Memo- Budget Program Analysis for 1999 Budget•
Memo
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To: Honorable Mayor and Council
From:Chief Earl L. Johnson
CC: Steve Mielke, City Manager
Date: 11/09/98
Re: Budget Program Analysis for 1999 Budget
The City Council has expressed interest in reviewing the costs for service and
programs of the police department. It is a very difficult task to make effective
comparisons due to the many variables of cost accounting and level of service that is
provided by each agency.
have attached for your perusal a basic budget comparison of the Hopkins Police
Department and several other suburban police agencies. In addition, we have
provided a sampling of major programs and services along with the costs associated
with the service and a brief overview of the ramifications if that service were to be cut
from the 1999 budget.
I will be available for questions or comments this evening and all day Tuesday if you
need any additional information prior to our budget meeting on Tuesday, November
10, 1998. Please page me at 365 -7578 on my digital pager and we can meet prior to
Tuesday evening or we can discuss it over the phone at your convenience.
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Police Department
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CLEARANCE RATES AND CRIME RANKING
HENNEPIN COUNTY
1997
CLEARANCE RATES
Part I Crimes Part II Crimes Crime Ranking by City
Hopkins 22% 65% 12
• St. Louis Park 20% 70% 10
Richfield 17% 57% 6
Robbinsdale 16% 66% 7
(Published October, 1998)
• COSTS INCLUDE BOTH EQUIPMENT AND SPACE ALLOCATION
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Police Police Police
Cost per Cost per Cost per
Population Square Mile Household
1996 1997 1996 1997 1996 1997
Hopkins $149.87 $154.66 $624,388.00 $644,345.25 $313.17 $323.18 Dispatching
Anoka $143.80 $135.84 $356,828.47 $337,073.49 $371.36 $350.80 Dispatching/Co
Robbinsdale $132.03 $149.49 $694.190.00 $785,971.85 $308.43 $349.21 Dispatching/Co
COSTS INCLUDE EQUIPMENT BUT NOT SPACE ALLOCATION
Police Police Police
Cost per Cost per Cost per
Population Square Mile Household
1996 1997 1996 1997 1996 1997
Hopkins $146.75 $151.54 $611,377.50 $631,334.75 $306.65 $316.66 Dispatching
Richfield $135.44 $147.33 $660,545.77 $718,525.92 $307.53 $334.53 Dispatching
St. Louis Pk $109.12 $113.98 $456,030.08 $476,327.18 $240.00 $250.69 Dispatching*
*costs subsidized by Golden Valley
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POLICE DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
The following is a list of some of the major programs and services provided by the police
department in addition to the general law enforcement function. The Department is not
recommending any of these programs be eliminated or the respective budgets reduced. The
following list itemizes each program or service, the primary functions of each program or service,
the estimated budget savings which could be achieved by elimination of each program or service
and the ramifications of eliminating the specific program or service.
• INVESTIGATIONS
Staffing: 3.5 Full Time Sworn Personnel
Function:
The department's three investigators and the sergeant who supervises the investigative
unit are responsible for follow up investigations for virtually all of the criminal cases
occurring in Hopkins. Currently, each investigator is working on 10 -15 active
investigations at any one time. At times, especially with major cases, all 3 investigators
will be working on the same case and we may even request investigative assistance from
the Hennepin County Sheriff's major crime's unit. The Hopkins Police Department's
clearance rate for Part I crimes over the past several years has ranged from 22 % -25 %.
This rate is a par with or slightly better than many of the surrounding cities. The
Department increased the number of investigators from 2 to 3 approximately 12 years
ago.
Budget Option:
Eliminate 1 position. Eliminating 1 investigative position would allow the investigator to
be retumed to the patrol division. This option could either: (a) supplement the patrol staff
and result in virtually no budgetary savings or (b) replace one of the existing patrol officer
positions either through layoff or attrition. Option (b) would result in a budgetary savings
of approximately $65,000 + or -, almost entirely personnel costs. This figure does not
include the resulting increased cost of overtime that the remaining investigators would
have to use when involved in major investigations.
Ramifications:
Reduction of the staffing in the investigative office would increase the already high
workload of the remaining investigators. Even with current staffing we are often not able
to follow up on minor but otherwise solvable cases for several days or longer. Increasing
the number of cases assigned to each officer would force us to reduce or eliminate some
of the types of cases we currently investigate. Many of these types of cases are
relatively minor in nature but are quality of life issues for our citizens.
