CITY OF MADISON

INTER-DEPARTMENTAL
CORRESPONDENCE

DATE: August 6, 2013

TO: FROM: SUBJECT:

Mayor Paul Soglin and all City Alderpersons Noble Wray, Chief of Police Madison Police Department 2014 Operating Budget Proposal

Each year, since I became Chief in 2004, I have taken it upon myself to ensure you are fully aware of our budget needs and challenges as early as possible in the Citys budget process. I have done this through personal contacts as well as an annual budget memo. I feel this is not only necessary, but also prudent of me as the head of the Madison Police Department as this information is designed to provide you with as much insight as possible into those budget issues that affect our departments ability to provide the necessary quality service to the citizens of our community. Secondarily, I believe this information is often a valuable means to provide you with more intimate knowledge of some of the initiatives, programs and collaborations we are currently engaged in to fulfill our mission. In this years Operating budget instructions, we were asked to prepare our 2014 budget so that overall funding requests did not exceed our 2013 operating budget. In order to accomplish this task, we had to find over $280,782 in cuts to existing staff, programs or equipment. As stated in last year s budget memo, over 91% of our budgeted expenditures are salaries, determined by labor contracts, other City agency costs, or additional mandates from outside of the Police Department. This, coupled with the fact that we cut our budget by over $500,000 in 2012 and another $60,000 in 2013, meant that we were not able to find funding within our current budget to cover the costs to continue to provide the same quality police services as we do now. The key reason for $280,782 shortfall is the cost of regular step and longevity increases in the current labor contracts.

Staffing Needs and Challenges

Let me begin by expressing my appreciation for your support in last years budget to deal with the issue of staffing attrition. As you recall, attrition was one of the key components to the 2008 Etico Solutions Inc. staffing study and a critical challenge for our department when it comes to maintaining the necessary commissioned staff to successfully police our community. I feel the ability to be creative in hiring new officers and scheduling our academies, placed the department and the city in a much better position to maintain necessary staffing as commissioned personnel retire from public service. We could not have accomplished this without the help and support of the Mayor and City Council. It is important to note however that even without including attrition into the formula for determining 2014 commissioned staffing needs, the Etico Solutions staffing methodology for 2014 determined the Madison Police Department would need to increase its authorized strength of commissioned personnel by up to 11 officers and 2 Sergeants. While I believe it is critically important that we continue to utilize this methodology to determine our patrol staffing needs, I recognize that within the current fiscal climate it is more important to follow through with the 2013 budget commitment to address the staffing attrition problem we have had for many years, and also to continue to explore opportunities where we can ensure adequate staffing of both commissioned and civilian staff.

August 6, 2013 Page 2

In regards to other staffing needs, I feel my staff has done an admirable job in increasing efficiencies and adjusting and prioritizing workload wherever possible to get the work done here at MPD. In the spring of this year, my staff conducted extensive research into civilian staffing formulas for law enforcement agencies as well. The result of this research indicates that there is not an existing process comparable to the Etico patrol staffing study that applies to civilian work functions. Since each police department defines civilian functions differently, there is no formula for how staffing levels should be determined. However, based on a recommendation from Etico, MPD staff reviewed internal workload indicators for various civilian assignments. This analysis demonstrated that civilian workload in areas such as Records, Technology, Finance, etc. are driven by two key factors: changes in work processes and increases in commissioned and civilian staff that produce added internal work. In particular, the addition of 67 commissioned employees, the reassignment of 12 commissioned staff from internal positions and the addition of new types of work such as crime analysis, has resulted in significant increases in work load. These staff increases, combined with increasing public expectations and significant changes in technology, have resulted in serious concerns over the departments ability to provide expected service. This is why, in spite of the fiscal concerns the City is facing, I believe it is imperative to request additional funding for a few of the most critical civilian positions.

