STAFFING ANALYSIS & ASSESSMENT Fulton County Sheriff s Office. January 6, 2016

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1 STAFFING ANALYSIS & ASSESSMENT Fulton County Sheriff s Office January 6, 2016

2 Methodology Document Review Review of Rosters, Policies, and Legal Mandates On Site Analysis Post Evaluation Criteria Post Inspections One of the driving forces in determining staffing levels within the Fulton County Jail Bureau has been the results of the Harper v. Bennett consent order which stipulated specific staffing level requirements 2

3 General Findings Multiple housing locations results in staffing redundancies and inefficiencies. Other than the housing posts in the Main Jail, there are currently no identified mandatory posts or minimum staffing requirements. Areas are staffed based upon personnel available as opposed to pre-determined staffing positions. The Command Structure is sound, and within the best practices found in similar facilities across the United States. A proper relief factor is not in place for staff in all departments. The consequence of having too few staff, along with the compounded factor of an inadequate relief factor, is an excessive reliance on overtime. Current CGL Position Relief Factor Relief Factor Detention Officer Deputy Security Specialist

4 Inmate Population Analysis and Assessment The projected Fulton County population, according to the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget, is projected to increase 27.9 percent from 2014 to The 2025 projected resident population is 1,273,988. The county jail average daily population (ADP) has decreased 19.1 percent from 2005 to The projection methodology averaged seven models, and while bookings are projected to increase through 2025, the ADP is projected to decrease by 159 to 2,346. 4

5 Housing Capacity The Jail System bed count exceeds both its rated design capacity and its rated operational capacity. When compared to industry standards for square footage and facility fixture requirements, the system is over capacity by 452 beds. However, when compared to operational capacity (which is 85% of the bed capacity) the system is actually over capacity by nearly 850 inmates. Facility Current Beds CGL Design Capacity Design Capacity +Over/ -Under CGL Operational Capacity Operational Capacity +Over/ -Under Main Jail 2,581 2, , Alpharetta Annex South Annex Marietta Annex System Total 3,048 2, , Source: CGL, September

6 Main Jail A cost-effective staffing strategy should be applied by filling post assignments with staff in position classifications that are most appropriate to meet post responsibilities. Position Avg. Salary Deputy $ 39,956 Detention Officer $ 34,097 Security Specialist $ 24,349 Reduce the number of deputies required to be assigned at the Main Jail and increase the number of detention officers to ensure recommended posts are covered during appropriate time periods. The total number of recommended staff for the Main Jail is 604. Post/Position Rounded FTE Main Jail Subtotal Colonel Posts: 1 Subtotal Lt. Colonel Posts: 2 Subtotal Major Posts: 2 Subtotal Captain Posts: 6 Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 21 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 79 Subtotal Deputy Sheriff Posts: 34 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 360 Subtotal Security Specialist Posts: 99 Subtotal Main Jail Staff 604 6

7 Annexes Driver (Deputy) positions should be increased for the annexes due to the quantity and frequency of inmate transports. Food and laundry transports are being completed by Deputies, where a more costeffective method would be using the contracted food service supplier for these tasks. Additional staff will be required at Grady Memorial Hospital upon the opening of the new secure treatment building. 7

8 Courts Security screening checkpoints are not fully staffed during peak periods of activity at the adult and juvenile courts. The major courtrooms should have a minimum of two deputies during periods of active court hearings. Each floor should be staffed with a Sergeant for overall coordination of the security activity on the floor. This is not currently happening, which is a significant vulnerability issue. The authorized number of staff for the Courts is recommended to be 234 FTEs, which will provide sufficient staff to achieve the major staffing objectives and provide sufficient relief to cover anticipated and unanticipated absences. 8

9 Law Enforcement Sworn Staff As a result of the jail and courtroom first practice, vacated positions are often left vacant for many months. Officers describe overall staffing levels at less than 75% of what they were only four years ago. All measures of unit performances for the Fugitive Unit declined dramatically in 2015 compared to 2012, which can be directly attributed to the reduction in staffing for the unit. There is also a need for additional administrative staff. This is the primary area that the consultants found where administrative tasks are taking sworn staff away from their primary duties. The reduction in Deputies is the result of high rates of staff turnover. Due to high staff turnover in the Detention Center, there are not enough qualified candidates to transfer to a Deputy position in Law Enforcement. 9

10 Inmate Transportation The total number of inmate transports has decreased by 15% in the last 5 years. However, the number of Deputies assigned to the External Transport Unit has decreased by more than 50%. 10

11 Shift Schedules CGL examined the staffing requirements for multiple shift configurations. Ten-hour shifts are often cumbersome and inefficient to schedule staff. Eight-hour vs. 12-hour shifts tend to be more of a tossup, and often come down to the preference of the current administration. CGL calculated the recommended staffing requirements based upon both 8 and 12 hour shifts, and found a need of an additional 6 FTEs for a 12-hour shift schedule. The base salary difference would also be approximately $303,643 higher. 11

12 Staff Recommendations Position Recommended FTEs Current FTEs Difference Avg Base Salary Salary Impact (Base) * Sheriff $ - $ - Executive Chief Deputy $ - $ - Colonel $ - $ - Lt. Colonel $ - $ - Major $ - $ - Captain $ - $ - Lieutenant $ 58,625 $ (469,000) Sergeant $ 46,862 $ (192,419) Deputy $ 39,956 $ (79,912) Detention Officer $ 34,097 $ 5,250,876 Security Specialist $ 24,349 $ 1,022,675 Total Required Sworn FTE: 1, $ 5,532,220 Source: CGL September

13 Staff Recruitment and Retention It takes more than 4 months (126 days) to fill a Detention Officer vacancy, Deputy vacancies can take up 7 months (217 days) to fill. The Sheriff s Office should evaluate all options to shorten the amount of time required to fill officer vacancies. The Promotions policy provides no eligibility criteria for civilian Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain positions. Policy should be revised to detail the eligibility criteria for these civilian positions. Comparing the jail s turnover rate to that found in the state and local government sector reveals the jail s turnover is generally in line with what other government entities across the country experience. 13

14 Use of Technology Issues exist with some components of the Odyssey system. Specifically, there is a significant amount of double entry between the court and jail records, resulting in concerns with the accuracy of inmate counts on the system. Fulton County should complete the transition to a fully digital video surveillance system in the jail. The use of body cameras in the Fulton County Jail is considered a best practice, which increases officer and inmate safety. We found the new locking system to be one of the better found across the country. Fulton County is making full use of current video visitation technology by allowing families to remotely visit, from their home or any location with an internet connection, with their loved ones in the jail. 14

15 Questions 15

16 Thank You Alan Richardson Chris Monsma CGL Companies 1619 Sumter Street Columbia, SC CGLcompanies.com

17 FULTON COUNTY, GEORGIA STAFFING ANALYSIS & ASSESSMENT Fulton County Sheriff s Office FINAL REPORT December 2015 Prepared by: CGL Companies 1619 Sumter Street Columbia, SC CGLCompanies.com

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19 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 Introduction Background Methodology Relief Factor Inmate Population Projections Introduction and Methodology External Factors Makeup of the Jail Population Projections of Future Jail Population Levels Summary Capacity Analysis Introduction and Methodology Findings Main Jail Alpharetta Annex South Annex Marietta Annex Overall Summary Recommendations Main Jail Background Methodology Jail Administration Harper v Bennett Consent Order Jail Standards Authorized Positions at the Jail Roster Management Post Assignment Responsibilities Detention Officer v. Deputy Regular Scheduled Days Off Summary Changes / Recommendations for the Main Jail

20 Table of Contents SECTION TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) PAGE 5 Annexes Alpharetta Annex Marietta Annex South Annex Grady Memorial Hospital Courts Fulton County Court Staffing Recommendations Law Enforcement Operations Current Staffing and Organization Approach and Methodology Division Administration Field Operations Administrative Operations Other Units / Duties Summary of Current and Recommended Staffing Additional Recommendations External Transportation Current System wide Overview Variations by Facility Current Logistical Patterns and Resources Used Transfer Division Staffing Findings and Recommendations Shift Schedules Shift Schedule Comparisons Hour Shift Schedules Hour Shift Schedules Findings

21 Table of Contents SECTION TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) PAGE 10 Recruiting and Retention Recruiting, Hiring, Promotion and Career Advancement Recruitment Application Process Selection Process Conditional Employment Vacancy Lag Promotion and Career Advancement Turnover Technology Assessment Technology in the Fulton County Jail Odyssey Jail Management System Closed Circuit Television System Body Cameras Cell Door Locking Systems Biometric Key Control System Offender Phone and Information Kiosks Video Visitation / Offender / Tablets Summary of Findings and Recommendations APPENDIX A: Recommended Staffing Levels APPENDIX B: Recommended Staffing Levels with 12 Hour Shifts

22 Table of Contents LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1 1 Net Annual Work Hours Calculations Relief Factor Calculations Historical Resident Population Projected Resident Population At Risk (Age 15 44) Resident Population Historical Data Reported Crimes Annual Bookings Jail Historical Annual ADP Jail Population Snapshot Empty Bunks Jail Population Snapshot Breakdown by Facility/Tower Counts Jail Population Snapshot Breakdown by Facility Out Jail Average Length of Stay Projected Jail ADP and Bookings Projected Jail Pre trial and Sentenced ADP Projected Jail ADP by Gender Projected Jail ADP by Custody Type Summary of Current Capacities by Facility that Exceed Standards Main Jail North Tower Capacity Ratings Alpharetta Annex Capacity Ratings South Annex Capacity Ratings Marietta Annex Capacity Ratings Summary of Current Use, Design Capacity and Operational Capacity Ratings Sheriff s Office Jail System April 2015 Capacity Counts Harper Consent Order Main Jail Post Assignment Staff Assigned to Fulton County Jail Bureau. April 1, 2015 and June 30, Scheduled Security Supervisors by Shift and Day Main Jail Recommended Staffing Recommended Staffing for Alpharetta Annex Recommended Staffing for Marietta Annex Recommended Staffing for South Annex Recommended Staffing for Grady Memorial Hospital Court Security Recommended Staffing Current, Vacant, and Assumed/Authorized Staffing Levels Division Administration: Current and Recommended Staffing Level Field Operations (without the Transfer Unit): Current Staffing as of August Summary of Net Annual Work Hours for Sheriff Deputies (all Divisions) Overtime Expenditures Monthly Average of Warrants and Civil Documents Assigned, Executed/Served, and Bad Addresses Field Operations: Weekly Warrant/Civil Paper Inventory FCSO Fugitive Unit Performance Measures: Calendar Years Canine Unit Performance Measures: Calendar Years Field Operations (Excluding Transfer Unit): Current and Recommended Staffing Level Current Staffing Levels: Administration Operations

23 Table of Contents TABLE LIST OF TABLES (CONTINUED) PAGE 7 12 Quarterly and Daily Average of Work Activities by GCIC Bonding Administration Performance Measures Civil Process Performance Measures Calendar Years Performance Metrics: Front Office and Sex Offender Units Administrative Operations: Current and Recommended Staffing Level Current and Recommended Staffing: Law Enforcement Operations Division (w/o Transfer Unit) Current and Recommended Staffing: Law Enforcement Division Sworn Officers Current and Recommended Staffing: Law Enforcement Division Civilian Staff External Transport Unit Annual Inmates Transported by Destination External Transport Unit Fleet Usage Transfer Division Staffing from Transfer Division Recommended Staffing Staffing Differences Between 8 Hour and 12 Hour Shifts Base Salary Differences Between 8 Hour and 12 Hour Shifts Key Position Salary Comparison Vacancy Lag Turnover Rate Comparison Relief Factors Staffing Recommendations Fiscal Impact

24 Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 2 1 Historical and Projected Resident Population Historical Data Reported Crimes Annual Jail Bookings Monthly Bookings by Gender Monthly Bookings by Race Monthly Bookings by Age Group Annual Jail Releases Jail Historical Annual ADP Main Jail ADP Facilities ADP Excluding Main Jail Outsourced Inmates Jail Average Length of Stay Projected Jail ADP Projected Jail ADP Lower and Upper Bounds Projected Jail Pre trial and Sentenced ADP Projected Jail ADP by Gender Projected Jail ADP by Custody Type Fulton County Jail Administrative Core Positions Law Enforcement Operations Organizational Chart FCSO Fugitive Unit Performance Measures: Calendar Years Cost of Steps in Applicant Screening

25 Acknowledgements Project Team Alan Richardson Robert Goble Chris Monsma Ken McGinnis Karl Becker Thomas Roth Brad Sassatelli Bob Lauder Acknowledgements The CGL team would like to acknowledge and thank staff of Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff s Office for their assistance with this project. Felicia Strong Whitaker, Kenneth Herman, and Crystal Evans with Fulton County Government were invaluable with the guidance and information provided to the Consultant team. Colonel Mark Adger, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Andresen, Lieutenant Scottie McWilliams and Ardie Harrison are just a few of the Sheriff s staff that served as great hosts during our tours and information gathering, and provided data in a prompt and efficient manner that made this project possible.

26 Acknowledgements

27 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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29 Executive Summary Executive Summary The firm of Carter Goble Associates, LLC, a member of the CGL Companies, was commissioned by Fulton County to conduct a staffing study for the Sheriff s Office to provide an independent assessment which will form the basis for a long term staffing plan encompassing future growth, development and sustainability as it relates to the terms and conditions of the Consent Decree. The direction given to CGL was to focus on sworn staff as opposed to administrative personnel. The only exceptions to this were to be findings of administrative tasks being performed by sworn staff, taking them away from their sworn duties. Fulton County entered into a Consent Order ("Consent Decree") with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division ("Federal Courts") in December The Consent Decree specifically identified conditions related to staffing and security at the Jail. However, between the times CGL was contracted for this project and the initiation of work, the Consent Decree was lifted. As the staffing requirements had been in place for nearly 10 years, it was agreed that CGL would approach this study under the staffing requirements of the Consent Decree. CGL has more than 40 years of experience in providing consulting services to state and local correctional agencies, specifically issues relative to safety, security, minimum standards for the operation of jail facilities and selection and training of custody staff. As a matter of process in the development of this jail staffing analysis CGL evaluators engaged in the following activities that supported the development of this staffing study including recommendations for additional custody staff. Areas of the staffing study included but were not limited to: Document reviews; On site analyses; Post evaluation criteria and inspections; Interviews with line and supervisory staff; and Development of a tailored Relief Factor based upon actual Fulton County Sheriffs leave documents and logs. The staffing analysis revealed many issues that impact the staffing of the Sheriff s Office. The findings by category are as follows. General The Jail System consists of inmate housing at multiple locations which often results in staffing redundancies and inefficiencies. Other than the housing posts in the Main Jail, there are currently no identified mandatory posts or minimum staffing requirements throughout the system. Areas and departments are staffed based upon personnel available at that time as opposed to pre determined staffing positions. Page ES-1

30 Executive Summary The Command Structure is sound, and within the best practices found in similar facilities across the United States. A proper relief factor is not in place for staff in all departments. The current relief factor in place is reported to be 1.50 for Detention Officers, 1.47 for Deputies, and zero for Security Specialists. CGL determined a proper relief factor for Detention Officers is 1.55, the relief factor for Deputies is 1.59, and for Security Specialists is The consequence of having too few staff, along with the compounded factor of an inadequate relief factor, is an excessive reliance on overtime. Inmate Population Analysis and Assessment The projected Fulton County population, according to the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget, is projected to increase 27.9 percent from 2014 to The 2025 projected resident population is 1,273,988. The county jail average daily population (ADP) has decreased 19.1 percent from 2005 to The projection methodology averaged seven models, and while bookings are projected to increase through 2025, the ADP is projected to decrease by 159 to 2,346. Housing Capacity The Jail System was found to have a combined overall bed count that exceeds both its rated design capacity and its rated operational capacity. When compared to industry standards for square footage and facility fixture requirements, the system is over capacity by 452 inmate beds. However, when compared to operational capacity (which is 85% of the bed capacity) the system is actually over capacity by nearly 850 inmates. Main Jail A cost effective staffing strategy should be applied by filling post assignments with staff in position classifications that are most appropriate to meet post responsibilities. There are many instances where a Tower post is staffed with a Deputy when a Security Specialist would be sufficient. Reduce the number of deputies required to be assigned at the Main Jail and increase the number of detention officers to ensure recommended posts are covered during appropriate time periods. The total number of recommended staff for the Main Jail is 604. Annexes Driver (Deputy) positions should be increased for the annexes due to the quantity and frequency of inmate transports. Page ES-2

31 Executive Summary Food and laundry transports are being completed by Deputies, where a more cost effective method would be using the contracted food service supplier for these tasks. Additional staff will be required at Grady Memorial Hospital upon the opening of the new secure treatment building. Courts The authorized number of staff for the Courts is recommended to be 234 FTEs, which will provide sufficient staff to achieve the major staffing objectives and provide sufficient relief to cover anticipated and unanticipated absences. Security screening checkpoints are not fully staffed during peak periods of activity at the adult and juvenile courts. The major courtrooms should have a minimum of two deputies during periods of active court hearings while each floor will be staffed with a Sergeant for overall coordination of the security activity on the floor. This is not currently the case, which is a significant vulnerability issue. Law Enforcement There is a need for additional field operations deputies and supervisors. There is also a need for additional administrative staff. This is the primary area that the consultants found where administrative tasks are taking sworn staff away from their primary duties. Inmate Transportation In the last 5 years, since 2011, the total number of inmate transports has decreased by 15%. However, the number of Deputies assigned to the External Transport Unit has decreased by more than 50%. Staff interviews revealed that the reduction in Deputies is not due to budget cuts, but are a result of high rates of staff turnover. It was reported that to be assigned to a Deputy position, an officer must first complete a minimum of two years working in the Detention Center, and another two years in Court Security. Due to high staff turnover in the Detention Center, there are not enough qualified candidates to transfer to a Deputy position in Law Enforcement. As Deputies must first work in the Jail for 2 years, and then with Courts for 2 more years before becoming a Deputy, there are not enough qualified staff in the Sheriff s Office that meet these requirements. Shift Schedules CGL examined the staffing requirements for multiple shift configurations. Ten hour shifts are often cumbersome and inefficient to schedule staff. Eight hour vs. 12 hour shifts tend to be more of a tossup, and often come down to the preference of the current administration. CGL Page ES-3

32 Executive Summary calculated the recommended staffing requirements based upon both 8 and 12 hour shifts, and found a need of an additional 6 FTEs for a 12 hour shift schedule. Staff Recruitment and Retention On average it takes more than 4 months (126 days) to replace a Detention Officer when a vacancy occurs, and can take up 7 months (217 days) to replace a Deputy. The Sheriff s Office should evaluate all options to shorten the amount of time required to fill officer vacancies. The Promotions policy provides eligibility criteria for sworn Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain positions, and clearly outlines requirements to prospective promotional applicants. However, no such criteria for the civilian series is provided in the policy. The policy should be revised to detail the eligibility criteria for civilian Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain positions. Comparing the jail s turnover rate to that found in the state and local government sector reveals the jail s turnover is generally in line with what other government entities across the country experience. Use of Technology It appears that issues exist with the installation and validation of some components of the Odyssey system in the county. Specifically, there appears to continue to be a significant amount of double entry between the court and jail records, resulting in concerns with the accuracy of inmate counts on the system. Fulton County should complete the transition to a fully digital video surveillance system in the jail. Currently the system has been improved with digital recorders and flat panel monitors, but the county needs to ensure the development of an IP system is complete with the installation of digital cameras throughout the facility. The use of body cameras in the Fulton County Jail is considered a best practice, which increases officer and inmate safety and has the potential to reduce the number of serious incidents. $5 million has been spent to replace locks in over 1,300 cells in the jail. We found the new locking system to be one of the better found across the country. Staff report that since these new locks have been installed, no offender has been able to jam or defeat them. The jail has installed kiosks in housing units that provide a variety of functions for the offender population. The capabilities of these kiosks is nearly unlimited as they have the ability to store the inmate handbook, law library material, create request slips, file grievances, access , etc. Fulton County is making full use of current video visitation technology by allowing families to remotely visit, from their home or any location with an internet connection, with their loved ones in the jail. For over a year, the county has used its contract with Securus to allow for s to be sent to inmates. This system provides an additional alternative for offender access to family, but also Page ES-4

33 Executive Summary enhances security as the s are scanned for keywords that may indicate security concerns. Facility staff indicated the use of has been extremely limited. The jail is also piloting the use of tablet computers for offenders that allow them access to a variety of resources and entertainment. Summary of Recommended Staff Positions Post/Position Rounded FTE Main Jail Subtotal Colonel Posts: 1 Subtotal Lt. Colonel Posts: 2 Subtotal Major Posts: 2 Subtotal Captain Posts: 6 Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 21 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 79 Subtotal Deputy Sheriff Posts: 34 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 360 Subtotal Security Specialist Posts: 99 Subtotal Main Jail Staff 604 Alpharetta Annex Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 1 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 5 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 30 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 15 Total Alpharetta Annex Staff 51 Marrietta Annex Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 5 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 10 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 5 Total Marrietta Annex Staff 20 South Annex (Union City) Union City/Grady Captain 1 Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 1 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 5 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 36 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 10 Total South Annex Staff 53 Post/Position Rounded FTE Grady Hospital Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 1 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 5 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 23 Subtotal Deputy Sheriff Posts: 12 Subtotal Security Specialist Posts: 1 Total Grady Staff 42 Court Security Subtotal Lt. Colonel Posts: 1 Subtotal Major Posts: 1 Subtotal Captain Posts: 3 Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 5 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 27 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 151 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 30 Subtotal Security Specialist Posts: 16 Total Courts Staff: 234 Transfer Unit Subtotal Lieutenant Hours: 1 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 3 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 34 Total Transfer Unit Staff: 38 Law Enforcement Sheriff 1 Executive Chief Deputy 1 Subtotal Lt. Colonel: 1 Subtotal Major: 1 Subtotal Captain: 5 Subtotal Lieutenant: 4 Subtotal Sergeant: 9 Subtotal Deputy: 43 Total Sworn Law Enforcement Staff: 65 Total Sworn FTE Required: 1,108 Page ES-5

34 Executive Summary Fiscal Impact of Staffing Recommendations The total recommended staffing for the Sheriff s Office is 1,108 sworn staff, which is 182 more FTEs than the current number of 926. Using the average base salary for each job position, there would be a fiscal impact of $5.5 million for the additional staff positions. Staffing Recommendations Fiscal Impact Position Req. Current Difference Avg Base Salary Sheriff Executive Chief Deputy Colonel Lt. Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant ,625 Sergeant ,862 Deputy ,956 Detention Officer ,097 Security Specialist ,349 Salary Impact (Base) * $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ (469,000) $ $ (192,419) $ $ (79,912) $ $ 5,250,876 $ $ 1,022,675 Total Required Sworn FTE: 1, $ 5,532,220 Source: CGL September 2015 Page ES-6

35 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

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37 Section 1: Introduction Background The Fulton County Sheriff is an elected official and is by law, the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Fulton County. The Sheriff's Office is responsible for acting as a protector of the peace and the lives, health and property of all citizens of the County. The Sheriff has total responsibility for the administration and operation of the Fulton County Jail, which is the principal detention facility of the County. In addition to the jail, security is also provided to all courtrooms and judges as required by law. The Sheriff s Office maintains four (4) locations where inmates are housed: 1) Fulton County Jail Facility Complex is the main Jail and houses a maximum population of 2,552 inmates, most of whom are pretrial detainees, and many of who are maximum security inmates. 2) South Annex this facility houses the female population and a maximum population of 304 inmates. 3) Alpharetta Jail Annex this facility houses a maximum population of 50 inmates. 4) Marietta Jail Annex this facility houses a maximum population of 80 inmates. For Fiscal Year 2014, the Sheriff s Office employed a total of 1,050 permanent Full Time Employees (831 Sworn and 219 Civilians) and 70 Temporary employees. The Sheriff s Office is comprised of four (4) Divisions: 1) Administration 2) Courts 3) Jail 4) Law Enforcement Fulton County entered into a Consent Order ("Consent Decree") with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division ("Federal Courts") in December The Consent Decree specifically identified conditions related to staffing and security at the Jail. The Fulton County Jail serves as the entry point for all newly hired sworn staff members. In 2015 Fulton County entered into a contract with CGL, a firm that for more than 40 years has devoted its professional practice to criminal justice planning and facility development, to conduct a jail staffing analysis and assessment of the Fulton County Sheriff s Office. The primary objective of the project was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the staff required in order to sustain the staffing levels to be in compliance with the Consent Decree and to develop a staffing plan to achieve long term efficiencies in the operation of the Jail. Page 1-1

38 Section 1: Introduction After entering into this contract, but prior to the commencement of work, the Consent Order was lifted for the Fulton County Jail. It was agreed, however, that the assessment would still consider the terms of the Consent Order in the evaluation of staffing levels. The initial plan was to conduct a staffing analysis for all four divisions of the Sheriff s Office. However, during the initial on site meetings, the focus was narrowed to include only sworn staff. Civilian tasks were only to be included if they were being completed by sworn staff, thereby taking them away from their sworn duties. Methodology Inmate Population Projections: This Analysis and Assessment contains a ten year inmate population projection to assist in the determining the demands on the Fulton County Jail system as a whole. The population projections use external and internal factors that impact the jail population, with a goal of collecting ten years of historical data for the projection models. Monthly jail population statistics from January 2013 to April 2015 were provided by the Fulton County Sheriff s Office. The reports, coupled with the data from the HOK Master Plan update served as the baseline data for historical jail populations. Staffing: In performing the assessment and in determining the level of staff needed to meet the current demands of the Fulton County Sheriff s office, the project team focused on developing an understanding of the agency s current mission and operational practices, document reviews, workload analyses, tours and staff interviews, and observations of security posts and post activities. Current staffing levels were reviewed and documented, and a staffing relief factor was developed specifically for the Fulton County Sheriff s Office and applied to the recommended base staffing requirements. Prior to finalizing these recommendations, meetings were held with the jail administrator and additional Sheriff s staff for further review and input. Applying this methodology, the team then identified staffing needs associated with current operational practices. Additional reviews were conducted of the staff promotion and retention programs as well as the Sheriff s Office implementation and efficient use of technology. Relief Factor Properly staffing a correctional system involves much more than multiplying the number of posts to be covered by the number of shifts. Proper staffing is determined by having the right number and type of staff, in the right place, at the right time, doing the right things. A major part of determining proper staffing is the calculation of the relief factor to ensure proper coverage of the recommended security posts. Providing proper relief, or staff coverage, is critical in determining adequate staffing for jail and correctional operations. The translation of posts to FTE positions is made by applying an appropriate relief factor. Page 1-2

39 Section 1: Introduction As reported by Sheriff s staff, Fulton County currently uses a relief factor of 1.50 for Detention Officers. However, a relief factor should be calculated and applied for all levels and categories of staff that require relief. Due to longevity, differences in leave accrual and benefits, a separate relief factor is required for Lieutenants, Sergeants, Detention Officers, Deputies, and Security Specialists. This will ensure the most accurate projected of staff required. CGL has calculated a proper relief factor for all positions that require relief. Unlike most other government or justice functions the jail is a 24 hour round the clock 365 days a year operation that has substantial security and life safety requirements. The security related positions or posts in the jail must be staffed even when the scheduled officer calls in sick, takes vacation or is away on required training. The process used for conducting this staffing study and calculating a proper relief factor was based on the Staffing Analysis Workbook for Jails: Second Edition, produced by the National Institute of Corrections, and is considered to be the industry standard process for determining appropriate staffing for local corrections. The following passage is an excerpt from the Staffing Analysis Workbook for Jails: Second Edition, 2003: Many staffing issues and problems jails face, such as high overtime costs, the inability to cover needed posts, or the inability to free staff from their posts for training can be attributed to inaccurate calculation of the actual number of hours staff is available to work in the jail. This critical step requires collecting and analyzing information that will provide an accurate depiction of the real number of staff hours that are available to be scheduled for each full time position in the jail budget. It produces accurate net annual work hours (NAWH) for each position... An accurate NAWH for each job classification requires information on all possible timeoff categories. Different classifications of employees will have different NAWH, because of the amount of vacation time or training time that is allotted and used. At this time it is important to point out that not every post or position requires relief. Relief is typically applied to security posts that must be staffed during certain shift work hours to maintain safe, critical operations. Typically, relief is not applied to civilian posts and positions. In order to describe/recommend appropriate staffing for the Fulton County Sheriff, a proper NAWH was calculated for each security job classification to determine the number of staff that must be employed to efficiently fill all security posts, even when some staff are absent. After the first on site visit, a great deal of time was spent collecting and sorting through time off data collected for all the time taken off by all employees in the last three years, from 2012 to While employees take time off for legitimate reasons, security posts must still be staffed to maintain the safety and security of the facilities. Therefore, the actual time off data is used to determine the proper amount of relief staff that must be hired to provide adequate coverage at all times. Another important factor is the amount of time required to fill a vacancy. The additional coverage required to provide secure operations due to staff vacancies will drive the relief factor up or down depending upon the timeliness and efficiency of screening, hiring, and training new staff members. Page 1-3