We currently are not able, with existing staff to keep crime victims updated on the status
of their cases. We are currently working on a plan to utilize Reserve Officers to do follow
up contacts with victims and have the Reserves do actual follow up investigation on
minor cases that are not being addressed.
Reduction of investigative staff would most certainly have a negative effect on our crime
clearance rate due to the fact that we would not be investigating some solvable cases at
all and others would receive a reduced level of attention.
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• RESERVES
Staffing: 19 Volunteer Positions, 2 Part Sworn Coordinators
Function:
The Police Reserve Unit is utilized to supplement the regular department in a wide variety
of ways and allow the Department to participate in many activities that would not
otherwise be possible. Some of these activities include: snow emergency assistance,
participation in crime prevention activities, bike patrol, conducting bike safety clinics,
traffic direction and control for numerous civic events involving the Art Center, Raspberry
Festival, Mainstreet Days etc. The reserves are also called upon to provide emergency
resources for area security at major fire scenes and crime scenes and other activities.
Also, as noted above, we have current plans to utilize reserves to improve the efficiency
of the investigative unit.
Budget Option:
Eliminate Reserve Unit. Elimination of the reserve unit would result in gross savings of
approximately $7,500. Much of these savings would be offset by increased overtime
costs incurred by regular officers performing duties currently handled by reserves.
Ramifications:
Elimination of the Police Reserves would have a severely detrimental effect on the ability
of the police department to perform its current functions. Without an active reserve unit
the department, at its current staffing level, would be unable to effectively and efficiently
handle such events as the Raspberry Festival events and parade, large Art Center
gatherings, major crime scene and fire security, National Night Out events. Over the
years, the value of our police reserve unit to the City has been very evident. The
Reserves volunteer 5,000 hours each year, equivalent to two and one -half full time
person nel.
• H.E.A.T. TEAM
Staffing: 4 Part swom Personnel
Function:
The original HEAT Team was comprised of 6 Hopkins Police officers who were utilized to
conduct "high risk" entries into places, primarily residences, to serve search warrants and
make warrant arrests. The HEAT Team was used when information indicated that there
was an increased risk of armed resistance and that officers with specialized training
would be best suited to deal with the situations. In many cases, these entries involved
drug arrests and warrants. Initially, the Hopkins Team utilized only internal resources in
its operation. Several years ago, in an effort to promote cooperation among agencies
and reduce some duplication of services among cities, Hopkins joined a consortium with
Edina, St. Louis Park, Eden Prairie and Minnetonka to build a specialized team with
SWAT capabilities. Other cities in the metro area have combined resources to field
similar teams in their areas. The five -city consortium allows for a much larger pool of
officers to draw from for tactical operations. Officers from all five departments train
together. Historically, since its inception, the team has been utilized in Hopkins for more
operations than any of the other cities.
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Budget Option:
Eliminate the HEAT Team. This would result in budget savings of approximately $8,600.
Included in this figure are supplies, training, uniforms, etc ($5,100), estimated overtime
costs for off duty call outs and training ($3,000) and expenses for the command post van
used for transportation and communications ($500).
Ramifications:
Elimination of the HEAT Team would reduce our ability to effectively and efficiently
handle volatile and dangerous situations. It would also reduce the resources that the
other consortium cities have available to assist them when needed. It is unlikely that the
remaining consortium cities would continue to allow their teams respond to calls for
assistance in our city because of the expense factor to them.
We do have the option of utilizing the Hennepin County Sheriffs emergency response
team if needed. The advantage to this would be that there would be no expense to the
City. The disadvantages to this would be increased response time, no familiarity with the
level of training or expertise of their members, no control over who is on the team, yet
civil liability for their actions. Elimination of our team would be a waste of the training and
expertise that they have acquired.
• SCHOOL LIAISON OFFICER
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Staffing: None
Function:
Beginning in 1998, the Police Department, with the support of City management, entered
into a joint agreement with the City of Minnetonka and the Hopkins School District to fund
a full time police officers assigned to the Hopkins High School and Junior Highs. While
none of these schools are located in the City of Hopkins, Hopkins children attend these
schools. Hopkins monetary commitment to this joint project is $8,000.
Budget Option:
Eliminate the funding for the school liaison program. Budget savings - $8,000.
Ramifications:
Elimination of the funding would negate a commitment made only 1 year ago and may,
depending on the response of the School District and the City of Minnetonka, result in the
cancellation of the liaison officer program altogether.
