Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/27/1998 Work Session (2) ., MINUTES OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL AND THE POLICE PLANNING TASK FORCE HELD MONDAY, APRIL 27,1998 The Springfield City Council met in Joint Work Session with the Police Planning Task Force at Springfield City Hall, Library Meeting Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, April 27, 1998, at 6:00 p.m. with Mayor Morrisette presiding. Present were Mayor Morrisette and Councilors Ballew, Beyer, Burge, Dahlquist, Maine and Shaver. Also present were City Manager Mike Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, Senior Management Analyst Rosie Pryor, Administrative Aide Shari Higgins, Police Chief Bill DeForrest, Management Analyst Jack Lindstrom and members of staff. Present from the Police Planning Task Force were Chair Zane Wilson and members Steve Cable, Bill Coons, George Teneyck and Sean Wilson (6:08 p.m.) 1. Joint Meeting between the City Council and the Police Planning Task Force (PPTF). Police Chief Bill DeForrest introduced the Chair of the Police Planning Task Force, Zane Wilson and other members present. Mr. Wilson discussed the Police Planning Task Force 1997 Annual Report and citizen survey. A copy of the report and survey were provided to council members in their Agenda Item Summary packet. . Mr. Wilson discussed the mission of the task force. He explained the repercussions of. Ballot Measures 47 and 50, and the impact they had on the Springfield Police Department. In response, the task force engaged in the following activities during 1997: conducted a survey of citizen attitudes concerning the Springfield Police Department; provided input into the preparation of the Police Department's Proposed FY 1997/98 Budget; and conducted review and provided input on Police Department General Orders; interviewed applicants for the task force and forwarded recommendations to the City Council; provided orientation of new task force members; received reports from Police Department staff and provided input for the Public Safety Coordinating Council (PSCC); Chair, Zane Wilson was appointed as the a citizen member ofPSCC; and the task force participated in the efforts of the Mayor's Task Force against Child Abuse. Mr. Wilson raised issues regarding department staffing such as the need to hire an additional Captain and internally promote Sergeants; Council discussed what could be done to assist the department in achieving a better structured environment. Mr. Wilson felt the city needed to create an incentive for Sergeants to become Captains. Mr. Wilson explained the compensation issues with Sergeants receiving overtime pay, while Captains are strictly salaried. Although it is unlikely a Captain could be recruited from within, it may be possible to bring back the Lieutenant position and try to develop a more acceptable organizational chart to support all the functions of the department. . Councilor Ballew felt the department would need more funding than the council could give to help with the Captain/Sergeant problem. She also felt the Lieutenant position was eliminated for a reason and should be researched in depth prior to reinstating it. Springfield City Council Joint Work Session - 4/27/98 Page 2 . Chief DeForrest said it would help to reclassify existing employees and redefine what roles they have in the department. Sergeants overtime is mainly for court appearances and additional staff would not help with that cost. Councilor Shaver asked if the city could plan for department changes within the next five years, including the positions of Captain and Sergeant. Chief DeForrest said the Police Planning Task Force Long Range Plan did include this type of reorganization and the department could augment the plan with the desires of council. Councilor Ballew suggested the department plan now for future changes and staffing needs. Councilor Ballew suggested down grading new Sergeant positions to allow the inclusion of a Lieutenant ranking. Chief DeF orrest said if he was not successful in recruiting a Captain, that he may look to fill the position with a Lieutenant position. He said the department is currently well managed and supervised adequately. Since this is a long-term issue the solution should be addressed soon, but they are not currently in a crisis situation. Mr. Wilson said the span of the Police Department is growing not shrinking due to the east/west configuration of the city. Future calls could tie officers up at one end of the . city, when they are needed elsewhere. He explained decisions made in the next few years would impact long-range emergency situations of the future. . Councilor Shaver referred to the summary of randomly surveyed citizens, as listed on Attachment B19. He asked Chief DeForrest to calculate the survey without "no opinion" listed. He felt the number of people who listed "no opinion" tend to skew the conclusion. The survey results were discussed at length and Chief DeForrest said- he was pleased with both the validity and results of the survey. He said there was no information received which is not being addressed either internally or by the long range plan. Councilor Maine said the task force continues to focus on policies, while governing what the department does on a daily basis, not after problems occur. She said the survey showed that Springfield residents are opinionated and their answers validate both the community survey completed last fall. She spoke of continuing to educate citizens on issues such as patrol officers issuing tickets which help stop motor vehicle accidents. George Teneyck spoke of a recent incident involving a traffic accident and how courteous the officer was in handling a difficult situation. He shared his concern that officers are spread to . thin and may not be able to respond to traffic accidents when an emergency is occurring. Mr. Teneyck felt council should address these types of issues now, as future impacts are potentially very serious. Steve Cable said he is the newest member of the task force and has been trying to become educated on the groups efforts and current projects. He shared positive comments he has received regarding police services. Mr. Cable said he knows resources are limited, but felt the service the community gets from the department is very valuable. . ~ Springfield City Council Joint Work Session - 4/27/98 Page 3 . Mr. Wilson challenged council to review the long range plan and provide response to items which have already been put into motion. He said the community investment is warranted and felt the plan would take the department through the next 10 years. Bill Coons said the current police department building is very inadequate and felt council should review the construction of a new police building, somewhere in the middle of town, in the near future. Mr. Coons also suggested council make the nuisance ordinance stronger regarding cars being parked all over the streets. Abandoned vehicles are hard to have removed and not a timely issue for the department. Mr. Kelly said the origination of the task force was the idea oflate City Councilor Jesse Maine, who presented the vision of what residents wanted for future police services. Mr. Kelly eXplained prior to the passage of Ballot Measures 47 and 50, the city was making strides in the long range plan with further achievements expected within five to 10 years. He told council of the small strides the department has made in the last budget year with a grant being secured and replacement staff being allowed in FY 1998-99, Mr. Wilson shared his concern over the department maintaining the Neighborhood Watch Crime Prevention Unit and hoped council would continue to be supportive of their programs. He felt the Community Service Officers are a good link between the department and the community. . Councilor Dahlquist said he was pleasantly surprised there are not more negati~e comments in the survey. He hoped through PSCC and other metro coordination efforts more people who are repeat offenders would remain incarcerated longer. This would free up local resources and allow the department to focus on other aspects such as community policing. Mayor Morrisette thanked the members of the task force who were present for attending and sharing their views with the council. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:58 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Shari Higgins M~~$ Bill orrisette, Ma or ATTEST: ~ . ~\ Juli Wilson, City Recorder .