OFFICERS OR DEPUTIES SHOW THAT THEIR REPORT WRITING.
AND THAT CAN BE DONE SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS.
YOU CAN SHOW THAT YOUR REPORT WRITING, BUT YOU'RE STILL SUBJECT TO CALLS.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE WITH THE LINE, THE GREEN LINE THAT NEVER EXCEEDS 40% IS THE ACTUAL CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT THEY RESPONDED ON WHETHER IT WAS A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT, A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL, AN UNWANTED SUBJECT, WHATEVER IT WAS. SO THEIR WORKLOAD, WE BELIEVE, WOULD BE MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT.
THE TOTAL WORKLOAD, IF THEY INCLUDED ALL OF THE TIME THAT WAS NOT ACCURATELY CAPTURED.
THE PROBLEM IS IT'S HARD TO SAY HOW HIGH THIS LINE WOULD BE IF EVERYTHING WAS ACCURATELY CAPTURED, AND THAT'S BASED UPON NUMBERS OF REPORTS.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS ONE THAT I ALWAYS LIKE TO DISCUSS WHEN I DO THE PRESENTATIONS BECAUSE IT'S THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE DEPUTIES. NOW, WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT MOST SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS HAVE A HIGHER RESPONSE TIME THAN DO A MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION.
THEIR GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARY IS JUST SMALLER THAN THE COUNTY.
SO THE COUNTY, I BELIEVE, HAD 700 AND SOME SQUARE MILES TO POLICE.
LITTLE ROCK MAY HAVE 50 OR 60.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
SO THERE'S JUST A LARGER AREA THAT DEPUTIES HAVE TO DRIVE TO GET TO CALLS.
NOW, WHAT I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS TWO THINGS.
ONE IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE SECTION THAT SHOWS DISPATCH RIGHT THERE FOR PRIORITY ONE CALL.
CURRENTLY IT IS TAKING THREE MINUTES AND FOUR SECONDS TO DISPATCH A PRIORITY ONE CALL.
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MOST AGENCIES.PRIORITY ONE CALLS ARE DISPATCHED WITHIN A MINUTE AND A HALF TO TWO MINUTES.
SO WE BELIEVE THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO TAKE A LOOK AT DISPATCHING AND FIND OUT HOW THEY CAN MAKE THAT THAT TIME OF DISPATCHING THE CALL FASTER.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL RESPONSE TIME, WHICH IS THE DISPATCH TIME AND TRAVEL TIME.
SO YOU PROBABLY MAKE UP A MINUTE OR TWO ON DISPATCH TIME.
MOST DEPARTMENTS ALSO THAT WE STUDY RESPONSE TO A PRIORITY ONE CALL IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 5 TO 7 MINUTES, BUT THAT'S USUALLY MORE IN LINE WITH THE MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND NOT A SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
SO WITH YOUR AGENCY, THE TRAVEL TIME IS MUCH HIGHER BECAUSE OF THE AREA THAT YOU HAVE TO COVER.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE TALKS ABOUT PATROL RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THESE ARE JUST A FEW, BUT THERE'S SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT ONES.
AND THE BIGGEST ONE IS WHAT I'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IS THAT THEY NEED TO ADOPT PROCEDURES TO ACCURATELY CAPTURE ALL OF THE DEPUTIES WORK.
SO THAT'S THE REPORT WRITING TIME.
AND THEN WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS AFTER 6 TO 12 MONTHS OF CAPTURING A DEPUTIES COMPLETE WORKLOAD.
HAVE ANOTHER ANALYSIS DONE OF THE WORKLOAD OF THE DEPUTIES, AND THAT'LL BE A MORE ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND COULD BE A MORE ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF HOW MANY MORE DEPUTIES MIGHT BE NEEDED.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD FIND A THIRD PARTY VENDOR TO DEVELOP AN ONLINE REPORTING SYSTEM SO THAT DEPUTIES AREN'T GOING OUT AND TAKING MINOR CRIME REPORTS THAT CAN BE DONE ONLINE.
THEY CAN JUST GET ONLINE, DO IT.
THEN THEY GET A RESPONSE BACK AND THEN THEY GET A OPPORTUNITY TO DOWNLOAD THE REPORT AND GET A REPORT NUMBER, WHICH FOR MANY TIMES IT'S JUST INSURANCE ISSUES.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THEY IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE FALSE ALARM REDUCTION PROGRAM.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU CAN'T ENGAGE THE PARTNERS TO FUND PART OR ALL OF THE POSITIONS, THEN IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE. BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT SCHOOL RESOURCE PROGRAMS ARE IMPORTANT, ALTHOUGH IT IS A CONTROVERSY ACROSS THE THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY SHOULD HAVE OFFICERS OR DEPUTIES IN SCHOOLS.
I BELIEVE THE SHERIFF BELIEVES IT'S IMPORTANT AND HE PROBABLY KNOWS HIS COMMUNITY.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THEY THEY SHOULD HAVE AN ADDITIONAL FIVE DEPUTIES IN THE SCHOOL RESOURCE PROGRAM.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD ADD NEW EIGHT NEW PATROL DEPUTY POSITIONS, AND THAT WOULD BE TWO TO EACH SHIFT, AND THAT WOULD BE TO STRATEGICALLY ASSIGN THEM SO THAT IT COULD REDUCE THE TIMES FOR SERVICE, THE RESPONSE TIMES AND TO BETTER SERVICE.
BACKING UP OTHER DEPUTIES THAT MAY BE OUT IN A REMOTE AREA AND THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN.
AND WE BELIEVE ADDING THE EIGHT NEW DEPUTIES, IF THEY'RE STRATEGICALLY ASSIGNED ON EVERY SHIFT, THAT YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR PRIORITY ONE RESPONSES AND THE PRIORITY ONE IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, ARE THOSE LIFE SAFETY CALLS FOR SERVICE WHERE SOMEONE MAY BE BREAKING INTO YOUR HOUSE, WHERE THERE'S A WEAPON INVOLVED, WHERE THERE'S A SERIOUS ALTERCATION OCCURRING? THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT WITH A PRIORITY ONE CALL.
SO WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, DIVISIONS.
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WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO UTILIZE PART TIME AND RETIRED PERSONNEL WITH INVESTIGATIVE EXPERIENCE TO ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT DURING PERIODS WHERE THERE'S VACANCIES OR TO USE THEM TO EXAMINE COLD CASE HOMICIDES AND ASSIST WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES. WE FOUND THAT MANY AGENCIES, WHEN THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH HAVING ENOUGH PERSONNEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY PROVIDE SERVICE, THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO RETIREES WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE THAT CAN BE HIRED BACK TO ASSIST FOR MAYBE SIX MONTHS, WHATEVER TIME THAT IS, UNTIL THE DEPARTMENT CAN GET THEIR PERSONNEL LEVELS UP TO WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.AND YOU USUALLY GET PRETTY GOOD WORK OUT OF THEM BECAUSE A LOT OF RETIREES WANT TO COME BACK ON A PART TIME BASIS AND STILL BE ACTIVE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT, THE AGENCY SHOULD CREATE A CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATIONS UNIT.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT CAN BE STAFFED BY CIVILIANS.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT COME OUT.
THEY TAKE THE FINGERPRINTS, THEY COLLECT BLOOD SAMPLES, WHATEVER THE THE EVIDENCE IS THAT THE CRIME SCENES AND WE BELIEVE THAT TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PULASKI COUNTY.
IT SHOULD BE ONE SUPERVISOR AND FOR CRIME SCENE TECHNICIANS.
THE STAFFING SHOULD BE ONE SERGEANT AND FOUR DETECTIVES.