• K - 9 PROGRAM
Staffing: 1 Full -time swom officer
Function:
The K -9 program has been in existence since 1981. The K -9 is used in many capacities
including: searching buildings for hidden criminal suspects; searching outdoor areas for
persons and property and evidence; apprehending uncooperative suspects; controlling
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unruly crowds and uncooperative people through intimidation; protection of officers;
public demonstrations at numerous civic events; demonstrations to school children,
business and civic groups and other organizations.
Budget Option:
Eliminate K -9 program. Budget savings would be approximately $6,200.
Ramifications:
Elimination of the K -9 program would increase the risk to officers who are searching
buildings and also reduce the likelihood that any hidden suspect would be found. This
would eliminate a valuable resource that has been very effective and useful for the
Department and the City in the past.
• DRUG TASK FORCE
Staffing: 1 Full -time Swom Officer
Function:
Approximately 10 years ago, in response to concerns about drug usage and trafficking in
Hopkins, the Department agreed to participate in the Northwest Metro Drug Task Force.
This cooperative drug enforcement unit consisted of officers from Hopkins, Crystal,
Robbinsdale, Golden Valley and St. Louis Park. Each participating city paid the salary of
its own officer but all other expenses (cars, equipment, buy funds, overtime expenses,
etc.) was funded through a federal grant. The task force receives tips and other
information conceming illegal drug usage and sales and then conducts investigations
leading to the issuance of arrest and search warrants. On many occasions, the drug task
force has utilized the H.E.A.T. Team consortium to conduct high -risk entries. The task
force has accounted for the seizure of hundreds of pounds of illegal drugs and the
forfeiture of hundreds of thousands of dollars of illegal drug money and other assets. In
1997, the Northwest Metro Drug Task Force was the second most productive drug task
for in the entire State of Minnesota. At such time as the task force is disbanded entirely,
the remaining assets from the task force will be divided up proportionately among the
participating cities.
Many of the metro area cities, including most of the communities adjacent to Hopkins,
belong to multi agency drug task forces.
Budget Option:
Eliminate drug task force officer. As with the option to reduce the investigative unit by
one person, eliminating the drug task force person would result in either no budget
savings if the assigned officer was transferred to patrol to supplement current staffing or
save approximately $65,000 in wages in benefits if the position is eliminated and the
assigned officer laid off.
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Ramifications:
Elimination of this program /position would greatly reduce our ability to effectively deal
with drug investigations in Hopkins. With current staffing levels we do not have the
resources to conduct in depth investigations on our own. During 1998, due to staffing
shortages in the patrol division, we were forced to take our assigned drug officer out of
the task force and utilize him on patrol. The result has been that we have been getting
many calls about drug deals and suspicious drug activity that we have not been able to
deal with. We have referred calls to the Hennepin County drug unit to work on if they had
time and the remaining task force members have given us some limited support on a
couple of cases. We have told the other task force cities that we will be getting back into
the task force in the very near future. Our participation is critical to their continuing grant
approval. The task force supervisor has recently indicated that they have information that
may lead to a major drug investigation in Hopkins but they need our participation to carry
it out.
• CRIME PREVENTION
Staffing: 1 Full time civilian
Function: Coordination and operation of the Crime Prevention Program.
Programs and Services:
• Neighborhood Watch Program
• National Night Out
• Crime -free Multi- Housing
• School Patrol
• Safety Camp
• Volunteer Program
• Operation ID
• Business Premise Surveys
• Alarm Billing
• Chemical Health Commission Liaison
• Apartment Managers Coalition
• Police Department Tours
• School Safety Presentations
• Bicycle Safety Program
• MN Crime Alert Program
• Tobacco and Liquor Compliance
• Sex Offender Notification Program
• McGruff and Sparky Coordination
Budget Option:
Eliminate the Crime Prevention Program. Eliminating this position would result in initial
savings of approximately $53,000 in personnel costs, and $16,115 in supplies, materials
and services. This option assumes that the department would no longer participate in
any crime prevention activities other than those required by law. Re- assigning the
community and school programs to swom officers would require prohibitive overtime.
Mandated programs such as the sex offender notification and tobacco compliance
checks would have to be re- assigned to the investigations division, and could result in
additional overtime which is not included in these figures.
