Staffing Study of the Fort Worth Police Department Presented to the City Council by Jeffrey W. Halstead, Chief of Police November 4, 2014 1
Purpose of Today s Presentation Review Purpose of Staffing Study Review Study Recommendations ( High priority only) Address Questions 2
Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Nonprofit organization founded in 1976. Independent research organization focused on critical issues in policing. Provides management services, technical assistance, and executivelevel education to support law enforcement agencies. 3
PERF Staffing Study Purpose Recommend optimal staffing efficiency and effectiveness for FWPD. PERF representatives held on-site meetings in December, January, and March. PERF met with personnel from all ranks including rideins with officers in each Patrol Division. PERF briefed staff on their findings in September. Study includes more than 50 recommendations. 4
PERF Staffing Study Methodology PERF ranks each recommendation as high, moderate, or low priority. Staff provided PERF various workload data and other information for study including call data, caseload data, etc. PERF s methodology includes unique workload formula to determine appropriate number of patrol and detective personnel. 5
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Staffing Recommendations By Bureau (only High priority items listed) Patrol Reduce NPOs Balance Time Consumed by Calls for Service Add Detectives to Patrol Divisions Reduce Span of Control Better Utilize RMS Add Traffic Crash Analyst Issue Traffic Monthly Report Add 59 Officers Support Establish Real Time Crime Center Rotate Narcotics/Task Force Assignments Provide Warrant Access to Patrol/Specialized Units Add Second Bait Car Transition to Civilian Crime Scene Technicians Add Sgt. To Digital Forensics Add Two Civilian Examiners to Digital Forensics Examine Call Intake Process Move Crime Prevention Specialists to Patrol Divisions Maintain Six Jail Sgts. Add Sixth ZT Team Assign Gang Enforcement to ZT Increase Weapons Range Staff Finance/Personnel Diverse Recruitment Plan Assign Commun./Training to Operational Command Move Program Support to Administrative Command Add Finance Unit Admin Determine Disparities between Employment Services and HR Add Three Civilians to Program Support Division Shorten IA Report Times Add ID Technicians Ensure DRU Vacancies are High Priority/Perform Job Classification Study Provide Temporary Property/Evidence Storage Ensure Supervisors Approve time and civilianize CPPT 7
PATROL BUREAU RECOMMENDATIONS 8
Patrol Bureau Reduce number of NPO sergeants and officers (High) The FWPD should reduce the number of NPO sergeants and officers by 60 positions total in each division to one sergeant and five officers. NOT SUPPORTED Balance Average Time Consumed by Calls for Service (High) The FWPD should seek to balance the calls-for-service (CFS) workload among the five divisions, so that each averages 55% time consumed by calls for service. PARTIALLY SUPPORTED (6 TH Division realignment) Add Detectives to Patrol Divisions (High) The FWPD should consider adding five detectives to the unit and the total number of thorough investigations should be closely monitored for a 12 month period. If many cases still cannot be thoroughly investigated to the department should consider adding more detectives. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) 9
Patrol Bureau Reduce Span of Control by Adding One Sergeant to each Division CIU (High) The FWPD should consider adding one additional sergeant to each division s Criminal Investigations Unit to reduce the span of control to one sergeant per seven to eight detectives. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) Better Utilize Records Management System (High) The FWPD should better utilize their RMS case management system to capture solvability factors and investigative efforts, including hours worked and consistent case notes. SUPPORTED Add Traffic Crash Analyst Position (High) The primary focus of the Fort Worth Traffic Division should be on crash reduction and traffic flow improvement. To accomplish this, a traffic crash analyst position should be added to the division. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) 10
Patrol Bureau Add 59 Patrol Officers (High) The FWPD should add 59 officers to ensure that officers do not spend more than 50% of their time responding to calls for service. This will leave officers with more time available for proactive work. This may be accomplished by redeploying 60 Neighborhood Police Officers immediately or adding 59 officers over a three-year period, with 20 the first year, 20 the second year and 19 the third year. CONCEPT SUPPORTED (6 th Patrol Division relevancy) METHODOLOGY NOT SUPPORTED 11
SUPPORT BUREAU RECOMMENDATIONS 12