THAT WOULD REQUIRE TWO NEW DETECTIVE POSITIONS IN NARCOTICS.
SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, ONE OF THE OR I SHOULD SAY THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FACING LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE NATION, AND I HAVE IT IN RED ON THIS SLIDE BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT IS HOW DO WE RECRUIT? HOW DO WE HIRE AND HOW DO WE RETAIN THE EMPLOYEES IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS? IF YOU CAN SEE AN OVERARCHING GOAL OF ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE TO MAXIMIZE THE FACTORS ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES INTO AN ORGANIZATION AND LIMITING THOSE FACTORS, PUSHING EMPLOYEES OUT OF THE ORGANIZATION.
LONGTIME. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT.
I FOUND BECAUSE I ACTUALLY DID PART OF THIS SECTION.
WHEN I LOOKED AT THOSE NUMBERS, IT WAS STAGGERING TO ME THE NUMBER OF RESIGNATIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE AN AGENCY OF 100 PERSONNEL ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT SIDE, YOU'RE LOSING A FIFTH OF THE AGENCY ALMOST EVERY YEAR FROM RESIGNATIONS. AND SO BASICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENED THROUGH OUR DISCUSSIONS WAS THAT IT APPEARS THAT PULASKI COUNTY HIRES TRAINS, PUTS PEOPLE THROUGH FIELD TRAINING, AND ONCE THEY'RE OFF FIELD TRAINING OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THEY'RE LEAVING FOR ANOTHER AGENCY.
NOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DATA TO DETERMINE WHY THOSE PERSONNEL ARE LEAVING, BUT WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT SOMETIMES IT'S WORKING CONDITIONS, SOMETIMES IT'S PAY, SOMETIMES IT'S BENEFITS, SOMETIMES IT'S POORLY MANAGED ORGANIZATIONS.
THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE REASONS THAT EMPLOYEES LEAVE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SOME OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE.
THAT THE AGENCY SHOULD CONTACT EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE RESIGNED AND FIND OUT WHAT THE ROOT CAUSES WERE.
THAT. THAT RESULTED IN THEM LEAVING THE ORGANIZATION.
ONCE YOU FIND THAT THERE MAY BE A COMMON THEME, THEY MAY SAY ITS BENEFITS, IT MAY BE PAY, IT MAY BE WORKING CONDITIONS, IT MAY BE BAD EQUIPMENT, BAD TRAINING, WHATEVER THAT IS.
I THINK THE AGENCY AND THE COUNTY SHOULD ALSO EVALUATE WHETHER THEIR HIRING BONUS IS ACHIEVING WHAT IT'S DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE AND THEN DETERMINE IF IT SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE OFFERED RAISED IN ORDER TO ATTRACT CANDIDATES OR DO AWAY WITH IT.
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FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, THAT PEOPLE ARE LEAVING ORGANIZATIONS TO GO TO THE NEXT HIGHEST SALARIED AGENCY, STAYING A FEW YEARS, COLLECTING THE BONUS, AND THEN MOVING ON TO ANOTHER AGENCY TO COLLECT THEIR BONUS.JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA WAS I WAS OFFERING $100,000 OVER FIVE YEARS TO BRING IN AN EXPERIENCED LATERAL OFFICER.
WHAT CITIES, COUNTIES ARE DOING IN ORDER TO ATTRACT PERSONNEL.
AND THOSE CAN BE DONE TO PRIVATE, PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS OR WHAT I DID IN MY AGENCY, I BROUGHT BACK RETIRED INVESTIGATORS THAT HAVE INVESTIGATIVE EXPERIENCE THAT WERE WORKING AT A LOWER PAY CLASSIFICATION THAN MY CURRENT EMPLOYEES, AND THEY ACTUALLY PROVIDED BETTER AND FASTER BACKGROUNDS ON THE THE APPLICANTS IN PULASKI COUNTY'S CASE, I BELIEVE IT'S THEY HAVE TWO DEPUTIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY DOING BACKGROUNDS. IF THEY OUTSOURCE THOSE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS, THOSE TWO DEPUTIES COULD BE USED ELSEWHERE IN THE ORGANIZATION.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD EXPAND THEIR RECRUITMENT TECHNIQUES BEYOND JUST SOCIAL MEDIA AND CREATE DEEPER CONTRACTS, CONTACTS THROUGH RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BEGIN A CADET PROGRAM AND CADET PROGRAMS WERE EXPLORER PROGRAMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ARE KIND OF USED AS THAT.
USING A BASEBALL ANALOGY, THE CLASS, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT CLASSES IN BASEBALL WHERE YOU HAVE CLASS A BASEBALL DOUBLE, A TRIPLE A, AND THEN THE THE BIG LEAGUES.
THEY KNOW THE FEEL OF THE COMMUNITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE, RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROPERTY.
AND EVIDENCE IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RISK OPERATIONS IN ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION BECAUSE OF.
EVIDENCE. NOWADAYS IT'S WHAT'S CONVICTING PEOPLE OF CRIMES.
IT USED TO BE WITNESS IDENTIFICATION.
BUT IT'S HARD TO CHALLENGE DNA, FINGERPRINTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
ALL OF THAT STUFF IS BEING KEPT IN IN PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THE POSITION AND PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE THAT IS NOW A SWORN DEPUTY THAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO CREATE A CIVILIAN PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE TECHNICIAN OR ADD THAT POSITION TO THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY WITH THE EVIDENCE.
AND THIS IS THE BIG ONE, IS THAT WE BELIEVE A NEW FACILITY WITH ADEQUATE ROOM IS IMPERATIVE FOR THE AGENCY. THE NEXT SLIDE HAS TO DO WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO HIRE OR CREATE NEW FOR NEW DISPATCHER POSITIONS, WHICH WOULD BE SUPERVISOR POSITIONS TO RELIEVE THE CURRENT SUPERVISORS FROM FULL TIME DISPATCHING.
[00:40:06]
SO I'M SORRY, IT SHOULD BE DISPATCHER POSITIONS TO RELIEVE THE SUPERVISORS.SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS SUPERVISORS ARE BACK BASICALLY ACTING AS DISPATCHERS.
THEY'RE ANSWERING PHONES OR DISPATCHING CALLS INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING IS SUPERVISING, AUDITING, MENTORING AND DEVELOPING THE DISPATCHERS THAT ARE IN THE UNIT.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A ROTATION FOR THE DISPATCHERS.
CURRENTLY, A DISPATCHER, IF THEY'RE ON DAYS WITH WEEKENDS OFF, CAN STAY THERE FOR THE REST OF THE TIME UNLESS THE DEPARTMENT FEELS THERE'S SOME NEED TO MOVE THEM.
WHAT YOU FIND IS THAT IF YOU'RE A NEW DISPATCHER COMING INTO A SMALL UNIT, WHICH MOST OF THEM ARE, THAT A NEW DISPATCHER COULD BE STUCK ON GRAVEYARDS, WORKING WEEKENDS FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG.
THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES.
SO WE RECOMMEND A ROTATION SCHEDULE WHERE THEY MIGHT CHANGE TWICE A YEAR.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE SUPERVISORS IN DISPATCH SHOULD ATTEND SOME KIND OF SUPERVISORY TRAINING AT THE CURRENT TIME, THEY DON'T. WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE COMMUNICATION CENTER NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED AND REMODELED, POSSIBLY BRINGING IN AN ERGONOMICS EXPERT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE DESK, THE CHAIRS, ALL OF THAT STUFF.
AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE FOUND OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THEY OUGHT TO IMPLEMENT A QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM.
A QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM IS A RANDOM AUDITING OF CALLS COMING IN FROM THE COMMUNITY, CALLS BEING DISPATCHED, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, SO THAT THE SUPERVISORS CAN SEE IF THE DISPATCHERS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF WHAT THEY'RE BEING HIRED TO DO. THE NEXT ONE.
NEXT SLIDE IS THE TRAINING RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT CAUSES LITIGATION IS AN AGENCY'S FAILURE TO TRAIN THEIR PERSONNEL.
THE OTHER ONE'S FAILURE TO SUPERVISE, BUT FAILURE TO TRAIN.
YOU'VE SEEN IT EVERYWHERE FROM THE INCIDENT IN MINNEAPOLIS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE THE SUBJECT, YOU KNOW, WAS UNDER THE KNEE OF AN OFFICER FOR NINE MINUTES.
WHERE DID THAT TRAINING COME FROM? WAS THAT TRAINING PROVIDED BY THE AGENCY, IF IT WAS, OR OPENED UP TO LITIGATION? SO FAILURE TO TRAIN IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF TRAINING.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ASSIGNED OR HOW MANY ARE BUDGETED FOR EACH UNIT.
AND THIS WE HAD QUITE A FEW CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS DURING OUR TIME THERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN A UNIT, THEY WOULD SAY, WELL, WE SHOULD HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE.
WELL, OUR EIGHT PEOPLE FUNDED FOR THAT UNIT, OR ARE THERE ONLY FIVE PEOPLE FUNDED FOR THAT, THAT UNIT? EVEN THE SUPERVISORS OR THE MANAGERS IN THOSE UNITS DON'T KNOW EXACTLY.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT THAT SHOULD BE DONE.
HE THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY $15,000.
THE DEPARTMENT ALSO ALSO SHOULD DO A COST ANALYSIS.
AND THIS WAS ONE THAT I KNOW THE SHERIFF FEELS STRONGLY ABOUT HAVING HIS OWN ACADEMY.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE OUTSIDE, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT MAKES FISCAL SENSE TO USE.
[00:45:06]
MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND TAKE THEM AWAY FROM THEIR CURRENT WORKLOAD TO TEACH IN AN ACADEMY WHEN THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE WITHIN THE COUNTY AND THE STATE.SO THAT'S ONE THAT I BELIEVE IS REALLY IMPORTANT, THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF IT'S PRUDENT TO OPERATE THEIR OWN ACADEMY WHEN THEY'RE ONLY PUTTING THROUGH MAYBE TEN PEOPLE IN AN ACADEMY CLASS.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A BATHROOM OUT THERE FOR THE THE TRAINEES.
THEY HAVE TO GO UP INTO THE MAIN BUILDING.
WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT IN TRAINING THEY NEED TO CREATE A CIVILIAN QUARTERMASTER POSITION.
A QUARTERMASTER IS A PERSON THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR UNIFORMS, EQUIPMENT, ALL OF THAT STUFF.
IT IS NOW BEING HANDLED BY A SWORN DEPUTY.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE PROBABLY ALL SET FOOT IN THAT IN THAT BUILDING.
IT DOESN'T IT DOES NOT CURRENTLY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
IN FACT, WHEN WE WERE THERE, WE HAD TWO DAYS OF THUNDERSTORMS AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY OFFICES OR ROOMS I WENT INTO WHERE THEY HAD BUCKETS ON THE FLOOR BECAUSE THE CEILINGS WERE LEAKING.
IT JUST DOESN'T MEET THE STANDARDS RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT I KNOW THAT WAS KIND OF DOWN AND DIRTY QUICK AND I DIDN'T GO OVER A LOT OF THE THE AREAS IN THE THE REPORT, BUT THOSE ARE USUALLY THE AREAS THAT MOST AGENCIES OR MOST GROUPS THAT HIRE US.
THOSE ARE THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
SO I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
JUSTICE STOWERS YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A QUESTION OR COMMENT.
YEAH. HEY, MR. JUNGMEYER. AM I PRONOUNCING THAT CORRECTLY? JUNGINGER. JUNGINGER.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT THOROUGH OVERSIGHT OF THE FULL REPORT THAT WE DID RECEIVE.
I FOUND IT TO BE VERY INFORMATIVE AND VERY INTERESTING.
WHEN I RECEIVED THE CPS FINDINGS, THE FULL BOOK A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND AS I COMBED THROUGH THAT AND REVIEWED IT, THERE SEEMED TO BE A CONSTANT MOTIF OF INEFFICIENCIES IN MANY WAYS IN WHICH WE OPERATE. AND THAT IS NOT ON SHERIFF HIGGINS.
SO WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL ADMINISTRATIONS SINCE THEN.
BUT ONE THAT STOOD OUT TO ME, SIR, WAS THE NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES TO CIVILIANIZE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT WHICH ARE CURRENTLY BEING PERFORMED BY SWORN DEPUTIES IN ORDER TO OPEN UP THOSE SWORN DEPUTIES TO PERFORM LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES.
AND THEN BACK TO THE QUESTION OF WHY PEOPLE LEAVE.
I THINK THAT FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE STARTING DEPUTIES OUT IN THE LOW 30S, WE COULD BLAME IT ON SALARY, WE COULD BLAME IT ON THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T PAY ENOUGH.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE MONEY WE CAN THROW AT AT THE STARTING SALARY IN ORDER TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE QUALITY DEPUTIES THAT WE NEED TO.
SO I WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS TO THAT REGARD.
OKAY. SO LET ME START WITH THE SECOND ONE FIRST.
AS I SAID, THERE'S MANY REASONS WHY PEOPLE LEAVE ORGANIZATIONS.
[00:50:01]
MAYBE THEY'RE SENDING THEIR KIDS TO SOCCER CAMP, WHATEVER THAT STUFF IS.THEY'RE OFFERING $100,000 FOR SOMEONE TO COME TO WORK THERE AND THEY CAN'T FILL THEIR RANKS.
SO OBVIOUSLY, MONEY'S NOT THAT ISSUE THERE.
I THINK THEY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING.
AND THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED AND FIND OUT.
LIKE I SAID, IF THERE'S ROOT CAUSES, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE SOME PEOPLE GET INTO A SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND DON'T LIKE WORKING IN 700MI² WHERE THEIR NEAREST BACKUP OFFICER MAY BE 30 MINUTES AWAY.
THEY MAY LIKE WORKING MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WHERE YOU MAY HAVE TWO OFFICERS WORKING THE SAME BEAT AND SOMEONE'S THERE WITHIN A MINUTE AND A HALF. WHEN YOU CALL FOR FOR SOMEONE FOR HELP.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
YOU KNOW IF PAY IS THAT THAT PRIMARY ISSUE? ON THE FIRST QUESTION EXCUSE ME, LIKE I SAID, IT'S BEEN A TREND OVER PROBABLY THE LAST.
SWORN OFFICERS OR DEPUTIES WHO CARRY A GUN AND.
THEY PROBABLY DON'T REQUIRE THE SAME PAY THAT A SWORN DEPUTY WOULD BE PAID.
AND IN MOST INSTANCES, THEY'RE JUST AS COMMITTED AND JUST AS PROFESSIONAL AS A SWORN BODY.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH KEEPING THEIR THEIR NUMBERS UP, MEANING THE THE, YOU KNOW, THEIR FULL COMPLEMENT OF EMPLOYEES AND YOU SEE SPOTS IN THE ORGANIZATION THAT, YOU KNOW CAN BE CIVILIANIZED AND THAT DEPUTY BE PUT INTO A POSITION WHERE THEY CAN DO WHAT SWORN DEPUTIES ARE ACTUALLY HIRED TO DO.