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Ramifications:
This option would result in the elimination or drastic reduction in crime prevention
initiatives. School Patrol, Neighborhood Watch, National Night Out, Crime -Free Multi -
Housing, McGruff House, Bicycle Safety and presentations to civic and school groups
would be discontinued. Liaisons to the Chemical Health Commission and Apartment
Managers Coalition would be eliminated or re- assigned to swom officers resulting in
overtime. Pursuing this option might send a message to the community that is contrary
to the pro - active prevention philosophy that has been the hallmark of the city of Hopkins.
Eliminating this program would also result in breaking existing commitments to school
and community groups.
• RECORDS /RECEPTIONS
Staffing: 4 Full Time Civilians, 1 Part Time Civilian
Function: Maintain all department case files and records. Perform regulatory and data
entry tasks for pawn shop regulation. Answer non -911 phone calls and greet walk -in
traffic. Type all reports, memorandums and other correspondence for the administrative
staff as well as reports generated by the patrol, investigative and crime prevention
divisions.
Budget Option:
Eliminate the part-time pawnshop clerk position and assign duties to another records
employee.
Ramifications:
Prior to the creation of the pawnshop clerk position, a record clerk was assigned to
handle the pawnshop regulation tasks. If the pawnshop position was eliminated, and the
duties assigned back to another employee, the city would see savings of approximately
$13,000. This assumes that the pawnshop license fees would remain the same.
Since the pawn clerk position was created because existing employees could not devote
the necessary time to the data entry and other regulatory tasks, it would be necessary to
reduce the records workload to make room for the pawnshop tasks. Services such as
fingerprinting for citizens and after -hours access to reports could be eliminated.
• COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
Staffing: 7 Full Time Civilians
Function:
Receive requests, by phone and in person, for emergency and non - emergency calls for
service. Provide dispatching services for the police and fire departments. Enter
preliminary computer (ICR) data. Monitor CCTV system for jail inmates and perform
mandatory in- custody interview recording. Greet walk -in customers and provide
assistance 24 hours a day. Monitor public works alarms and public works radio and
contact on -call personnel as necessary. Types reports and perform other clerical
functions as needed. Perform criminal history inquiries and other investigative tasks for
detectives and officers.
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Budget Option:
The dispatch center operates on the minimum staffing level necessary to maintain 24-
hour coverage. Short of eliminating the dispatch center entirely, there are no programs or
services where elimination would result in any significant cost savings. Eliminating the
dispatch center is not a viable option for 1999, as other options like becoming a
dependent agency of Hennepin County Sheriff, require at least 18 months lead time to
accomplish.
For discussion purposes, the dispatch center has a 1999 operating budget of $175,000
excluding capital equipment. 75% of this budget is personnel costs. Over the next five
years, equipment replacement is scheduled for a cost of at least $300,000. Other costs,
such as personnel, will continue to increase.
The cost savings of eliminating the dispatch center would depend on many complex
issues. For example, dispatchers perform many tasks other than dispatching, and
decisions would need to be made to determine how to re- assign those tasks. All city
departments would be impacted in some way by eliminating the dispatch center. Future
city projects, such as installing a video security camera system in the parking ramp,
would be impacted if we had no one to monitor the cameras. Determining the actual
amount of projected savings versus the resulting loss of services is a complex
undertaking best done by a professional analyst to assure an accurate picture.
Staff made preliminary inquiries to Minnetonka and St. Louis Park for the purposes of
determining whether a joint dispatch center was a viable option. Minnetonka declined
any further discussion and St. Louis Park expressed interest. St. Louis Park now
dispatches for Golden Valley, and charges them a user fee of $175,000 a year, plus a
share of equipment costs. We were unable to determine what our costs would be, but
the Golden Valley figure provides a starting point for comparison.
• EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION PROGRAM
Staffing: Committee of existing employees
Function: To provide formal recognition for achievements by department
personnel.
Budget Option:
Eliminate or reduce the appreciation program budget. Eliminating the program would
save $3000.
Ramifications:
Due to the unique nature of law enforcement employment, many police departments hold
recognition banquets to allow the department and the community special time to
celebrate the contributions of their officers and civilian employees.
Eliminating or reducing the budget for this program would primarily affect the ability to
hold the recognition dinner. Originally, there was no formal citywide event for employee
recognition, and there were limited facilities in Hopkins suitable for a banquet. Now that
the Center for the Arts is completed, staff could explore the costs of holding the banquet
there, or combining the police and citywide event. A drawback of combining events is
that the police program is lengthy and specialized, and spouses are normally invited,
necessitating the event be held in the evening.
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