40 Section 1: Introduction Table 1 1 Net Annual Work Hours Calculations Net Annual Work Hours Detention Detention Detention Security Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Lieutenant Sergeant Officer Specialist Lieutenant Sergeant Deputy 1 Total hours contracted per employee per year. 2,216 2,216 2,216 2,216 2,216 2,216 2,216 2 All Leave Time Off Avg Time to Fill a Vacancy Total hours off per year (lines 2 and 3) Net Annual Work Hours (line 1 - line 4) 1, , , , , , , Source: CGL, August 2015 With the calculation of a tailored NAWH, the relief factor can be derived by dividing the number of hours per year that a post must be staffed by the number of hours one officer is available to work in a year. Staffing requirements then are determined by multiplying each post by the required relief factor. Table 1 2 Relief Factor Calculations Relief Factor Detention Detention Detention Security Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Lieutenant Sergeant Officer Specialist Lieutenant Sergeant Deputy Hours per year 8, , , , , , Hours per year divided by NAWH Relief Factor Source: CGL, August 2015 Proper relief factors will vary depending upon the type of post/position in which they are applied. For example, a post that is staffed for 40 hours each week will require less staff (and relief) than a post that is staffed 24/7. What is important when determining the required relief for a particular job classification is to factor an accurate NAWH. The relief factor for a Detention Officer is 1.55, as compared to the 1.50 that is currently being used by the County. The relief factor for a Deputy was determined to be 1.59, compared to the 1.47 currently used, and the Sheriff s Office currently does not use a relief factor for Security Specialists. As these staff work shifts alongside Detention Officers and Deputies, relief is required. The relief factor for Security Specialists was determined to be For the staffing recommendations, relief factors for each position category shown in table 1 2 have been appropriately applied in the recommended staffing calculations. Page 1-4

41 CHAPTER 2 INMATE POPULATION PROJECTIONS

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43 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Introduction and Methodology This Jail System Facilities Capacity Analysis and Assessment contains a ten year inmate population projection to assist in the determining the demands on the Fulton County Jail system as a whole. The population projections use external and internal factors that impact the jail population, with a goal of collecting ten years of historical data for the projection models. The initial focus of the data collection focused on previous jail studies, demographic and crime data and jail data. Monthly reports to the Court Monitor, starting in first quarter of 2010, were examined for data pertinent to jail populations. The Court Monitor reports are required under the stipulations of the Harper et al vs. Fulton County et al Civil Action Number 04 CV 1416 MHS filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The June 26, 2012 Fulton County Jail Complex Master Plan Update from Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, Inc (HOK) was used for historical jail data. Monthly jail population statistics from January 2013 to April 2015 were provided by the Fulton County Sheriff s Office. The reports, coupled with the data from the HOK Master Plan update served as the baseline data for historical jail populations. External Factors External factors that influence the jail population are independent variables in multiple population projection models. The overall resident population in Fulton County, the year olds at risk population in Fulton County, and the reported crime rate in metro Atlanta were used as external factors for jail population projection models. County Population Growth in the county resident population is a driving factor in the size of the criminal justice system. Since 2005, the resident population in Fulton County has increased 6.6 percent, from 934,242 in 2005 to 996,319 in 2014, see Table 2 1. This represents an annual increase of 0.7 percent. The historical data is from the US Census. The drop from 1,034,000 in 2009 to 920,581 in 2010 is most likely due to use of a population estimate in 2009 and the decennial census of Page 2-1

44 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Table 2 1 Historical Resident Population Year Population # Change % / Year , ,596 29, % ,790 27, % ,013,000 22, % ,034,000 21, % , , % ,777 29, % ,129 27, % ,293 7, % ,319 12, % Total % Change : 6.6% Annual % Change: 0.7% Source: US Census Bureau, July The projected Fulton County population is from the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget. Fulton County resident population is projected to increase 27.9 percent from 2014 to The 2025 projected resident population is 1,273,988 (see Table 2 2 for the projected population in five year increments). Table 2 2 Projected Resident Population Year Population # Change % / Year ,114, ,192,726 77, % ,273,988 81, % Total % Change : 27.9% Annual % Change: 2.3% Source: Georgia Office of Planning and Budget, March The historical and projected population data is graphed on Figure 2 1. The graph shows the drop in population in 2010, and the gradual increase in resident population the next four years. The projected population grows steadily until Page 2-2

45 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections 1,400,000 Figure 2 1 Historical and Projected Resident Population 1,200,000 1,000, , , , , Historical Population Projected Population At Risk Demographic Crime is not evenly distributed through the resident population. The group considered to be the most at risk for criminal behavior is the population between the ages of 15 to 44 years old. Individuals in this age group make up the majority of jail populations. Table 2 3 shows that the 15 to 44 year old population in Fulton County increased 1.0 percent from 2005 to 2014, a much slower growth rate than the county population as a whole. Table 2 3 At Risk (Age 15 44) Resident Population Year Population # Change % / Year ,981 8, % ,205 13, % ,734 10, % ,881 9, % ,626 6, % ,582-57, % ,085 9, % ,098 13, % ,992-2, % ,418 1, % Total % Change : 1.0% Annual % Change: 0.1% Source: US Census Bureau, July Page 2-3

46 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections The population of the 15 to 44 year old demographic in Fulton County is projected 448,992, a decrease of 1.0 percent. The 15 to 44 year old population projection is a linear regression of the historical data. The Georgia Office of Planning and Budget did not provide projections for this age group. Reported Crimes The annual number of reported crimes in metro Atlanta is shown on Table 2 4. The annual number of violent and property crimes are reported to the FBI by local law enforcement. The crime metric with the most data available is the number of metro crimes; the county reported crimes are not complete for 2005 to Table 2 4 Historical Data Reported Crimes Year Violent Crimes Property Crimes Total Crimes , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,178 # Change -1,503-18,214-19,717 % Change -6.3% -9.1% -8.8% Linear Annual % Change -0.7% -1.0% -1.0% Compund Annual % Chg -0.7% -1.1% -1.0% Average 23, , ,570 Source: FBI, Uniformed Crime Report November Violent Crime in 2007 and Property Crime in 2006 are averages, data not available Violent Crime in 2007 and Property Crime in 2006 are averages as the data not available. The number of violent crimes in metro Atlanta decreased 6.3 percent from 2005 to The number of property crimes decreased by 9.1 percent during the same period. The combined violent crime and property crime in metro Atlanta decreased by 8.8 percent. Figure 2 2 graphs the annual reported crime in metro Atlanta. The violent crime, property crime and total crimes are plotted. Total crimes reported peaked in 2008, and has steadily decreased since then. Page 2-4

47 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections 300,000 Figure 2 2 Historical Data Reported Crimes 250, , , ,000 Violent Crimes Property Crimes Total Crimes 50, Makeup of the Jail Population Population projections for the jail depend on the historical data and trends observed in the system. Ten years of historical data was requested for the projection models. For the analysis the following data was examined: jail bookings, jail releases, average daily population (ADP), a five day snapshot of jail population, and the average length of stay (ALOS). The data sources for the makeup of the jail population were varied and consistency in data collection was the primary goal during the construction of the projection model. Primary data sources for jail population were the HOK Master Plan Update of 2012, Classification Monthly Activity Reports, Classification Master Count Sheets, Court Monitor s Reports, and internal Monthly Jail Population Statistics, Inmate Bookings and Age Race Gender reports. Jail Bookings After an individual is arrested, they are most often booked into the jail. At booking, the individual is usually fingerprinted, photographed, and processed into the system. However, not all individuals arrested are booked into the jail. Officers can give a citation requiring the arrestee to appear in court without being booked into the jail and do not appear as bookings in the data. Bookings are different than the population in the jail. Bookings are usually examined as annual figures, while the population in the jail system is a daily average. The population of the jail is affected by bookings and the length of stay of the inmates. A large number of bookings do not necessarily increase the population of the jail. If many of the bookings are released the day of the booking, the population in the jail would not increase proportionally with the number of bookings. Annual county wide jail bookings in Fulton County decreased 37.8 percent from 2005 to The largest number of annual bookings was in 2005 with 47,961. In the last complete year of bookings data Page 2-5

48 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections (2014), the annual bookings were 29,846, see Table 2 5. The annual jail bookings per 1,000 Fulton County residents fell by 41.6 percent, from 51 to 30. The annual jail bookings per 1,000 residents aged 15 to 44 decreased 39.5 percent. Both populations increased concurrently with decreases in jail bookings. Table 2 5 Annual Bookings Year Bookings Total Bookings/ 1,000 Pop Bookings/ 1,000 At Risk Pop , , , , , , , , , , # Change -18, % Change -37.8% -41.6% -39.5% Linear Annual % Change -4.2% -4.6% -4.4% Compund Annual % Chg -5.1% -5.8% -5.4% Average 42, Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, November Boookings data from Inmate Bookings Reports, November The decrease in annual county jail bookings is shown in Figure ,000 Figure 2 3 Annual Jail Bookings 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Bookings Total Page 2-6

49 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections The Age Race Gender reports contain more in depth data on who is booked in the county jail. This data is available from January 2013 to April Because the data does not extend far enough back for projection models, it was not used for projected jail bookings. It is used for reference. Figure 2 4 shows the percentage of monthly jail bookings by gender. Males make up the majority of bookings in the county jail. Female bookings spiked August There is also a not available (NA) category for gender bookings, which range from 1 to % 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Figure 2 4 Monthly Bookings by Gender Male Female NA Figure 2 5 graphs the percentage of monthly jail bookings by race in Fulton County. Blacks make up the majority of monthly jail bookings, with a high of 86.3 percent in December 2013, and a low of 77.1 percent in March The percentage of monthly White bookings ranges from 9.9 percent in August 2013 to 16.9 percent in March The percentage of monthly bookings of Asian, Multiracial, and Other race demographics do not exceed 8.3 percent for any month provided % 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Figure 2 5 Monthly Bookings by Race Black Asian White Multiracial Other NA Page 2-7

50 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Figure 2 6 graphs the percentage of monthly jail bookings by age group in Fulton County. The age group with the most monthly bookings is the group, followed by the group. This coincides with at risk population used in projection models and shown earlier in external factors. 70.0% Figure 2 6 Monthly Bookings by Age Group 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 17 and under and above Jail Releases Along with the number of annual jail bookings, the number of annual jail releases is examined. The number of annual jail releases is from the Fulton County Jail Inmate Bookings Reports. The number of jail releases often mirrors the number of jail bookings, with a slight time lag based on the average length of stay (ALOS). Figure 2 7 Annual Jail Releases Page 2-8

51 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections The annual number of jail releases peaked in 2005 with 48,421. The highest number of annual jail bookings was in 2005 as well at 47,961. In 2014, the number of jail releases was 27,331, the lowest amount of jail releases in the study. Again, 2014 was the year of the fewest jail bookings with 29,846, see Figure 2 7. Average Daily Population The county jail average daily population (ADP) is calculated from the daily population counts at the county facilities. The ADP from 2005 to 2011 is from the 2012 Master Plan update. The 2013 and 2014 ADP data is from the monthly Jail Population Statistics report. Table 2 6 shows the annual ADP of the Fulton County jail. The county ADP has decreased 19.1 percent from 2005 to The peak ADP year in Fulton County was 2005 at 3,097. The ADP decreased steadily to 2012, which was the lowest ADP year at 2,429. Table 2 6 Jail Historical Annual ADP Year ADP Total ADP/ 1,000 Pop ADP/ 1,000 At Risk Pop , , , , , , , , , , # Change % Change -19.1% -24.1% -21.3% Linear Annual % Change -2.1% -2.7% -2.4% Compund Annual % Chg -2.3% -3.0% -2.6% Average 2, Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, September Notes: At Risk Population based on 2000 and 2010 Census Report ADP data from 2012 Master Plan Update and Jail Population Statistics The ADP per 1,000 residents and the ADP per 1,000 at risk aged residents, also known as the incarceration rate for Fulton County, is shown in Table 2 6. The ADP per 1,000 residents decreased 24.1 percent from 2005 to The ADP per 1,000 at risk aged residents decreased 21.3 percent from 2005 to Figure 2 8 graphs the annual ADP of the Fulton County jail. The ADP trend line is decreasing, with the exception of 2011 where the ADP spiked upward. Page 2-9

52 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections 3,500 Figure 2 8 Jail Historical Annual ADP 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, ADP Total Figures 2 9, 2 10 and 2 11 show monthly jail ADPs for the Main Jail, the other jail facilities ADP, and the loan outs from Fulton County. The data is from the monthly internal Jail Population Statistics report from January 2012 through June The Main Jail ADP houses the most inmates in Fulton County. From January 2012, the Main Jail ADP has mirrored the trends of the overall county ADP. The dip in September 2013 is due to approximately 200 inmates per month being held at the South Fulton/ Union City Annex Figure 2 9 Main Jail ADP Main Jail Total Jail Page 2-10

53 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Figure 2 10 shows monthly jail ADPs for the other jail facilities, including the Marietta Annex, Alpharetta Annex, and the South Fulton/Union City Annex. The data is from the monthly internal Jail Population Statistics report from January 2012 through June 2015 and is not complete. 250 Figure 2 10 Facilities ADP Excluding Main Jail Marietta Annex Alpharetta Annex South Fulton/Union City Annex Figure 2 11 graphs the number of inmates outsourced from Fulton County. The peak number of outsourced inmates was 329 in July There were no outsourced inmates from March 2013 to January Figure 2 11 Outsourced Inmates Outsourced Page 2-11

54 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Snapshot Data Jail population snapshots were provided for the following dates in 2015: Friday, May 15, Saturday, May 16, Sunday, May 17, Monday, May 18, and Tuesday, June 23. The Fulton County system had a population limit of 2,500 inmates on each of the snapshot days. None of the days approached the ceiling of inmate population, with an average population of 2,155. The date with the highest population was 2,163 on May 16; the lowest population count was 2,145 on May 15. The five day average for inmates housed out of the Fulton County facilities was 310, bringing the all sites count to 2,465 (2,155 in facilities, 310 out of facility). The number of empty bunks was most in the male general population category, averaging 144. Table 2 7 Jail Population Snapshot Empty Bunks Population Snap Shot Population Limit 2,500 Inmate Count 2,155 Inmates Out of Facility 310 All Sites 2,465 Cap. Space 345 Max Capacity Space Avail 38 Empty Bunks Male Gen Pop 144 Male Programs 53 Male Medical 74 Male Mental Health 65 Temp Housing - Classification 71 Special Management 90 Female General Population 24 Female Programs 1 Female Medical 0 Female Mental Health 14 Total Gen Pop 33.6 Total Programs 10.8 Total Medical 14.8 Total Mental Health 15.8 Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, July Page 2-12

55 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Table 2 8 breaks down the population in the snapshot by facility. The main jail ADP during the snapshot was 2,096, with 1,137 in the North Tower and 959 in the South Tower, which is further broken out in the table on the right. Table 2 9 breaks down the out of facility inmates, with most being the 198 females housed at the Union City Annex. Table 2 8 Jail Population Snapshot Breakdown by Facility/Tower Counts Breakdown by Facility Tower Counts Annex (all) 212 1N 154 Outsource 1 2N 173 Grady/Loan Outs Male 84 3N 111 Grady/Loan Outs Female 12 4N 195 Grady/Loan Outs Total 97 5N 194 Infirmary Males 28 6N 174 Infirmary Females 8 7N 138 Infirmary Total 36 North Tower Count 1,137 New Intake Male 18 2S 107 New Intake Female 5 3S 142 New Intake Total 23 4S 197 Central Control 1 5S 175 North Tower 1,137 6S 169 South Tower 959 7S 167 Main Jail 2,096 South Tower Count 959 All Sites 354 Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, July Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, July Table 2 9 Jail Population Snapshot Breakdown by Facility Out Breakdown by Facility Out Marietta Marietta Union City Females 198 Alpharetta Males 6 Alpharetta Females 0 Cobb Co 0 DeKalb Co 0 Atlanta City Jail 1 Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, July Page 2-13

56 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Average Length of Stay An important statistic for inmate population projections is the average length of stay (ALOS). The ALOS of inmates in the system is a calculated figure using the annual number of bookings and the ADP. The ALOS is a driver of the number of inmates in the system, as a higher ALOS will keep inmates in the system longer. Table 2 10 Jail Average Length of Stay Year ADP Total Bookings Total ALOS in Days ,097 48, ,074 46, ,871 45, ,871 44, ,736 41, ,623 48, ,897 45, ,429 48, ,517 33, ,505 27, # Change , % Change -19.1% -43.6% 43.3% Linear Annual % Change -2.1% -4.8% 4.8% Compund Annual % Chg -2.3% -6.2% 4.1% Average 2,762 42, Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, November ADP data from 2012 Master Plan Update and Jail Population Statistics Boookings data from Inmate Bookings Reports, November Table 2 10 shows the ADP, bookings and the ALOS in Fulton County. The ALOS increased 43.3 percent from 2005 to 2014, growing from 23.3 days to 33.5 days. The lowest ALOS was in 2012 at 18.4 days. The bookings in 2012 were the third highest, so the lower ALOS kept the ADP lower. The longest ALOS was 2014 with 33.5 days. The longer ALOS in 2014 kept the ADP above 2,500 inmates even with the low number of annual bookings. Figure 2 9 graph the annual ALOS from 2005 to Page 2-14

57 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections 40.0 Figure 2 12 Jail Average Length of Stay ALOS in Days Projections of Future Jail Population Levels The ADP Projections are status quo projections for the next ten years in Fulton County. The projections models do not factor in any policy or legislative changes that would impact the jail populations. Jail population reduction programs are not factored in to the population projections. Projection Models The projections for average daily population and bed space needs are based on three major factors: system based statistical models, demographic based statistical models, and time series modeling. The development of the Fulton County facility wide jail ADP and bed space projections uses thirteen models to forecast population levels to the year The primary factors employed for the models were the total ADP, bookings, ALOS, and county population projections in Fulton County. The calendar year data from 2014 serves as the base years for the projections models. The following is a description of each model considered, broken into the three modeling categories. System Based Statistical Models Model 1 Historical Trend Percentage Change calculates the total percentage change from the beginning point to the end point of the historical data series. The annual percentage increase rate used in the model was applied to the base year and subsequent years to calculate future ADP levels. Page 2-15

58 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Model 2 Historical Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) uses the historic annual growth rates to determine a percentage of growth. Often used in financial forecasting, the CAGR is applied to the projection end date of calendar year Model 3 Mean Deviation compares the peak year population to the average from the historic data. The model is standardized by dividing the number of years observed. The mean deviation model shows the high points in most models as it is projected forward. Demographic Based Models Models 4 and 5 Incarceration Rate Percentage Change uses the historic change in ADP per 1,000 residents of Fulton County, also known as the Incarceration Rate, and extends the change in incarceration rate to the year The percentage is applied to the Fulton County population projections. Model 4 uses the county wide population while Model 5 uses the at risk population of 15 to 44 year olds. Models 6 and 7 Ratio to Population is dependent on annual population projections for residents of Fulton County (Model 6) and the 15 to 44 year old population (Model 7). The difference in models 6 and 7 is that the percentage change is not considered, as the existing, high, average and low historic incarceration rates are applied to the population projections. Model 8 Ratio to Arrests uses the historic ratios of felony arrests to inmate population and misdemeanor arrests to inmate population. The ratio is then applied to projected arrests based on historic arrest trends. Model 9 ALOS to Projected Bookings applies existing, high, average, and low ALOS rates from the base year and applies it to projected booking to Time Series Modeling Model 10 Linear Regression determines a best fit line considering the historic ADP over time. This best fit line is extended to Model 11 Multiple Regressions determines a best fit line considering the ADP over time and Fulton County population and the 15 to 44 year old population. This best fit line is extended to Model 12 Box Jenkins Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) uses a regression technique that weighs all years equally. The Box Jenkins model of ARIMA is used typically for accurate short term projections of data that shows predictable repetitive cycles and patterns. Page 2-16

59 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Model 13 Exponential Smoothing ARIMA identifies levels and trends by smoothing the latest data points to decrease irregularity and adds a seasonality factor. The seasonal indexes are obtained by smoothing seasonal patterns in the historical data. The exponential smoothing model gives older data progressively less weight while new data is weighted more. While thirteen models are run, not all are used in the averaging of model for ADP projections. Models determined to have appropriate statistical reliability and significance were weighted equally to determine forecast figures. For the ARIMA models, the r squared values below 0.8 were not used in the final average. R squared shows the amount of explained variance in the statistical model. There are no concrete levels for acceptable r squared. Historical trend analysis models and ratio models were included unless the population forecast looked unrealistic. An unrealistic forecast, for example, would be downward trends that fell below zero and ARIMA models with r squared values lower than 0.8. These were not considered in the final models. A total of six to eight models, with at least one from each of the three subsections, were selected and averaged. Each model presents a different snap shot to the future that is beneficial to the final projection. To dampen the limitations of the forecast models, equal weighting and averaging of models is used. The averaging of the models, while not perfect, does reduce some of the flaws of the individual forecasting models and shows patterns of model agreement. Targeting models from each of the three subsections produces a more robust model. Models selected are not as subject to volatility of historic trends as those models excluded. Jail Population Projection The projection models were run for jail bookings and jail ADP. The first step was calculating the projected bookings to 2025, as the projected bookings is one of the models used in the ADP projection model. As a variable, bookings are difficult to project for jail purposes since it is not a controlled variable for analysis. Bookings are dependent on police policies, local attitude to crime, criminal activity, citation releases, and many other factors outside the facilities. Bookings in Fulton County decreased 43.6 percent from 2005 to 2014, from 48,421 to 27,331. The projection model averaged seven models: historic trend percentage increase, compound annual growth rate, mean deviation from the average, ratio to general population growth, ratio to at risk population growth, ratio to arrests, and multiple regressions. The bookings in Fulton County are projected to increase to 30,040 in 2025, an increase of 0.6 percent from Table 2 11 shows the five year projection increments for jail bookings and ADP. The projected bookings increases due to the projected population increases in Fulton County. Page 2-17

60 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections Table 2 11 Projected Jail ADP and Bookings ADP Projections # Change %Chg %Chg/Yr Average Fulton Population 996,319 1,114,788 1,192,726 1,273, , % 2.5% 1,177,190 At Risk Population (15-44 year olds) 453, , , ,992-4, % -0.1% 451,831 ADP All Facilities 2,505 2,543 2,434 2, % -0.7% 2,444 Bookings Total 29,846 30,521 29,881 30, % 0.1% 30,026 IR per 1,000 Population % -3.1% 2.09 IR per At Risk 1,000 Population % -0.6% 5.41 Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, CGL December While the projected bookings increased, the ADP projection for Fulton County decreases by 159, or 6.4 percent. The ADP decrease is driven by the system wide decrease in ADP from 2005 to The ADP projection model averaged nine models: historic trend percentage increase, compound annual growth rate, mean deviation from the average, ratio to general population growth, ratio to at risk population growth, ratio to arrests, bookings and ALOS model, linear regression and multiple regressions. The projected ADP decrease to 2025, while the county populations are increasing, results in lower incarceration rates in Fulton County. The incarceration rate per 1,000 residents is projected to decrease by 26.8 percent from 2014 to 2025, while the incarceration rate per 1,000 at risk aged residents is projected to decrease by 5.4 percent during the same period. The at risk aged residents overall population is projected to increase at a slower rate compared with the overall county population increase, which lessens the drop in incarceration rate for the at risk population. Figure 2 13 graphs the historical and projected jail ADP for Fulton County. Figure 2 14 graphs the historical and projected jail ADP for Fulton County including the upper bound and the lower bound for the projection model. The upper and lower bounds are calculated by using the 95 percent confidence interval bounds for the regression model, and the corresponding lower and upper scenarios for the ratio based models. 3,500 Figure 2 13 Projected Jail ADP 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, Historical ADP Projected ADP Page 2-18

61 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections 3,500 Figure 2 14 Projected Jail ADP Lower and Upper Bounds 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, Historical ADP Projected ADP Lower Bound ADP Upper Bound ADP Pretrial and Sentenced Populations The projected ADP was broken into disaggregate populations, based on data from the monthly Jail Population Statistics report from January 2012 to April The disaggregate ADP projections are based on percentages of populations from the Jail Population Statistics report. The disaggregated ADPs did not have enough historical data to perform stand alone projection models. Table 2 12 breaks down the ADP into pre trial and sentenced inmates. The pre trial population comprises 84 percent of the Fulton County inmate population. The status quo projection for the pretrial inmate population decreases from 2,104 in 2014 to 1,971 in 2025, a decrease of 134 inmates. The sentenced inmates decrease from 401 to 375 in the same time period. Table 2 12 Projected Jail Pre trial and Sentenced ADP ADP Projections (Pre-trial/Sentenced) # Change %Chg %Chg/Yr Average ADP Pre-trial 2,104 2,136 2,044 1, % -0.6% 2,053 ADP Sentenced % -0.6% 391 ADP Total 2,505 2,543 2,434 2, % -0.6% 2,444 Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, CGL December Figure 2 12 graphs the ADP into pre trial and sentenced inmates, which are both projected to decrease. Page 2-19

62 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections 2,500 Figure 2 15 Projected Jail Pre trial and Sentenced ADP 2,000 1,500 1, ADP PreTrial ADP Sentenced Gender Table 2 13 breaks down the jail inmate ADP by gender. As with the pre trial projections, the disaggregate ADP projections are based on percentages of populations from the Jail Population Statistics report. The disaggregated ADPs did not have enough historical data to perform stand alone projection models. Males make up the majority of inmates in the Fulton County system. Historically, the percentage of males ranges from 87 to 93 percent of the overall ADP. The status quo projection for the male population decreases from 2,262 in 2014 to 2,119 in 2025, a decrease of 144 inmates. The female inmate ADP decreases from 243 to 228 in the same time period. Table 2 13 Projected Jail ADP by Gender ADP Projections (Gender) # Change %Chg %Chg/Yr Average ADP Male 2,262 2,296 2,198 2, % -0.6% 2,207 ADP Female % -0.6% 237 ADP Total 2,505 2,543 2,434 2, % -0.6% 2,444 Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, CGL December Figure 2 13 graphs the male and female inmate ADP to the year Page 2-20

63 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections 2,500 Figure 2 16 Projected Jail ADP by Gender 2,000 1,500 1, ADP Male ADP Female Custody Type Table 2 14 breaks down the jail inmate ADP by custody groups identified by the Fulton County Sheriff s Office. As with the pre trial and gender projections, the disaggregate ADP projections are based on percentages of populations from the Jail Population Statistics report. The disaggregated ADPs did not have enough historical data to perform stand alone projection models. The inmates with felony charges historically range from 83 to 90 percent of the custody level. The felony ADP is projected to decrease from 2,152 in 2014 to 2,015 in The misdemeanor ADP is projected to decrease from 213 to 199, and the other custody level inmates ADP is projected to decrease from 140 to 131. Figure 2 14 graphs the projected felony and misdemeanor ADPs for Fulton County. Table 2 14 Projected Jail ADP by Custody Type ADP Projections (Custody Type) # Change %Chg %Chg/Yr Average ADP Felony 2,152 2,184 2,091 2, % -0.6% 2,099 ADP Misdemeanor % -0.6% 208 ADP Magistrate/Other % -0.6% 137 ADP Total 2,505 2,543 2,434 2, NA NA 2,444 Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office, CGL December Note: From Jail Population Statistics Report Page 2-21