IT JUST MAKES SENSE, BOTH FISCALLY AND PHILOSOPHICAL WISE, IN THE ORGANIZATION.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SIR? YES, SIR. APPRECIATE IT.
I YIELD. THANK YOU, JUSTICE TOWERS.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM. JUSTICE ELLIOTT YOU RECOGNIZED.
WHEN PEOPLE GO TO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, A LOT OF THEM GO IN THERE AND THEY GO IN TO JAIL AND THEY MAY LAST TWO WEEKS OR THREE WEEKS OR FOUR WEEKS. AND EACH SIDE, WE DON'T WANT NOTHING LIKE THIS.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING REAL QUICK.
WE HAVE ANOTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND DIFFERENT SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS.
WE YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BENEFITS ARE GOOD BECAUSE THAT HELPS PEOPLE STAY ALSO.
THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK TO YOUR POINT, SIR, THE FIRST ONE, THERE'S A REASON WHY I WENT TO MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. I DIDN'T WANT TO GO INTO A CUSTODY ASSIGNMENT AND SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
YOU STARTED IN THE JAIL AND THEN EVENTUALLY WERE ABLE TO ROTATE OUT INTO THE FIELD.
SO I STARTED MY CAREER IN MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JUSTICE MCMULLEN YOU'RE RECOGNIZED? YES, IN TERMS OF PRIORITY.
YOU DID SHARE QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION WITH US.
AND IN TERMS OF PRIORITY BETWEEN TWO THINGS, AND THAT IS BETWEEN THE WHEN YOU WHERE DO YOU.
THERE. THERE'S MORE THAN TWO AREAS.
BUT RIGHT NOW I JUST WANT TO BREAK IT DOWN INTO TWO AREAS, AND THAT WOULD BE THE BRICK AND MORTAR.
[00:55:05]
THAT IS WHETHER OR NOT THE CURRENT FACILITY, IT MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION.AND YOU'VE LET US KNOW THAT IT DOESN'T.
THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS SUCH AS LEAKS AND SEVERE FOUNDATION ISSUES.
OKAY. NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRICK AND MORTAR AS OPPOSED TO SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
WHICH ONE WOULD YOU SAY TAKES A PRIORITY IN TERMS OF THE BRICK AND MORTAR, JUST THOSE TWO OR THE ORGANIZATION, IF WE'RE GOING TO START SOMEWHERE BECAUSE AND THE I WOULD ASSUME THE ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES.
YEAH, I THINK IF YOU'RE ASKING MY PERSONAL OPINION AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, AS A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, I BELIEVE THE FIRST PRIORITY IS DEALING WITH ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES AND THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF PERSONNEL.
THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THAT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SIT HERE AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, WHICH ONE SHOULD WE DO FIRST? I MEAN, THEY YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE SOME ISSUE THAT OCCURS TOMORROW AND A WALL COULD FALL IN ON THE THE THE BUILDING.
IT'S I MEAN, I CAN'T GIVE YOU THAT.
THAT'S THAT'S WHY YOU AS THE BOARD OF ELECTORATES AND THE SHERIFF NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE SOLVE THESE ISSUES? IT'S WE ONLY MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE CAN'T TELL YOU HOW TO SOLVE THEM.
THANK YOU. IT'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
ARE YOU. ARE YOU DONE? JUST JUSTICE.
MCMULLEN THANK YOU, JUSTICE STOWERS YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. SO I DO REALIZE, AS YOU MENTIONED, SIR, THE BY THE WAY, THIS IS JUSTICE PHIL STOWERS, DISTRICT 13. I DO REALIZE THE CONDITION OF THE FACILITY THAT WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY 90S AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE BUCKETS CATCHING THE WATER AND THEN THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL CAPACITY.
I MEAN, I KNOW THE STATE HAS COMMITTED TO 3000 NEW PENITENTIARY BEDS, BUT WE'RE PROBABLY FIVE, SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS FROM THOSE BEDS BEING FULFILLED AND AND BEING ABLE TO GET THE 200 AND SOME STATE PRISONERS AND THE 100 AND SOME FEDERAL DETAINEES THAT WERE HOLDING IN OUR JAIL RIGHT NOW OUT OF THE FACILITY.
BUT WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS IS SOMETHING FOR US TO PONDER, AND THAT IS CONSISTENTLY.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS ONLY ABLE TO.
RETAIN ABOUT 60% OF THE JAILERS THAT ARE NEEDED IN THE JAIL.
AND IF WE LET'S SAY LET'S JUST SAY THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF A FUNDING MECHANISM, A TAX OR OTHERWISE, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ADD 400 BEDS WHICH ARE NEEDED, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW LAW ENFORCEMENT HERE LOCALLY DOESN'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO BRING MISDEMEANANTS YOU STEAL THE LAWNMOWER OFF OF MY BACK PORCH, YOU GET CAUGHT, YOU'RE GETTING CITED OUT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT A FELON.
YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT A DANGER TO SOCIETY.
SO MY POINT BEING, THOUGH MY QUESTION AND MY PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION IS, IF WE CAN'T WITH A JAIL THAT'S FUNDED FOR 1210 RIGHT NOW AND I UNDERSTAND IS RUNNING OVER 1300 TODAY, SO OVER CAPACITY, IF WE IF WE CAN'T GET BEYOND IT SEEMS A THRESHOLD OF EMPLOYMENT IN THAT JAIL OF 60%, THEN IF WE HAVE FOR LET'S JUST SAY WE HAD BUILT A ADDITION TO THE FACILITY OR A NEW FACILITY AND ADDED 400 BEDS, THEN HOW IN GOD'S NAME DO WE
[01:00:01]
RECRUIT DEPUTIES THAT WANT TO WORK IN THAT FACILITY? IT JUST IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A QUANDARY TO ME IN MY MIND, GIVEN THE THE SCOPE AND THE WHAT THE FACILITY IS CURRENTLY FUNDED FOR AND IF WE ADDED TO THAT CAPACITY.WHAT ARE OUR IDEAS? OUR CONCEPTS.
AND AND MOST OF MOST OF YOU KNOW, WE HAD A TORNADO HERE IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR THAT KNOCKED DOWN 300,300 HOUSEHOLDS, ROOFTOPS.
AND OUR BUDGET IS GOING TO BE PRETTY FLAT NEXT YEAR BECAUSE WE DON'T WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO ANTICIPATE WITH REVENUE BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTY'S REVENUE COMES FROM PROPERTY TAXES.
OTHER OTHER THAN THROWING MORE MONEY TO TRY TO HIRE JAILERS.
I THINK WE HAVE TO THINK CONCEPTUALLY, EVEN IF WE ADDED CAPACITY TO THE JAIL, HOW DO WE ENTICE THOSE TO COME AND TO STAY? AND AS AS THE GENTLEMAN JUST MENTIONED A WHILE AGO, HE DIDN'T WANT TO START OFF IN A FACILITY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY HE STARTED IN MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND IT IS A TOUGH I MEAN, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW TOUGH THAT JOB IS, EVEN FOR $50,000 A YEAR.
SO THAT'S JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
AND I'M SORRY. MAYBE I DIDN'T MAKE MYSELF CLEAR WHEN.
WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE FACILITY.
SO WHATEVER VACANCIES, UH, FACILITY ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T LOOK AT WE ONLY LOOKED AT THE, THE SWORN SIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
AND WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FACILITY WAS THE HEADQUARTERS BUILDING THERE.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ONE MORE QUESTION, SIR.
DID YOU LOOK AT THAT? HOW MANY VEHICLES THEY DO NEED OR NOT NEED? YEAH, WE DID LOOK AT IT AND IT'S IN THE REPORT.
