BLUE RIBBON CONSOLIDATION WORK GROUP MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING. November 8, 2010

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1 BLUE RIBBON CONSOLIDATION WORK GROUP MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING November 8, 2010 A regular meeting of the Blue Ribbon Consolidation Work Group was held on Monday, November 8, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in the Growth Management Training Room located at 2710 East Silver Springs Boulevard. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting opened with an invocation by Reverend Stanley Jacobs and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of our Country. Upon roll call the following members were present: Timothy Petty, Carl Crabtree, Sam McConnell and Brian Cretul. DoUg Cone and Vice-Chairman Chester Trow arrived shortly after the meeting commenced. Chairman Payton and Pat Gabriel were absent due to prior commitments. Also present were Reverend Stanley Jacobs; Chief of Staff Dan Kuhn, Marion County Sheriffs Office; Assistant County Administrator of Public Safety Stuart McElhaney; and Clerk David R. Ellspermann. Doug Cone arrived at 10:03 a.m. A motion was made by Mr. Petty, seconded by Mr. Cretul, to adopt the meeting minutes of November 1, The motion was unanimously approved (5-0). Chairman McConnell reminded members that the purpose of the Work Group was not to be in judgment of how either organization was run, but rather to consider the possibility of consolidating the Marion County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) and the Marion County Fire/Rescue (MCFR) Departments. PRESENTATION BY CHIEF KUHN, MARION COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Executive Secretary Pam Bovaird, MCSO, presented the following: a 1 page agenda; a 1 page letter from Deputy Secretary Rob Love, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ); a 1 page MCSO cost comparison of fiscal year (FY) versus FY ; a 4 page handout entitled, "Areas of Consolidation Consideration"; and a 39 page document entitled, "Marion County Sheriffs Office & Fire Services Consolidation" to follow along with the PowerPoint presentation. Chief of Staff Dan Kuhn, MCSO, presented a brief video narrated by Sheriff Ed Dean, MCSO, which provided an overview of the Department. The Sheriffs foremost obligation was to the citizens of Marion County as it strived to achieve its philosophy of "Putting Citizens First", while meeting the needs of the community. The MCSO was organized into 8 Bureaus, each of which was subdivided into a Division, Unit and Section. In addition to those Bureaus, there was a limited number of Units that reported directly to the Chief of Staff, such as Emergency Management, Fleet Management, Internal Affairs and Information Services. Page 1 of 8

I November 8, 2010 The Radio Management and Information Technology Managers were responsible for all of the computer operations and managed approximately 1,000 computers, which were vital for

2 I November 8, 2010 The Radio Management and Information Technology Managers were responsible for all of the computer operations and managed approximately 1,000 computers, which were vital for day-to-day operations. Each Bureau had a Quality Review Team that reviewed policies and procedures to streamline processes and ensure excellence in services. The Watch Command Bureau was assigned to support daily law enforcement operations and special tactical situations, noting Captains and Sergeants were assigned to oversee road patrol deputies, as well as answer calls and review/approve all reports submitted during the shift. These Supervisors meet quarterly with the Sheriff for an operation status meeting to evaluate each shift and analyze crime trends, calls for service and response times in order to allocate the necessary manpower throughout the County. The Aviation Unit operated 2 military surplus helicopters, which were equipped with an infrared camera, as well as a daytime video camera that incorporated the use of a down link video system to transmit images to the Operations Center for viewing by the Command staff. The crew had an onboard computer to guide them to a scene by entering a numerical address. The Marine Patrol Unit enforced marine laws and responded to emergencies on Marion County's numerous waterways. The Underwater Recovery Team (URT), comprised of certified divers, was available for situations where it was necessary to recover submerged persons or property. The URT also participated in several volunteer environmental cleanups each year. The Motorcycle Traffic Deputies concentrated their efforts on reducing accidents, aggressive driving, speeding and red light runners. Driving under the Influence (DUI) Specialists focused on impaired drivers throughout the County and coordinated monthly checkpoints with other agencies as a deterrent for unsafe driving. The Canine Unit augmented the patrol deputies with German Shepherds used for tracking, drug interdiction, article searches and other operations. The Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT) Team received specialized training in equipment, which were required under certain unusual or excessively dangerous conditions, such as hostage and barricaded subjects, as well as search warrants. Members of the Crisis Negotiations Team were trained to negotiate with individuals who held hostages, barricaded themselves or posed a threat to themselves or others. The Bomb Squad Unit underwent training from both the Army and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and responded to bomb threats in Marion, Lake, Sumter, Citrus, Alachua and Levy Counties. Volunteer Units, such as the Patrol Reserve and the Mounted Unit were also assigned to the Watch Command Bureau. These Units were comprised of citizen volunteers, who helped with many operations from finding lost children to catching criminals. Page 2 of 8