64 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 2: Inmate Population Projections 2,500 Figure 2 17 Projected Jail ADP by Custody Type 2,000 1,500 1, ADP Felony ADP Misdemeanor ADP Magistrate/Other Summary The assessment of the jail population and the corresponding jail population projections is crucial for jail planning, including the staffing analysis and assessment. Fulton County has operated under a federal consent decree since The consent decree limited the population at the main jail and Bellwood and Marietta annexes. The jail ADP for Fulton County is projected to decrease 6.4 percent from 2014 to 2025, with ADPs dropping from 2,505 to 2,346. This decrease in projected jail ADP occurs while projected jail bookings increase 0.6 percent from 2014 to The continued analysis of jail population requires a solid foundation of jail statistics that is repeatable and consistent. The data collection at the jail is the crucial factor for inmate population modeling. The Fulton County Sheriff s Office being able to reproduce consistent jail data is paramount for producing valid forecasts. Page 2-22

65 CHAPTER 3 FACILITIES CAPACITY ANALYSIS

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67 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis Introduction and Methodology This Jail System Facilities Capacity Analysis is intended to document the degree to which crowding beyond the facilities design capacity or operational capacity limits might impact staffing plans and deployment. Inherently then, this analysis has a two way street considering first: the extent to which the facilities housing areas are physically and environmentally safe, secure and suitable for the number of the various custody and security levels of inmates assigned to each housing zone. Secondly, if in fact the existing capacity count is found to exceed standards or benchmark limits in a zone, then the staff functions and number posted by shift may be inadequate. Thus, the appropriateness of the inmates housing physical environment and its confinement conditions need to be confirmed to be the right match with the assigned inmates custody needs and security risks. Also, the type and number of staff assigned then needs to be confirmed as being supportive of efficient, effective and secure inmate management, which is covered in a separate section of this overall report of findings and recommendations. Therein the recommendations of specific tabulations and computations of the staff needed by facility by shift are provided. The standards, principles and methods used to complete the capacity analysis were: Since the State of Georgia has voluntary rather than legally mandated standards for local jails, the American Correctional Association (ACA) Performance Based Standards for Adult Local Detention Facilities, 4 th Edition as updated with 2012 and 2014 Supplements were used for the capacity ratings spatial requirements. These standards were used since in the event of a lawsuit against the County for unconstitutional conditions of jail confinement, such as the last court ordered consent judgment, state and federal courts most often use the ACA standards as benchmarks for compliance. To focus on the appropriateness of the custody use of each housing zone in each facility the current security and custody classifications as applied to each were recorded and are noted in the following detailed tabulations for each of the 4 County Jail facilities. The current bed count in each housing cell or dormitory zone of each facility was recorded and examined in relation to the total floor area square footage, available unencumbered square footage, number of toilets, lavatories and showers available to each sleeping area as the spatial basis for allowed inmate capacity. Each of these elements is used in determining compliance with the ACA Standards referenced above. Record drawings and a few on site measurements were used to document the actual square footages. Page 3-1

68 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis Findings Using the methodologies just described the County s Jail System of 4 facilities was found to have a combined overall bed count that exceeds both its rated design capacity and its rated operational capacity. Summary Table 3 1 below shows that quantities that exceeded the rated capacities in 3 of the County s 4 facilities, by 452 beds for Design Capacity and 841 beds for Operational Capacity. Only the Marietta Annex was found to have sufficient standards based conditions to be in compliance with the rated Design and Operating Capacities. Table 3 1 Summary of Current Capacities by Facility that Exceed Standards Facility +Over/-Under +Over/-Under Design Capacity Operating Capacity Main Jail Alpharetta Annex South Annex Marietta Annex 16 2 Total System Note: See detailed capacity assessment tables included with this report for each facility and its housing zones. CGL, September Tables 3 2 through 3 6 provide the tabulations of the capacity findings for each of the County s 4 Jail System facilities including: 1) The Main Jail, 2) Alpharetta Annex, 3) South Annex and 4) Marietta Annex. Table 3 7 gives a comparative tabulation showing how the Sheriff s Office Jail Division rated its total design and operating capacity in their April 2015 Monitoring Report. Following the capacity ratings analyses a set of recommendations are provided for consideration that would support the Jail System s efforts to operate each facility at a capacity that would be standards compliant. Page 3-2

69 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis Table 3 2 Main Jail North Tower Capacity Ratings N. Tower N. Tower North Tower Current Bed Count Bed Des. Bed Ops. Zones by Current Classification 1-Bed 2-Bed 4-Bed Capacity Capacity Level Totals Cells Cells Cells Rating Rating L Medical L Mod-Lo Fel L New Beginning THC L Mental Health Chronic* L Hi Viol. Fel* L Hi Viol. Fel* L Low Fel & MisD GP L Low Fel & MisD GP L Low Fel GP L Min/Med Workers L Min/Med Workers L Min/Med Workers L Competency Program L Mental Health Chronic* L Mental Health Chronic* L Mental Health Chronic* L Mental Health Chronic* L Medical GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Hi Viol. Fel GP* L Hi Viol. Fel GP* L Hi Viol. Fel GP* L Hi Viol. Fel GP* L Hi Viol. Fel GP* L Protective Custody* L Admin Seg* L Alternate Lifestyle L New Beginning THC L Hi Viol. Fel GP* L State Inmates (CPO) L Disc Seg* TOTALS 0 1, ,353 1,194 1,015 Source: Fulton County Jail System current counts, ratings by CGL, August Page 3-3

70 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis South Tower Zones by Level Table 3 2 (cont d.) Main Jail South Tower Capacity Ratings 1-Bed Cells Current Bed Count 2-Bed Cells 4-Bed Cells Totals Current Classification S. Tower Bed Des. Capacity Rating S. Tower Bed Ops. Capacity Rating L Classification L Low Fel & MisD GP L Culinary GP L Classification L Classification L Classification L Medical L Medical L Medical L Infectious Disease* L Alcohol/Drug Stabilze L Infectious Disease* L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod-Lo Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L Mod Fel GP L High Viol. Fel GP* L High Viol. Fel GP* L High Viol. Fel GP* L High Viol. Fel GP* L High Viol. Fel GP* L High Viol. Fel GP* L High Viol. Fel GP* L High Viol. Fel GP* L High Viol. Fel GP* L Disc Seg* L State Inmates (CPO) L Admin Seg* TOTALS 0 1,228 1,228 1, Source: Fulton County Jail System current counts, ratings by CGL, August Page 3-4

71 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis Table 3 2 (cont d.) Main Jail Total Facility Capacity Ratings Total Facility Total Facility Total Facility Total Facility Total All Total Facility Bed Des. Bed Ops. Bed Count Bed Count Zones by Current Bed Capacity Capacity Over/-Under Over/-Under Level Count Rating Rating Des. Capacity Ops. Capacity L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L TOTALS 2,198 1,868 2, Source: Fulton County Jail System current counts, ratings by CGL, August Page 3-5

72 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis Main Jail The Table 3 2 Main Jail tabulations for each housing zone's capacity rating are based on the combined application of the ACA ALDF space standards and the zone's designated classification. All mentally ill inmates with an acute disorder are housed in the Mental Health section of the Infirmary. The ratings for all 5 Mental Health Chronic Zones are based on double bunking 8 of the 18 cell zones and 8 of the 16 cell zones. This flexibility internal to the zones is important since some mentally ill inmates perform better clinically and behaviorally in single bed cells and others do better with a cell mate. High Severity Violent felons are a maximum security and custody classification and therefore their zone capacity is rated for 1 bed cells. Other zones used for segregation, infectious disease, or Alcohol/Drug Stabilization are also rated for 1 bed cells. Whereas the consultant s Design Capacity" rating is based on ACA Standards, the "Operational Capacity" rating is based on a best professional practice operating limit of 85% of design capacity. The 3 rd section sheet of Table 4 1 shows that the Main Jail was 383 beds over its rated design capacity and 713 beds over its rated operating capacity as of the August 2015 assessment. Alpharetta Annex Table 3 3 shows the capacity ratings for the Alpharetta Annex. The design capacity rating is by the same ACA ALDF space standards used for assessing all 4 facilities in this study. In many cases, while the cells are large enough for multi occupancy the design capacity limit is due to the number of showers or toilets available with toilets and lavatories at 1:8 for females and 1:12 for males and showers at 1:12 for either males or females. Table 3 3 Alpharetta Annex Capacity Ratings Current Bed Count Design Ops. Current Zone and Multibed Dorm Totals 1-bed Current Classification Capacity Capacity Bed Type Cell Rating Rating Cell bunk beds 4 4 Female GP bunk beds 4 4 Female GP bunk beds Male Fulton CO Min/Short Sent bunk beds 4 4 Male GP PT/Sent/City/County bunk beds Male GP PT/City Sent bunk bed 2 2 Male GP or Discp/Ad Seg bunk beds 4 4 Male GP or Discp/Ad Seg Supplies 0 Supplies/cell-ready Supplies 0 Supplies/cell-ready bunk beds 4 4 Male GP PT/Sent/City/County bunk bed 1 1 Male GP PT/Sent/City/County bunk bed 2 2 Male GP PT/Sent/City/County bunk beds 4 4 Male GP PT/Sent/City/County 3 3 TOTALS Source: Fulton County Jail System current counts, ratings by CGL, August Page 3-6

73 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis During the consultant s tour of the Alpharetta facility it was apparent that several beds had been added to spaces that were not intended to have either the count seen or in a few cases a space where the original design was for a different function, e.g. dayroom area with beds added. The 67 existing beds exceeded the design capacity of 42 beds and were almost double the rated operating capacity of 36 beds. South Annex Table 3 4 shows the tabulations and ratings results for the South Annex located in Union City. The female cell house capacity is limited by the amount of unencumbered space in each cell type, whereas the separated male cell area dedicated for Union City male arrestees is limited by having only 2 showers for the ACA 1:12 required ratio. With 1 more shower the male cell area could hold up to 32 by size standards. Female cells currently holding 8 are only large enough for 6 at the ACA standard of 25 SF unencumbered per occupant. Table 3 4 South Annex Capacity Ratings Current Bed Count Design Ops. Current Zone and Multibed Dorm Totals 1-bed Current Classification Capacity Capacity Bed Type Cell Rating Rating Cell Pod A - 7x8-Bed Cells Female GP Pod B - 10 DB Cells Female Mental Health Pod C - 10 DB Cells Female Mental Health Pod D - 7x8-Bed Cells Female GP Pod E - 7x8-Bed Cells Female GP Pod F - 10 DB Cells Female Program Pod G - 10 DB Cells Female Mental Health Pod I - 5x8-Bed Cells Female New Intakes & D Seg Intake - 8x4-Bed Cells Local Male PT and Sentenced TOTALS Source: Fulton County Jail System current counts, ratings by CGL, August Marietta Annex Table 3 5 shows the results of the capacity assessment for the Marietta Annex. With this Annex being the only all dormitory program and work focused facility its assessment results differ substantially from the other 3 facilities that are essentially all higher security celled facilities. The 48 bed capacity ratings are for males only, whereas females would be only 32 in each dorm based on the count of toilet fixtures Page 3-7

74 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis available at a 1:8 ratio versus 1:12. The floor area of the dorms is more than adequate for the bed capacity, but that is further limited by plumbing standards. Table 3 5 Marietta Annex Capacity Ratings Current Zone and Bed Type Current Bed Count Design Ops. Multibed Dorm Totals 1-bed Current Classification Capacity Capacity Cell Rating Rating Cell 100 Dorm - Bunk Beds w/desk-stool Male Minimum-K9 Program Dorm - Bunk Beds w/desk-stool Male Minimum-Accountability Court, Veterans Programs 0 Programs, GED Class, Counseling n/a n/a Dayroom/Dining 0 Dayroom/Dining n/a n/a TOTALS Source: Fulton County Jail System current counts, ratings by CGL, August The Marietta Annex was the only facility in the system found to be operating below both its rated design and operating capacities by 16 beds for design capacity and only 2 beds for operating capacity. Overall Summary Table 3 6 gives a summary tabulation for all 4 facilities and thereby the system wide totals. Notably the Main Jail has a uniform cell design that can be used for a large number of single bed cells as well as double bunked cells based on the ACA ALDF standards applied and the inmate classification assigned. This facility has the most secure cell housing in the system and is thus offers the most appropriate placement for any inmates needing maximum security conditions of confinement. Table 3 6 Summary of Current Use, Design Capacity and Operational Capacity Ratings Facility Current Bed Count Design Capacity Rating Operational Capacity Rating Over/(Under) Over/(Under) 3, 4, 5 1-Bed 2-Bed Bed Dorm Totals 1-Bed 3, 4, 5 2-Bed Bed Dorm Totals 1-Bed 3, 4, 5 2-Bed Design Operating Bed Dorm Totals Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Capacity Capacity Cell Cell Cell Main Jail - 2, , , , , , Alpharetta South Annex Marietta (16) (2) TOTALS 1 2, , , , , , Source: Fulton County Jail System current counts, ratings by CGL, August The total Jail System s Current Bed Count was found to be over the combined design capacity of its 4 facilities by 452 beds (3,048 current bed count versus 2,596 design rating). Additionally, when a best Page 3-8

75 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis practice Operational Capacity standard limit of 85% of design capacity is applied, the system s current total bed capacity is 841 beds over (3,048 bed count versus 2,207 operational rating). In comparison Table 3 7 below gives the same recent total bed count, but different Design Capacity and Operational Capacity counts compared to CGL s current bed count and ratings. However, as can be seen the Design and Operational counts used by the Jail System in their April monthly Report were only approximately 2% higher for Design Capacity and 2% higher for Operational Capacity than the recommendations by the findings of CGL. Table 3 7 Sheriff s Office Jail System April 2015 Capacity Counts Facility Fulton Design Capacity Fulton Inmates on Operational Current Bed 4/30/15 Capacity Capacity Over/ Under Operational Over / Under Main Jail 2,652 2,254 2,581 2, Alpharetta South Annex Marietta System Total 3,086 2,669 3,048 2, Source: Fulton County Jail System April 2015 Monthly Report, September Recommendations 1. Cell Size and Plumbing Fixture Limits: Numerous cells were found to be sufficient in floor area size for single bed cells and 2, 3, 4 or 5 bed multiple occupancy cells. However, in many cases the actual number of beds currently in the cells exceeded the design capacity due to either the floor area limit, or an insufficient number of available toilets or showers, or combinations thereof. It is thus recommended that the combination of all applicable ACA ALDF sizing and quantity standards should be used at all times in deciding how many beds should be provided in relation to custody and security level needs and their applicable classification limitations. 2. Security and Custody Level Limits: Some cells, primarily at the Main Jail, had too many beds for the security and/or custody level of inmates currently housed in the designated housing zone. In most cases the design capacity rating for Main Jail High Violent Felons, Protective Custody, Administrative Segregation, Disciplinary Segregation and Infectious Disease was half of their current bed counts. All zones housing these classifications of inmates tended to be double bunked, but instead should all be single bed cells. Page 3-9

76 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 3: Facilities Capacity Analysis 3. Appropriate Housing Variations for Chronically and Acute Mentally Ill: Main Jail zones currently housing chronically mentally ill inmates were suitable for a combination of double bunking and single bed cells as is currently the case. This is a beneficial practice based on contemporary clinical practice findings that many such inmates perform better with a properly classified and evaluated cell roommate, while others need a solitary cell. This principle was generally supported by those housing zones using only 50% to 69% of the zone s rated design capacity for double bunked cells. Any inmate kept in the Jail who is diagnosed with acute mental illness is housed in the Main Jail Medical and Mental Health Center, which is appropriate in the absence of a housing pod designed and staffed for acute care and management. 4. Expand Jail System Operational Capacity: The County should consider options for increasing its total Jail System s operational bed capacity. The current operational capacity shortfall of 841 beds should be considered as a current year base, but the results of a 10 year capacity needs projection for possible growth impacts should also be considered. At the same time that system capacity is increased, the existing housing zones in the Main Jail, Alpharetta Annex and South Annex should be reduced to meet the maximum rated operating bed capacity in each housing zone as found in this capacity assessment. The consultant did not observe undeveloped land areas at the existing facilities that were obvious potential sites for jail capacity expansion. However, if sufficient land area was available at the Main Jail site the capacity of its site infrastructure would need to be assessed as would the Main Jail support services and functions capacity for adding another 800+ inmates. In discussions with Sheriff s and County staff the consultant is aware that either the acquisition of or contracting for beds at Atlanta s 880 bed City Jail that opened in 1995 could be an option to consider. Having been involved in the planning and activation/opening of this facility CGL can confirm that it was planned to meet ACA standards. 5. Implement Recommended Housing Staffing Improvements: Many existing housing zones are likely to remain crowded beyond their rated operating capacity until new standards compliant jail capacity is constructed or otherwise made available. The specific staffing needs recommendations for housing zones in each facility, included in other sections of this study, should be followed for all housing zones that that exceed their rated operational capacity. Page 3-10

77 CHAPTER 4 MAIN JAIL STAFFING

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79 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Background The Fulton County, Georgia Main Jail operates under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Sheriff of Fulton County and is the largest provider of inmate housing and services within the Fulton County Jail Bureau. Additional internal housing and services are provided at the South Annex in Union City, the Alpharetta Annex, and the Marietta Annex. The focus of this section of the report is on assessing the security staffing levels based on existing workload responsibilities. This review will identify security staffing needs as well as those responsibilities that can be best met by staff assigned to the security specialist position. One of the driving forces in determining staffing levels within the Fulton County Jail Bureau has been the results of the Harper v. Bennett consent order which stipulated specific staffing level requirements 1. Under the 2006 consent order the county was required to address in part low staffing levels, overcrowding, faulty cell locks and overall conditions at the Main Jail. In some areas of the facility the consent order identified a specific number of staff required to be assigned to each shift. In April 2015 a federal judge determined that the county s efforts to improve safety conditions at the jail had been formally acknowledged to the extent that the jail no longer required federal supervision. Even though the consent order has been lifted, the staffing recommendations identified in this report are relatively consistent with the staffing levels that were identified in the consent order. Methodology In performing the assessment and in determining the level of staff needed to meet the current demands of the Main Jail the project team thoroughly reviewed the primary objectives cited in the study and focused on developing an enhanced understanding of the facility s history, requirements, current mission and operational practices. The methodology applied included the following: Document Review Preliminary work involved the gathering and review of documents from the County to assist with educating the project team on detention operations and staffing philosophy. Documents requested and reviewed included the following: Main Jail staff shift deployment rosters; Master Rosters for the Main Jail; Quarterly reports identifying actual staffing levels by position classification; Organizational Chart; Overtime Reports; Physical plant floor plans; Inmate count sheets; Daily population summary reports; Bed space utilization reports; 1 Harper v. Bennett 04 CV 1416 MHS. Page 4-1

80 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Monthly statistical reports; Main Jail post orders; Inmate profile data; Policies and procedures; Booking and release frequency; Classification Monthly Activity reports; Office of the Sheriff Reorganization and Staff Enhancement Plan ( ); Harper v. Bennett consent order; 2012 Georgia Jail Standards; and American Correctional Association Core Jail Standards Preparations for On Site Assessments The project team, prior to conducting on site visits, became familiar with the jail mission and goals, as well as developed an understanding of inmate placement methodology, also known as the inmate classification process. Review of Rosters, Policies, and Legal Mandates The project team reviewed facility staffing rosters that reflect actual deployment of personnel on each shift, seven days a week. Several days of staffing roster history were reviewed for all three shifts. It was critical to examine policies and procedures that govern staff deployment, as well as any applicable state guidelines and legal matters that mandate certain levels of staffing. On Site Analysis Once the document review was completed, the team commenced with the on site analysis during the months of June and August, The project team visited the Main Jail, interviewed staff and conducted the analysis on all three shifts, meeting with the jail administrator, major, captains, supervisors, support personnel, sergeants and line staff. Post Evaluation Criteria Employed Evaluating post assignments and detention staff activity must take into account not only the level of supervision the jail administration requires; but also, the workload the staff member must perform. This is often referred to as a task analysis. The detention officer/deputy sheriff has specific duties that are mandated by a policy, typically known as the Post Order. The post order is a procedural document that details an employee s assignment and outlines general and specific duties that he/she is required to perform. Post Inspections The project team reviewed post assignments during operating shifts. The review included multiple on site reviews of the Main Jail and observation of personnel working post assignments. In conducting the review the following criteria was utilized: Post assignments should be established in accordance with the goals of establishing and maintaining effective security; A post assignment should be staffed by an employee if in the course of normal operations, the post comes into regular contact with inmates; 2 Harper v. Bennett 04 CV 1416 MHS. Page 4-2

81 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Assignment practices should be flexible enough to deploy staff as needed to respond to changing needs within the jail while maintaining post assignment security; Overtime utilization should be held to the minimal level required to perform critical operational functions; Jail command structures provide appropriate supervisory coverage; Post assignments are routinely filled by trained personnel in the most cost effective manner; Staff deployment is consistent with detainee classification and placement practices; and Post responsibilities are regular, documented and well defined. Applying these criteria, the team then identified staffing needs associated with current operational practices. Prior to developing these recommendations the team met with the jail administrator and additional jail administrative staff to gain further insight to the policies, procedures and practices of the jail. Jail Administration The Main Jail operates under the direct on site supervision of several key personnel that are assigned to core administrative positions. The lead position includes the Jail Administrator who is responsible for the overall day to day operations of the Fulton County Jail Bureau. The jail administrator reports to the Fulton County Sheriff s Chief Deputy. Assisting the jail administrator are two Lieutenant Colonels, one position focuses primarily on administrative duties and the other position focuses on addressing operational responsibilities. Each of the Lieutenant Colonels has a Major who assists them in providing administrative oversight of their area. On the date of the second site visit (August 11 and 12, 2015) all of the key administrative positions were filled. One of the primary characteristics of the jail bureau s organizational structure is the consistent application of a narrow span of supervisory control with a focus on meeting a wide variety of established responsibilities. In a narrow span of supervision the number of people reporting to a supervisor is often customized when compared with a wide span of control. Correctional systems the size of Fulton County are complex organizations to manage. Not only must administrative personnel supervise over two thousand inmates, but they must also manage a diverse workforce that has unique responsibilities that include maintaining security, providing programs, delivering services and meeting county and state standards. The more efficient and organized the command and supervisory personnel are at performing their tasks, the more effective the bureau operates. The Fulton County Jail bureau currently provides proper division of administrative responsibilities and effective oversight while also striving to maintain a team concept with the ultimate goal of meeting the overall established mission of the jail. Page 4-3

82 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Figure 4 1 Fulton County Jail Administrative Core Positions Harper v Bennett Consent Order A significant amount of resources, time and effort at the Main Jail during the past few years has been committed to addressing the stipulations cited in the Harper v. Bennett federal consent order. As a result of the consent order several specific staffing related issues were identified in sections III and IV of the order. These staffing related issues include the following: The number of uniformed officers at the Rice Street facility and the two annexes shall not be decreased below the level authorized on June 1, 2005, unless such decrease is authorized by order of this court. The Board of County Commissioners shall not freeze or otherwise prevent the filling of positions presently authorized for security staff at the jail facilities without leave of this court; All Staff shall be trained with regard to the Jail s Jail Bureau Policies and Procedures Standard Operations Manual and be required to consult and follow policies and procedures contained in it; The sheriff shall assign sufficient detention staff to provide transport, security and other functions necessary for the provision of medical care. The County Defendants shall provide sufficient detention staff for regular sick call and the prompt transport of inmates to and from any medical appointments or needed medical care, either in the facility or in the community. The Sheriff shall train detention staff to recognize and respond appropriately to signs and symptoms of mental illness; The Sheriff shall require detention staff assigned to each floor to conduct security rounds inside each zone every hour; The Sheriff shall assign at least three uniformed officers to supervise the inmates in the six cellblocks on each side of each floor at the Rice Street facility on all shifts seven days a week. In addition, one supervisor shall be stationed on each floor and at least one person shall be stationed in the tower to observe the cellblocks on each side from the tower. The Sheriff shall report to the Court each month when there are fewer than three officers in a cellblock on any shift and the reason for there being fewer than three; Whenever the number of inmates on the floor on one side at the Rice Street facility exceeds 224, the Sheriff shall deploy on that floor at least one additional uniformed officer for every 25 inmates over 200 on all shifts seven days a week until the population decreases to 204 or less. If the Sheriff is unable to deploy the officers required by this paragraph within 10 days after the number of inmates requires it, the Sheriff shall find other housing for enough inmates to reduce Page 4-4

83 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing the inmate population on the floor to a level for which he has the minimum staffing required by the provisions of this Consent Order; If inmates are housed at those facilities, there shall be 5 officers and a supervisor at Bellwood and 3 officers and a supervisor at Marietta for all shifts; Maintaining sufficient personnel to meet these staffing levels 24 /7 is necessary for the safety and security of inmates and jail personnel and shall be a high priority of the Sheriff. The Sheriff shall employ various measures to maintain sufficient personnel, including, but not limited to the use of overtime, temporary reassignment of personnel, and filling any vacancies as promptly as possible; The Sheriff shall maintain administrative staff at the Rice Street facility adequate to complete processing of: new inmates as soon as possible and no later than within 8 hours of commitment; inmates in time for first appearance on the next available court date; and inmates for release as soon as possible and in any event within 24 hours of notice and receipt from the court of paperwork establishing their eligibility for release; The Sheriff shall ensure that detention staff shall conduct regular and random searches for weapons throughout inmate housing units, common areas and all purpose rooms; and The Sheriff shall ensure that there shall be sufficient detention staff to ensure that a detention officer is available to be present, as requested by the nurse, at all times during pill distribution. In reviewing the consent order there is reference to both specific staffing levels; i.e. shall assign at least three uniformed officers to supervise the inmates in the six cellblocks on each side of each floor at the Rice Street facility on all shifts seven days a week. In addition, one supervisor shall be stationed on each floor and at least one person shall be stationed in the tower, and general levels; i.e. sufficient detention staff to ensure that a detention officer is available to be present, as requested by the nurse, at all times during pill distribution and provide sufficient detention staff for regular sick call and the prompt transport of inmates to and from any medical appointments or needed medical care, either in the facility or in the community. As a result of the consent order a minimum staffing level has been established. When interviewing command staff on each shift in respect to minimum staffing requirements the response received to the question How many staff are required to operate the shift? was consistently fifty two (52) detention officers/deputies and seven (7) sergeants. The fifty two (52) detention officers/deputies is the result of assigning four detention officers/deputies to each of the thirteen housing zones and the seven (7) sergeants is the result of assigning one supervisor (sergeant) to each housing floor. The minimum number of staff reported by command staff is consistent with the number of staff identified in the consent order for housing zones only. However additional staff are required to operate the jail as well as staff assigned to different position classifications. Page 4-5

84 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing In further review of the Harper v. Bennett consent order the following key stipulations are cited: 1) At least three uniformed officers are to be assigned to supervise the inmates in the six cellblocks on each side of each floor at the Rice Street facility on all shifts seven days a week. This stipulation results in 36 detention officer/deputy posts required to be filled on all three shifts seven days per week. Since staff are scheduled to work five days per week on one shift and occasionally use benefit time it takes more than one staff member to fill a seven day post. The exact number of staff required will be shown in the section of the report that describes the relief factor. In addition to the six cellblocks identified in the consent order at the Main Jail on the first floor there is one additional housing zone, 1 North which provides housing for minimum custody inmates. This housing zone is similar in size and design to the other housing zones at the Main Jail. Applying the same staffing level as described in the consent order to 1 North would result in three additional officers required to be available per shift seven days per week. As a result a total of (39) 24 hour seven day posts are required to be filled just on the floor of the housing zones. 2) One supervisor shall be stationed on each floor. There are seven housing floors and as a result seven supervisors are required to be assigned on each shift, seven days per week. Sergeants are currently assigned as the floor supervisor. As a result a total of (7) 24 hour seven day sergeant posts are required to be filled to provide supervision on the floor of the housing zones. 3) At least one person shall be stationed in the tower to observe the cellblocks on each side from the tower. Each housing zone contains an elevated secure tower (control room) where staff assigned are responsible for operating the electronic door panel that controls access to the housing zone, view surveillance monitors, provide back up to the staff present in the housing zone and observe overall housing zone activities. This post assignment does not require direct contact with inmates and is routinely filled by a combination of detention officers, deputies and security specialists. There are a total of (13) housing zone towers and each is required to be filled seven days per week on all three shifts. As a result a total of (39) 24 hour seven day housing zone tower posts are required to be filled. 4) Provide sufficient detention staff for regular sick call and the prompt transport of inmates to and from any medical appointments or needed medical care, either in the facility or in the community. In addition shall assign sufficient detention staff to provide transport, security and other functions necessary for the provision of medical care. The medical unit operates and provides services 24 hours per day seven days per week including providing Inmate housing continuously for an at risk population. Detention staff are required to be assigned around the clock in the medical unit. In respect to providing detention staff for medical related activities the consent order references sufficient detention staff rather than a specific number. As a result this leaves the number of detention staff required up to interpretation. Current practice is to Page 4-6