MIS-2 Position
At this point, I believe one of the most critical issues the department is facing is the ability to keep our current technology (both hardware and software) functioning. This is why my number one request is an MIS-2 position, which is needed to handle the substantial increase in problems and demands related to technology and new systems. We currently employ only two MIS-2 positions, and they are responsible for trouble-shooting and fixing all of our technology problems, as well as managing all of our complex systems. These two employees are responsible for keeping all the computers, radios, video and other equipment in all of our vehicles fully functional. That job alone would be daunting for only two employees, but in addition to the vehicles, they are also responsible for all of our mobile reporting software, crime analysis software, the records management system, department cell phones, and various software specific to individual units. These two employees and their supervisor, are also responsible for coordinating all the interfaces with the 9-1-1 center and other law enforcement agencies, maintaining links with the State Dept. of Justice and developing numerous reporting systems to obtain data in a format that is usable by line personnel in their day-to-day work. The bottom line is the work our current employees are responsible for far exceeds their ability to complete it. In fact, these two employees, along with their supervisor, are already on pace to handle a record number of requests this year (3,400 calls in 2011; 3,967 calls in 2012; and almost 2,000 calls through June 2013). This trend in operational calls to date has resulted in a growing backlog with more calls logged than closed within any given month. The current situation is dire, with squad cars frequently out of service due to non-functional computer systems. Although priority is given to responding to issues that impact officer safety (such as CAD and mobile concerns), the lack of sufficient staff to fully work through the myriad of issues that may arise in any given day is a serious concern. Another major responsibility of the technology section is research and development. This involves research for new software, hardware, and system solutions. Other items also included in this process would be in the analysis and streamlining of current processes, workflows, and systems, as well as in the impact of software upgrades and updates. The combined impacts on resources for technical support and projects severely limit the research and development abilities of the technology section. This has significant impact on our ability to move forward with new ideas or processes that could assist us in both solving crime and providing proactive police response to issues of concern.

August 6, 2013 Page 3

Recognizing the challenge that we all face with adding new positions in a tight budget year, I asked my staff to look for ways to fund the cost for this position. As a result, the department will be using $31,000 from a federal formula grant, on a one time basis, to offset the $85,410 cost of this position. The remaining costs of this position have been requested as my primary supplemental request.

Open Records Position

A second staffing issue that was identified last year as a future need was that of a command position to deal with the increasing demand for open records. For the last several years, the demand for open records has dramatically increased (see chart below).

As of the writing of this memo, we are on pace to exceed 32,000 open records requests in 2013. This equates to over 115 requests that come in per business day. In addition to the increasing number of requests, we are also seeing a significant change in the scope and complexity of these requests, thus placing further demands on our staff. Requests for historical documents, videos, any and all documents and communications and requests that are easily facilitated through e-mail have increased these numbers dramatically. The result of this increase, and a shortage of staff to process these requests, the department is unable to adhere to State law that requires us to process open records requests in a reasonable period of time (10 days per the Attorney General). Due to my concern about our inability to meet this requirement, we have added more responsibilities related to processing open records to several existing positions and I found it necessary to create an acting Lieutenant position in 2013 assigned full-time to processing open records. The cost of upgrading this commissioned position to the permanent rank of Lieutenant is $13,725. While we continue to assess the outcome of these changes, I believe we will need to add additional staff in the future to deal with this issue. In comparison, the Cities of Milwaukee and Green Bay process about the same number of open records requests that we do, however Milwaukee currently has nine full-time

August 6, 2013 Page 4

employees processing their workload and the Green Bay Police Department employs fourteen civilian employees to handle their requests.