Support Bureau Establish Real Time Crime Center (High) The department should consider the establishment of a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), which would provide a centralized technology-based information center for the agency. The RTCC would have 24/7 capability. SUPPORTED Rotate Narcotics Teams and Task Force Assignments (High) The FWPD should consider a review of duty assignments particularly among task force and tactical narcotics teams to ensure that periodic rotations are occurring. Proactive corruption prevention measures such as rotation of duty assignments in areas of vulnerability should be part of any agency s prevention strategy. SUPPORTED (being discussed) 13
Support Bureau Provide Warrant Access to Patrol and Specialized Units (High) The FWPD should devise a process allowing patrol and other specialized unit officer s access to FWPD warrants for potential warrant service. But, this service needs to be coordinated and communicated with the Fugitive Unit to ensure there is no duplication of effort, lack of documentation regarding attempted warrant service, or necessary background information required for the service. SUPPORTED (in progress) Add Second Bait Car (High) The department should consider funding a second bait car apprehension and recovery team, consisting of two officers, one detective and support vehicles. The current team has proven to be very successful and has made over 1,000 arrests. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) Transition to Civilian Crime Scene Technicians (High) The FWPD should consider transitioning to civilian crime scene technicians as a professional and cost-effective staffing approach. NOT SUPPORTED ( civilianization issues) 14
Support Bureau Add Sergeant Position to Digital Forensic Lab (High) The department should consider funding a dedicated sergeant position assigned to the Digital Forensic Lab. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) Add Two Civilian Examiners to Digital Forensics Lab (High) The department should consider funding two civilian examiners in an effort to reduce the growing backlog of items that need processing. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) Examine Call Intake Process (High) The FWPD should closely examine the Communication Division s process of how calls for service are transitioned from the call taker to the dispatcher to the officer to eliminate delays and enhance efficiency. COMPLETED Move Crime Prevention Specialists to Patrol Divisions (High) The FWPD should consider moving the five civilian crime prevention specialists under the command of their respective patrol division captains. COMPLETED 15
Support Bureau Jail Operations Should Maintain Minimum Six Sergeants (High) Jail Operations should have a minimum staffing level of six sergeants at all times. COMPLETED Add Sixth Team to Zero Tolerance Section (High) The FWPD should consider staffing a sixth team, which would require one sergeant, one corporal and eight officers, to assure 24/7 city-wide tactical coverage. SUPPORTED (COPS Grant) Assign Gang Enforcement Teams to Zero Tolerance (Discussion: Moderate) The FWPD should consider assigning the current responsibilities of the Gang Section s Enforcement Teams to the Zero Tolerance Section. NOT SUPPORTED (explain) 16
Support Bureau Increase Weapons Range Staffing (High) The FWPD should increase staffing in the Weapons Range Unit from five to seven full-time equivalent firearms instructors. These seven instructor positions can all be transitioned to civilian personnel. SUPPORTED (staffing increase) NOT SUPPORTED ( civilianization ) 17
FINANCE / PERSONNEL BUREAU RECOMMENDATIONS 18
Finance / Personnel Bureau Ensure Diverse Recruitment Plan (High) The FWPD should ensure its recruitment plan outlines the steps that must be taken to achieve the goal of having a sworn workforce that is representative of the diverse population of the City of Fort Worth. COMPLETED/ON-GOING Assign Communications and Training to Operational Command (High) The FWPD should assign the Communication and Training Divisions to the Operational Command. SUPPORTED (once we move to the PSTC) Move Program Support Division to Administrative Support Command (High) The FWPD should move the Program Support Division to the Administration Support Command. SUPPORTED (once we move to the PSTC) Add Administrative Support Position to Finance Unit (High) The FWPD should add an additional administrative professional to the Finance Unit, preferably an accountant, who can assist the unit supervisor in reviewing unit work, conduct random audits, and assist with workload processing. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) 19