85 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing assign detention staff on all three shifts to the medical unit to ensure security and other functions are provided. The number of staff assigned varies by shift and the number of staff available. Based on the complexities and extent of the existing workload responsibilities in the medical unit and taking into consideration the design of the unit, services being provided, activity schedules and national best practices the following security staffing levels are recommended for the medical unit for each shift seven days per week: Medical Unit Recommended Security Staffing levels First Shift (7:00 am 3:00 pm): One sergeant, five floor officers and two medical transport/escort deputies; Second Shift (3:00 pm 11:00 pm): One sergeant, four floor officers and two medical transport/escort deputies; and Third Shift (11:00 pm 7:00 am): One sergeant, four floor officers and two medical transport/escort deputies. Consent Order Main Jail Recommendations In total when considering the staffing requirements directly related only to the Harper v. Bennett consent order and when applying nationally recognized best staffing level practices the following number and type of posts are recommended: Floor Supervisors. Sergeants: (7) 24 hour seven day sergeant posts assigned to the housing zone floors and one 24 hour seven day sergeant post assigned to the medical unit; Deputies: (2) 24 hour seven day deputy posts assigned to the medical unit to provide inmate transport/escort and roving responsibilities when available; Detention Officers: (43) 24 hour seven day detention officer posts assigned to a combination of housing zones and the medical unit. (1) 8 hour seven day detention officer post on the first shift only assigned to the medical unit to provide security coverage for on site medical clinics and x rays; and Security Specialists (SS): (13) 24 hour seven day security specialist tower posts with one security specialist being assigned to each of the housing zones occupying inmates. Table 4 1 Harper Consent Order Main Jail Post Assignment Requirements Post Supervisor Floor Officers Tower (Control Room) Housing (13) (seven days per week/ 3 shifts) Medical Unit (seven days per week/ 3 shifts) Medical Unit (seven days/ day shift only) Medical Transport (seven days/ 3 shifts) Total Page 4-7

86 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Jail Standards In addition to the Harper v. Bennett court order the project team reviewed the most recent Georgia standards for Adult Pre trial detention facilities and the current Core Jail Standards identified by the American Correctional Association. The purpose of the review was to gain a better understanding of existing state and national standards related to jail staffing and to ensure recommendations took into consideration those standards. Georgia Jail Standards. The Georgia Standards for Adult Pre trial Detention Facilities were formed by the Georgia Sheriff s Association Jail Services Division for the purpose of developing minimum voluntary standards for jails to follow and to assist local agencies by providing guidelines to ensure the proper planning, operation and maintenance of facilities. These standards were reviewed during the assessment process and each recommendation presented in this report took into consideration maintaining compliance with the current jail standards. The Georgia jail standards address staffing levels both generically and by gender with frequent reference to the words sufficient number. The following guidelines which apply to personnel and staffing are cited in the Georgia jail standards: Principle: Various elements of incarceration impacting staff levels are subject to rapid and dramatic change. This change may be the result of new policies or problems outside the purview of the facility administrator or of internal concerns to include overtime, employee turnover, and leave time. Processes in place estimate necessary staff strength but do not address allocation or use. Each facility s approach to staffing must be based on the design of its physical plant, the security considerations and programs to be addressed by the facility, and the current incarceration levels. Number of Personnel 5.01 A sufficient number of personnel shall be employed in each local detention facility to permit intermittent direct visual supervision of all inmates and to ensure the implementation and operation of the programs and activities required by these standards. Primary Duty 5.02 Whenever there is an inmate in custody, there shall be at least one trained detention staff member on duty at all times who shall be immediately available and accessible to inmates. Such an employee shall not have any other duties which would conflict with the supervision and care of inmates. Staff Requirement for Housing Female Inmates 5.03 Each facility shall have female staff available to perform all sensitive reception and release procedures for female prisoners (e.g., searches, showers). When females are housed, observation of inmates may be by opposite sex staff as long as opposite sex privacy concerns are given appropriate protection. Back up Staff 5.04 A second staff person shall be available to provide assistance when multiple occupancy cells or dormitories are entered by staff. Page 4-8

87 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Staffing Plan 5.05 In order to determine if there is a sufficient number of personnel for a specific facility, the facility administrator shall prepare and retain a staffing plan indicating the personnel assigned in the facility and their duties. Such a staffing plan shall be reviewed by the jurisdiction having fiscal responsibility for the facility. Transport Duties 5.06 When applicable, the detention facility shall provide sufficient staff to conduct inmate transportation and court escort without disrupting routine facility operations. Comment: State law requires that a female officer be present when transporting female mental patients. All transportation should be performed by certified peace officers. Based on existing staffing practices at the Main Jail there appeared to be a general level of compliance with the above cited state guidelines during the review period. American Correctional Association. The American Correctional Association Core Jail Standards were developed in 2010 and represent the collaborative efforts of corrections practitioners and representatives of the American Correctional Association, National Sheriffs Association, National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The core standards were established as guidelines for the improvement of correctional operations, services and programs. They provide a framework for presenting the needs and concerns of local correctional agencies and set minimum levels of compliance. The key core jail standards regarding jail staffing include the following: 1 Core 2A 02, Correctional Officers Posts. Correctional officers posts are located adjacent to inmate living areas to permit officers to see or hear and respond promptly to emergency situations. There are written orders for every correctional officer s post; 1 Core 2A 05, Female Inmates and Female Staff. When a female inmate is housed in a facility, at least one female staff member is on duty at all times; and 1 Core 2A 09, Staffing Sufficient Staff. Sufficient staff including a designated supervisor are provided at all times to perform functions relating to the security, custody, and supervision of inmates and, as needed to operate the facility in conformance with the standards. Based on existing staffing practices that were observed at the Fulton County Main Jail during the review period a general level of compliance appeared to be in place. Authorized Positions at the Jail The authorized number of staff assigned to the jail bureau is determined in part by the Fulton County Sheriffs Office and final hiring approval requires the signatures of the County Manager, Finance Director, Personnel Director and the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity. Page 4-9

88 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing An interview was conducted with executive command staff from the sheriffs administration bureau including the Colonel, Major and Human Resource Manager in order to gain a better understanding of authorized staffing levels for the jail. As a result of the interview command staff reported that the sheriffs department receives an annual budget and within that budget the sheriffs office is responsible for managing four primary divisions including the jail, law enforcement, courts and administration. The needs of each division may vary throughout the year and as a result the authorized number of staff allocated for each division may vary. There appears to be no fixed number of positions authorized for the jail as indicated by the sheriff s department. The number of positions provided is fluid and is based in part on the overall approved budget for the Sheriff department and the staffing needs of each division within the sheriffs department. Recommendation: Establish the number of authorized positions for the jail bureau based on existing workload responsibilities. The approved budgeted staffing level may or may not differ from the authorized level based on funding availability however an authorized number should be clearly established based on meeting the operational needs of the jail bureau. Actual Staffing level The Human Resource department of the Sheriff s Office provided reports for the first two quarters of calendar year 2015 identifying the number of staff assigned to the jail bureau. During the first quarter (January 1, 2015 April 1, 2015) there was a total of 649 staff reported as being assigned. In the second quarter (April 1, 2015 June 30, 2015) there were 644 assigned. This includes both permanent and temporary staff. A total of (20) of the 649 staff assigned on April 1, 2015 were identified as being temporary. The county effectively allows opportunities for both qualified retirees and qualified individuals seeking less than full time employment to be considered for employment. These part time employees are considered temporary employees. Approximately 3% of the total staff assigned to the jail were considered less than full time during the review period. The overall breakdown for the jail bureau by position classification during the two time periods identified includes the following: Page 4-10

89 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Table 4 2 Staff Assigned to Fulton County Jail Bureau. April 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015 Staff Assigned to Jail Bureau 4/1/2015 6/30/2015 Difference Chief Jailer 1 1 NA Lieutenant Colonel 2 2 NA Major 1 1 NA Captain 7 7 NA Lieutenant Sergeant Deputy Sheriff Detention Officer (Includes temporary ) Civilian (Includes temporary ) NA Security Specialists (Includes (10) temporary ) NA Total Staff Assigned (5) Source: Fulton County Sheriff s Office Human Resource Division The total number of staff assigned to the jail facilities has remained relatively consistent during calendar year The most significant change between the two time periods includes the number of detention officers and deputies assigned to the jail. There were (17) fewer detention officers assigned on June 30, 2015 compared to April 1, 2015 and (8) more deputies during that same time period. Both of these changes reflect a difference of more than five percent of the total number of staff assigned in each position classification. Although the overall difference is not significant it does reflect a reduction in critical position classifications which can impact daily operational practices. Roster Management In addition to reviewing authorized and actual staffing levels an analysis was conducted on the deployment practices of existing staff. Included in the review was an examination of roster management procedures, the development of post assignments and the days and hour s security personnel are initially scheduled to work compared with peak activity work periods. One of the essential elements of completing a staffing analysis and determining the most cost effective staffing level is the importance of evaluating how staff are being deployed. The Fulton County Jail System like most jails operates 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. Given the fact that employees are scheduled to work a set number of hours per week and have regularly scheduled days off, vacations, utilize sick time, etc., staffing any given post assignment throughout the year requires more than one staff member. Effective roster management systems maximize the efficient use of staff resources through the use of post analyses, master rosters, daily rosters, and an ongoing recapitulation of actual staff utilization. When properly applied, roster management systems create the means by which jail administrators can ensure existing staff resources are allocated appropriately and staffing needs are communicated effectively to major stakeholders. The project team reviewed daily shift activity rosters for the jail and all annex locations, interviewed the jail administrator, watch commanders on each of the three shifts, lieutenants, the facility roster Page 4-11

90 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing management sergeant, facility sergeants and line staff to determine operational practices. Our review reflected that several nationally accepted roster management practices were in place at the Fulton County Jail. Daily rosters are being prepared for each shift as well as a shift activity report that reconciles the post coverage including staffing levels, where staff are being assigned, use of leave time, overtime usage, and staffing adjustments being completed during each shift. The current system provides a record of actual staff utilization. It provides a management tool that tracks and summarizes how staff are used to ensure existing resources are allocated appropriately. An effective roster management system is designed to provide accountability and at the Fulton County Main Jail the rosters for the most part meet that responsibility. There are however a few issues that may require further review. Each of these issues will be described in more detail. Minimum Staffing Level Establishing a minimum staffing level is one of the key elements used in developing any cost effective roster management system. At the Main Jail the term minimum staffing is used however only applies to housing posts that have been identified in the Harper consent order. The 24 hour seven days per week posts included in the minimum staffing level are the following: One supervisor per housing floor for a total of seven supervisors (7 per shift); One person in each housing tower to observe the 13 different housing zones (13); and Three officers assigned to each of the thirteen housing zones (39). As a result when referencing minimum staffing levels a total of 59 staff on each of the three shifts is reported as the minimum level by jail command staff. This only reflects the on site line staff and first line supervisors assigned to the housing zones and represents approximately 50 percent of the total recommended security post assignments for the Main Jail. This number does not reflect providing post coverage in the intake and release area, medical unit, central control, classification, inmate property, kitchen, medical transport, front entry security, shift command personnel, or any staff assigned to the annexes. As there was not a fixed number provided for authorized positions for the jail there was not a comprehensive minimum staffing number established to operate the jails on all three shifts. When a comprehensive minimum staffing level has not been established for each shift it becomes extremely difficult to communicate the staffing needs of a specific work location to major stakeholders. As a result the actual number of staff required becomes unknown. In following national best practices most command personnel identify a minimum staffing level which clearly identifies the post assignments that have to be filled in order to operate the jail under specified conditions. The baseline minimum levels that is identified should be clearly established however flexible to a limited degree to allow for non routine post assignments to be filled such as providing one on one supervision for an at risk inmate, off site hospital supervision or inmate transport. If any of those posts are not required to be filled the baseline minimum staffing level that has been established should be met. Oftentimes the final staffing level applied is determined by the watch Page 4-12

91 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing commander for the shift and may not always be based strictly on meeting required workload responsibilities. One method used to help identify a baseline minimum staffing level is to establish post assignment classifications that clearly identify the post assignments that must be filled prior to the filling of other post assignments. These posts are oftentimes called mandatory posts. Mandatory posts are post assignments that are required to be filled during a designated time period, i.e. tower posts, intake, or central control. There are post assignments at every work location that are required to be filled during a specified period of time and there are post assignments that could be left vacant for short periods of time without impacting jail operations. At the Main Jail the term mandatory posts is used however based on current practice does not automatically mean the post is being filled. During the on site visits at the Main Jail there were several occasions where posts referred to as mandatory were vacant, i.e. housing zone floor officer. The housing zone floor position requires three officers on each floor, all of which are considered mandatory posts and there were numerous situations where less than three were assigned. On a national basis a mandatory post refers to a post assignment that must be filled during a specified time period. At the Fulton County jail this did not appear to be the practice. In order to determine appropriate staffing requirements all posts should be properly classified to clearly identify the minimum and optimum number of staff required on all shifts. Those posts identified as mandatory should be filled on that shift. The primary benefit of identifying post classifications is to ensure that select post assignments are filled when required to meet post responsibilities or legal mandates. The lack of post classifications and/or proper enforcement of post classifications make it more difficult for supervisory personnel to determine which posts are to be filled and which posts remain closed when insufficient staff are present. For example a supervisor may decide to close a medical unit or floor officer post due to insufficient staff. The decision to close a post assignment may result in inmates not being provided access to mandatory services, extended waiting periods, staff inefficiencies, excessive overtime expenditures and security concerns. Recommendation: A degree of flexibility should be available to the facility supervisor however administrative oversight should be provided to ensure certain post assignments are filled in order to meet compliance levels. The proper designation of post classifications, such as mandatory and nonmandatory, is highly recommended and may assist in controlling discretionary decisions while maintaining county required compliance levels. Those post assignments identified as mandatory must be filled during the prescribed time period. Post Assignment Responsibilities In assessing the level and type of staff needed to meet the current workload responsibilities in the most cost effective manner the project team thoroughly reviewed the established post assignments and the workload responsibilities associated with each post. This procedure is often referred to as performing a task analysis. As indicated several nationally accepted roster management practices were in place at the Fulton County Jail, including the development of a master roster, daily shift rosters, recapitulation activity reports and post orders. Page 4-13

92 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Post orders are procedural documents that detail an employee s assignment and outline general and specific duties that an employee is required to perform while filling a specific post assignment. The post order can be compared with what is commonly known as a job description for a specific post assignment. Post orders for the jail were provided by the county and thoroughly reviewed for the purpose of better understanding post responsibilities and ensuring required post responsibilities were properly being identified. In addition to ensuring appropriate post responsibilities it was essential to identify the position classification needed to fill each post and position. The jail bureau has several different position classifications available to meet the various needs of the bureau. There are administrative, command, supervisory, sworn, non sworn and civilian positions all contributing to meeting the mission of the jail. In reviewing the post orders and current operating practices, not only are the responsibilities adequately covered in the post orders, they are being filled for the most part by staff in the appropriate position classification. Administrative post orders reference terms such as assume overall administrative responsibility and staff assigned to those positions have been trained to complete those responsibilities. Command post orders reference such terms as assume responsibility for his/her perspective shift and the staff assigned are Captains that have been trained to complete those responsibilities. For the most part post assignments were routinely being filled by appropriately positioned trained staff. Security Specialists One concern identified in filling post assignments was the frequent use of personnel representing multiple position classifications filling the same post assignment. For example, a housing tower position can be filled by a combination of security specialists, detention officers and deputy sheriffs. The housing tower post is responsible primarily for documenting daily shift activities within the housing zone, controlling access into and out of the housing zone, communicating with staff and inmates via intercom and electronically operating security doors. There is no physical contact between the employee assigned to the tower and an inmate as the employee is assigned to a secure elevated control room. In reviewing the post responsibilities for a housing zone tower the position responsibilities can be filled by personnel assigned to any of the three position classifications including security specialists, detention officers and/or deputy sheriff. However when considering the most cost effective approach and national best practices the post can best be filled by a security specialist. The position description identifies essential duties as providing unarmed security for assigned locations, controlling access/exit within specified locations, providing documentation and monitoring video and radio transmissions. The position responsibilities are consistent with the responsibilities identified for the tower post assignments. In an attempt to identify the most cost effective manner to meet the post responsibilities the average base salaries were reviewed for the three positions currently used to fill the tower post assignments. The average base annual salary reported by the county for the three positions are the following: Page 4-14

93 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Deputy: $39,956.22; Detention Officer: $34,096.60; and Security Specialist: $24, As shown there is an annual average salary difference of $15, when having a deputy assigned to a tower post rather than a security specialist ($39, v. $24,349.41). A deputy is not routinely assigned to a tower post however the practice does occur. There is also an annual average salary difference of $9, when having a detention officer assigned to a tower post rather than a security specialist. Detention officers do fill the tower post assignments on a daily basis on each shift. Current practice is to have a combination of detention officers, deputies and security specialists assigned to tower positions. Considering the number of tower posts located throughout the Main Jail the savings benefit could be significant if security specialists were the primary staff assigned to tower posts. There are a total of thirteen housing zone tower posts, one intake tower post and one sally port tower post that are all required to be staffed 24 hours per day seven days per week. When considering tower posts alone the most cost effective approach to meet the corresponding required post responsibilities would be to fill those posts with security specialists. In comparison with filling the post with a detention officer, an annual average salary savings of $9, would be achieved by having a security specialist fill the post instead of a detention officer. When applying the established relief factor it would currently take detention officers at an average total base annual salary of $2,541, to fill the (15) 24 hour seven day tower posts compared to 70 security specialists at an average base salary of $1,704, to fill the posts. When employee benefits are added to the average salary, the monetary difference becomes greater. Filling the fifteen tower posts on each shift would require approximately (70) security specialists. As of June 2015 there were 33 security specialists assigned to the Main Jail of which ten were less than fulltime. Additional security specialist would be required and fewer detention officers/deputies may be needed. The detention officers and deputies currently used to fill these tower post assignments could be deployed elsewhere to fill more appropriate inmate contact related post assignments within the jail. In addition to the tower posts there are several other post assignments currently filled by security specialists. In total an additional 25 security specialists are required to meet existing responsibilities at the Main Jail. After a thorough review all of these additional post assignments appeared appropriate to be filled by a security specialist based on the posts associated responsibilities. Recommendation: Apply a more cost effective staffing plan by filling recognized post assignments with staff in position classifications that are most appropriate to meet post responsibilities. The duties and responsibilities of a security specialist are most consistent with post responsibilities found in tower post assignments. Current practice is to fill a few tower posts with security specialist when staff are available. Page 4-15

94 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Detention Officer v. Deputy A secondary concern that was identified when developing a cost effective staffing plan is the ongoing practice of filling security line staff positions interchangeably between detention officers and deputies. Deputies are sworn officers who have completed both POST certification and Jail Certification. Detention officers have completed Jail Officer Certification. The primary difference between a deputy and detention officer as reported by staff is the deputy can make arrests, carry a firearm and are considered the primary position classification to transport inmates. Security posts at the Main Jail are similar to posts found in other correctional facilities throughout the United States. However, the level of use of deputies filling security positions within the jail is less common elsewhere. Most jail systems that use two different line staff position classifications for security positions rely on deputies to fill just a few specialized posts. Transport and public access control points are often posts where sworn staff are assigned. At the Main Jail deputies are often found working posts that could be staffed by a detention officers or security specialists. The practice of interchangeably filling posts between deputies and detention officers does not include all security line staff positions however it does include most line security posts. The current staff deployment practice allows deputies to fill all line staff security posts at the Main Jail however in contrast, detention officers are allowed to fill most but not all security line staff post assignments. Posts most commonly reserved for deputies include the following: Front Garrett; Rear Garrett; Guard Shack; Medical Rover: Trailer Visitation and Perimeter Patrol. The ability to have qualified staff available to activate an arrest, carry a firearm and transport inmates in a secure fashion is both positive and essential. The current number of deputies assigned to the jail when considering post requirements and cost effective staffing levels may be excessive. In June 2015 there were reported to be approximately 109 deputies assigned to the Main Jail. Based on the recommended deputy posts a minimum of 31 deputies are required. Since deputies are paid on average substantially more than detention officers ($39, v. $34,096.60) the county is currently paying more to fill several post assignments than necessary. When employee benefits are added to the average salary, the difference becomes greater. Recommendation: Reduce the number of deputies assigned at the Main Jail and increase the number of detention officers to ensure recommended posts are covered during appropriate time periods. Regular Scheduled Days Off As noted one of the essential elements of an effective roster management system includes the proper deployment of staff. Since the Main Jail like most jails operates 24 hours per day, 365 days a year personnel are required to be physically present at the jail around the clock. This includes supervisory staff as well as line staff. The fact that employees are scheduled to work a set number of hours per Page 4-16

95 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing week and have regularly scheduled days off, vacations, utilize sick time, etc., staffing any given post assignment throughout the year requires more than one staff member. All staff are initially schedule to work five consecutive days followed by two days off on one 8 hour shift. There are three primary shifts in use at the Main Jail. As a result master rosters are developed to ensure staff are scheduled to various shifts and days to maximize staff coverage throughout the week. At the Fulton County Jail a master roster has been developed which identifies the shift and days off for each employee. Regularly scheduled days off and shift assignments appeared to be appropriately balanced in a manner that best addresses workload responsibilities throughout the work week for detention officers, deputies and civilian positions. In respect to supervisory staff, each had either Saturday, Sunday or both days off. There were sergeant positions identified in the master roster that identified alternative days off however those positions were not filled on the date of review. As a result there was an imbalance in the number of supervisors assigned per day. Captains assigned to the Main Jail serve primarily as either as the Watch Commander, Programs Captain or Low Rise Captain. Since there is no relief captain assigned it is not uncommon for staff filling those positions to be present on the traditional work days when activity levels are at their peak. With the court process being conducted primarily on weekdays, Monday through Friday is often considered the most appropriate work days for these positions. Currently all captains assigned to the Main Jail have Saturday and Sunday off. Lieutenants assigned to the Main Jail serve primarily as either the assistant watch commanders, unit managers, or are assigned to a specific work discipline, such as training, inmate classification, intake, etc. Lieutenants assigned to the annex facilities serve primarily as the commanders of those locations. Currently all the lieutenants have at least one weekend day (Saturday/Sunday) scheduled as a regular off day. On the day shift where a large percentage of the lieutenants are assigned the number of lieutenants scheduled range from two on Sunday to twelve on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On the remaining two shifts the fewest number of lieutenant scheduled was two on Saturday and Sunday and the most were scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Sergeants assigned to the Main Jail serve primarily as front line supervisors and are generally assigned to housing zones, medical unit, intake, kitchen and specific disciplines throughout the jail. Currently all the active sergeants positions filled have at least one weekend day (Saturday/Sunday) scheduled as a regular off day. On the day shift (21) sergeants are assigned to the shift, the number of sergeants scheduled per day range from seven on Sunday to (21) on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On the second shift the fewest number of sergeants scheduled was six on Saturday and the most were scheduled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On the third shift the fewest number of sergeants scheduled was (9) on Saturday and Sunday and the most was (18) on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Page 4-17

96 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing A cost effective work schedule needs to be balanced so that the number of available staff over the seven day workweek is consistent with the workload. If the workload is significantly higher or lower on specific days the scheduled staffing level should reflect the same. Since supervisory responsibilities include providing staff supervision an appropriate number of supervisory staff are required to be scheduled seven days per week. Supervisor to line staff/workload ratios were examined to evaluate the appropriate number of supervisory personnel required based on national best practices. Effective supervisor/staff ratios are not determined solely based on the number of line staff to be supervised. The type of work to be completed, location of work assignments, position classification, physical plant, work hours and level of risk of inmates should all be considered. On Saturday and Sunday on the first shift the number of supervisory staff scheduled is inconsistent with national best practices. On the second shift on Friday, Saturday and Sunday the level of supervision is also inconsistent with best practices. Creating a more balanced schedule and increasing the number of mandatory supervisory posts can help resolve this issue. The following table identifies the number of security staff scheduled by shift and day. Table 4 3 Fulton County Main Jail Scheduled Security Supervisors by Shift and Day 7-3 Assigned Shift to Shift S M T W TH F S Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Total Assigned Shift to Shift S M T W TH F S Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Total Assigned Shift to Shift S M T W TH F S Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Total Source: FCSO Roster Sergeant. August 2015 In Table 1 3 the boxes highlighted in yellow represent staffing levels that may lead to insufficient supervisory levels or increased overtime expenditures. The box highlighted in red represents a staffing level that is deficient and requires correction. The Harper v. Bennet consent order stipulates that one supervisor be assigned to each of seven floors. There are eight supervisors assigned to the second shift Page 4-18

97 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing on Saturdays including six sergeants and two lieutenants. One lieutenant is assigned as the Watch Commander and the second lieutenant is assigned as the Assistant Watch Commander. As a result only six sergeants are scheduled and in order to be consistent with staffing levels identified in the consent order seven needs to be assigned to the housing floors. Recommendation: Reevaluate the regular scheduled days off of supervisory staff on all three shifts in a manner that effective addresses workload responsibilities, continued compliance with the Harper v. Bennett consent order while minimizing overtime expenditures. Increase the number of mandatory sergeant positions to ensure critical post assignments in high risk areas are covered. Page 4-19

98 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Summary Changes/Recommendations for the Main Jail The following key recommendations or changes are submitted for further consideration. The recommendations and/or changes are reflected in either the report or master post analysis spreadsheet. Post recommendations to be consistent with the Harper v. Bennett consent order, Georgia Jail Standards, American Correction Association Core Jail standards and national best practices; Consent Order post recommendations: 1. Floor Supervisors. Sergeants: (7) 24 hour seven day sergeant posts assigned to the housing zone floors and one 24 hour seven day sergeant post assigned to the medical unit; 2. Deputies: (2) 24 hour seven day deputy posts assigned to the medical unit to provide inmate transport/escort and roving responsibilities when available; 3. Detention Officers: (43) 24 hour seven day detention officer posts assigned to a combination of housing zones and the medical unit. (1) 8 hour seven day detention officer post on the first shift only assigned to the medical unit to provide security coverage for on site medical clinics and x rays; and 4. Security Specialists (SS): (13) 24 hour seven day security specialist tower posts with one security specialist being assigned to each of the housing zones occupying inmates; Establish the number of authorized positions for the jail bureau based on existing workload responsibilities. The approved budgeted staffing level may or may not differ from the authorized level based on funding availability. However, an authorized number of staff should be clearly established based on meeting the operational needs of the jail bureau; A degree of flexibility should be available to the facility supervisor. However, administrative oversight should be provided to ensure certain post assignments are filled in order to meet compliance levels. The proper designation of post classifications, such as mandatory and nonmandatory, is highly recommended and may assist in controlling discretionary decisions while maintaining county required compliance levels. Those post assignments identified as mandatory must be filled during the prescribed time period: 1. Establish the Watch Commander post as a mandatory post on all three shifts; 2. Identify the following sergeant posts as mandatory posts on all three shifts providing the type of inmate housed in the zone remains the same: 1 North; 2 South; 3 North; 3 South; 4 South; 5 South; 6 South; 7 North; 7 South and the Medical Unit; 3. Identify the following deputy sheriff posts as mandatory posts on all three shifts: Front Garrett; Rear Garrett; Guard Shack and Medical Rover (2); 4. Identify the following detention officer posts as mandatory posts consistent with the attached post analysis spreadsheet: Housing zones (3); Medical front control; Medical Front (2) days, (1) second and third shift; Rear medical (2); Central Security Surveillance Monitor; Intake/Property (2); Kitchen (3) on days, (2) on second and third shifts; Laundry Room six days per week on first and second shifts; Inmate Intake Desk; Intake Rovers (3); Central Page 4-20