AND I THINK WHEN I WAS REVIEWING IT THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE CARS THAT ARE OUT IN PATROL THAT HAVE OVER 150,000 AND SEVERAL OVER 200,000 MILES.
WE ALL KNOW THAT OPERATING VEHICLES REQUIRE MAINTENANCE, REQUIRE UPKEEP, AND THAT THERE'S JUST A TIPPING POINT WHERE.
IT BECOMES MORE EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN A UNIT THAN TO BUY A NEW UNIT.
BUT I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHEN YOUR OPERATING VEHICLE'S OUT IN A FLEET THAT HAVE MORE THAN 100,000 MILES, 100,000 MILES ON A POLICE VEHICLE IS NOT 100,000 MILES ON YOUR PERSONAL VEHICLE.
THEY'RE HITTING DIPS MUCH FASTER THAN YOU WOULD GETTING TWO CALLS.
AND AT SOME POINT, IT ALSO BECOMES A SAFETY ASPECT OF HAVING CARS WITH THAT MANY MILES ON THEM OUT IN THE IN THE FORCE. AND I DON'T BELIEVE IF.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF CARS THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE COUNTY NEEDS TO PURCHASE.
BUT I THINK THERE WAS A CHART THAT SHOWED HOW MANY CARS HAVE HOW MANY MILES ON THEM.
AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS MORE THAN JUST A FEW WITH LIKE OVER 200,000 MILES.
OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUSTICE ELLIOTT.
JUSTICE. KEITH, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
JUSTIN, WHAT WOULD BE, I GUESS, A LOGICAL MOVE NOW THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THIS REPORT, WHAT'S OUR WHAT DO WE GO FROM HERE? WELL. UM, I GUESS THE FIRST THING, IF YOU'RE ASKING MY OPINION, WOULD BE YOUR OPINION.
IF YOU'VE GOT 56 DEPUTIES, THEN YOU DELINEATE THOSE AS YOUR 56 DEPUTIES.
AND THAT WOULD MEET THE THE NUMBER OF RECOMMENDED PATROL OFFICERS.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET BOOK, YOU'LL SEE 89, 90 DEPUTY POSITIONS.
[01:05:04]
BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE DEPUTY POSITIONS, ACCORDING TO THIS, ARE ALL NECESSARILY ON THE STREET DOING THE DEPUTY WORK.SOME WORK IN CID, WHICH IS DETECTIVE WORK.
SO FOR YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT THAT, IT'S A BIT CONFUSING.
YOU WOULD JUST LOOK AT IT AND SAY, YOU'VE GOT 90 DEPUTIES.
WHAT'S WHAT'S THE DEAL? BUT THEY'RE ALL DOING DIFFERENT THINGS.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND SAY WE'VE NOW HAD 56 PATROL DEPUTIES.
LET'S GO INTO CID AND SAY, OKAY, HOW MANY RECOMMENDED POSITIONS DO WE HAVE THAT NEED TO BE SWORN? AND YOU YOU SAY, HEY, OKAY, THESE GUYS ARE NOW DETECTIVES.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, FIRST AND FOREMOST WHAT YOU'RE FUNDING.
AND THEN AS YOU HAVE THAT, YOU START FILLING IN YOUR GAPS.
OKAY, WELL, NOW WE'RE SHORT ORDERING WARRANTS.
SO DO WE WANT TO ADD POSITIONS AND WARRANTS? DO YOU WANT TO FARM OUT CIVIL STUFF TO A THIRD PARTY PROCESSOR? BUT BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND AGAIN WHO'S ON FIRST.
HOW MANY PATROL DEPUTIES ARE ACTUALLY BEING USED FOR PATROL WORK? AND ONCE YOU GET YOUR HEAD AROUND THAT.
DIDN'T. YOU GUYS SHOULD PROBABLY START CONSIDERING.
OKAY, WELL, WE NEED TO ADD THESE CIVILIAN POSITIONS TO BACKFILL THE POSITION THAT WE PULLED FROM.
SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO START FILLING IN YOUR CIVILIAN POSITIONS.
BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STRUCTURE.
OKAY. LET ME ASK THAT QUESTION A DIFFERENT WAY THEN.
OKAY. THAT'S NOT WHERE IT WAS.
MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT A COMMITTEE IS WORKING WITH THE WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO ACTUALLY IDENTIFY THE POSITIONS, BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS AS A QUORUM COURT MEMBER, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE IS NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PRIORITIZE WHAT'S WHAT'S RECOMMENDED IN THE REPORT.
NO, IT'S ABSOLUTELY 100% NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY OR YOUR AUTHORITY TO MANAGE THOSE RESOURCES.
YOU PROVIDE THE RESOURCES, RIGHT? SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT SOMEONE WAS WORKING THERE WAS A COMMITTEE WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF.
OKAY. MAYBE THAT WAS MAYBE I'M DREAMING THEN.
AND THAT'S POSSIBLE. YEAH, MAYBE I'M DREAMING ABOUT.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO DO, AND I THINK IT WOULD I DON'T THINK I KNOW IT REQUIRES THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE INPUT BECAUSE IF YOU GUYS JUST STARTED CHOPPING IT UP SAYING, OKAY, PXN ONE THROUGH SIX IS NOW A PATROL DEPUTY, WELL, YOU MIGHT CAUSE MORE HARM THAN THAN GOOD BY NOT KNOWING WHAT PIECES NEED TO GO WHERE. SO WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HELP, SURE, THEY COULD PROVIDE YOU SOMEWHAT OF A STRUCTURE TO SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WE WE NOW IDENTIFY THESE AS AS PATROL DEPUTIES AND THEY WOULD BE LISTED IN THE BUDGET BOOK AND MOVING FORWARD AS PATROL DEPUTIES.
OKAY. SO MAYBE THE WAY I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE QUESTION BASED ON THIS PRESENTATION, NOW IT'S BACK INTO THE THE HANDS OF THE SHERIFF TO COME TO US WITH HIS REQUEST, RECOMMENDATION, IDEA, WHATEVER, WHATEVER WORD YOU CHOOSE TO USE, HOW IT CAN OR POTENTIALLY COULD BE FUNDED THROUGH THE QUORUM COURT.
WELL, YEAH, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT'S GOING TO KNOW THAT IS THE SHERIFF STAFF.
BUT UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU'RE FUNDING AND WHERE IT'S GOING, IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU GUYS TO, YOU KNOW, STRUCTURE THAT IN ANY WAY MEANINGFUL WITHOUT THEIR INPUT. AGAIN, IF YOU DID IT ON YOUR OWN TO STRUCTURE IT, YOU PROBABLY CAUSED MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THAT IS NOT THAT'S NOT MY GOAL.
ABSOLUTELY NOT. AND I'M NOT SAYING CURTIS KEITH WANTS TO KNEES TO WANT TO BE A PART OF.
YOU CREATE THAT POSITION TO FILL THAT ROLE AND THAT JOB DESCRIPTION AS THEY'VE ASKED.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT THESE BUDGETS HAVE BEEN CREATED OVER YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THERE'S NOT ANY DISTINGUISHING FACTORS THAT WOULD LET YOU KNOW WHO A DETECTIVE IS AND WHO ISN'T OR WHO'S WORKING IN IN PATROL AND WHO ISN'T, OR HOW MANY SERGEANTS ARE IN PATROL VERSUS HOW MANY SERGEANTS ARE IN THE DETECTIVE DIVISION.
OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, EVEN SHERIFF'S OFFICES.
[01:10:05]
THAT'S THE TITLE.OR YOU'LL SEE THAT'S A PATROL DEPUTY.
SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT FUNCTION IS.
YOU COULD HAVE 56 PATROL DEPUTIES.
