CM Kitchen Explanation of Public Safety APD Items

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Ann Kitchen
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Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2015 4:04 pm

CM Kitchen Explanation of Public Safety APD Items

Post by Ann Kitchen »

All

I wanted to share the information learned from Friday's meeting with APD regarding items on the Council Concept Budget related to APD. (Thank you so much to Chief Manley and his staff for such quick responses and working with us on approaches)

Community Policing Item $250,000 Budget Increase (same as item 1.74)
This item provides resources for APD to assist them in developing a Community Policing Plan, for example to include travel, community engagement, and working with a consultant as needed.

CM Casar and I will bring forward more specific language - but the purpose of this item is to provide APD with the resources they need to develop a more specific Community Policing Model for Austin, detailing success metrics, policing processes, needed IT and police resources, etc. After completing this Model over the next year, the Council and APD will be better equipped during the next budget cycle to address any additional FTEs needed to implement and effective Community Policing approach for Austin.

Item 2.30 (Limit on additional sworn FTEs for APD) $3,271,500 General Fund Budget Reduction
This item has been changed to limit additional sworn FTEs for APD to 47, to be hired no earlier than April. We learned from Chief Manley that 47 is the number of new FTEs needed to account for growth and attrition while maintaining the current workload and level of service at the same level as currently.

Please note that these figures are based on the latest numbers received from APD - and that the Council Concept Budget has an old number of $3,708,000 for General Fund Budget Reduction (a difference of $436,500).

Item 2.31 Budget Reduction (final number not yet available)
The Concept Item limits increase in the APD civilian positions for Emergency Communications to nine FTEs.We have requested information from APD to determine the number of FTEs needed to continue to meet the industry metric (Over 90% of 911 calls answered in the first 10 seconds). We understand that APD meets these standards, but with the use of overtime for current employees.

We are expecting to have information from APD about the number of new FTEs needed and corresponding reduction in overtime costs in order to continue to meet metrics. Inotherwords, the shift from paying existing employees overtime to adding additional employees and reducing / eliminating overtime for this function. We are expecting some Budget Reduction from this item, but don't yet know the amount.

Item 1.48 Body Cameras Budget Increase. General Fund Ongoing Costs $265,000 (FTEs and maintaince). The remaining costs are One-Time Costs for equipment
Chief Manley will provide information about the costs of phasing in body cameras over a 2 year or a 3 year time frame. The initial ramp-up is estimated at 6 months (for vendor RFP, training).

Hoping this information if helpful.

Ann Kitchen
Council Member District 5
Ann Kitchen
Council Member District 5