99 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Control Bonding; Central Control Release; Reception/Lobby first and second shifts; Reception/Lobby Control Room first and second shifts; 5. Identify the following security specialist posts as mandatory posts: Housing zone towers (13), Intake Secure Tower; and Sally port Control Room. Apply a more cost effective staffing plan by filling recognized post assignments with staff in position classifications that are most appropriate to meet post responsibilities. The duties and responsibilities of a security specialist are most consistent with post responsibilities found in tower post assignments. Current practice is to fill a few tower posts with security specialist when staff are available; Reduce the number of deputies required to be assigned at the Main Jail and increase the number of detention officers to ensure recommended posts are covered during appropriate time periods; Reevaluate the regular scheduled days off of supervisory staff on all three shifts in a manner that effective addresses workload responsibilities, continued compliance with the Harper v. Bennett consent order while minimizing overtime expenditures. Table 1 4 summarizes the recommended number of required staffing by rank for the Main Jail. Post/Position Table 4 4 Main Jail Recommended Staffing Rounded FTE Main Jail Subtotal Colonel Posts: 1 Subtotal Lt. Colonel Posts: 2 Subtotal Major Posts: 2 Subtotal Captain Posts: 6 Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 21 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 79 Subtotal Deputy Sheriff Posts: 34 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 360 Subtotal Security Specialist Posts: 99 Subtotal Main Jail Staff 604 Page 4-21

100 Section 4: Main Jail Staffing Page 4-22

101 CHAPTER 5 ANNEX STAFFING

102

103 Section 5: Annex Staffing Alpharetta Annex The Alpharetta Annex is located in the northern section of the county and primarily houses municipal inmates that have been arrested and charged in the city of Alpharetta. Fulton County assumed the control and operations of this facility from the City of Alpharetta in 2005, and lists the design capacity of this facility as 50 inmates. There are no kitchen or laundry capabilities located at this facility. Inmate meals are transported from the Main Jail and heated in microwave ovens, and inmate laundry is transported to and from the Main Jail twice each week. There is one contract medical staff on site 24 hours a day. However, they only provide triage services. Anything requiring further medical attention must be transported to either the Main Jail facility or to an outside medical provider. The Commander of the annex is a Lieutenant that primarily works a Monday through Friday business shift, while a Sergeant is assigned to each of the three shifts and serves as the shift supervisor. There are three Detention Officers assigned to the Booking and Release duties on each shift. There is also one Tower (Control Room) Officer, one Housing Officer, and one Rover assigned to each shift. One Deputy is assigned to the day shift at the Alpharetta Annex to transport inmates to and from municipal courts each day. A single officer is inadequate for this task due to the volume of inmates and frequency of court transports. Court proceedings often last well past the conclusion of the day shift, resulting in the use of overtime before the Deputy can be released from duty. One Deputy (downtown driver) is also assigned to each shift to transport food and laundry to and from the Main Jail location to the Alpharetta Annex. Inmates housed at the Alpharetta Annex must often be transported to medical appointments. This transport must be made by a Deputy. Often times an additional Deputy must be dispatched for these transports when the Courts and Downtown Deputies are not available. Recommendations The following key recommendations or changes are submitted to the staffing levels. Add a Medical Driver (Deputy) position to each shift to handle the transportation of inmates to medical care and appointments. Add a second Court Driver (Deputy) to the day shift and one to the evening shift. Negotiate with the contracted food service provider to transport inmate meals from the Main Jail kitchen, freeing a sworn officer from these duties. Table 5 1 Recommended Staffing for Alpharetta Annex Post/Position Rounded FTE Alpharetta Annex Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 1 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 5 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 30 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 15 Total Alpharetta Annex Staff 51 Page 5-1

104 Section 5: Annex Staffing Marietta Annex The Marietta Annex is located behind the Main Jail facility on Rice Street. This location has two 40 bed open dormitories for inmates that are mostly housed here via a court order. One dormitory houses inmates that are part of a dog training program where they house, care for, and train service dogs. The other dormitory houses up to 40 inmates that are participants in Accountability Courts including Veterans Court and a behavioral health program. Shift Sergeants are the senior officers assigned to this facility. Given the limited number of inmates and lower custody levels, the remaining custody staff consists of one Tower Officer, one Rover and one Escort/Driver (Deputy) assigned to each shift. The Escort/Driver escorts inmate movement and transports inmates and supplies between the annex and Main Jail. Table 5 2 Recommended Staffing for Marietta Annex Post/Position Rounded FTE Marrietta Annex Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 5 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 10 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 5 Total Marrietta Annex Staff 20 South Annex The South Annex is located in the southern section of the county in Union City. This is a leased facility from Union City and primarily houses all of the female inmates in the jail system. There are 32 beds located at Intake that can house 32 male inmates for the local municipalities. The Sheriff s Office lists the design capacity of this facility as 304 inmates. There no kitchen at this location, and the contracted food service provider transports the inmate meals three times daily. A laundry facility is on site that is operated with inmate labor. The inmates work in the laundry for three shifts, clothing is exchanges twice a week, and all laundry operations are supervised by the Housing Officer. Contracted medical staff provide healthcare services to the inmate population. A Nurse Practitioner, RN, LPN, and Medical Assistant are on site 5 days each week. The Commander of the annex is a Lieutenant that reports to the Captain in charge of the South Annex and Grady Hospital, and primarily works a Monday through Friday business shift. A Sergeant is assigned to each of the three shifts and serves as the shift supervisor. There are two Detention Officers assigned to the Booking and Release duties on each shift. There is also one Tower (Control Room) Officer each for the East and West housing sections, one Floor Officer each for the East and West housing sections, and one Medical Escort Officer that works Monday through Friday days. Page 5-2

105 Section 5: Annex Staffing Recommendations The following key recommendations or changes are submitted to the staffing levels. Add a Medical Driver (Deputy) position to each shift to handle the transportation of inmates to medical care and appointments. Add two Court Driver (Deputy) to the day shift and one to the evening shift. Table 5 3 Recommended Staffing for South Annex Rounded Post/Position FTE South Annex (Union City) Union City/Grady Captain 1 Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 1 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 5 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 36 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 10 Total South Annex Staff 53 Grady Memorial Hospital While Grady Memorial Hospital is technically not an annex housing facility, it is a separate location where staff are stationed and charged with the custody and supervision of inmates. Fulton County currently has six holding cells (two are being used for storage) in a secure area of Grady. The Commander of the staff at Grady is a Lieutenant, that reports to the Captain over the South Annex and Grady Hospital, and primarily works a Monday through Friday business shift, a Sergeant is assigned to each of the three shifts and serves as the shift supervisor, and a Security Specialist is stationed at the holding desk and coordinates staff for inmate movement throughout the treatment areas of the hospital. Staff from the City of Atlanta currently operate the Control Room. Detention Officers supervise inmates throughout the hospital while Deputy Sheriffs are required for the outside movement of inmates. Typically, Deputies assigned to the Main Jail s medical unit will transport inmates to the hospital for medical appointments, but Deputies assigned to Grady are responsible for returning them to the jail. A new, secure holding and treatment area is currently under construction at Grady. The purpose of this addition is to provide as many treatment services as possible to the in custody population without entering the main hospital. It is scheduled to be completed towards the end of In this new addition, the operation of the Control Room will be shared between Sheriff s Office staff and staff from the Atlanta Police Department. An additional Deputy will be required in the Holding Area to assist with inmates entering, and preparing to be released from, the area. Page 5-3

106 Section 5: Annex Staffing Recommendations The following key recommendations or changes are submitted to the staffing levels. Staff will need to be assigned to the Control Room of the new hospital addition upon opening. A Deputy Sheriff position will need to be assigned to the Holding area of the new hospital addition upon opening. Table 5 4 Recommended Staffing for Grady Memorial Hospital Post/Position Rounded FTE Grady Memorial Hospital Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 1 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 5 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 23 Subtotal Deputy Sheriff Posts: 12 Subtotal Security Specialist Posts: 1 Total Grady Staff 42 Page 5-4

107 CHAPTER 6 COURT STAFFING

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109 Section 6: Court Staffing Fulton County Court Staffing The Sheriff s Department provides for the court security at multiple locations throughout Fulton County including the following: o o o o o o o o Fulton Juvenile Court, 136 Pryor Street SW, Atlanta; State Court of Fulton County, 185 Central Avenue, Atlanta: Fulton County Superior Court, 160 Pryor Street, Atlanta; Magistrate Court of Fulton County, 185 Central Avenue, Atlanta; Fulton County Pre Trail Services, 34 Peachtree, Atlanta; Fulton County Jail Court; North Fulton Annex; South Fulton Annex. Court security includes supervision of all building security, operation of building entrance security stations, security surveillance of all movement and activities within the courts buildings, maintenance of security supervision within the courtrooms, supervision of detention holding facilities within the courts, and perimeter security of the court buildings. It was reported by the Sheriff department staff that between 25,000 to 30,000 individuals enter the court buildings of Fulton County each week. Each of these individuals is under the security supervision of the Sheriff s Department staff from the point of entry into the buildings where they are given a security screening prior to entering the secure areas. Each individual is monitored by FCSD staff while moving throughout the building including the courtrooms. In addition to providing for the physical security of each of the courthouses and courtrooms, the Sheriff s Department operates multiple security checkpoints at the entrance to the courthouses, provides detention officers for securing offenders who are at the courthouses awaiting hearings, and provides for security in each courtroom and hearing room throughout the county, including the juvenile court. Documents provided by administrative staff indicated at the time of this staffing review the court security function was staffed with 142 full time staff with an additional 15 temporary staff. The security administrator of the courts reported that they are authorized to staff the courts with 185 deputies, security specialists and detention officers. Administrative staff stated that the staffing priorities of the court division included maintaining sufficient staff to man the security checkpoints at each court location and to ensure that sufficient staff is assigned to the individual courtrooms located throughout the county. Observations of court operations during the site reviews indicated that staffing at both the security checkpoints and the courtroom coverage was inadequate in terms of providing sufficient numbers to properly staff each required post. This was most apparent in the courtrooms where it was observed Page 6-1

110 Section 6: Court Staffing that large numbers of individuals were being supervised by a single deputy and frequently no deputy. Corridors throughout the courtrooms lacked security supervision despite the large number of individuals who mingled outside the courtrooms. The detention holding areas immediately adjacent to the courtrooms lacked proper ongoing supervision. Oversight of these areas, when in use, was primarily provided by the courtroom deputies who periodically enter the detention areas to check the status of the individuals being held for appearance in the courtroom. These same deputies were also required to provide security movement of the individuals from the holding cells to the courtroom when their appearance was required. It is the objective of the Sheriff s Department to have two deputies assigned to each active courtroom, at least one deputy assigned to each juvenile courtroom and hearing room. Based on the number of individuals in the court buildings during this review this is an appropriate level of staff for these locations. None of the courtrooms observed had two deputies posted and also lacked personnel to supervise the adjacent holding cells. It was obvious from observation and review of staffing assignment rosters for the past 90 days prior to the on site review that available staff was being shifted from their assigned posts to other more critical posts in order to meet immediate needs. This was the case with the staffing of the security checkpoints. Staff were redirected to these posts during periods of peak movement in and out of the court buildings in order to sufficiently staff the checkpoints. This practice resulted in other critical security locations being understaffed in terms of security supervision. Security checkpoints are manned by both Sheriff s Deputies and Security Specialists and due to the multiple locations require the commitment of a large number of both supervisory staff and deputies. At peak periods including early morning, lunch time, and immediately after lunch the security checkpoints require sufficient staff to ensure the efficient movement of individuals into the building, while ensuring that each is properly search and screened. A fully staffed checkpoint is only required during the peak periods and once those time periods are complete some staff can be reassigned to provide coverage in the courtrooms. As present that was being done only on a limited basis due to the initial understaffing of the checkpoints at all locations observed. The courtrooms, at all locations, including those at Juvenile Court have minimal staffing. The main corridors immediately outside the large courtrooms had no supervision present in the form of deputies. Due to the high level of movement in the corridors supervisory staff need to be posted on each floor to assist in the management of those present for court hearings and trials. Recommendations Increase the authorized number of staff to 234 FTEs which will provide sufficient staff to achieve the major staffing objectives and provide sufficient relief to cover anticipated and unanticipated absences. Page 6-2

111 Section 6: Court Staffing Increase staffing so that all major security checkpoints are fully staffed during peak periods of activity. In addition the major courtrooms will have a minimum of two deputies during periods of active court hearings while each floor will be staffed with a Sergeant for overall coordination of the security activity on the floor. It is recognized in the staffing plan that a number of courtrooms are inactive at a given time and day and do not require staffing. In those instances staff are to be shifted to active courtrooms so that adequate supervision is provided and to security checkpoints as needed. Increase the staffing complement at the Juvenile Court so that adequate staffing is available to provide security for all active courtrooms, mediation rooms, hearing rooms, and other locations within the Juvenile Court. Maintain adequate staffing at the Pretrial Program on Peachtree and at both annexes. Maintain staffing for the court functions at the Jail. Table 6 1 Court Security Recommended Staffing Post/Position Rounded FTE Court Security Subtotal Lt. Colonel Posts: 1 Subtotal Major Posts: 1 Subtotal Captain Posts: 3 Subtotal Lieutenant Posts: 5 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 27 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 151 Subtotal Detention Officer Posts: 30 Subtotal Security Specialist Posts: 16 Total Courts Staff: 234 The staffing rosters developed as a result of this site review reflect the above recommendations and result in a recommended staffing complement of 234. Page 6-3

112 Section 6: Court Staffing Page 6-4

113 CHAPTER 7 LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS

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115 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Current Staffing and Organization The State of Georgia s Constitution provides that each county have a sheriff; and state law provides that the sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of each county. Despite that language, many counties in Georgia have a county police department to provide law enforcement services in addition to a sheriff. This is the case in Fulton County. In most Georgia counties with a county police department, including Fulton County, the sheriff will voluntarily relinquish his or her (hereafter referred to as his/he) general law enforcement responsibilities, although he cannot be forced to do so. Even if those general responsibilities are relinquished, a sheriff retains the right to intervene in any law enforcement effort within the county that he wishes to. In addition to being the chief law enforcement officer of a county, a sheriff is an officer of the court, which requires him and his deputies to provide physical courtroom and building security and to be the bailiff for Georgia Superior Courts in his county. He is also charged with serving official court papers, including subpoenas and civil papers. In addition, he is the chief jailor for the county jail, which makes him responsible for the care and custody of prisoners. This chapter of the staffing study focuses on the Sheriff s law enforcement responsibilities, which in Fulton County are generally performed by the Fulton County Sheriff s Office (FCSO) Law Enforcement Operations Division (LEOD). The FCSO Law Enforcement Operations Division is organized into two main functional units and a command staff (administration) unit. Staff assigned to the Law Enforcement Operations Division are in one of three areas: Division Administration; Field Operations; or Administrative Operations. We will cover current staffing, performance, and recommended staffing level in each of the three areas and the sections and units within each. The division s organization chart is provided on the following page. The Law Enforcement Operations Division is under the command of a Lt. Colonel and a Major. Each of the two operational areas is under the command of a captain. Division captains report directly through the chain of command to the division s major. As shown on the organization chart, included in Field Operations is the Transfer Unit, which provides transportation services for Fulton County jail inmates. The Transfer Unit, its mission, and its staffing recommendations are covered elsewhere in this report, but will be mentioned occasionally in this chapter as needed for clarification and other purposes. Both of the Law Enforcement Operations Division s operational components operate in a 24/7 environment having sworn and civilian staff on duty every hour of every day of the year. Staffing levels and numerous vacant positions in the Law Enforcement Operations Division, which is also referred to as Law Enforcement Operations, has been a concern for department and division management and for front line staff for several years. This is due to a long standing practice that requires new deputies to fill jail and court positions before they can go to Law Enforcement Operations. This practice was developed as a result of court ordered staffing levels in the jail and because of the increasing need for security in the courts. Because deputies in the Law Enforcement Operations Division have no role as primary responders to emergency and other calls for policing services, generally all of their duties and actions are initiated by the deputies (self initiated), and therefore believed to not be as critical as jail and courtroom staffing, especially in times of budget cutbacks. Nevertheless, despite Page 7-1

116 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations having fewer policing duties than typical law enforcement agencies (police and sheriffs departments), such as responding to calls for service, investigating crimes, and traffic enforcement; the division provides many critical, important, and often overlooked duties for the department and the citizens of Fulton County. Figure 7 1 Law Enforcement Operations Organizational Chart As a result of the jail and courtroom first practice, vacated positions are often left vacant for many months and some positions may never be filled. Division officials describe overall staffing levels at less than 75 percent of what they were only four years ago; and other employees believe it is even lower compared to ten or so years ago. They also describe the overall division workload and functional responsibilities as growing during those same time periods. This reduction in staffing is despite the county s rapid growth over the past four years as determined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Census Bureau estimates the July 1, 2014 county population to be 996,319 compared to the April 1, 2010 census figure of 920,579, a 9.2 percent increase in 4.25 years. The 9.2 percent rate of growth in Fulton County is more than double that of the state as a whole, which had a growth rate between 2010 and 2014 of 4.2 percent. The Law Enforcement Operations Division provides numerous functions for the Sheriff s Office, other Fulton County government departments, and county residents, only some of which deal with what one typically associates as law enforcement duties. Again, that is because the FCSO does not provide general Page 7-2

117 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations law enforcement services such as responding to calls for service (other than occasionally as a backup or when one or more of its deputies are the closest unit to a high priority emergency), general investigations of crimes, patrol duties, or traffic enforcement. As mentioned those services in unincorporated portions of the county are left to the Fulton County Police Department. Among Law Enforcement Operation s primary duties are the processing and providing service of criminal arrest warrants and civil process, transporting inmates to and from courts and other facilities, registering sex offenders, ensuring bonding companies are in compliance with laws, and entering, storing, tracking and providing criminal information to law enforcement agencies and others throughout the metro area and across the country. The staffing study team was not provided with authorized staffing figures for the LEOD, only current staffing levels. A report showing currently filled positons and a report showing vacant positions were provided by the Sherriff s Human Resources Department. These reports were combined by the staffing study team to determine an estimated or assumed authorized number of positions. The table on the following page shows current and assumed (estimated) authorized staffing level for the entire Law Enforcement Operations Division according to the combined reports. That figure is 102 staff, of which 70 are sworn and 32 are civilian, including the Transfer Unit. Although provided here for the sake of comparison, the number of authorized positions will not be referred to again, because this study provides a recommended staffing level based on an assortment of metrics and analyzes, and then compares that figure to the current staffing levels and not to what may or may not be an authorized level. According to division officials, some of the vacant positions are temporary in nature due to positions being vacated because of retirement, resignation, dismissal, or promotion, and the lag in time it takes to backfill that position due to the jail and courts first practice. Other vacancies tend to be more permanent in nature, which according to staff interviewed for this study is due to the county unfunding positions in order to meet critical budgetary constraints in recent years. As indicated on the following table showing current staffing levels, there were, as of August 26, 2015, 82 staff in the Division, of which 56 were sworn law enforcement officers (sworn deputies) and 26 were civilian staff. Included in the Field Operations section of the Division is the Transfer Unit. Although organizationally a part of Field Operations, this unit is discussed elsewhere in this study. For that reason, Transfer Unit figures are included as a separate unit on the following table. Page 7-3

118 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Position Table 7 1 Current, Vacant, and Assumed/Authorized Staffing Levels Law Enforcement Operations Division as of August 2015 M-F Days 8 Hr. Days 8a-4p 8 Hr. Evenings 4p-12p 8 Hr. Mornings 12p-8a Current Total Rec. Additional Positions Total Rec. Positions Division Administration Lt. Colonel Admin. Coordinator Subtotal Administrator: Major Subtotal Asst. Administrator: Subtotal Division Administration: Field Operations (without Transfer Unit) Captain Lieutenants Sergeants (Field Ops) Deputies (Field Ops) Sergeants (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) Deputies (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) Subtotal Field Operations (w/o Transfer Unit): Administrative Operations Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Deputies SOU R/D Specialist Front Desk R/D Supervisor GCIC R/D Coordinator GCIC R/D Specialists GCIC (including Trainees) Admin Assistant II R/D Specialists Civil Process Subtotal Administrative Operations: Total Staffing Law Enforcement (w/o Transfer Unit) Transfer Unit Lieutenant Sergeant Deputy Admin Assistant Subtotal Transfer Unit Total Staffing Law Enforcement (w/ Transfer Unit) Total Sworn and Civilian Positions Total Sworn Positions (w/o Transfer) Total Civilian Positions (w/o Transfer) Sworn Positions Transfer Unit Civilian Positions Transfer Unit Total LEOD Current and Authorized Staffing Page 7-4

119 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Approach and Methodology The approach and methodology used to determine recommended staffing levels for most of the units/sections within the Law Enforcement Operations Division differ from what is used for staffing studies for jails and for most law enforcement agencies with more general law enforcement duties. That difference is because unlike staffing for jails, which is based on having correctional officers are certain posts at various days of the week and times of the day and night to help ensure security and safety, and unlike staffing for the typical law enforcement function of patrol, which is based on the number of calls for service that can effectively and efficiently be responded to during various times of the day and day of the week; recommended staffing for most functions in the FCSO Law Enforcement Operations Division is based on the amount of work that is received and processed (workflow) in a given period of time. To help understand workflow, analysis of performance measures is essential. Therefore, more so than in other sections of this report we will focus on performance measures to help articulate how the level of staffing impacts performance and the ability of each unit within the division to effectively and efficiently fulfill its mission. In addition to staffing level recommendations, the staffing study team has provided additional recommendations that if implemented could improve effective and efficiency of operations in the division. These recommendations were based on observations, interviews and data analysis made while looking at staffing issues, and involve staff related matters such as division organization, chain of command and shift structure, and some staffing suggestions not included in the final recommended staffing level. Sections III, IV, and V provide staffing recommendation for each of the Division s three main units. Section VI provides a summary of recommended staffing changes. Section VII provides some additional suggestions or recommendations for consideration. Page 7-5

120 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Division Administration The Law Enforcement Operations Division is under the command of a Lt. Colonel, who reports directly to the Fulton County Sheriff s Chief Deputy. Reporting directly to the Lt. Colonel is a Major and an administrative assistant (Administrative Coordinator). The Lt. Colonel provides management and leadership to the division through the chain of command. He is a retired Atlanta Police Department Assistant Chief and has been with the FCSO for four and a half years. The Major is an experienced FSCO sworn sheriff s deputy who has been with the department for more than 26 years, and has been in the Major s position for four and a half years. An Administrative Coordinator position provides administrative support to command staff, including the Lt. Colonel, the Major and captains, as well has additional duties such as, data compilation and the preparation of weekly summary and other reports. She also prepares and assists with correspondence between FCSO and local law enforcement agencies, manages and assists with administrative functions of all sections and units within the division. She maintains division command staff calendars, submits time sheets to FCSO Human Resources and manages training requests and division training calendar. She also serves as the back up for the FSCO Chief Deputy s administrative support staff. Based on interviews, observations, a review of division performance and other data, and a look at other departments with similar duties, the current staffing level for division administration is appropriate, and therefore we recommend no changes to its staffing level. Table 7 2 Division Administration: Current and Recommended Staffing Level Position M-F Days 8 Hr. 8 Hr. 8 Hr. Rec. Current Total Rec. Days Evenings Morning Additional Total Positions 8a-4p 4p-12p s 12p-8a Positions Division Administration Lt. Colonel Admin. Coordinator Subtotal Administrator: Major Subtotal Asst. Administrator: Subtotal Division Administration: Page 7-6

121 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Field Operations Field Operations primarily provides three somewhat dissimilar functions for the Sheriff s Department. Sworn Fulton County Sheriff s Deputies, including deputies, sergeants, and lieutenants, and civilian staff in this section are assigned to one of three units: the Transfer Unit; the Warrants Unit (also called Field Ops.); and the Fugitive/Investigations (FIU) and K 9 Unit). The roles of each of the three units are described in the following sections of this report. At the time of this study, Field Operations had 36 sworn officers in the Warrants and FIU/K 9 Units and an additional 13 in the Transfer Unit, plus two civilian staff. Combined there were 49 sworn positions and two civilian staff in Field Operations as of August The only civilian staff in Law Enforcement Operations are assigned to the Transfer Unit. Although those two civilian staff assist with other law enforcement division duties as requested, it is not their primary role. This section of the report does not deal with the Transfer Unit; therefore other than the preceding table, staffing recommendations for the Transfer Unit will not be discussed in this section of the report. However, the Transfer Unit is referred to again in reference to how Field Ops staff provide manpower daily to assist Transfer Unit staff with movement of inmates from jail(s) to courtrooms. Current staffing for the Field Operations Unit is shown in the following table. Table 7 3 Field Operations (without the Transfer Unit): Current Staffing as of August 2015 Position M-F Days 8 Hr. 8 Hr. 8 Hr. Current Days Evenings Morning Total 8a-4p 4p-12p s 12p-8a Field Operations (without Transfer Unit) Captain 1 1 Lieutenants Sergeants (Field Ops) Deputies (Field Ops) Sergeants (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) 2 2 Deputies (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) Subtotal Field Operations (w/o Transfer Unit): Transfer Unit Deputies and Sergeants in the Transfer Unit are responsible to transporting inmates from the jail(s) to the courts and back again each week day, and other inmate related transportation needs such as transports to hospitals and other medical/dental facilities, state and federal prisons, other county or city jails and numerous other inmate movements. As mentioned, this unit is covered in another section of this report, nevertheless, because deputies in another operational unit within the LEOD provide hours of transport support each weekday, a limited discussion is provided here. The Transfer Unit is under the command of a lieutenant, who reports to the Field Operations Captain. In addition the unit has three sergeants and nine deputies. Because of the high risk associated with transporting inmates, in addition to the long and cumbersome route and the frequently large number of inmates, deputies in the Warrants (Field Ops) unit will augment Transfer Unit staff for the morning Page 7-7

122 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations transport of inmates from the jail(s) to the courthouse. The morning Warrants shift will generally be assisting the Transfer Unit on weekdays from 5:30 am until all transfers are complete, usually between 8:00 am and 9:00 am. This requires those deputies, who are scheduled to be off at 6:00 am, to work two or more hours of overtime on most weekdays. Warrants Service Section (also called Field Ops) The Warrants Service Section of Field Operations (Warrants Unit) is responsible for serving all criminal warrants issued by various courts in Fulton County, civil documents, warrants issued by other jurisdictions requesting FCSO assistance and numerous other functions. Deputies and supervisors in the Warrant s Unit spend their shift driving throughout the county to serve warrants and civil papers (civil process) to residents and others in the county who are wanted on felony criminal charges on warrants issued by Fulton County Superior courts (with a few exceptions, misdemeanor and other warrants issued by State and Magistrate courts are handled by the Fulton County Marshal s Department) and for whom a warrant for arrest has been issued by a court official or who are being served with civil papers such as notice of suit, subpoenas, temporary restraining orders, or other legal documents. Among other legal documents and duties performed by deputies in this unit are sex offender compliance checks and juvenile pick ups. Additionally, approximately twice a month on average, deputies in this unit are called on to provide funeral escorts for deceased law enforcement officers and their families. The unit is organized into three shifts: Days (8am 4pm), Evenings (4pm 12m), and Mornings (12m 8am), each under the command of a lieutenant. The units are in the field seven days a week, 365 days per year. The service of criminal warrants is a challenging and hazardous duty, which must be performed with deputy safety in mind at all times. To help ensure deputy safety, warrants and certain civil process, such as those dealing with family violence, are handled by two person teams that typically drive in one sheriff s vehicle. Because Warrants Unit deputies (and the sergeant) are out of their office driving throughout the county day and night in marked vehicles they will make traffic stops when they observe traffic and other law violations, are occasionally flagged down by citizens for assistance, dispatched to assist other law enforcement officers in the county in the performance of their duties, and frequently called on to provide backup support for other deputies in the Warrants Unit when they need additional law enforcement support to safely serve certain civil process and warrants for certain offenses or offenders and in certain locations. The Warrants Unit is the largest unit within the LEOD with 28 sworn staff, including 3 lieutenants, 4 sergeants, and 18 deputies. It has no civilian administrative support staff. Without consideration of time off for vacation, sick, military and other leave or for job related functions that take deputies away from their primary duty such as training, court, or transport assistance, the current level of staffing provides an average 4.29 deputies on duty on a given shift, and including sergeants and lieutenants, that figure increases to 5.95 sworn staff per 8 hour shift on average. When considering that the time Warrants Unit deputies are on sick, vacation and other leave, available time (Net Annual Work Hours, as shown in the following table) and the average number of deputies on duty drops from 4.29 to 3.96 per shift. The Page 7-8