AND THEY COULD STILL MOVE THEM AROUND AS THEY SEE FIT.
I MEAN, BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU PROVIDE THE RESOURCES.
THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING THOSE RESOURCES, BE IT PERSONNEL OR IMINO OR WHATEVER.
SO FROM A QUORUM COURT STANDPOINT, A BUDGET STANDPOINT, WHICH IS REALLY THE ONLY THING THAT YOU CONTROL, I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT YOU GUYS FIRST WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND WHAT YOU'RE FUNDING. AND THAT STARTS WITH SOME SORT OF STRUCTURE AND THEN YOU START ADDING.
AND JUST CURIOUS. AND THIS IS MY LAST ONE.
ONCE THE COUNTY GOT THE GOT THIS REPORT SAVED THE THE NEW JAIL.
DID ANYBODY IF WE DID EVERYTHING THAT'S RECOMMENDED IN HERE.
DID ANYBODY PUT A PRICE TAG ON THAT? NO. I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING A NEW FACILITY.
I'D SAY SAVE THE JAIL. I DIDN'T SAY A NEW JAIL.
I THINK IT'S A LEGITIMATE QUESTION.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN FLOATED AROUND HERE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS THAT A DEDICATED SALES TAX, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD BROUGHT UP IN 2020 WHEN THEY WERE DEALING WITH SOME STAFFING ISSUES, THAT THEY NEEDED MORE FUNDS.
AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE COUNTY SIMPLY DID NOT HAVE THOSE FUNDS.
SO IF YOU'RE GETTING A RECOMMENDATION RIGHT NOW TO BUILD A BRAND NEW FACILITY, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY REALLY NEED, THEN THE ONLY WAY TO GO ABOUT THAT IS TO FIND A NEW REVENUE SOURCE. YEAH. AND THAT THAT MAY BE THE TIME FOR THEM TO PUT THAT PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU.
BUT IT SEEMS FROM THIS IN THIS STUDY, IT SEEMS TO GIVE THEM SOME MERIT AND SOME JUSTIFICATION FOR EVEN GOING TO THEM AND SAYING, HEY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T JUST COME UP WITH THIS OURSELVES.
THIS IS PART OF A RECOMMENDATION.
AND BUILDING A NEW FACILITY OR A JUSTICE CENTER IS GOING TO COST FUNDS.
AND IT'S NOT FUNDS THAT THE COUNTY CAN COME WITH COME UP WITH ON THEIR OWN.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I YIELD.
THANK YOU. I ALSO SAW OR HEARD HIM SAY THERE WERE SOME POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES IN REGARDS TO DEPUTIES PUTTING THEM IN OTHER AREAS AS A DEPUTY AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING SOME OF THEM OR UTILIZING THEM.
AND I DON'T KNOW, IT WASN'T DETECTIVE, BUT ADMINISTRATIVE WORK.
AND I WOULD I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT TONIGHT, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU WOULD WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING YOU WOULD BE YOU WOULD CONSIDER DOING? I MEAN, I SAW THAT OPPORTUNITY SEVERAL PLACES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ENLIGHTEN ME ON THAT.
AND I'M AND I'M DIRECTING THIS TOWARD OUR SHERIFF.
WELL, ACTUALLY, MADAM CHAIR, IF THERE'S NOT I MEAN, NOT TO TELL YOU HOW TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS, BUT IF CRAIG, I MEAN, IS THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR CRAIG? AND IF. JUST ONE SECOND.
ACTUALLY, THERE IS ANOTHER QUESTION.
I JUST HAD TO GET THAT OUT BECAUSE I KNOW ME, I WOULD FORGET JUST A MOMENT.
JUSTICE LEWISON, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
BUT, SIR, I WAS WONDERING IF THE SHERIFF HAD ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS DATA ANALYSIS REPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO US SO ELOQUENTLY.
AND CAN HE CAN HE SPEAK ON THIS? OKAY. JUST A MOMENT.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. JUNGER? OR IS IT FOR THE SHERIFF? BECAUSE IF IF NOT, THEN WE CAN IF HE'S IF WE'RE DONE WITH HIM, THEN WE CAN CUT HIM LOOSE.
YEAH. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTER TONIGHT? I WAS JUST THINKING THAT MAYBE THE SHERIFF WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND ASK A QUESTION OF THE GENTLEMAN.
AND FOR HIM. WELL, I BELIEVE THAT IS THAT IS IT IN REGARDS TO OUR PRESENTATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND PRESENTING TO US TONIGHT.
OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO ADJOURN.
[01:15:07]
YOU HAD THOSE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.AYE. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ME.
LET IT BE KNOWN BY SHOW OF HANDS OR JUST GIVE US A ROLL CALL ON THAT.
ON A JOURNEY. A MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE.
YES. WAS THE VOTE TAKEN? NO, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
WELL, THEN. ALL RIGHT, MISS LEWISON.
MR. ROBINSON? YES. MR. STOWERS? YES, MR. ELLIOTT. FOUR TWO FOR ADJOURNMENT.
SO JUSTICE MCMULLEN YOU'RE RECOGNIZED? YES. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS REQUEST THE SHERIFF TO COME AT THIS TIME AND ACKNOWLEDGE FOR US WHAT HE HAS HEARD IN REFERENCE TO THE REPORT HE MADE.
THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT HE HAS TO SAY ON THAT AT THIS TIME.
SO WE WANTED TO DO THIS WHILE IT'S FRESH.
I DO APPRECIATE. I MEAN, SPEAK TO YOU FOR A MOMENT.
I'VE READ THE REPORT AND I THINK WHAT WAS YOU ALSO RECOGNIZE IN THE REPORT THAT THEY STATE ABOUT THE DATA, THAT THE DATA WASN'T DIDN'T COVER A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE AND DIDN'T CAPTURE.
YOU ALSO RECEIVED A REPORT FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
WE SENT THAT TO YOU TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE FINDINGS THAT WE DID NOT AGREE WITH IN THE REPORT.
THEY'RE ALSO INCLUDING DEPUTIES WHO ARE ON OFF DUTY JOBS.
THEY'RE ALSO INCLUDING SERGEANTS AND LIEUTENANTS THAT NEED TO BE DOING SUPERVISORY WORK.
THEY'RE INCLUDING THEM IN AVAILABLE FOR SERVICES WHEN THEY DIVIDE UP THE CALLS AND THE AVAILABILITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE TALKING ABOUT CRIME SCENE UNIT.
I RECOGNIZE WHEN I WHEN I GOT HERE THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR A CRIME SCENE UNIT.
AS FAR AS DEPUTIES THAT WE HAVE THAT YOU CAN REASSIGN, THERE'S ONLY TWO.
AND THAT'S THE ONE DEPUTY THAT'S IN PROPERTY ROOM AND THE ONE DEPUTY THAT IS THE REFERENCE I BELIEVE, IN, IN VEHICLE CONTROL.
AND THAT DEPUTY HAS OTHER ASSIGNMENTS, BUT ALSO HELPS IN THAT HE MENTIONS A QUARTERMASTER.
IT IS OUR GOAL TO EVENTUALLY HAVE A CIVILIAN QUARTERMASTER.
CURRENTLY THAT'S AN ASSIGNMENT TO PERSONNEL, THAT'S IN TRAINING, THAT DOES TRAINING.
ALSO, IT IS NOT A FULL TIME JOB.
WE JUST STARTED MOVING TOWARD A QUARTERMASTER TO SAVE SAVE FUNDS ON OUR PURCHASES OF EQUIPMENT.
I BELIEVE I WOULD ASK YOU TO READ THE REPORT THAT WE PROVIDED.