November 8, 2010 The Community Policing Bureau deployed a decentralized approach to fighting crime by focusing crime fighting efforts into Districts located throughout the County rather than from a

3 November 8, 2010 The Community Policing Bureau deployed a decentralized approach to fighting crime by focusing crime fighting efforts into Districts located throughout the County rather than from a centralized location. These Districts were developed based on crime rate, Deputy response times, calls for service and population. Each District was viewed as its own entity with the District Commander meeting with the Sheriff to discuss crime analysis, statistics and to request any resources, including Deputies, which may be needed for that community to assist in preventing and solving crime. Supporting the Deputies with more involved investigations were Property Crime Detectives, who investigated burglaries, grand thefts, auto thefts and other incidents defined by the District Commander. The philosophy of community policing, decentralizing resources and focusing on problem oriented policing was a proven success with a crime clearance rate that was more than double the State average. The Community Policing Bureau also oversaw the Sheriffs Telephone Automated Reporting System (STAR), records, crime analysis and the Communications Division, which received approximately 40,000 calls each month. The Division not only received and dispatched calls for service by the MCSO, but also those for the Belleview and Dunnellon Police Departments. It was colocated with other public service agencies and housed dispatch operations for MCFR, Emergency Medical Services Alliance (EMSA) and the Ocala Fire Department. The Detective Bureau was comprised of the following Units: 1) Robbery; 2) Special Victims; 3) Homicide; 4) Fraud; 5) Cargo Theft; 6) Evidence; and 7) Latent Prints. This Bureau supported the agency by investigating the most serious felony crimes, such as homicide, robbery, sex crimes, etc. The Evidence Division processed and stored evidence, as well as collected and recorded information at crime scenes. It contained a state-of-the-art Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) laboratory for processing evidence, which was the first of its kind in the State. The Youth and Community Services Bureau was responsible for programs designed to help juveniles with such programs as Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), Safe Kids, Resistance Education and Conflict Training (REACT), Work in Lieu of Arrest (WILA) and School Resource Officers (SRO's). Programs to help senior citizens included Seniors at Risk Referral Assistance (SARRA) and Extra Special Person (ESP). The Victim Advocate Unit helped victims and their families by offering emotional support and making referrals to other agencies. The Crisis Intervention Unit received special training and assisted deputies on calls involving mental health issues, substance abuse, domestic violence, homeless persons, juvenile issues and elder affairs. The Sexual Offender and Predator Unit monitored each predator and sex offender that resided in the unincorporated sections of Marion County, noting the monitoring of offenders were completed on a monthly basis, whereas Florida State Statute only required monitoring on a quarterly basis for sexual predators and a yearly check for sex offenders. The high level of service provided by the MCSO could not be achieved without the help of the over 1,500 volunteers who served in a wide range of capacities, such as citizen Page 3 of 8