123 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations relatively low number of deputies (low given the size and population of the county and the number of documents that are in need of service each day) is a concern not only for the performance of duties assigned, but more importantly for deputy safety. When only two or three sworn staff are on duty there is virtually no backup, which is necessary for the delivery of certain warrants and even with four of five on duty, there is virtually no Sheriff s Office presence in most of the county at any given time. Table 7 4 Summary of Net Annual Work Hours for Sheriff Deputies (all Divisions) Net Annual Work Hours Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Lieutenant Sergeant Deputy 1 Total hours contracted per employee per year. 2,216 2,216 2,216 2 All Leave Time Off Avg Time to Fill a Vacancy Total hours off per year (lines 2 and 3) Net Annual Work Hours (line 1 line 4) 1, , , Source: CGL, August 2015 Minimum Staffing The preceding table illustrates the impact on time off and of vacant positions on the hours staff work in a year. As mentioned above, It indicates that based on the total contracted hours per employee per year of 2,216 hours, deputies are on duty 1,836 hours after considering hours off and hours it takes for the replacement of vacant positons. The impact on time off for leave equates to reducing the average number of deputies on a shift from 4.29 per 8 hours shift to 3.96; and when considering the impact of vacancies, the average drops to 3.55 deputies per shift. This analysis only considers the impact of time off and not the impact of job related reasons for being away from field operations, such as training or court appearances. This number of deputies on duty is even further reduced on certain days of the week by the work schedule utilized in the unit. The work schedule has all staff working five 8 hour shifts per week, with either Friday and Saturday or Sunday and Monday off each week. This means that all staff not on leave are on duty on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and that Fridays through Mondays have half as many on duty. The impact of the scheduling is that on average there are 4.97 deputies on duty on each shift on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and on Friday through Monday each shift, on average has 2.48 deputies on duty. Numbers as low as this on the weekend days, indicate that few if any warrants are being attempted on four of the seven days of the week, and that there is little if any presence in the county other than one or two or vehicles serving civil papers. The schedule does however provide more staffing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, which is when most warrants and certain civil papers (especially those where a larger presence of deputies may be necessary) will be scheduled to be served. The concern created by the low number of staff and the work schedule is related not only to the doing the work that needs to be done, but again more importantly, deputy safety. Overtime is used to augment shifts, and impact of it on staffing levels is not considered in the preceding illustration. Page 7-9

124 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations There is no minimum staffing requirement (or policy) for Warrant Unit s shifts. FCSO should develop a minimum staffing requirement to help ensure deputy safety. Minimum staffing policies not only help ensure deputy safety, they provide guidance to supervisors to better direct the usage of overtime. Overtime Overtime is used extensively to augment staffing shortages in the Law Enforcement Operations Division; and the reliance on overtime is growing. As shown in the following table, overtime spending has increased more than 55 percent since fiscal year Overtime is limited to 12 hours per week per employee. Based on spending as shown in the table below, a rough estimate of staff overtime is between 15 and 20 hours per month per sworn deputy. Based on interviews with Warrants Unit staff, these figures appear to be low, but are reported here nonetheless to illustrate the rate of increase. Table 7 5 Overtime Expenditures Percentage Change Between FY2012 and 2014 Overtime Spending $ 206,630 $ 172,616 $ 321,490 56% Performance Measures The following table show some input and output measures of performance for the Warrants Unit for calendar years 2012, 2012, 2014 and the first half of Table 7 6 Monthly Average of Warrants and Civil Documents Assigned, Executed/Served, and Bad Addresses: Calendar Years Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly 2012 to 2015 Average 2012 Average 2013 Average 2014 Average 2015 % Change Warrants Assigned ,220 1, % Warrants Executed % Warrants w/ Bad Address % Civil Documents Assigned 2,514 2,031 2,219 3, % Civil Documents Served 1, , % Civil Documents w/bad Address % As illustrated in the preceding table, the number of warrants and civil papers assigned to the Warrants Unit has risen considerably (36.6 percent and 38.4 percent, respectively) since Simultaneously, the number of warrants executed has drop by 36.9 percent and the number of civil documents served has dropped by 34.4 percent. Another way to demonstrate the impact on work performance using the same measures is that in calendar year 2012, 9.0 percent of warrants assigned were executed, while in 2015 the number executed compared to the number assigned fell to 4.2 percent. A similar drop in performance is noted with civil papers. Whereas in 2012, 42.7 percent of civil documents assigned were served; in 2015 the number served compared to the number assigned fell to 31.6 percent. Although this Page 7-10

125 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations unit has many other duties, the execution of arrest warrants and the service of civil process are the Warrants Unit s mission, and based on the recent years performance indicators, the unit is not able to perform either of these duties to the extent one would expect or compared to even just three years ago. The study team agrees with division management that the drop off in performance is due understaffing in this unit. A result of the number of documents and warrants to be served increasing and the number of items actually being served/executed declining, the backlog of warrants and civil papers grows. Data on the backlog (or inventory) of documents held by the Warrants Unit but yet to be successfully served is not as complete on the numbers assigned, served/executed, and the number with bad addresses, nevertheless as of the time of this staffing study, there were more than 2,700 documents in the inventory of papers to be served. The table below provides some recent inventory information as a snapshot of changes in inventory in recent months. As shown on the table, inventory had been reduced significantly between the fourth quarter of 2014 and the second quarter of 2015, but has begun to grow once again in the third quarter of The inventory of civil papers is much lower than warrants because after so many attempts they are returned to the Civil Process Section, but warrants don t expire and remain in the unit s inventory for an extended period of time. Table 7 7 Field Operations: Weekly Warrant/Civil Paper Inventory 10/20/ /3/2014 4/6/2015 6/8/2015 8/10/2015 9/21/2015 Civil Process Sex Offender Warrants 2,419 2,819 1,629 1,616 2,401 2,085 Shelter Warrants Juvenile pick ups Temporary Restraining Orders Total Inventory 3,409 3,705 2,297 2,129 2,907 2,729 Deputies spend a significant portion of their shift organizing, coordinating, sorting, prioritizing, and confirming warrants and civil papers before they depart their headquarters to the streets. Upon return to headquarters they take additional time, another hour or more, to enter data, update the department s database (Odyssey System), and other administrative functions. Sergeants will do the same for warrants and or civil papers they are serving, and in addition, they update activities for summary reports for all deputies on their shift. Many of these administrative functions could be performed by civilian staff, providing sworn staff additional time on the streets to attempt execution of warrants and service of civil process. The Warrants Unit has no civilian staff. Warrants Unit Staffing Recommendations Based on the current workload, document inventory (backlog), the importance of the mission, constant usage of overtime, the lack of relief staffing, and the need for deputy safety, the staffing study team recommends the unit be staff to 6 sergeants and 31 deputies. This would require the addition of 2 Page 7-11

126 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations sergeants and 13 deputies to the unit from the current staffing level of 4 and 18 respectively. This change would enable all shifts to have two sergeants assigned so regular days off and days off for leave will have a higher likelihood of a sergeant on duty, and between the shift lieutenant and the two sergeants most shifts would have a watch commander and a sergeant in the field. We recommend that each of the day, evening and morning shift have 9, 10, and 10 deputies respectively, and that two deputies be on an 8 am to 4 pm shift Monday Friday to concentrate on civil process as was the practice in the past. This should enable the minimum numbers of deputies on duty to increase by 72 percent on average, thus reducing the frequency of shifts with only two or three deputies on duty when deputy safety prevents the service of warrants, and increase the number of attempts and successful completion of service, and thus lead to an overall improvement in warrant execution and successful civil process service from the current abysmal rate of only 4 percent of warrants assigned and 32 percent of civil papers assigned. Fugitive/Investigations and K 9 Units The third major function (division section) performed by sheriff s deputies in the Law Enforcement Operations Division includes several duties more closely aligned with typical law enforcement duties. These include the investigation, location and apprehension of fugitives through joint task forces, criminal investigations of FCSO cases and a K 9 unit. This section has two sergeants; one over the fugitive, task force and investigative staff, most of whom are assigned to joint law enforcement task forces such as U.S. Marshal s task force, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program (HIDTA) and an FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force. The other sergeant is over the K 9 unit which is comprised the three dog/trainer teams: the sergeant and his dog and two deputies and their dogs. This section has no lieutenant, and therefore the units sergeants report directly to the Field Operations Captain. The Fugitive/Investigations Unit s (FIU) duties include locating wanted persons and fugitives from justice and protecting the community from threats from cybercrime, terrorism and major drug crimes. To improve efforts of many jurisdictions in the same region, these efforts are often performed by joint task forces led by federal agencies. The personnel in Investigations Unit also conduct criminal investigations of certain crimes that occurred in the county, this is generally those that occur in the county jail facilities. Performance measures for activities by FCSO members of U. S. Marshal s Task Force are shown in the following table. Page 7-12

127 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Table 7 8 FCSO Fugitive Unit Performance Measures: Calendar Years Percent Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly Change 2012 Average Average Average Average to 2015 Cases Assigned % Arrests made from Cases Assigned % Number of Cases Assisted Other Agents % Number of Cases Assisted Other Agents w/arrest % Amount of Money Seized from Cases Assigned $20,186 $4,850 $18, % Vehicles Seized from Cases Assigned % Number of Special Details Assigned to % Training Hours % Number of Warrants Placed in Cleared File % As shown in the preceding exhibit, all measures of unit performances declined dramatically in 2015 compared to This decline can be observed beginning 2014 and declining further in The drop can be directly attributed to the reduction in staffing for the unit. Currently, there is a working sergeant (with a case load) and one sheriff s deputy on the Fugitive Unit (U.S. Marshal Task Force). Prior to 2014, the unit had three deputies and a working sergeant. Each of the four Marshal Service task force investigators (now two) can only work so many cases, and to be effective have a case load that is only large enough to offer them an opportunity to actively work on cases. So logically it follows that a reduction in staff will result in a similar reduction in performance. Additionally, the sergeant has to supervise six investigators one on his task force team, members of other task forces and the two general investigators. That further reduces his ability to participate in task force activities. The drop off in production is even more easily observed when presented graphically. The following chart shows certain of the quarterly performance measures for the Fugitive Unit since 2012, that were shown in the preceding table. Page 7-13

128 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Figure 7 2 FCSO Fugitive Unit Performance Measures: Calendar Years Cases Assigned 200 Arrests made from Cases Assigned 150 Number of Cases Assisted Other Agents 100 Number of Cases Assisted Other Agents w/arrest 50 Number of Warrants Placed in Cleared File 0 Source: FCSO LEOD Quarterly Statistical Reports, January 2012 through June As illustrated in the preceding exhibit, it is clear that the unit s contribution to the metro area task force has declined significantly in recent quarters. Division officials state this is directly attributed to the lack of staffing FCSO contributes to the metro area fugitive task force due to department budget cuts and length of time vacant positions are left unfilled. If the Sheriff s Office wants to be an active, contributing member of the local areas task forces it should be able to provide a commitment of human resources consistent with that of the chief law enforcement office in the county. The staffing study recommends such a commitment by adding two deputies to this team. Should that recommendation be implemented, we also suggest a change in the organization of the unit by putting to the two general investigators in a unit with the canine team to provide a more evenly balanced chain of command. Canine (K 9) Unit The FCSO K 9 Unit s sworn deputy handlers and their dogs are highly trained to perform several services in support of local law enforcement activities including building searches, narcotic searches, tracking, and explosive ordinance (bomb) call outs. The unit is led by a sergeant and his dog and two deputies and their dogs. Two canines are trained as a EOD (Bomb) dogs and the other is general tracker dog. Page 7-14

129 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Table 7 9 Canine Unit Performance Measures: Calendar Years Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly Average Average Average Average Average Average Building Searches Narcotic Searches Tracking Traffic Stops Apprehensions Outside Agency Requests Canine Call Outs Bomb Call Outs Bomb Building Sweeps As indicated in the preceding table, the K 9 unit s performance varies considerable from year to year. That is due mainly to having fewer than three teams on duty for several extended periods of time during the past several years including the current year. Notable in the performance measures is the large increase in the number of building bomb sweeps in the past two years. Prior to 2014, the EOD unit was in response mode; that is, it was only responding to calls for service (call outs). Now the EOD Canine teams are in a proactive mode by conducting sweeps of courts and county facilities daily. The staffing study team recommends no changes to the current staffing level for the Canine Unit. Recommended Staffing Because the Sherriff is the lead law enforcement officer in the county, the department should be an active contributor of resources to the joint task forces that work hard to deal with apprehensions of violent criminal in and around Fulton County and with major crimes that impact the lives of county residents. At the current level of staffing they are only able to marginally contribute. This situation is especially noteworthy on the U.S. Marshal s Task Force. In order to be a viable contributor to the common goal of area law enforcement agencies of apprehending fugitives who reside in the metro area and leveraging federal dollars that help fund the joint task forces, the division should replacing the two deputy positions it lost on the fugitive task force. Two deputies should be added to this unit. Summary of Recommendations for Field Operations Field Operations Field Ops Sergeants (+2) The current level of staffing provides little in the way of relief coverage for this 24/7 operations. This would not only provide two sergeants for each shift, so that most shifts would have a sergeant on duty and virtually all shifts should have a lieutenant or a sergeant on duty, it would reduce the over reliance on overtime. Field Operations Deputies (+13) The current level of staffing provides little in the way of relief coverage for this 24/7 operations. Eleven additional deputy positions on shifts along with two deputy positions, whose focus would be the service of civil process, would give the unit 31 deputies and when added to the sergeants would provide 37 law enforcement positions compared to the current number of 22, a 68.2 percent increase in sworn staffing (exclusive of lieutenants), which should result in at least a Page 7-15

130 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations similar increase in effectiveness of the unit. This will not only provide a three additional deputies or more on each shift, it will reduce the number of shifts each month when the level of staffing is so low that there are only two or three deputies on duty, which is below what the staffing study team believes is a safe minimum staffing level. It should also reduce the reliance on overtime, how much however cannot be quantified. Field Operations Fugitive/Investigations Unit Deputies (+2) The department should consider restoring two deputy positions to the FIU to enable it to provide a level of commitment to the U.S. Marshal s Service task force that is commensurate with Fulton County s size and number of criminal fugitives in metro area. Table 7 10 Field Operations (Excluding Transfer Unit): Current and Recommended Staffing Level Position M-F Days 8 Hr. Days 8a-4p 8 Hr. Evenings 4p-12p 8 Hr. Morning s 12p-8a Current Total Rec. Additional Positions Total Rec. Positions Field Operations (without Transfer Unit) Captain Lieutenants Sergeants (Field Ops) Deputies (Field Ops) Sergeants (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) Deputies (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) Subtotal Field Operations (w/o Transfer Unit): Page 7-16

131 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Administrative Operations Administrative Operations has responsibility for numerous functions. This area of operations has a mix of sworn deputies and civilian staff, all under the command of the Division Captain. At the time of this study there were eight sworn staff including four captains, a lieutenant, a sergeant and two deputies. Including those still in training, there were 23 civilian staff. The current staffing level is shown in the following exhibit. Position Table 7 11 Current Staffing Levels: Administration Operations M-F Days 8 Hr. Days 8a-4p 8 Hr. Evenings 4p-12p 8 Hr. Mornings 12p-8a Current Total Administrative Operations Captain 4 4 Lieutenant 1 1 Sergeant 1 1 Deputies SOU 2 2 R/D Specialist Front Desk 2 2 R/D Supervisor GCIC R/D Coordinator GCIC R/D Specialists GCIC (including Trainees) Admin Assistant II 1 1 R/D Specialists Civil Process 3 3 Subtotal Administrative Operations: Source: Law Enforcement Operations Organizational Chart, July 9, Administrative Operations has five main functional units all under the command of the Administrative Operation s Captain and the Lieutenant. The five functional units are organized within three sections. The three sections are the Communications Section (GCIC), the Front Office/Sex Offender Section, and the Bonding/Civil Process Section. The five functional units are: Communications/Warrants; Sex Offender Registration and monitoring; front office/window for walk up customer service; bonding administration; and civil process. Communications (GCIC) The Communications Section, also called the GCIC Section is responsible for processing, tracking and verifying all local (Fulton County) and foreign (other Georgia counties and other state jurisdictions) criminal warrants the department receives. The section processes approximately 10,000 warrants per year. The unit is also responsible for responding to requests for information received from jurisdiction across the country regarding warrants and other information such as stolen vehicles. It responds to more than 5,000 hit confirmation requests per year. The unit operates 24 hours per day 7 days per Page 7-17

132 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations week and has an obligation to follow strict federal and state guidelines and time limits as it works with law enforcement agencies across the state and nationwide to serve and verify warrants. Among the tasks it must accomplish for each warrant are recording required information into the county s criminal justice information system (Odyssey), update the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) identifying the suspect, ensuring the warrant if valid, checking criminal history of the suspect, and placing the paper documents into a bin that is forwarded to the Warrants Unit for attempted execution. Accuracy is essential because false arrests could lead to costly litigation for the county. The unit is staffed on a 24 hour/7 days a week basis by civilian personnel who work on one of three shifts per day. Each shift has a supervisor, who reports to the Administrative Operations Lieutenant. Each shift is comprised of a supervisor, one shift R/D Coordinator (only two coordinator positions are currently filled) and operators (classified as Records/Documents (R/D) Specialists). The R/D coordinators serve as lead operators and perform supervisory duties on the supervisor s regular days off and when they are on leave. Currently, each shift has four R/D Specialists or Trainee R/D Specialists. The following table illustrates the type and level of activities R/D Specialists in this unit performed daily. Table 7 12 Unit Performance Measures: Quarterly and Daily Average of Work Activities by GCIC Activities: Quarterly Daily Average Average Hit Confirmations Warrants/Arrest Orders Received Warrants Recalled FC Arrest Orders Private Probation (Electronic Mon) FC Child Support Orders FC Drug Court Warrants Grand Jury Indictments Magistrate Warrants FC Pretrial Warrants FC Probation Warrants FC State Court Warrants The staffing study team believes the low number of staff on each shift, the backlog of work in need of attention, and the large amount of overtime worked indicate that additional R/D specialists are needed to adequately staff shifts. An additional four R/D Specialist positions should provide the additional staffing needed to adequately staff shifts, permit vacations and other leaves to be granted with less overtime, and help improve unit workflow. Page 7-18

133 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Bonding/Civil Process The Bonding/Civil Process Section is comprised of two functional units, Bonding Administration and Civil Process, combined as a section under Administrative Operation s Lieutenant. Bonding Administration is one of several activities/duties of the Administrative Services Lieutenant with one administrative staff supporting his efforts in this area. In addition to Bonding Administration and Civil Process the Lieutenant manages, the Front Office/Sex Offender Section and the GCIC Section. Bonding Administration Unit Bonding Administration s duties include licensing, monitoring, and investigating contracted bonding companies located in Fulton County. It also issues licenses and investigates, as needed, not profit/taxexempt organizations that wish to operate raffles for fund raising activities within the county. The section also records and files property bond liens and assists in getting liens released. Performance measures for this section are noted in the following exhibit. As can be seen, performance (activities) data is not consistently collected. There are too many missing data elements, and even one entire quarter, for this information to provide any indications of change in workload over the past 3.5 years. This may be due in part to the workload of the Administrative Lieutenant who performs all functions associated with the bonding administration, metal recyclers, and managing other sections of this operational area. Table 7 13 Bonding Administration Performance Measures Qtly. Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Inmates Released on Bond Cash Bond Refunds Property Bonds Property Liens Released Bonding Co. Applications Raffle Applications FIFA payments 30,174 75,692 29, ,247 7,539 40, , ,595 30,663 17, ,019 FIFA Set Aside 78,091 58, , ,161 27, ,248 Total Fees Collected 39,197 4, , , , , , , , ,001 Total Bonds Written 468, ,323 Total Bonds Cleared 93,149 93,149 FIFA Cleared 104, , ,963 Discussions with the Administrative Operations Lieutenant indicated he is able to perform duties assigned to him at a level that is only minimally acceptable to him. There is little time to do many of the proactive activities that are important to helping ensure compliance such as, conducting field visits of bonding companies or compliance checks on organizations conducting raffles and on metal recycler. Because of the extent of the Lieutenants direct duties, the number of units, the size of the sections he has supervisory responsibility for, and because he has only one civilian administrative assistant to assist with duties, provide limited back up on his days off and who has other duties, such as responding to customers who come to the Front Desk window, the staffing team recommends an additional civilian administrative assistant position be added to this unit. Page 7-19

134 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations The amount of work and the depth and breadth of responsibility of the Administrative Services Lieutenant was among the highest the consulting team has encountered. He not only is the first line commander for 26 staff, including eight direct reports, he is directly responsible for numerous enforcement and compliance duties of the department including raffle licensing, bonding administration, and metal recycler compliance in addition to managing the Civil Process Unit staff, the GCIC Unit and the Sex Offender/Extradition Unit. The staffing study team believes the Administrative Operations needs an additional admin position to provide relief for the lieutenant position and to permit him to perform many compliance and enforcement functions he just does not have sufficient time to adequately perform. Civil Process This unit has three civilian staff who work with civil documents sent to the Sheriff s Office for service. These staff, who work day shift only, receive civil documents, review documents for completeness, enter relevant data into the county s database and forward the documents to Field Operations Unit for attempted service. The unit is comprised of three R/D Specialists, who according to the most recent organization chart, report directly to the Administrative Operations Lieutenant. Performance metrics for this unit are shown in the following table. Table 7 14 Performance Measures for the Civil Process Unit Calendar Years Number of Civil Documents Daily Daily Daily Average Average Average Received and Processed: FCSC Civil Papers Received FCSC Civil Papers Processed FCMC Papers Received FCMC Papers Processed Foreign Papers Received Foreign Papers Processed FC Juvenile Papers Received FC Juvenile Papers Processed Average Number of Civil Papers As can be observed in the preceding table, there has been a decline in average number of civil papers received and processed per day in 2015 compared to the two previous years. The drop off has mainly come in the number of FCMC (Fulton County Magistrate Court) and Foreign Papers (from outside of Fulton County) received by the FCSO. There are other organizations in the county that perform similar civil process service functions, so the decline in business may be beyond the control of the county. Workflow (input and output) for the Civil Process section has dropped precipitously in recent years. The department should analysis this change in workflow to determine the cause of the more than 50 percent reduction in civil process, and if anything can be done to increase the number of documents Page 7-20

135 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations sent to the FSCO. Because there are charges associated with the service of most civil papers, increasing the work would result in additional revenue to the County. If it is determined that the reduction in workflow is more likely than not a permanent reduction due to competition from other services/jurisdictions or other reasons, the Sheriff s Office should considered reducing the work force by one R/D Specialist in this section of Administrative Services. This suggested change in staffing is not reflected in the overall staffing level recommendations made in this study, pending the outcome of additional analysis of the demand for FCSO civil process functions. Front Office/Sex Offender Registry and Extraditions As its name suggests, the Front Office/ Sex Offender and Extraditions Section has numerous duties. Its most critical one deals with registering, verifying addresses, and limited monitoring of sex offenders living in Fulton County. In 2013, it registered more than 1,300 offenders, for 2015, officials expect this figure approach 1,600. According to the most recent organization chart, the section is staffed with a sergeant, two deputies (one for extraditions and one for sex offender registration), and two civilian staff. The civilian staff, who are classified as R/D Specialists, assist with sex offender record keeping (registry) and respond to the public who have business with the Sheriff s Office and come to the window at the department s Front Office, many of those who come to the front office window are sex offenders making their periodic reports to the Sheriff s Office. Front Office Unit This is not so much a unit but more of a function for all staff assigned to the Section. The section provides customer service for those that show up at the Sherriff s Office for any number of requests including background checks, sex offender reporting, court orders, including temporary restraining orders and family violence orders, civil process acceptance, criminal arrest warrants, bond refund requests, and the collection of fees associated with many of the services requested and provided. Customers include sex offenders, the general public, including those seeking background checks or responding to notices to report to the Sheriff s Office, and Fulton County court officials. When unit staff determine a front office customer has an outstanding warrant, the individual will be served with the warrant and arrested at that time. According to unit staff, they arrest three to four people per week who have outstanding warrants. Sex Offender Unit The Sex Offender Section has the duty to register and monitor all sex offenders living in Fulton County. Monitoring duties are to help ensure compliance with living and other restrictions imposed by courts and to verify addresses. Nearly 1,600 offenders are registered annually, and in addition they must report on weekly, monthly, or annual basis regarding where they reside. The unit also has responsibility to monitor the location of five offenders (classified as predators) who are on GPS tracking system to help ensure their whereabouts at all times. Page 7-21

136 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Address verifications of sex offenders are performed periodically by the unit s sworn staff and because there are so many offenders and the frequency of required address checks for certain offenders, the unit relies heavily on Reserve Sheriff s Deputies and Field Operations to conduct many address verifications. Address verifications are used to update the Georgia Bureau of Investigation s and two other databases of sex offenders. Extraditions Unit The unit is responsible for the responding to requests to extradite individuals arrested and held in Fulton County jail(s) that are wanted in other states. Depending on what actions the arrested person make take regarding the request to extradite, the unit must communicate with the jurisdiction that issued the warrant, the jail, local courts, and others regarding holding suspects for pick up or releasing them. Based on the level of work that falls to the Front Office/Sex Offender Registry and Extraditions Section the staffing study team believes an additional administrative assistant position is needed for the Sex Offender/Front Office area. The amount of work involved dealing with the registration and periodic checking in required of sex offenders, which is increasing monthly and other duties such as extradition processing, background checks, and papers received at the front office indicate the need for additional staff in this area. When a staff member is out on vacation or on sick or other leave and deputies are in the field there is virtually no back up. The following table shows performance metrics for Front Office and Sex Offender Units over the past three and a half years. Due to system changes and what data are collected now versus a few years ago, data collected today is not always comparable to earlier years. Table 7 15 Performance Metrics: Front Office and Sex Offender Units Service Type Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly Quarterly Average 2012 Average 2013 Average 2014 Average 2015 Notary Services 1, Customer Service Calls 2, ,124.0 Pers Family Violence Transmittals Incident Reports Received Expungement Requests Criminal History Requests 1, , , ,738.0 Vehicle Impounds Received Sex Offender In Registry Outstanding Warrants for "failure to report" Page 7-22

137 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Summary of Recommendations for Administrative Operations Administrative Operations GCIC Records and Documents Specialist (+4) The amount of work and the backlog of warrants in need of processing may cause critical delays in serving warrants. Some shifts may only have two or even one person working in GCIC. That level is unacceptable and only additional staff can rectify that situation. By having five or six specials assigned to each shift, there would be at least two specialists and a supervisor or coordinator on all shifts and days of the week. Also driving the lack of staffing on GCIC shifts are high turnover, which leads to many weeks of on the job training. Additional staff should help provide adequate coverage and reduce the usage of overtime, which appears excessive to the consulting team. Administrative Operations GCIC Records and Documents Coordinator (+1) The lack of relief supervisor positions on all shifts means that the Evening shift is without supervision for more than one third the time. By having a coordinator position like there is on the day and evening shifts, there would be a lead/supervisor position on duty almost all evenings. This will not only provide a relief position for the supervisor but it will provide an additional staff member for processing work responding to criminal information requests. Administrative Operations Administrative Assistant (+1) The amount of work and the depth and breadth of responsibility of the Administrative Services Lieutenant is extremely high. He is the commander for 26 staff including eight direct reports; he is directly responsible for numerous enforcement and compliance duties of the department including raffle licensing, bonding, and metal recyclers in addition to managing supervisors of the GCIC unit and the Sex Offender and Extradition unit. Administrative Operations needs an additional admin position to provide some relief for the lieutenant position and to permit him to perform many compliance and enforcement functions he just does not have sufficient time to adequately perform. Administrative Operations Administrative Assistant (+1) An additional administrative assistant position is needed for the Front Desk Sex Offender/Extradition unit. The amount of work involved dealing with the registration and periodic checking in required of sex offenders, which is increasing monthly and other duties such as extradition processing and background checks indicate the need for additional staff in this area. When a staff member is out on vacation or on sick or other leave there is virtually no back up. Other activities conducted by front desk staff include civil process acceptance, warrants, bond refunds, and the collection of fees associated with many of the services requested and provided. Page 7-23