Civilian Training Center Coordinator

Another staffing request for the 2014 budget is related to the completion of the Madison Police Department Training Center (MPDTC), and the need to adequately staff this facility in order to maximize its function and its revenue-generating capacity. From the time the facility was purchased, we anticipated that eventually additional staff would be needed to operate this facility. This was something that was discussed with the Mayor and Alderpersons throughout the project. As of July 2013, Phase III construction of the Madison Police Training Center (MPDTC) is almost complete. The building is over 39,000 square feet and includes 2 classrooms, a computer lab, a 150 seat auditorium, a scenario room, a defense and tactics area, separate driving and firearm simulator rooms, and a state-of-the-art indoor firearms range. Currently, there is no single MPD employee assigned to assist with the logistics involved in coordinating and setting up training classes. This responsibility falls to any of our existing staff who might be available to assist on a case-by-case basis. The newly completed auditorium was inaugurated with an FBI sponsored training that brought in over 100 students during the last week of April, and over 150 employees from the State Department of Corrections in July. Between April 1st and November 1st 2013, there are 23 specialized training classes scheduled at the MPDTC. Some of these courses are smaller in nature and may only involve 15-20 attendees. Others are much larger and involve 100+ attendees, with various levels of organization and coordination by the host agency and our Training Units personnel. This number only accounts for specialized training coordinated by MPD, either using our instructors or guest instructors. It does not account for the other multiple space rental agreements made by outside police agencies who conduct their own training. Either way, rooms need to be set up, supplies need to be on hand, and a Training team representative needs to be plugged in. Simply put, the MPDTC is a very busy place. Last year, the MPDTC surpassed our goal of generating $60,000 in revenue. Our goal set forth in 2013 is to generate $90,000 in revenue. As of this date, we are 2/3 of the way towards reaching that goal. A revenue benchmark goal of over $100,000 has been set for 2014, which will be the first opportunity in which the auditorium, DAAT room, and computer room will be available for the full calendar year. Due to the many factors involved, it is somewhat unknown how the local market will continue to sustain this level of specialized training. One significant factor that remains is competition from other entities, which include the Dane County Law Enforcement Training Center (DCLETC) and Madison College proposed developments. It is unknown what kind of impact that may have upon our facility, and the oversaturation of police training in the area, but it could be substantial. This requires us to be not only competitive, but also proactive in our efforts to continue to provide quality training. At this juncture, civilian administrative assistance to help manage day-to-day operations in the MPDTC, provide critical administrative relief to our Training Program Assistant, and relieve the Training officers of logistical responsibilities for the facility, will allow current commissioned staff to invest the time needed to research and prepare cutting edge training curriculum and materials. If this request is not granted, the number of specialized training opportunities will be reduced, and revenues will decrease. It is simply not possible for current staff to continue to support these increased training responsibilities without additional assistance. The cost to provide an Administrative Clerk position is $55,200. Although these three positions are the only full-time additional positions that I am currently requesting, I believe it would be remiss of me not to clearly state that these are not the only positions identified internally as needs. With the myriad of issues facing this city in 2014 and the following years, additional

August 6, 2013 Page 5

staff resources could certainly be utilized effectively in implementing proactive policing efforts. However, until the city finds a way to address the ongoing fiscal concerns that result in continual budget requirements to cut positions in order to keep even, I do not know when a request for adding staff to improve service will be entertained.

Additional Supplements
In addition to the three full-time positions highlighted above, and requested as our priority budget supplements, in order to address other critical needs, we have also submitted requests for the following: Crossing Guard Program: In order to meet the target budget requirement of a 0% increase and still provide funding for contract obligations for step, longevity and incentive pay increases, it was necessary to cut the Crossing Guard Program in half. Although this program may be the least critical in terms of MPD core objectives, it is of significant value to the safety and wellbeing of Madison residents. Therefore, I have submitted a supplemental request to restore the program to full funding. If funds are not available for the entire program, I recommend a detailed analysis of all current crossing guard positions and propose incremental reductions to those positions that do not serve a significant number of children. This proposal has been presented and approved in the past, but never implemented. It may be possible to reduce the overall number of crossing guards, if a study would ever be implemented. Vehicle Supplies: The MPD budget currently includes funding for new equipment needed as squad cars are purchased. In the past, equipment could be moved from the old vehicle to the new. Since new vehicles are no longer compatible with the old equipment, as we add vehicle purchases, we need to add comparable funding for equipment. Currently it appears that an additional eight vehicles may be purchased in 2014. This supplement would fund the additional $48,000 needed for new equipment for these eight vehicles. Special Entertainment Zone Overtime: In 2013, the Mayor and City Council allocated $50,000 to fund the peak call time staff needs for the downtown. As this plan is implemented, it is clear that in order to staff both Friday and Saturday night throughout the summer and fall, and additional $50,000 is needed for this initiative. Based upon this analysis, I have included a supplemental request for the additional funds. LEAP: In 2013 funding was reallocated within the Community Development Division to resume implementation of the Law Enforcement Advocate Partnership (LEAP) with Madisons South District and to expand it to the Citys North Police District. In order to continue this initiative, and to expand it citywide in 2014, I have submitted a supplemental request in the amount of $60,000.