4 November 8,2010 observer patrols, crime watch, funeral escorts and administrative specialists. The dedicated service of these volunteers was estimated to save Marion County taxpayers over $2,000,000 each year. The Court Services Bureau contained 2 Divisions: 1) Civil Division, which prepared over 50,000 papers for service (Court Orders, Subpoenas, Writs of Replevin, etc.); and 2) Bailiff services, which maintained the courtroom decorum and protocol for providing protection to citizens, Judges, jurors and inmates during trials and hearings. The Administrative Services Bureau was responsible for the financial management of the Sheriff's Office, including budgeting, accounting and fiscal controls (payroll, processing invoices for payments and maintaining the internal accounting records). The Bureau also oversaw the Division of Human Resources (HR) and Purchase. The Corrections Bureau was responsible for the operation of the Marion County Jail, which had an average daily inmate population of approximately 2,000. The Jail was the largest Bureau with nearly 335 employees and 7 Divisions (custody and security; jail transportations; inmate services; food services; program services; jail to work initiative; and inmate work farm). Inmates performed much of the work, such as facility maintenance, laundry and food preparation. The average inmate cost per day was 30%" less than other comparable Law Enforcement agencies, due in part to the inmate work farm, which supplemented food products to the jail. The Special Investigations Bureau included the Terrorism Intelligence Unit, which was formed in 2002 to protect the citizens of Marion County from Domestic and International terrorism by investigating all threats of weapons of mass destruction and aggressively pursuing prosecution of those cases. MCSO also partnered with other State, Local and Federal agencies in order to conduct both street level and long term narcotic investigations. Members of the Drug Enforcement Unit worked with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to concentrate on long term narcotics and money laundering investigations. At the street level, drug agents work with the Ocala Police Department (OPD) in a joint multi-agency task force. The Sheriff's Office is the lead agency of the Marion County Division of Emergency Management, which was responsible for coordinating emergency and response activities throughout the County. The mission was to provide a comprehensive and aggressive emergency preparedness response and recovery program in order to save lives, protect property and reduce the effects of man-made and natural disasters. Chief Kuhn advised that since the video was made, the MCSO consolidated the 8 Bureaus down to 6, noting all the support function groups (SWAT, URT) were not full time teams, but rather deputies that were trained to respond to those types of emergencies when necessary. He addressed the MCSO core values, which included: neatness; punctuality; brotherhood; persistence; pride; respect; shame; responsibility; achievement; courage; discipline and loyalty. Chief Kuhn advised that in 2008, the MCSO received the Governor's Sterling Award for excellence, which focused on Page 4 of 8

November 8, 2010 performance; strategic planning; customer focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; work focus; process management; and results.

5 November 8, 2010 performance; strategic planning; customer focus; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; work focus; process management; and results. Chief Kuhn provided a brief overview of strategic planning and guiding strategies, which included quality of life, excellence of service, safe and motivated workforce and stewardship. He stated the MCSO performed random surveys to determine whether or not the Department was satisfying the needs of the community, noting a recent survey resulted in a 99% customer satisfaction rate. Chief Kuhn addressed performance measurements, crime analysis, Bureau updates, etc., which were key factors affecting engagement, learning, focus and performance. Chief Kuhn provided a comparison of the top 5 Sheriffs Offices in the State with a population over 200,000, noting MCSO had the lowest cost per capita (unincorporated areas) at $168.15; crime rate per 100 citizens was 2.4 (State of Florida average of 4.4); crime clearance rate of 53.4% (State of Florida average of 25.2%) and inmate cost per day at the County Jail was the lowest at $ He noted innovated programs such as the inmate work farm and local physicians care for prisoners helped offset inmate costs. Chief Kuhn stated the Jail also utilized civilian correction assistants who operated radios and performed other duties that did not require direct interaction with inmates. Chief Kuhn provided a brief overview of the MCSO budget history, noting the average budget increase since fiscal year (FY) was 4.0%, with an average budget increase over the last 5 years of 0.85%. The budget increases were less than the population growth and the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which was an estimated 6.2% over the same period of time. He noted the proposed budget for FY was $71,700,382. Chief Kuhn stated the MCSO ratio was 1 deputy per 1,000 citizens, noting the State average was 1.7 deputies per 1,000 citizens. He advised that through attrition, 50 positions were eliminated across the board since FY including 2 Bureau Chief positions (Youth and Community Services Bureau and Court Services Bureau) consolidating 8 Bureaus into 6; 1 Assistant Bureau Chief; 2 Lieutenants; 3 Sergeants; 23 Deputy positions; 1 Civil Deputy; 1 HR Clerk; 1 STAR Operator; 1 HR Director; 4 Communication Officers; 1 Inmate Work Farm Manager and 10 Corrections personnel. Chester Trow arrived at 10:37 a.m. Chief Kuhn addressed patrol division response times for 2010, which averaged 9.35 minutes from dispatch to arrival. Chief Kuhn provided an overview of the current MCSO organizational chart, which varied slightly from the information provided in the video and included the 6 Bureaus along with the Divisions, Units and support functions that were under their purview. He commented on the Intelligence, Forensics & Technology Bureau and advised that it previously took over a year and a half to receive DNA results from the State lab, noting one of the biggest causes for the delay was due to initial pre-screening. Chief Kuhn advised that it would cost approximately $5,000,000 for Marion County to develop its own lab, noting MCSO opted to develop a pilot program with FDLE that allowed for 3 trained and certified MCSO personnel to provide the initial pre-screening, eliminating Page 5 of 8