138 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Table 7 16 Administrative Operations: Current and Recommended Staffing Level Position M-F Days 8 Hr. Days 8a-4p 8 Hr. Evenings 4p-12p 8 Hr. Mornings 12p-8a Current Total Rec. Additional Positions Total Rec. Positions Administrative Operations Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Deputies SOU R/D Specialist Front Desk R/D Supervisor GCIC R/D Coordinator GCIC R/D Specialists GCIC (including Trainees) Admin Assistant II R/D Specialists Civil Process Subtotal Administrative Operations: Other Units/Duties In addition to duties described in the preceding sections of this section of the staffing study for the men and women in the Law Enforcement Operations Division, there are additional units and duties that provide specialized services for the community and are staffed, as collateral duties, by deputies already assigned to one of the aforementioned units. These units include the Protective Measures Unit, the S.W.A.T. Unit, the Bomb Unit, and the Crisis Negotiation Unit. Sworn deputies assigned to these units are part of other units, and are activated to these special situation units when called out. Although call outs are infrequent, staff assigned to these units must train extensively in order to be prepared for the unique situation they many encounter. Generally, members of these units will train every other week for several hours. So although these are collateral duties, training time is mandatory and takes them away from their primary duty assignment on regular basis, thus having a negative impact workflow. Summary of Recommendations for Law Enforcement Operations Field Operations Sergeants (+2) The current level of staffing provides little in the way of relief coverage for this 24/7 operations. This would not only provide two sergeant for each shift so most shifts would have a supervisor on duty, it would reduce the over reliance on overtime. Field Operations Deputies (+13) The current level of staffing provides little in the way of relief coverage for this 24/7 operations. Eleven additional deputies on shifts along with two deputy positions, whose focus would be the service of civil process would give the unit 31 deputies and when added to the sergeants would provide 37 law enforcement positions compared to the current number of 22, a 68 percent increase in sworn staffing, which should result in a similar increase in the effectiveness of the unit. This would not only provide two or more additional deputies on each shift, it would reduce the number of shifts each month when the level of staffing is so low that there are only two or three deputies on duty, which we feel is below a safe minimum staffing level, and should reduce spending for overtime. Page 7-24

139 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Field Operations Fugitive/Investigations Unit Deputies (+2) Because the Sherriff is the lead law enforcement officer in the county, the department should be an active contributor of resources to the joint task forces that work hard to deal with apprehensions of violent criminal in and around Fulton County and with major crimes the impact county residents. At the current level of staffing they are only able to marginally contribute. This situation is especially noteworthy on the U.S. Marshal s Task Force. Administrative Operations GCIC Records and Documents Coordinator (+1) The lack of relief supervisor positions on all shifts means that the Evening shift is without supervision for more than one third of the time. By having a coordinator position, as is the case on the day and evening shifts, there would be a lead/supervisor position on duty almost all evenings. This would not only provide a relief position for the supervisor but it would provide an additional staff member for processing work responding to criminal information requests, and should reduce the need for overtime. Administrative Operations Administrative Assistant (+1) The amount of work and the depth and breadth of responsibility of the Administrative Services Lieutenant was among the highest the consulting team has encountered. He is the first line commander for 26 staff including eight direct reports, he is directly responsible for numerous enforcement and compliance duties of the department including raffle licensing, bonding, and metal recyclers in addition to managing supervisors of the GCIC unit and the Sex Offender and Extradition unit. Administrative Operations needs an additional admin position to provide some relief for the lieutenant position and to permit him to perform many compliance and enforcement functions he just does not have sufficient time to adequately perform. Administrative Operations Administrative Assistant (+1) An additional administrative assistant position is needed for the Front Desk Sex Offender/Extradition unit. The amount of work involved dealing with the registration and periodic checking in required of sex offenders, which is increasing monthly and other duties such as extradition processing and background checks indicate the need for additional staff in this area. When a staff member is out on vacation or on sick or other leave there is virtually no back up. Administrative Operations Records and Documents Specialist (+4) The amount of work and the backlog of warrants in need of processing may cause critical delays in serving warrants. Some shifts may only have one or two persons working in GCIC. That level is unacceptable and only additional staff can rectify that situation. By having five or six specials assigned to each shift, there would be at least two specialists and a supervisor or coordinator on all shifts and days of the week. Also driving the lack of staffing on GCIC shifts are high turnover, which leads to many weeks of on the job training. Additional staff should help provide adequate coverage and reduce the usage of overtime, which appears excessive to the consulting team. Page 7-25

140 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Summary of Current and Recommended Staffing The following tables illustrate the recommended staffing level for the FCSO Law Enforcement Division for sworn and civilian staff. Table 7 17 shows the recommended staffing levels utilizing the Net Annual Working Hours (NAWH) method, which is based on posts/positions and whether and how much relief each position requires. This method is used in other sections of this report and is most frequently used to show staffing in jails and prisons, and for law enforcement agencies, where established posts and positions require a person or several persons to cover it based on whether it is only an 8 hour 5 day post or a 24 hour 7 day post or any number of combinations between those extremes. To determine the number of staff needed to cover all the positions on the right day and time, analysts must determine the general availability of staff needed to cover shift. The level of availability is determine by subtracting days off, sick, vacation, FMLA, military and an array of other leave times from the total hours that could be worked in a year. Again these tables do not include the Transfer Unit. Tables 7 18 and 7 19 show the current, recommended additional positions, and the recommended total number of sworn and civilian positions. The total recommended staffing level is 60 sworn and 31 civilian, a total of 91 positions for the Law Enforcement Operations Division, exclusive of the Transfer Unit. When added to the current staffing in the Transfer Unit (15) the total would be 106 staff. This figure is four more than the estimated the authorized division staffing level of 102, which was noted in Table 7 1 of this report. Page 7-26

141 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Position Table 7 17 Current and Recommended Staffing Law Enforcement Operations Division (w/o Transfer Unit) M-F Days 8 Hr. Days 8a-4p 8 Hr. Evenings 4p-12p 8 Hr. Mornings 12p-8a Current Total Rec. Additional Positions Division Administration Lt. Colonel Admin. Coordinator Subtotal Administrator: Major Total Rec. Positions Subtotal Asst. Administrator: Subtotal Division Administration: Field Operations (without Transfer Unit) Captain Lieutenants Sergeants (Field Ops) Deputies (Field Ops) Sergeants (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) Deputies (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) Subtotal Field Operations (w/o Transfer Unit): Administrative Operations Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Deputies SOU R/D Specialist Front Desk R/D Supervisor GCIC R/D Coordinator GCIC R/D Specialists GCIC (including Trainees) Admin Assistant II R/D Specialists Civil Process Subtotal Administrative Operations: Total Staffing Law Enforcement (w/o Transfer Unit) Page 7-27

142 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Post/Position M-F Days 8 Hr. Days Table 7 18 Current and Recommended Staffing Law Enforcement Division Sworn Officers 8 Hr. Nights 8 Hr. Graves Days/ Week Relief Total FTE Rounded FTE Law Enforcement Lt. Colonel No 1.0 Subtotal Lt. Colonel: Major No 1.0 Subtotal Major: Captain Field Operations No 1.0 Captain (Admin Ops) No 1.0 Captain Training No 1.0 Captain Planning & Research No 1.0 Captain Internal Affairs No 1.0 Subtotal Captain: Lieutenants Field Ops No 3.0 Lieutenant (Admin Ops) No 1.0 Subtotal Lieutenant: Sergeants (Field Ops) No 6.0 Sergeants (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) No 2.0 Sergeant (Admin Ops) No 1.0 Subtotal Sergeant: Deputy (Field Ops) Yes 28.7 Deputy (Field Ops) No 2.0 Deputy (Fugitive, Investigations, K 9) No 10.0 Deputy SOU (Admin Ops) No 1.0 Deputy_Extradition (Admin Ops) No 1.0 Subtotal Deputy: Total Sworn Law Enforcement Staff: Source: CGL, September 2015 Post/Position Table 7 19 Current and Recommended Staffing Law Enforcement Division Civilian Staff 8 Hr. 8 Hr. Days/ M F Days 8 Hr. Days Nights Graves Week Relief Total FTE Rounded FTE R/D Specialist Front Desk No R/D Supervisor GCIC No R/D Coordinator GCIC No R/D Specialists GCIC (including Trainees) Yes R/D Specialists Civil Process No Subtotal Civilian Admin. Operations: Admin. Coordinator No Admin Assistant II Operations No Subtotal Civilian Field Ops & Admin: Total Law Enforcement Civilian Staff: Page 7-28

143 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations Additional Recommendations As the staffing study team observed operations, interviewed staff, and analyzed data it noted other staffing issues and areas outside of staffing level changes that could improve effectiveness and/or efficiency of operations. These suggested changes are not included in the recommended staffing levels provided in this report, and are provided as suggestions for further research and consideration. List of Other Recommendations not included in recommended staffing levels Consider take home vehicles for Warrants Unit, which would permit deputies to serve civil papers on the way to and from work, thus increasing their time in the field. Reclassify GCIC R/D specialists to provide pay scale equivalent to the complexity of their job, liability associated with the work they perform, and to help reduce employee turnover which is very costly as the unit is constantly hiring and training new R/D Specialists. Consider the creation of a manager position in GCIC. While the Administrative Services Captain has one direct report, the Lt. position, the Lieutenant has at least eight direct reports, in addition to having a his own duties, which deal with bonding administration, issuing raffle licenses and other duties. To reduce the number of the Lieutenant s direct reports the department could consider creating a GCIC manager position to manage the GCIC and Civil Process sections. Under that scenario the GCIC manager would have three GCIC supervisors reporting to that position and the three civil section R/D Specialists. The Lieutenant would have six fewer direct reports given him or her more time to supervise other functions and more time to perform other duties for which he has a direct role, such as raffles, reselling of metals, and bonding administration. Review civil process to ensure it is operating efficiently and effectively in order to remain a viable source of revenue for the county. Are the Civil Process unit and Field Operations meeting customer expectations? Is civil process work being lost because of poor customer service? Is there capacity for more work? The County should consider analyzing the impact of merging its three law enforcement units into one law enforcement division under the Sheriff. There could be substantial savings for county taxpayers and improved efficiency and effectiveness by merging the FC Marshal, FC Police Department and the FCSO. Technology tools for the Law Enforcement Division are not adequate given the workload and importance of its mission and should be upgraded. Too much work is still paper driven and data, which could be used to gage workload, level of effort, and effectiveness of processes, are minimal at best. Lack of timely, accurate, and sufficient information contributes to inefficient work processes, poor communications, slow response time and may impair staff safety. Fulton County Sheriff s Office staff, especially those working in the field trying to serve warrants and civil process and those responsible for data entry of criminal information and responding to requests for criminal information, rely on technology to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. Unfortunately, technology tools available to Law Enforcement Operations Division Page 7-29

144 Section 7: Law Enforcement Operations staff present many challenges to working effectively and in a manner that helps maximize limited resources. Despite having computers in their vehicles deputies do not enter information on their efforts to serve warrant and civil process. The work they take to the field is paper and they must return paper documents. When deputies are in the field, they must maintain records of attempts at service and other activities such as discovering bad addresses, all of which must be entered into the system upon their return to the office. Likewise, successful service is documented on the paper and entered into the system by the deputy and to produce signatory proof of delivery. The County has a need for a fully integrated criminal justice information system that would combine functionally of computer aided dispatch (CAD) with a records management system (RMS) and with a civil process module to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of several units of the Sheriff s Office and other county departments as well. Consider creating a Lieutenant position for the FIU. The Investigations/K 9 Section has no lieutenant. The two sergeants over the functions and deputies in these units report directly to the Captain. These sergeants carry a case load or in the case of the K 9 unit sergeant have a canine and have their own work, which leaves little time to supervise staff and work with deputies in their units. The Warrants Unit could benefit from a civilian admin staff position. Based on study team observations and discussion with staff, deputies are on the streets attempting to serve documents only about 4 to 5 hours of every 8 hour shift. A reduction in the amount of time for administrative duties by 15 to 30 minutes before going out to the field and after being on the street could offer as much as a 20 percent increase in productivity. FCSO should consider creating an R/D Specialist position for the Warrants Unit to help improve unit efficiency and effectiveness. An R/D Specialist position could perform many administrative duties that are currently done by deputies and sergeants, thus providing them more hours per week to be in the field. Page 7-30

145 CHAPTER 8 INMATE TRANSPORT OPERATIONS

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147 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 8: Inmate Transport Operations Current System wide Overview Inmate transport for the Fulton County Jail System is provided as a decentralized function by: (1) personnel assigned to each of the County s 4 Jail facilities; (2) the External Transport Unit located at the Main Jail site; and (3) by a team working at Grady Memorial Hospital. By policy, drivers of inmates can only be certified Deputies. When a security escort officer is added due to applicable transport security policy, that person is either a certified Deputy or a non law enforcement certified Detention Officer (DO), except for the External Transport Unit where only fully certified Deputies are used as drivers or security escorts. Variations by Facility In addition to transporting inmates locally to municipal court and to the Main Jail, North Annex officers in Alpharetta also transport food and laundry between that Annex and Main jail every day. The Union City South Annex for women has the same transport responsibilities as the North Annex, except that officers do not transport food or laundry. The Marietta Annex is quite different due its minimum custody/treatment mission with inmate programs for K 9 care, Veterans Court and Accountability Court. Under each shift sergeant at Marietta one of three officers functions as a driver for all inmates that work or have other programmed activities or needs away from the Facility. At Grady Hospital a staff team is assigned to one Lieutenant to provide all security and custody services there 24/7 including return transport back to the Main Jail for intake processing. Inmates that require a transfer to Grady Hospital from the Main Jail are transported by security/custody officers from the Jail s Medical/Mental Health Unit. All other external transport from the Main Jail is provided by the External Transport Unit. This Unit is located at the rear of the Main Jail site in its own office building and is organized and managed as a fulltime, system wide service. The External Transport Unit and all its personnel are dedicated to inmate transport only with no other duties. All vehicle maintenance for the Sheriff s Office is provided at the vehicle shop located at the rear of the Main Jail site. Vehicle storage is provided on the same site and on a small tract across the access road behind the Main Jail. The Deputies and DO s used for transport at the Main Jail Medical/MH Unit, the Annexes, and the Grady Hospital Unit are drawn from various custody or security posts and assigned for transport when and as needed each day. The teams at Grady, the Annexes and the Main Jail Medical/MH Unit spend the majority of their time on custody and security duties and inmate transport is just one part of their daily routine. Page 8-1

148 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 8: Inmate Transport Operations Current Logistical Patterns and Resources Used The inmate transport logistical patterns, staffing and vehicle resources used for the County wide Jail system are as follows: Medical Trips As noted above, inmates needing transport to Grady Hospital or another medical facility are taken there by custody/security staff stationed at each Annex. The External Transport Unit only does very limited transport to outside medical facilities and only to Grady as a backup on rare occasions. Upon hospital discharge the Grady Unit team returns all inmates from Grady to the Main Jail for in processing at the Central Booking/Intake/Transfer/Release Unit for return to their assigned facility. Court Trips Since certain courts operate 6 days a week, inmates scheduled for a municipal court proceeding in Alpharetta or Union City are transported from their facility by assigned Deputies Monday through Saturday. The External Transport Unit provides court transport to and from the Main Jail and between courts of all other jurisdictions. Court transport is by far the biggest volume of the External Unit s annual service at 74% of all annual trips from 2010 through 2015YTD. Appearances in all courts of higher jurisdiction located in or outside of the County require transport by the External Transport Unit between the courts and the Main Jail, which requires those coming from an Annex to be taken to the Main Jail by assigned Annex Deputies. Release Inmates meeting release dates at any of the 3 Annexes are transported by facility Deputies to the Main Jail central booking/transfer/release unit for their final release processing. Food Transport As noted above only the North Annex uses Deputies and/or DO s to transport laundry and meals to and from the facility and the production kitchen at the Main Jail. External Transport This Unit has averaged approximately 29,400 annual inmate trips from 2010 through Extrapolating the 7 month year to date count for 2015 projects approximately 25,500 trips for the year. The system had a 5 year high in 2010 at almost 38,000 trips but since then has averaged approximately 27,300 annual trips the last 4 years, but is on a track for 2015 to be below that 5 year average as just noted. This Unit is used to provide all trips requiring transport of inmates out of the Jail System or those being admitted from outside agencies and from other jurisdictions. As shown below in Table 8 1 the Unit s routine trips include a wide variety of destinations. A full 89% of all trips since 2010 have been to courts (74%), to prison (7%) and to juvenile court (8%). Table 8 1 shows the volume of inmates transported annually since 2010 by trip destination and the total percentage of all trips that each destination accounted for between 2010 and 2015 YTD. Page 8-2

149 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 8: Inmate Transport Operations Table 8 1 External Transport Unit Annual Inmates Transported by Destination Trip Destination YTD TOTALS Percent Court 25,050 24,849 17,938 21,364 19,202 11, ,953 74% Grady Hospital 0% Other Medical/Dental % State/Federal Prison 3, ,711 3,124 2,252 1,166 11,894 7% Other County or City Jail (CPO) 2, , ,169 4% Extradition % Drug Treatment Facility ,085 1% Mental Health Facility % Apprehensions (OTA) % Return from Other County (CPO) 1,659 1,380 2, ,901 4% Compassionate Visit % Juvenile RYDC to Court 4,323 2,665 3,206 1,860 1,163 13,217 8% Juvenile/Adult Crime Charge (SB440) ,675 1% TOTALS 37,905 28,730 25,541 30,211 24,901 14, , % Source: County Jail System External Transport Unit, July 2015 Since 2010 the volume of service has declined except for one upturn in 2013, but as noted above the 2015 total could show a slight increase over 2014 if the remainder of the year trends in line with the first 7 months as recorded. The same 3 destinations of court, prisons and juveniles to court appear to be remaining as the major destinations for Fleet Usage Trends Table 8 2 gives a 5 year summary of the External Transport Unit s fleet usage by vehicle miles and type of vehicle. The total vehicle usage had a sharp decline in usage from 2012 to 2013 and had a slight reduction in The continued decline in total vehicle mileage since 2012 to 2013 and 2014 would likely reflect the overall recent years decline in inmate population. Clearly sedans have been the Unit s primary vehicle of choice accounting for 81% of all fleet mileage for the last 5 years although the number of busses doubled from 2 to 4 after In the consultant s experience large urban jail systems and state prison systems have achieved operating cost efficiencies from a greater use of vans and busses over sedans. Also, an increased use of scheduled runs rather than on demand service is more economical than exclusive ride service as is usually the case for sedan trips. For inmates being released or taken to court appearances a limited daily trip schedule should be feasible and possible to group 15 to 20 inmates in a single mini bus or large van conversion. Page 8-3

150 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 8: Inmate Transport Operations Table 8 2 External Transport Unit Fleet Usage Year and Active Fleet Bus Van Sedan Total 2010: 19 = 2B, 3V, 14S 38, , , , : 24 = 2B, 4V, 18S 11,277 17, , , : 22 = 2B, 2V, 18S 21,327 92, , , : 15 = 2B, 2V, 11S 6,964 8, , , : 19 = 4B, 2V, 13S 8,537 4, , ,824 5-year Totals 86, ,674 1,335,241 1,654,518 5-Year % of Fleet Miles 5% 14% 81% 100% 2010 Avg. Miles/Vehicle 19,249 36,889 19,080 21, Avg. Miles/Vehicle 2,134 2,071 14,088 10,307 Source: County Jail System External Transport Unit, July Total Jail Facility or Unit Staff Time An estimate of the 2015 total annual FTE staff time and its percentage of time for all Deputies and DO s assigned 24/7 at each facility, the External Unit and the Grady Hospital Unit staff for the transport of inmates, plus food and laundry for Alpharetta Annex only, was: o Alpharetta: 9.64 FTE (50% of all facility assigned FTE deputies and DO s) o South County: 9.56 FTE (32%) o Grady Unit: 5.40 FTE (30%) o External Unit: FTE (100%) o Main Jail: 8.04 FTE (45% from Medical/MH Unit only) Total FTE: FTE (48%) Alpharetta Annex, South Annex and the Main Jail FTE counts were estimates since officers time includes a variety of custody and security duties unlike the External Transport Unit, which is 100% dedicated to inmate transport. The Main Jail FTE includes only Medical/MH Unit shift officers who are also used for transport, but only to Grady. Grady team officers provide all return trips to the Main Jail. The use of Medical/MH officers only at the Main Jail appears relatively high at 8.04 FTE, however, the Main Jail is where over 90% of all inmates are housed. Also, having at least 2 Deputies available from Medical/MH 24/7 helps assure that a security escort will be available for transporting high security/violent male inmates who are all housed in the Main Jail. Page 8-4

151 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 8: Inmate Transport Operations Transfer Division Staffing The number of Deputies assigned to the Transfer Division has declined steadily over the last several years. In 2011 there were 21 Deputies, plus one Detention Officer III assigned to the Transfer Division. In that same year there were 28,730 inmates transported by this staff (see table 8 1). By 2014 the number of Deputies had been reduced by more than 50% to 10, with no Detention Officer III positions. The number of inmates transported in 2014 totaled 24,901, which is only a 13% reduction. Table 8 3 Transfer Division Staffing from Position Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Sergeant DO Deputy Detention Officer III Total Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office Transfer Division, November 2015 Staff interviews revealed that the reduction in Deputies is not due to budget cuts, but are a result of high rates of staff turnover. To be assigned to a Deputy position, an officer must first complete a minimum of two years working in the Detention Center, and another two years in Court Security. It was reported that due to high staff turnover in the Detention Center, there are not enough qualified candidates to transfer to a Deputy position in Law Enforcement. Due to the shortage of Deputies, the two shifts of the Transfer Division have been consolidated into a single shift, and staff work mandated overtime. It was also determined that, like other divisions in the Sheriff s Office, there seems to be no fixed number of funded positions for the Transfer Division. The Division operates with the number of staff available as opposed to a budgeted number of staff positions. Given the volume of inmate transports to various locations locally and across the state, 34 Deputies are recommended for this Division plus 3 supervisory staff. Page 8-5

152 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 8: Inmate Transport Operations Table 8 4 Transfer Division Recommended Staffing Post/Position Rounded FTE Transfer Unit Subtotal Lieutenant Hours: 1 Subtotal Sergeant Posts: 3 Subtotal Deputy Posts: 34 Total Transfer Unit Staff: 38 Findings and Recommendations 1. Implement Full Staffing Required by Relief Factor: The use of substantial overtime by Deputies and Detention Officers is essential to all Units and Facilities of the Jail System that provide inmate transport because there are no relief staff provided that would normally be available to support a 24/7 jail operation. That overtime usage is probably costing the County more than necessary if the right number of staff were hired based on an accurate relief factor at regular salaries to support the operation without the use of overtime pay. 2. Establish the number of authorized positions for the Transfer Division based on existing workload responsibilities. The approved budgeted staffing level may or may not differ from the authorized level based on funding availability. However, an authorized number of staff should be clearly established based on meeting the operational needs of the Division. 3. Use Deputies for Security Escorts: The use of Detention Officers for security escorting is valid, but limiting as they are not able to drive inmates, which requires a fully certified law enforcement Deputy. Also, in the event of a violent incident during a transfer, only a Deputy Sheriff driver could use lethal force if necessary. For transporting any high security violence prone inmate 2 Deputies would be preferable. 4. Consider Using the External Transport for Grady Medical/MH Trips: It could be more effective and staff efficient to serve the inmate transport needs for the Main Jail Medical Mental Health Unit to Grady Hospital by using the External Transport Unit rather than requiring Deputies to be taken off line from their regular duties. Under the current reported reduced staffing pattern of Deputies and DO s in the Medical/MH Unit taking just 1 officer away from the Unit can be detrimental to safe and efficient inmate management. 5. Consider Expanding the Use of Scheduled Service by External Transport Unit: The External Transport Unit should consider developing a scheduled service component that could replace or at least reduce the high reliance on facility Deputies leaving the Annex for hours to transport Page 8-6

153 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 8: Inmate Transport Operations inmates. Consideration should be given to increasing the use of vans and busses on scheduled runs as many large urban jail and prison systems do instead of using sedans to make frequent runs for one inmate. This could especially apply to trips made from the Annexes for all release processing and all court appearances, possibly by having one round trip daily in the morning, afternoon and early evening on all court days. 6. Consider Civilian Staff for Food and Laundry Transport: Civilianized staff could be a sufficient and more economical means of driving the daily food and laundry deliveries between the North Annex and the Main Jail instead of Deputies or Detention Officers. Page 8-7

154 Fulton County Jail Staffing Analysis and Assessment Section 8: Inmate Transport Operations Page 8-8

155 CHAPTER 9 SHIFT SCHEDULES

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157 Section 9: Shift Schedules Shift Schedule Comparisons CGL examined the staffing requirements for multiple shift configurations. The Fulton County jail system currently schedules the vast majority of staff on one of three 8 hour shifts. One question that is often asked is, Which is better for a correctional organization: 8 hour shifts or 12 hour shifts? The answer to this question often comes down to organizational preference, as there is no simple answer. Studies have been conducted to determine which shift length produces greater productivity, fewer safety incidents, higher worker satisfaction, and fewer health problems. Simply put, both shifts work well for some facilities but can cause problems for others. 10 Hour Shift Schedules Ten hour shifts are not often used for detention agencies for the following reasons. i1 More Personnel or Reduced Coverage. 10 hour shift schedules require more employees than 8 or 12 hour schedules because they are based on 30 hour work days (three 10 hour shifts). If you try to replace your 8 hour shifts with 10 hour shifts without making any other changes, you will need 25% more people to maintain the same coverage. If you can't hire more staff, your coverage levels will be reduced by 25% when you change to 10s. More Facilities/Equipment. When the 10 hour shifts overlap, you will have employees from two shifts working at the same time. You'll need twice as much space and equipment to accommodate this. Built In Overtime. Many people hope that changing to 10 hour shifts will eliminate the need for built in overtime. Unfortunately, this rarely happens. Unusual Start Times. When you align the overlapping shifts with the peak workload periods, this may result in some unusual shift start and end times, for example a day shift that starts at 11 a.m. Organizations that set the shift start times to satisfy employee preferences (rather than matching the workload) will end up with double coverage during their slow periods and normal coverage during the busy periods. This defeats the purpose for adopting 10 hour shifts. Crewless Schedules. Unlike 8 and 12 hour shift schedules, most 10 hour schedules don't have crews each employee has his or her own schedule. With fixed shifts, you could call each shift a squad, but not all squad members will be working on the same days. With rotating shifts, you could have team members working different days or even different shifts. Supervision will be challenging with a 10 hour schedule. 1 Shift Schedule Design: 10 Hour Shifts vs. 12 Hour Shifts Page 9-1

158 Section 9: Shift Schedules More Supervisors. If the supervisors also want 10 hour shifts, it will take at least 5 people with rotating shifts and 6 people with fixed shifts to have one supervisor available at all times. If you need two supervisors to be available at all times, you would need twice these amounts. For these reasons a 10 Hour shift schedule was not considered. 12 Hour Shift Schedules Many administrations that are not in favor of 12 hour shifts claim potential officer fatigue by the end of a longer shift. There is little data that actually supports this thought for a single shift. However, staff fatigue may play a factor depending upon work schedules. Many agencies work staggered schedules where staff are scheduled to work no more than a few days consecutively (i.e. a shift pattern). But for agencies where staff work seven consecutive days before getting a day off, fatigue may become more of a factor. Twelve hour shifts are often popular among the staff because they compress the work week and provide more days off than 8 hour shifts. This can have the positive effect of improving staff morale and reducing absenteeism. The popularity of 12 hour shifts is also believed to increase worker motivation and stimulate greater effort that would counter any effects of increased fatigue on 12 hour schedules. Typically, the way an agency implements a shift schedule (or a change in schedule) has a substantial impact on the employees acceptance of it. Soliciting employees input and involvement in this decision is crucial to their satisfaction and support of a particular schedule. Facilities in various industries outside of corrections reported positive results when employees participated in negotiating changes such as shift start and end times and improved meal breaks. Multiple studies have found no differences in absenteeism rates between 8 and 12 hour shifts, the amount of overtime does not generally differ either. However, companies using 12 hour shifts must adjust their overtime policies so that staff are not held over for long periods of time. One favorable advantage of a 12 hour shift schedule is that it often allows employees greater opportunities for second jobs. This is often a key benefit for staff working at the lower end of the pay scale. Page 9-2