WE ALSO TALKED TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE REPORT ALSO TALKS ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER AD HOC COMMITTEES.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT JUDICIAL, WE'VE WE'VE DONE THOSE THINGS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT AFFECT THIS AGENCY.
THERE'S ISSUES THAT AFFECT US.
YES, THE STARTING SALARY HAS IMPROVED, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A STEP INCREASE.
YOU KNOW, I PAY THE DEPUTIES STARTING OUT THE MAX.
I CAN PAY THEM. AND THEREFORE DEPUTIES CAN LEAVE AND GO TO OTHER AGENCIES AND MAKE MORE MONEY, GET AUTOMATIC INCREASES AFTER ONE, TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS, FIVE YEARS. THE BENEFITS ARE BETTER AT OTHER AGENCIES.
WE STILL DON'T ALLOW ANY COUNTY EMPLOYEES TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THEIR SPOUSE.
AND SO AS A BODY, I WOULD ASK YOU TO REALLY LOOK AT THE BENEFIT PACKET.
REALLY LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STEP INCREASES BECAUSE EXPERIENCE MEANS SOMETHING.
WE'RE AN AGENCY THAT HAS AVERAGED THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
TAKES ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO REALLY GET ALL THE EXPERIENCE YOU REALLY NEED.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS.
[01:20:02]
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE REPORT THAT IS SHOCKING TO ME.WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING THIS AGENCY SINCE I'VE GOTTEN HERE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO ANALYZE WHAT WE DO.
I WOULD SUGGEST IF IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE COMMITTEE.
IF YOU WANT TO PUT A COMMITTEE TOGETHER AND COME TALK TO US, PLEASE DO THAT.
IF YOU WANT TO DO A RIDE ALONG, PLEASE DO THAT.
IF YOU WANT TO COME SEE THE AGENCY, PLEASE COME AND LOOK AT THE FACILITY.
COME TALK TO OUR DEPUTIES AND I THINK IT'LL GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE DO.
I THINK THAT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DO AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE END UP HOW DO WE GET A BETTER FACILITY? HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT STEP INCREASES? HOW DO WE GET BETTER BENEFITS? UM, THERE'S THINGS WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN PLACE REGARDLESS, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
DO A RIDE ALONG. PLEASE DO A RIDE ALONG.
COME TO THE JAIL, DO A TOUR OF THE JAIL, DO A TOUR OF THE FACILITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE STEP IN IDENTIFYING WHAT YOU MAY THINK NEED TO BE FUNDED OR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WE DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, SHERIFF.
JUSTICE STOWERS, YOU RECOGNIZED.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR FOR YOUR INPUT AND FOR ALSO PROVIDING US WITH WITH YOUR FEEDBACK, WHICH I TOOK TIME THIS AFTERNOON, SEVERAL HOURS TO GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT WHAT YOUR RESPONSES WERE TO THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT DO COME TO MIND.
YOU MENTIONED THAT SERGEANTS AND LIEUTENANTS SHOULD BE IN A SUPERVISORY ROLE, AND I KIND OF TOOK THAT TO MEAN AND PLEASE HELP ME IF I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT THEY'RE NOT ALSO ON THE STREET WITH THEIR DEPUTIES.
I KNOW IN AT LEAST MY MUNICIPALITY THAT THE SERGEANTS ARE ON THE STREET WITH WITH THE DEPUTIES AS WELL AS ARE THE LIEUTENANTS. SO TO SO TO CLARIFY FOR YOU, THEY SHOULDN'T BE THE PRIMARY ON ON CALLS.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE STAFFING LEVEL WITH THE NUMBER OF DEPUTIES, THAT WHEN WHEN A SERGEANT OR A LIEUTENANT IS HANDLING A CALL, THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THAT SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY. IF ANOTHER DEPUTY HAS AN ISSUE AND HE NEEDS ADVICE FROM A SUPERVISOR, THAT SUPERVISOR IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THAT.
CERTAINLY. BUT THEY COULD ACT AS BACKUP.
THEY COULD. AND I'M SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE.
MY LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE OF HOW SUPERVISORS ARE SUPPOSED TO OPERATE AND THEIR ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY NOT JUST TO RESPOND TO CALLS FOR SERVICES OR BACKUP, WHICH THEY DO THAT, BUT ALSO TO HANDLE SITUATIONS THAT ARISE.
SO THEY ARE THERE GOING TO RESPOND.
I MEAN, THEY'RE POLICE OFFICERS.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE STANDPOINT.
MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE COST EFFECTIVE THROUGH UTILIZING THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE STATE, SUCH AS THE CAMDEN TRAINING UNIT, RATHER THAN HAVING AN INTERNAL TRAINING UNIT.
I WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT AS WELL AS WHAT THE TRAINING BUDGET IS.
AND I DON'T REMEMBER THIS BODY APPROVING IT.
WHEN WAS THE TRAINING BUDGET APPROVED? THE SO THE TRAINING BUDGET, IT'S ALL PART OF THE COUNTY, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET AND THE STAFFING.
WE USE OUR CURRENT STAFF TO CONDUCT OUR RECRUIT SCHOOL.
[01:25:01]
WE WE REQUESTED FROM THE STATE AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO TO CONDUCT OUR OWN RECRUIT SCHOOL SIMILAR TO LITTLE ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES THEIRS THE ISSUE WHEN YOU DEPEND ON THE STATE AND OTHER AGENCIES, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SEND 1 OR 2 TO A TRAINING ACADEMY.YOU CANNOT YOU CANNOT HAVE NINE, 10 OR 15IN A SCHOOL AND SO IT IS BETTER FOR US.
WE CAN WE CAN STAFF BETTER WHEN WE CAN CONDUCT OUR OWN TRAINING SCHOOL.
IT'S NOT ADDITIONAL STAFF DOING THE SCHOOL.
IT IS OUR CURRENT TRAINING STAFF THAT CONDUCT A SCHOOL AND WE WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES.
BUT THE TRAINING THAT WE PROVIDE, YOU WON'T FIND A STATE SCHOOL OR ANY OTHER MUNICIPAL AGENCY THAT CAN TRAIN REGARDING JUDICIAL WORK, CIVIL PROCESSING THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES.
IT IS IT IS IN OUR BEST INTEREST.
WE ARE WE ARE PRODUCING QUALITY DEPUTIES.
IT IS THE BEST INTEREST OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR US TO HAVE OUR OWN SCHOOL.
WE'RE DOING A QUALITY JOB AND WE'RE ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT OTHER AGENCIES, OTHER TRAINING SCHOOLS WILL NOT PROVIDE FOR OUR DEPUTIES. SO ONE OF THE THING ONE OTHER THING, IN TALKING TO SEVERAL DEPUTIES THAT HAVE LEFT THE PCSO OVER THE LAST 4 TO 6 YEARS, THE NUMBER ONE REASON THAT I HAVE HEARD IS, AS I'VE VISITED WITH THEM, AS THEY'VE WENT TO OTHER AGENCIES, IS NOT PAY.
IT'S NOT SOME OF THE OTHER MYRIAD OF THINGS.
IT IS MORALE THAT THAT IS WHAT I'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER AND OVER IS MORALE.
AND THAT'S THAT'S WHY THEY CHOSE TO TO LEAVE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO WORK.
AND SO I HOPE THAT AS WE ADDRESS ALL OF THESE FINANCIAL THINGS AND OPERATIONAL THINGS THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT WAYS TO ADDRESS THE MORALE, THAT IS MORALE ISSUES OTHER THAN THAN PAYING BENEFITS.
WELL, SIR, I WOULD I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE STUDY.
SOME SOME AGENCIES ARE JUST NOT FOR SOME PEOPLE.