Finance / Personnel Bureau Determine Disparities between Employment Services and City HR (High) The FWPD should meet with the City s Human Resources Director and discuss the disparity of workload between city agencies. In addition, the FWPD should request human resources positions assigned to smaller city functions be evaluated for reassignment to the FWPD Employment Services Section. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) Add Three Civilian Positions to Program Support Division (High) The FWPD should add at least three more civilian support personnel to the Program Support Division, to assist the various sections where they would be most needed. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) Shorten Internal Affairs Investigative Report Time (High) The FWPD should consider shortening the time when investigative reports must be completed to within a 30 to 45 day timeframe. NOT SUPPORTED (explain) 20
Finance / Personnel Bureau Add ID Technicians (High) The FWPD should fund three non-sworn ID technician positions to comply with state mandated reporting requirements. The department must report dispositions for 90 percent of arrests reported. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) Ensure DRU Vacancies are High Priority Hiring (High) The FWPD should ensure the nine unit vacancies are given a high priority in the hiring and background process. SUPPORTED (discussing in 5-year Strategic Plan) Job Classification Study of DRU Technicians (Moderate) The FWPD should initiate a job classification study review of the Data Reporting Unit technicians. With a turnover rate of over 50%, factors such as pay and shift work should be reviewed to determine the appropriate level of employee compensation. SUPPORTED (being discussed currently) 21
Finance / Personnel Bureau Ensure Supervisors Confirm Accuracy of Time Worked and Approve Overtime (High) Overtime should be approved at the first-line supervisor s level. Compared to a central authority, a first-line supervisor is better able to make an informed decision if a particular employee needs to incur overtime. SUPPORTED (more performance measures and accountability) Provide Temporary Property and Evidence Storage Lockers (High) The FWPD should consider the deployment of temporary property and evidence storage lockers at various police stations throughout the city, particularly the furthermost stations from the centralized property and evidence facility. NOT SUPPORTED (chain of custody/personnel growth) 22
Criminal Investigations Division Criminal Investigations Staffing Changes Summary # of cases assigned PERF recommendations Current investigators Changes Additional supervisors Homicide Unit 2,649 14 8 6 1 Robbery Unit 1,594 23 11 12 2 Major Case Unit 98 8 6 2 1 Missing Persons Unit 2,284 6 3 3 1 Crimes Against Children (CACU) 2,687 23 10 13 1 Domestic Violence Unit 6,054.50 17 12 5 1 Sex Crimes Unit (detectives) 568 15 5 10 2 Fraud Unit 12,852.50 66 (page 112) 9 9 5 Special needed Investigations 33 5 4 1 1 23
PERF Overall Staffing Changes Summary Patrol Response 59 Officers Detectives Civilians Corporals Sergeants Patrol Criminal Investigations 20 1 5 Neighborhood Police Officers -60-5 Criminal Investigations Division 61 11 Real Time Crime Center 7 Bait Team 2 1 Crime Scene -15 16-2 Digital Forensics -4 7 Zero Tolerance 8 1 1 1 Range -5 7 Criminal Tracking -6-1 -1 Gang Enforcement -20* -2 Gang Intelligence -3 3 Recruit Training -2 2 Advanced Training -3 3 SWAT 1-1 Finance 1 Program Support 3 Warrant & ID 3 Background -4 4 Fleet Services 1** Special Investigations 2 TOTALS -12 43 60-1 7 24 * These positions are officer positions no longer needed in the Gang Section Enforcement Unit that will be reclassified as detectives and then moved to Patrol Criminal Investigations. **The addition of one full-time civilian employee (Electronic Technician) would replace two of the part-time employees.
Five Year Staffing Plan 25
FY 2015: Year 1 Staffing Plan Implementation Timeline: Immediately: Prepare and implement an aggressive recruitment plan March, 2015: Background process begins June, 2015: Start Class 138 as planned August, 2015: Graduate Class 137 as planned September, 2015: Start Class 139 as an additional class
FY 2016 through FY 2019 FY 2016: Start 3 Academy classes Begin adding positions to Patrol for 6 th Division FY 2017: Start 3 Academy classes Begin adding Detectives to reduce case volume FY 2018: Start 3 Academy classes Begin increased staffing in priority specialty units FY 2019: Start 2-3 Academy classes Evaluate response times, case volumes, and crime trends for increased staffing
Summary: Staffing Plan Implementation Will work closely with Budget office each year for growth projection for Officers Will analyze better practices and efficiency models to increase Civilian staffing Based on the Best Business Model for the Police Department and the City Will continue to meet with community leaders to gain their input
Questions and Comments? 29