159 Findings Fulton County Sheriff s Office Staffing Analysis & Assessment Section 9: Shift Schedules Staffing numbers for the Fulton County Sheriff s Office were calculated for 12 hour shifts as compared to the current 8 hour shifts. The difference was negligible. To remain with the current 8 hour schedule, there will be a total recommended staffing requirement of 1,108 FTE. Table 9 1 Staffing Differences Between 8 Hour and 12 Hour Shifts Position 8 Hour 12 Hour Shifts Shifts Diff. Sheriff Executive Chief Deputy Colonel Lt. Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Deputy Detention Officer Security Specialist Total Staff Positions: 1,108 1,114 6 If the Sheriff were to switch to 12 hour shifts, the total recommended staffing would be increased to 1,114 FTE, or six more staff. The additional annual costs for base salary would be $303,643. Table 9 2 Base Salary Differences Between 8 Hour and 12 Hour Shifts Position 8 Hour 12 Hour Base Salaries Base Salaries Diff. Sheriff Executive Chief Deputy Colonel Lt. Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant $ 1,993,250 $ 1,758,750 $ (234,500) Sergeant $ 6,462,027 $ 6,420,134 $ (41,893) Deputy $ 12,146,691 $ 13,145,596 $ 998,906 Detention Officer $ 16,673,237 $ 16,400,464 $ (272,773) Security Specialist $ 2,824,531 $ 2,678,435 $ (146,096) Total Staff Positions: $ 40,099,736 $ 40,403,379 $ 303,643 Page 9-3

160 Section 9: Shift Schedules Page 9-4

161 CHAPTER 10 STAFF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

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163 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention Recruiting, Hiring, Promotion and Career Advancement The first step to ensuring the sound operations of a jail is to hire qualified and skilled staff. In Fulton County, the recruitment process for new correctional staff is a responsibility shared between the Sheriff s Office and the Fulton County Personnel Department. Employment opportunities and promotional jobs are posted on the county website at and individuals can apply online through a very straightforward process, once they setup an online account. The Sheriff s Office also conducts job fairs and uses digital recruitment efforts and social media to seek job candidates. It appears these efforts have been successful at generating significant interest, as staff reported over 1,000 applicants for recent Detention Officer openings. The Sheriff s Office has an established policy entitled Recruitment and Selection (Standard Operating Procedure 4.11) that outlines the procedures and activities related to the recruitment and selection of applicants for unfilled positions in the Fulton County Sheriff s Office. This policy identifies the agency will recruit, select and promote personnel based on an efficient, effective and fair process that results in the appointment of those individuals who possess the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary for an effective, respected law enforcement agency. The policy delineates the following required practices related to hiring new employees: Recruitment Procedures Equal Employment Opportunity Plan Workforce and Community Demographic Analysis Application Process Selection Procedures Elements of the Selection Process Disqualifiers Conditional Offer Record Retention, Disposition and Storage Probationary Periods Ineligible Applicants Selection Process Evaluation Storage Maintenance and Security of Selection Records Recruitment The Sheriff s Office has established the following basic minimum qualifications required for entry level positions. These are: Must be at least 20 years of age; Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent GED; Must pass a drug screen, polygraph examination, physical examination and psychological examination. Page 10-1

164 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention The Sheriff s Office has also identified a lengthy list of disqualifiers for applicants. These disqualifiers are: Less than honorable discharge from military service; Moving traffic violations that indicate a pattern of disregard for traffic laws; Supplying false information as part of the application process; Interpersonal issues as supported by criminal warrants, civil action related to marital problems, child support problems, violations of the Family Violence Act, and any adverse character references; Unstable employment history; Indication of emotional instability or immaturity; Past arrests/convictions for Driving Under the Influence in the past 5 years, a pattern of illegal drug use (5 or more time) or current drug use (in past 5 years), or the use of cocaine or any Schedule II drugs; Any felony conviction or significant number of misdemeanor convictions that establishes a disregard for the law; Poor management of personal finances as demonstrated by bad debts, liens, civil suits, garnishments, etc. Failure to meet Fulton County physical health standards (as found in medical examination); Failure to meet any scheduled appointment required as part of hiring process; Discovery of past unreported crimes. Some jurisdictions struggle to find an adequate number of applicants to fill vacancies. For those jurisdictions their success can be improved with proactive recruitment activities such as job fairs, career days, and using social media to solicit interest in employment. The Fulton County Jail does not appear to have this problem as they have indicated that recent job postings have solicited as many as 1,000 applicants, and from this large applicant pool they are able to find qualified candidates. As a result, while they do conduct job fairs and career days, most of their applicants come from the posting and publication of job vacancies. The sheriff s office policy identifies the following elements of the jails recruitment strategy: Post on county s websites ( Continuously post Deputy Sheriff, Detention Officer and Records & Document Specialist positions on the Sheriff s website ( Advertise in electronic, print and mass media; Post job announcements with community service organizations, recruitment assistance referrals; Seek advice on filling position vacancies from community organizations and key community leaders; Send job announcements to local and regional law enforcement academies and area colleges and universities; Post job announcements on social media sites (per staff this includes Facebook and Twitter); Participate in job fairs and career days at least once quarterly. Page 10-2

165 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention As vacancies occur within the jail, the Sheriff s office will notify the county personnel department as to the number of vacancies and when they will be filled and the County will prepare a job listing for the position. But the Sheriff s office does not leave the hiring process to the county, as they believe it is important they stay involved. The Administrative Division Commander of the Sheriff s office is responsible for tracking the filling of vacancies and fulfilling the recruitment program. This program will include: Ensuring job announcement is posted and distributed to various outlets noted earlier; Participation in job fairs and career days at least once quarterly. The Sheriff s Office reported the following most recent job fairs that they participated in: o April 24, 2015 Congressman David Scott 12th Annual Job Fair Georgia International Convention Center. o May 30, 2015 Second Annual Community Job Fair Travelers Rest Baptist Church Second Annual Community Job Fair o July 17, 2015, Practical Matters Reality Fair College and Career Fair Staff from the Human Resource and the Background Investigations Unit of the Sheriff s Office remain actively involved in the recruitment process. Candidates who are interested must complete both the employment application (in writing or online) and the background investigations booklet (in writing or online). Application Process Individuals who are interested in a posted position can apply in person our at Fulton County s personnel website ( As identified earlier, the Sheriff s website ( continuously lists and describes three positions (Deputy Sheriff, Detention Officer and Records & Document Specialist). The site clearly identifies that this is a continuous advertisement and not an indication of current vacancies or job postings and has an Application link to the County s personnel website to where applicants can apply. The personnel website allows for the applicant to narrow their job posting search to a combination of x categories: Administration Health Services Public Safety Diversity Management/EEO Human Resources Engineering Mental Health The site also allows the ability to search by keyword. Page 10-3

166 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention Our review found the online application process to be straightforward and requires the applicant setup an online account first before completing the application. The application requires each individual provide their contact information as well as past employment and other references. Applicants must also complete the Fulton County Sheriff s Office Background Investigations Booklet. This booklet is a key part of the application as it identifies key steps in the screening process and requires applicant authorization for these steps. The following is a list of the information and forms included in the Background Investigations Booklet: Listing of minimum eligibility requirements; Listing of factors that could potentially disqualify an applicant from the position (e.g. less than honorable discharge from military, unstable employment record, falsification of application information, etc.); Authorization for release of information; Probationary Employment Agreement Form where applicant agrees to be hired on a probationary status prior to the completion of the background investigation. Employee would be a conditional hire and could be terminated if background investigation yields information that would normally prevent the applicant from being hired. ; Acknowledgement of Shift Work Applicant acknowledges that can be placed on any shift in Sheriff s Office; Urinalysis Consent for Drug Testing; Training Agreement Requires payback to county for training expenses if applicant leaves employment within a certain time after the completion of mandatory training. These requirements are: o Employee will reimburse the full amount of training expenses (including salary) if leaves employment within 15 months of completion of mandated training. o Employee will reimburse one half of the total expense (including salary) if leaves within months of completion of mandated training. Agreement to submit to a polygraph; Authorization for release of military records; Affirmation that have never been enlisted or served in military. The county understands that the process can be complicated and has established that any application that has a deficiency in it will not be automatically disqualified. A background investigator assigned to the application can provide the applicant with an Application Deficiency Form if the application contains minor omissions or deficiencies. Selection Process The Sheriff s Office is the main participant in determining whether applicants have the knowledge skills and abilities to qualify for the position and, as a result, are responsible for conducting background investigations, and applicant interviews. The following components of the screening process are completed after applicant submits the application and background investigations booklet: Interview by agency Background Investigator; Page 10-4

167 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention Review of applicants credentials to ensure meets minimum qualifications; Completion of background investigation that includes verification of the following: o Education history; o Employment history, o Criminal record; o Interview of personal references Background Investigator must verify a minimum of three personal references by letter or telephone, and must conduct two in person interviews at the workplace or neighborhood of the applicant; o Review of driving record; o Determination of military history and discharge status; o Review of any past or current drug/alcohol abuse determined through review of past criminal violation and pre employment drug testing; o Identification of any medical limitations as determined by physical examination; o Review of citizenship status. Completion of Polygraph Examination. CGL notes that the policy incorrectly states that the Sheriff or designee has the authority to waive the polygraph at his/her discretion. Polygraph examinations are used to verify previously supplied information and determine the honesty and veracity of information provided by the applicant. As a result, it can be a very important factor in building a high quality workforce. Staff indicated that they are not aware of the Sheriff, or designee ever waiving the need for a polygraph. Recommendation: Remove the language from the Recruitment and Selection policy (4.11) that provides the Sheriff or designee with the authority to waive a polygraph examination as part of the pre employment process. Administration of a psychological examination conducted by mental health professional; Completion of medical examination conducted by licensed physician Per department staff, this process is generally conducted in the following order; Step 1: Conduct interview, identify position expectations and administer agility test. Step 2: Begin criminal history background check. Step 3: Set appointment for drug screen. The county realizes that substance abuse can adversely impact the candidate s ability to perform the job. As a result, positive drug screen results can result in disqualification of a candidate. The cost to the county per drug screen is $25. Step 4: Conduct Background Investigator interview with applicant and initiate process for evaluation of candidate s employee and personal references. Step 5: Polygraph examination. The polygraph examinations is narrowly focused on the performance of employment, and the policy indicates that the acceptance or denial of employment will not depend solely on the results of a polygraph examination. This means that other factors, along with a failed polygraph examination must be considered to disqualify a candidate. Polygraphs are conducted by trained individuals and the cost to the state is up to $85 per examination. Page 10-5

168 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention Step 6: Medical examination: This portion of the screening process is to ensure the candidate does not possess a medical condition that would make them unable to perform their basic job functions. The medical exam is performed by a licensed medical professional at a cost of $158 per exam. Step 7: Psychological examination: The psychological examination is designed to screen out those who lack the emotional or psychological fitness for the required work. This examination is performed by a licensed professional at a cost to the county of $250 per exam. Finding: As identified in the steps above, the county bears some costs associated with the drug screen, polygraph examination, medical examination and psychological evaluation. As applicants progress through these steps, more and more get screen out resulting in fewer applicants being screened with each successive step. The flow of the screening steps is logical and in line with practices found in other counties. Additionally, the flow serves to minimize costs to the county as the least expensive steps are conducted earlier in the process. The chart below shows the costs to the county of each of these steps. Figure 10 1 Cost of Steps in Applicant Screening Source: Fulton County Sheriff s Office Human Resources Division Conditional Employment County staff report that conditional hires have recently become an important part of speeding up the hiring process. Often the screening process can be delayed by the time needed to conduct the employment and personal reference checks and to complete the psychological evaluation. Conditional employment allows the county to bring a staff person on board prior to the completion of these two steps. As a result, it streamlines the process and reduces the time positions remain unfilled. Once the applicant has successfully completed all stages of the selection process (except for the finalization of the background investigation) they are placed on a preapproved list which is circulated to command staff for review and recommendation. Page 10-6

169 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention Our review found the recruitment practices found in Fulton County to be very similar to those for jails in other large counties. For example, the Santa Clara County Jail system in San Jose, California houses approximately 4,200 inmates and has over 1,000 staff positions in its Custody Division. This system uses the same basic process in recruitment (however, as of 2014 it had not begun recruitment using social networks) and includes similar steps including oral interviews, background investigations, polygraph evaluations and medical and psychological tests. Santa Clara County reported that nearly 90 percent of the original applicants for correctional officer positions are screened out or drop out of the process before final selection is made. This data was also consistent with what we found in Miami Dade County, a system that houses nearly 5,000 inmates and has approximately 2,000 staff. Miami Dade County positions the expensive psychological evaluation early in the process and as a result, their costs associated with recruitment are higher as more candidates undergo this evaluation. Miami Dade County also indicated that approximately 90 percent of their applicants are out or drop out prior to final selection. Finding: There is not a significant issue with recruitment at this time. Jobs are posted on the County website and there appears to be a sufficient numbers of applications being filed. This is at least partially due to the attractive compensation package for deputy sheriff and detention officer positions. As shown in the table below, our review found that Fulton County paid higher salaries for key jail positions than a neighboring county (DeKalb) or the state correctional system. Salary levels for Miami Dade County are slightly higher than Fulton County. Table 10 1 Key Position Salary Comparison Agency Depty Sheriff Detention Officer Fulton County $36,386 - $56,013 $32,406 - $53,957 DeKalb County $32,472 - $52,776 $27,264 - $44,316 Georgia DOC (Correctional Officer) - $24,322 - $42,644 Sources: Vacancy Lag The entire process can be running smoothly and applicants identified for vacant positions, but the position may have a significant lag in being filled based on other issues. Oftentimes, budgetary issues and the need to control expenditures cause counties and other entities to establish a hiring lag that leaves positions vacant longer. A 2014 study (Dice Holdings, Inc.) found that businesses were taking 25 work days, on average to fill vacant positions. Government agencies generally take longer and the Dice report indicated the mean vacancy duration for the government sector was 36.7 working days (for the period of Jan. 2014, through June 2014). This equates to slightly more than 51 calendar days. The Dice report also found that the Page 10-7

170 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention vacancy durations tend to rise with employer size. So the larger the organization, the longer it typically takes to fill positions. To review this information for the Sheriff s Office we requested the vacancy lag for the 15 recent deputy sheriff positions and 15 recent detention officer positions. The following table outlines those findings. Table 10 2 Vacancy Lag Depty Sheriff Vacancies Median Vacancy Lag (calendar days) 70 days 98 days Source: Fulton County Sheriff's Office - Human Resources Division Detention Officer Vacancies Further data was collected from Sheriff s Office staff concerning the typical time taken to replace an officer when vacancies occur. A vacancy may be considered filled by Human Resources once an officer has been hired, but extensive orientation and training must take place before the vacancy is actually filled. Classroom training last for four weeks and Jail Orientation and practical training with a Field Training Officer can take an additional five weeks. A Deputy Sheriff then must pass firearms and Basic Law Enforcement training which can be an additional 13 weeks. When all totaled, it takes an average of 126 days to replace a Detention Officer and up to 217 days to replace a Deputy Sheriff. Recommendation: The Sheriff s Office should evaluate all options to shorten the amount of time required to fill officer vacancies. Promotion and Career Advancement Once qualified employees are hired, the organization must turn its focus to retaining them. Correctional facilities want employees who have long term career goals within its organization. Having a desire to move up in the organization is an obvious sign of employee motivation and is often an indicator of positive employee performance. One key strategy to retaining skilled staff is to ensure a promotional path exists for future advancement. Developing career path for all employees allows them to have a better long term vision of their evolving role inside the organization. As a result, employee s in organizations with a clear career path won t feel "stuck" and without growth potential, problems that are major drivers of turnover and low morale. While it s beneficial to have a career path open to employees, the steps staff must take to gain a promotion must also be clear. Some organizations have promotional processes that are based on factors other than employee performance. In many of these organizations, past work performance doesn t necessarily guide the promotion process. Because these promotional decision processes are opaque and lacks transparency, staff can see career advancement as being out of their control. As a result this negatively impact morale and tells employees that performance doesn t matter. Page 10-8

171 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention The Fulton County Sheriff s Office has established guidelines for promotion in its policy 4.16, Promotions. The policy addresses the eligibility criteria for promotion along with the testing and selection process. Experience is a must, as before any person can be promoted, they must have worked for at least 2 years in their current position and they can only apply for one grade above their current rank. They also must meet the job description requirements for the promotional position including their work experience, education history and any supervisory experience required. This process clearly identifies that skills knowledge and past work performance play a major part in the promotional process. The policy identifies that the selection process include a review and assessment of: Recent performance evaluations; Recent attendance records; Any recent documented disciplinary action; Any recent investigation, probation or suspension Also the Sheriff s Office has established clear factors that can disqualify employees from promotion. These factors are: Demotion or Suspension as a result of discipline in the past year; Driving record with more than one chargeable offense in past year; Unsatisfactory performance evaluation in the past year or on most recent annual evaluation; Excessive absenteeism resulting in leave without pay in the past year. If an employee is disqualified because of one of these factors, the Sheriff s office is required to provide them written notice of the reason for disqualification. The Sheriff s office allows anyone who been disqualified or is not placed on the standing promotional list the ability to appeal this decision to the Personnel Board of the county. Additionally the policy sets distinct eligibility criteria for Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain in the Deputy Sheriff career path. These criteria identify the number of total years of experience needed in Law Enforcement as a Certified Peace Officer, the education level required/preferred and the number of years of supervisory experience. Becoming a supervisory employee should not only be based on how you performed as a subordinate. There are many staff who perform well as in a line staff position, but lack the skills and traits needed to become an effective supervisor. As a result, the promotional process also seeks to assess supervisory skills through a written exams and oral interviews. Applicants for promotion who complete the promotional process will be placed on a standing promotion list for the position for one year. While the eligibility criteria, written exam and oral interview all guide the selection process, the Sheriff reserves the right to select an applicant from the standing promotion list in any order. Page 10-9

172 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention We note that once an employee is promoted, the process is not complete. A promotion is not actually finalized until the employee completes a one year promotion period. If the employee s performance during this time frame in the new position is less than satisfactory and has not been corrected, the employee can be demoted back to their previous position. More than a decade ago, the Fulton County Jail was staffed with sworn sheriff s deputy positions, but as has happened in many other counties, the sheriff s office moved to create civilian detention officer positions that are paid at lower rate. Per data taken from the county s personnel website, detention officer s starting salaries ($32,406/yr.) are nearly $4,000 or 11 percent below the starting salary of a deputy sheriff ($36,386/yr.). Sheriff s Office staff explained that after the detention officer position was established, there was a lack of career path those in the position. While detention officers could promote to a Sheriff s deputy, there were no further civilian positions into which they could promote. As a result, the Sheriff s office began to create a civilian career path as detention officers reached their 2 years of experience needed to promote. Today, there are civilian sergeants, lieutenants, captains and even a civilian major working at the jail. Recommendation: The department policy 4.16, Promotions provides the eligibility criteria for sworn Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain positions. Each requires a set amount of work experience as a Law Enforcement/Certified Peace Officer. This information clearly outlines these requirements to prospective promotional applicants. However, no such criteria for the civilian series is provided in the policy. We recommend the policy be revised to detail the eligibility criteria for civilian Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain positions. Turnover High employee turnover can adversely impact the operation of a jail. It can increase operational issues as experienced staff, skilled in managing a difficult inmate population, leave and are replaced with new employees. While it is normal to expect some turnover as employees retire or move on to other careers, high turnover rates can often be attributed to poor management. In a correctional environment high turnover has significant financial costs as the comprehensive effort to recruit and train new staff is both time consuming and expensive. Additionally, high turnover can adversely impact employee morale. High turnover can be a sign of many factors including: Insufficient pay levels compared to other firms/entities. Lack of recognition Limited advancement opportunities Organizational instability Workload imbalance: When staff are asked to perform more than normal job duties due to reduced overall staffing levels. Page 10-10

173 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention Finding: Comparing the jail s turnover rate to that found in the state and local government sector reveals the jail s turnover is generally in line with what other government entities across the country experience. Table 10 3 Turnover Rate Comparison Jurisdiction 2015 Turnover Rate State and Local Government Sector 14.9% Fulton County Jail 16.1% Sources: US Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics Fulton County Sheriff's Office - Human Resources Division Page 10-11

174 Section 10: Staff Recruitment and Retention Page 10-12

175 CHAPTER 11 USE OF TECHNOLOGY

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177 Section 11: Use of Technology Technology in the Fulton County Jail Prior to the last decade, technology use in jails had been very limited, mainly focused on the deployment of a few metal detectors mixed in with aging analog camera systems. But with the rapid adoption of technology in our society, the development and use of specialized technology in correctional systems has grown to the point where it now can play a vital role in the security and management of a modern jail s operation. Jail administrators have found these new technologies, including integrated criminal justice information systems, body cameras and video visitation can help improve operational efficiency while enhancing the safety and security of the facility for staff and offenders. New technologies can also improve the speed and quality of information needed to make informed decisions, and provide offenders access to families and support structures in ways not previously imagined. If left to their own devices most county correctional systems would install a wide variety of technology to improve their operation. However, even though new technology can ultimately improve a jail s efficiency, budget restraints often limit their purchase and implementation. Fulton County, however, has taken the smarter approach and has been able to make outstanding use of technology to complement its operation. Finding: Compared to many other jails across the country, we found the Fulton County Jail to be near the forefront of technology use, having implemented many leading edge solutions. The types and technology deployed by the jail impacts all aspects of its operation including safety and security, offender access to information and visitation. Below is a listing of some of the technology employed. Modern jail management system (Odyssey by Tyler Technologies) Body cameras for security staff Improved cell door locking systems Biometric key control/issuing system Updated flat panel door control technology Offender kiosks in housing units Video visitation Inmate system Computer tablets for offenders (pilot) Keypad access systems Guard jail round system Page 11-1

178 Section 11: Use of Technology Odyssey Jail Management System In 2010, Fulton County approved the expenditure of approximately $10 million to replace 14 outdated independent legacy systems with a single justice management system that would integrate the courts, jail and law enforcement. Tyler Technology s integrated solution was selected and a process was set up to begin conversion of the old systems to this new technology. In July 2013, the new system went live and the Odyssey Jail Manager system now serves as the system of record for the jail. The system is designed to follow the progression of offenders from arrest to disposition to incarceration. The benefits of an integrated criminal justice information system are that it allows information to be shared across all components of a local justice system, improves information accuracy by reducing the need for double entry of data, improves information timeliness and reduces the dependence on paper records. The capabilities of the Odyssey Jail Manager solution employed by the county include: Automated booking and release process Integration with Tyler courts system Integration with Live Scan fingerprint biometrics Bond tracking Warrant tracking Incident tracking Document management Reporting The jail also indicated funding has been approved to implement the Northpoint Jail Classification Suite into the system in the near future. This will install the COMPAS classification instrument, a decision tree classification system and may include the following additional functions: PREA assessment and incident reporting Inmate Housing Disciplinary tracking Gang tracking Inmate needs assessment Program tracking The capabilities of the Tyler Technology system are very robust, and its installation in Fulton County brings the criminal justice system up to modern standards and capabilities. Commercial off the shelf packages such as Tyler s require a significant amount of customization so that the system can accurately reflect the user requirements and established practices. However, integrating disparate systems into one unified system can be very complicated and typically requires some compromises for each function in the system. One of the benefits of an integrated justice system is the ability to reduce multiple entry of offender demographics and charges so that this information flows seamlessly as an arrestee progresses through the justice system. As a result, it should be expected that offender arrest data and demographics entered into the court system should not have to be reentered into the jail system. However, in our discussion with records staff in the jail, this benefit is not being fully realized. They Page 11-2

179 Section 11: Use of Technology informed us that a significant amount of duplicate entry was still required. They showed stacks of court documents received daily that require reentry by jail records staff. Additionally, jail staff expressed issues with the population counts of the Odyssey system being inaccurate. In practical terms this means that the population counts reported by Odyssey are not an accurate representation of the actual number of offenders in the jail at a specific point of time. Finding: It appears that issues exist with the installation and validation of some components of the Odyssey system in the county. Specifically, there appears to continue to be a significant amount of double entry between the court and jail records. Additionally, jail staff expressed concerns with the accuracy of inmate counts on the system. We recommend these issues be further explored and resolved by county information technology. Closed Circuit Television System Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems or video surveillance systems in jails can serve as a complimentary means to monitor offenders and improve facility safety and security. In tandem with the proper deployment of staff, video surveillance systems can extend the amount of area in the jail under visual coverage, improve visual evidence, reduce serious incidents and better monitor inmate behavior. Advancements in this technology in the past 10 years have further improved video resolution, recording capabilities and monitoring access. With the requirements established by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), the importance of visually monitoring all areas of a jail has grown. Modern monitoring systems use internet protocol camera technology (IP) where video from digital cameras can be sent and received via a computer network and the Internet. This technology ensures that anyone on the system with an internet access, and appropriate approval can access those cameras. Over the past several years, the jail has been improving and expanding its remote camera systems. The CCTV monitors have been recently replaced with flat panel screens that are digital capable, and digital video recorders were installing several years ago. The only remaining issue is that most of the cameras on the system are only analog and have not yet been upgraded to digital. Analog cameras limit the full capabilities of the system and typically have much lower picture quality. The resolution from digital cameras is considerably better than analog cameras and when watching an incident in real time, or reviewing a recorded video, the importance of not having a fuzzy picture cannot be understated. As a result, with analog cameras, the ability to zoom in on an incident to get a clear understanding of what occurred can be very limited. The county had developed plans and initiated procurements in past years to upgrade all the jail s cameras to digital capabilities, but a purchase was never completed. Recommendation: Fulton County should complete the transition to a fully digital video surveillance system in the jail. Currently the system has been improved with digital recorders and flat panel monitors, but the county needs to ensure the development of an IP system is complete with the installation of digital cameras throughout the facility. Page 11-3

180 Section 11: Use of Technology Body Cameras Body Cameras have taken on increased importance to law enforcement agencies across the country, as police try to ensure the consistent practices of their staff and document the behavior of arrestees. However, the use of body cameras is not yet widely found in correctional systems. The deployment of body camera s in the Fulton County Jail came into place several years ago as a stopgap measure due to limitations of the video surveillance system and before the upgrade of the cell door locks. Over the years, successive purchases of upgraded body cameras have improved the qualities and capabilities of the cameras and allowed for deployment in key areas on all shifts. The cameras promote officer safety and create video evidence of staff/offender interaction and are credited with reducing the number of assaults on staff. They can also reduce the number of false accusations between inmates and staff and help administrators accurately determine the actual events that occurred and potentially reduce future litigation. Today, body camera s in the Fulton County Jail are treated as a piece of equipment and checked out prior to the beginning of the shift by least 2 staff in every housing unit. In other locations such as medical and intake, at least one staff person is required to have a body camera on person. The cameras are not set to continuously record, but must be activated by staff during certain incidents. The jail s policy entitled Jail Body Worn Camera s (BWC) dated May 26, 2015 identifies the following situations where the cameras are to be activated: Physical or verbal confrontation or use of force; Emergency responses; Failure to comply to officer s lawful orders; Deployment of taser; Inmate on inmate assaults; Attempted suicides; Any other contact where the officer believes recording is appropriate; Finding: The use of body cameras in the Fulton County Jail is considered a best practice. This practice increases officer and inmate safety and has the potential to reduce the number of serious incidents. Cell Door Locking Systems Jails are designed to keep offenders securely segregated, so when the locking systems regularly fail, a jail can t perform it primary mission. Locking systems that are easily broken or jammed can become a major security issue for a jail to manage while also becoming a costly and time consuming maintenance problem. This issue was previously a substantial concern for the jail and was addressed in the Harper v. Bennett consent decree. Part III.A.16 of the consent decree required: All cell doors at the Jail shall be equipped with functioning locks which can be opened remotely from the tower. These locks shall be maintained in good working order. Page 11-4