6 November 8, 2010 evidence that was of no value. He noted it reduced the evidence turnaround time to approximately 60 days. Chief Kuhn referred to the 1 page letter from Deputy Secretary Rob Love, DJJ, regarding the provisional certification for the MCSO to begin acquiring the DJJ responsibility of housing juveniles at the jail, at a cost savings to taxpayers. Chief Kuhn advised that Broward County Sheriff AI Lamberti and staff, including representatives from Fire services, would be meeting with the Work Group to discuss their business model. He noted their agency had 5,000 employees with approximately 600 on the Fire/Rescue side. Mr. Cretul requested more information regarding the Departments succession planning when new Sheriff's were elected. Chief Kuhn advised that due to unknown factors there was no succession planning in place for newly elected Sheriff's and suggested the Work Group may want to present the question to Sheriff Lamberti who inherited the Broward County model when he was elected. Major Kerry Crawford, MCSO, advised of the Career Service Act, by Special Legislation, which stated the only employees that an incoming Sheriff would be able to change out would be the top personnel (i.e., Chief of Staff's) that reported directly to him or her. Chief Kuhn stated Emergency Management as well as the MCJ were the County's responsibilities, but were designated to the MCSO. In response to Mr. Cretul, Chief Kuhn stated if there was a major issue (i.e., corruption) with an elected Sheriff, the Governor could step in and remove him or her from office. Mr. Trow questioned what part of the MCSO structure staff believed was not moveable, either by Florida Statute (F.S.) or Constitution. Chief Kuhn advised that per Chapter 30, F.S., there were a series of responsibilities required of the Sheriff's Office (i.e., service of warrants, service of process, etc.). Mr. Trow questioned whether there was any part of the support functions that was so inherently Sheriff that the County Commissioners could not move anywhere else. Chief Kuhn stated the Sheriff was allowed to have his own budget personnel. In response to Mr. Crabtree, Chief Kuhn stated a new Sheriff could eliminate department functions, but could not eliminate personnel unless it was for cause/reason. Mr. Crabtree questioned whether other Constitutional Officer employees were covered under the Career Service Act. In response to Mr. Crabtree, Clerk Ellspermann advised that his employees were not covered under the Act. Mr. Kuhn stated as far as he was aware it was just Sheriff Personnel. General discussion ensued in regard to what qualified as cause under the Career Service Act. Mr. Cone referred to the 4 page handout entitled, "Areas of Consolidation Consideration" and questioned if those areas were ones staff wanted the Work Group to consider in regard to possible consolidation. Chief Kuhn concurred and noted he would like to be able to discuss those areas with Chief McElhaney. Chairman McConnell stated it was his understanding that staff could confer with each other, but it was the Page 6 of 8

November 8,2010 members of the Work Group that needed to follow the Sunshine Laws in regard to discussing these matters outside of noticed meetings.