AND PEOPLE WILL MOVE AROUND AND YOU CAN TALK TO DISGRUNTLED PEOPLE WHO LEAVE AN AGENCY.
I WOULD SUGGEST YOU ALSO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO ARE AT THE AGENCY WHO ENJOY THEIR JOB.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JUSTICE MCMULLEN YES, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, JUSTICE MASSEY NOW, SPEAKING OF MORALE, WE DID HE DID EMPHASIZE, PLAYED, PLACED QUITE A BIT OF EMPHASIS, RATHER, ON THE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES ENJOY WORKING FOR THE AGENCY BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE A FAMILY.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
ONE THING, THOUGH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MORALE, A LOT OF THINGS FALL UNDER MORALE.
YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD FALL UNDER MORALE, WHICH WOULD DECREASE IT WOULD BE FEELING THE EFFECTS OF BEING UNDERSTAFFED. SO WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE DECISION MAKING PERHAPS APPEAR TO BE MADE AT THE TOP LEVELS.
AND HE DID ALSO QUALIFY THAT COMMENT BY SAYING THAT THAT IS NOT UNUSUAL.
DECISIONS NOT BEING PASSED DOWN THE RANK HAPPENS IN IS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MANY EMPLOYEES FEEL OCCUR IN MANY AGENCIES.
OKAY. SO THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE TREATED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
I MEAN, IT HAS TO BE TAKEN THOSE THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN IN CONTEXT.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHEN THEY SAY THEY ENJOY WORKING THERE.
I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH THEY ENJOY THEIR WORK AND FEELING LIKE A FAMILY, FEELING LIKE THEY CAN COMMUNICATE OR SO FORTH.
NEVERTHELESS, I WANTED TO ASK.
[01:30:06]
YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION FOR JUSTICE STOWERS.HE DID SAY SOMETHING ABOUT NOT SUITABLE FOR OPERATING THEIR OWN ACADEMY.
AND I NOTICED THAT MR. STOWERS AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ACADEMY.
HE SAID, DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM BUDGET.
KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE FUNDED FOR EACH UNIT AND HAVE A LINE ITEM TRAINING BUDGET.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE TALKING TO HIM ABOUT.
AND AS FAR AS ON THAT, AGAIN, AS FAR AS THE LINE ITEM BUDGET, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TRADITIONALLY WHEN THE QUORUM COURT APPROVES A BUDGET TRAINING BUDGET NOW, WELL, THAT'S PART OF THE OVERALL BUDGET.
THERE'S A LINE ITEM FOR TRAINING THAT OVERALL, DOES THAT BY ANY CHANCE FEED INTO THE ACADEMY TRAINING? WELL, GENERALLY, WHAT WE USE THAT TRAINING, THERE'S A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT TRAINING.
IT'S WHEN WE'RE DOING ADDITIONAL TRAINING, THAT'S A BUDGET.
OKAY? THAT IS JUST ADDITIONAL TRAINING THAT WE SEND PEOPLE TO.
OKAY. THAT'S WHAT THAT TRAINING BUDGET IS.
THAT LINE ITEM IS IN THAT BUDGET, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
YOU SEE THAT YOU APPROVE THE LINE ITEM BUDGET.
THAT IS THE EXTENT OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS NEVER BEEN SET UP THAT WAY.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THERE WITH THE WITH THE BUDGET OF REALLY LOOKING AT THE BUDGET AND IDENTIFYING TRUE EXPENSES IN THE BUDGET. OKAY.
YOU KNOW, THINGS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS.
WHEN WHEN I FIRST GOT THERE WITH THE BUDGET, YOU HAD CLUMPS OF MONEY.
MONEY WAS MOVED FROM ONE AREA TO TO ANOTHER TO KIND OF ACCOMMODATE FOR NOT ENOUGH FUNDS IN CERTAIN LINE ITEMS. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE LINE ITEMS ARE TRUE.
SO SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN SAY YOU HAVE X NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE DETECTIVE DIVISION AND THE DETECTIVE DIVISION. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE A TRAINING BUDGET, THE DETECTIVE DIVISION WOULD HAVE SO MUCH MONEY TO SEND PEOPLE TO, TO TRAINING TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO ARSON INVESTIGATION OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH EACH DIVISION TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS BASED ON THEIR WORKLOAD, WHAT THE NEEDS ARE IN EACH OF THE DIVISIONS. AND SO THAT'S WHEN WE COME UP WITH A TOTAL NUMBER THAT WE WOULD NEED TO SUSTAIN THE AGENCY INTO THE FUTURE NOW.
BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S BUDGET RESTRAINTS.
AND AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, YOU HIT YOUR CRITICAL AREAS FIRST AND THEN AS FUNDING IS AVAILABLE DOWN THE ROAD, THEN YOU TRY TO ADDRESS THOSE OTHER POSITIONS DOWN THE ROAD. OKAY, THEN.
SO THERE'S ONE OTHER THING, TOO, HOW YOUR MANPOWER SHOULD BE DEPLOYED.
IN OTHER WORDS, AND HOW IT SHOULDN'T BE DEPLOYED, THAT SO-CALLED GEOGRAPHIC SIZE BEAT.
HE HAD THAT THAT WAS NOTED AS A RECOMMENDATION.
SO HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT, SHERIFF? SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
OKAY. WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, YOU HAD THREE LARGE DISTRICTS NORTH OF THE RIVER.
THOSE WERE YOUR PRECINCT AREAS.
REDUCE THE RESPONSE TIME BY HAVING DEPUTIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC AREA.
WE'VE BEEN EVALUATING AND LOOKING AT THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR DEPLOYMENT OF PATROL, AND THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN, WHERE WE NEED MORE DEPUTIES TO BE ASSIGNED TO THOSE AREAS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE DEPUTIES IN THE AREA SO THEY CAN DO PREVENTIVE PATROL IN THOSE AREAS, RESPOND TO CALLS.
[01:35:03]
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE NECESSARY PERSONNEL OR INCREASE OUR PERSONNEL SO THAT WE CAN HAVE DEPUTIES THERE FOR BACKUP CALLS.BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE PRIMARY CALLS THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, THOSE ARE CALLS YOU SHOULD SEND TO DEPUTIES ON A DISTURBANCE CALL, SHOULD HAVE TWO DEPUTIES RESPONDING, NOT NOT ONE LIKE WE WE ARE CONSISTENTLY DOING BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY OF THE OFFICERS.
IT'S ALL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY.
70% OF THE TIME, DEPUTIES DON'T HAVE A BACKUP AND SOME MAY NOT THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
BUT. BUT I'D ASK YOU TO TALK TO OUR DEPUTIES, TALK TO THEM WHEN THEY'RE ON CALLS BY THEMSELVES.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO ASSIST YOU IN DE-ESCALATING THAT SITUATION.
AND FROM WHAT I'M SEEING HERE IS THAT.
AND IN HAVING SPOKEN WITH YOU PERSONALLY AND, YOU KNOW, ONGOING.
MANY OF THESE THINGS ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY EXPRESSED DIRE CONCERN OVER? YES, MA'AM. AND I YIELD.
I THANK YOU, JUSTICE MCMULLEN.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR SHERIFF HIGGINS? ALL COMMENTS.
IF THERE BE NONE, CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. SECOND.
THE MOVED AND PROPERLY SECOND THAT WE ADJOURN.
CAN I GET AN I FROM EVERYONE? I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? I'M SORRY? ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR PUBLIC COMMENTS?
[Announcements]
IF THERE BE NONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.THANK YOU, SHERIFF HIGGINS, FOR SHARING YOUR YOUR INPUT.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.