7 November 8,2010 members of the Work Group that needed to follow the Sunshine Laws in regard to discussing these matters outside of noticed meetings. Clerk Ellspermann requested that if it was the direction of the Work Group that staff members from the MCFR and MCSO meet to discuss areas of consolidation, that Clerk as well as County staff also be invited to those discussions that addressed HR, Finance and Payroll issues. It was the general consensus of the Work Group to request that staff (including County and Clerk) meet and bring back recommendations as a template for consolidation consideration. WRAP UP: Chairman McConnell advised that although Commissioner Payton could not attend today's meeting, there were 2 questions he would like asked: 1) the number of staff employed by Fleet Maintenance and 2) and how many were employed by the Personnel Department. Major Crawford stated there were 11 employed by Fleet Maintenance (1 Fleet Director, 1 Operations Supervisor, 1 Parts Manager, 7 Technicians and 1 Secretary) and 8 by the Personnel Department (1 HR Director, 1 HR Manager, 1 Background Investigator/Polygrapher, 1 Benefits Coordinator, 1 HR Technician and 3 Clerks). Mr. Petty questioned the percentage of Fleet functions performed by inmates. Chief Kuhn stated he was unsure of the exact percentage, but noted inmates were limited by what they were allowed to do and were only allowed to work on non-pursuit vehicles. Major Crawford clarified that the Fleet Department utilized the services of 5 inmates who completed 146 work orders (oil changes, tire mounting and balance, graphic removal, etc.) in the last quarter. Mr. Trow questioned if the Fleet Departments were consolidated, would the County lose the benefit of inmate access for services. Chief Kuhn advised that the County would not; noting inmate services were utilized by departments throughout the County. In response to Chairman McConnell, Chief Kuhn advised that he would review the Career Service Act and bring more information next week. Chairman McConnell requested more information regarding District alignments for both the MCSO and MCFR in regard to how many each Department had, were there any in conjunction with each other, were there any overlaps, etc. Chief Kuhn provided an overview of the locations of the Districts and noted most of the MCSO District Offices were owned by the County and there was a possibility of combining facilities (colocation) in the long term similar to the model in Dunnellon. He noted MCSO had 14 District offices and MCFR had 30 fire stations. Fire Chief M. Stuart McElhaney, MCFR, commented on citizens who received discounts on their fire insurance premiums due to the close proximity of the Fire Department in their area, which could be impacted if that Station was relocated. Chairman McConnell requested staff review the matter to determine whether there would be any advantages to combing any of those facilities in the future. Mr. Crabtree commented on the Career Service Act and expressed concern as to whether or not MCFR employees would fall under the Act if the departments were consolidated. He advised that he would like to have an official opinion on the issue. Page 7 of 8

8 November 8,2010 Chairman McConnell requested Mr. Trow meet with the County Attorney to discuss the matter. Chairman McConnell addressed the Communications Division and requested clarification as to which department answered and dispatched calls. Chief Kuhn clarified that the call takers that answered every initial call were law enforcement personnel and if the emergency involved Fire/Rescue services then the calls were transferred to MCFR, noting some calls required services from both Departments. He advised that Broward County had a similar co-location system as Marion County, however their call takers were cross trained to screen both law enforcement and Fire/Rescue emergency calls. Chief McElhaney noted Fire Department staff had a similar situation when it took over the EMSA ambulance services. Chairman McConnell addressed issues the Work Group faced when trying to make recommendations to consolidate Departments and noted the reality was that if there was no reduction in head count, facilities or expenses then there was no need for the merger or consolidation. He commented on the importance of doing what was right for the citizens of Marion County as a whole by reviewing options that provided true cost reductions. Chairman McConnell noted the Work Group would be reviewing MCSO and MCFR budgets at its next meeting. There being no further business to be addressed, the meeting was thereupon adjourned at 11 :51 a.m. Page 8 of 8

Superintendent of Police

CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW of Staff Superintendent of Police Advisor Advisor for Community Affairs Office of the General Counsel Office of Communications Internal Affairs First Deputy