These are my only supplemental requests. Based upon current estimates, apart from the additional funds needed for overtime for the downtown entertainment zone, the additional funds for overtime provided in 2013 appear to be sufficient for 2014 as well. I also want to make sure it is understood that although the plan to incrementally increase funding for the Vacation-Convert-To-Pay (VCTP) contract provision for commissioned employees will increase funding in 2014, the budget is still significantly less than the actual anticipated costs.

Future Needs
Finally, as I did last year, I feel it is my job to continue to discuss future challenges and needs facing the department. It is only through this knowledge that you will be able to make informed decisions that determine the way we govern our community and ultimately, impact our citizens. I continue to believe

August 6, 2013 Page 6

that it is this type of forecasting and planning that greatly contributes to our citys ability to be more efficient and effective in managing and leading our city.? The following are several areas we believe are challenges facing our department in the near future. Commissioned Staffing Although we will continue to be guided by the recommendations of the Etico Staffing Study formula to determine our commissioned patrol staffing needs, we will also need to evaluate the ongoing need for other specialty positions such as neighborhood officers, community policing officers, gang officers, etc. All of these needs will be evaluated in the context of factors such as calls for service, population and area growth, administrative duties, pro-active work, changing neighborhood demographics, etc. o Neighborhood/CPT Officers - The City of Madison continues to grow both geographically and in the type of crime and disorder taking place in our neighborhoods. The MPD recognizes the value of assigning Officers to smaller geographic areas where emerging problems exist. While more labor intensive, this model of policing has proven to be very effective, and very well-received by the Madison community. Continuing to expand this type of policing through the addition of Neighborhood Officers and/or CPT Officers throughout the city is a desired approach by the department.

Civilian Staffing With the continued growth of our city, additional commissioned staff, and subsequent workload increases there has been a greater burden placed on our civilian staff that supports the operations of our department. Typing reports, handling evidence, processing payroll, dealing with technology and other support duties will continue to require us to add civilian staff to meet the commensurate workload. Command/Supervisory Staffing Since the late 80s, the percentage of Command/Supervisory Staff compared to rank and file staff has decreased from 20% to 17.4%. This has resulted in greater span of control numbers for our supervisors and command staff, thus resulting in diminished oversight and less accountability for our employees. In order to adequately supervise personnel, oversee critical initiatives and complete administrative duties, we will need to increase our departments Supervisory and Command level positions. o Deputy Chief Up until 1995, our departments Command structure included a Deputy Chief of Police or equivalent. This position served as a direct report to the Chief and was responsible for day to day operations of the department as well as counsel to the Chief of Police on important internal and external issues. This position was an unrepresented position that avoided conflict when dealing with issues related to the various bargaining units contained within the department. With the continued growth of the department, the more urbanized development of the city; the increasingly complex nature of policing and the demands placed on the Chief of Police, there is a definite need to pursue adding this position back into the department. I feel that funding this position in the near future would contribute greatly to the efficiency and effectiveness of our department and would allow greater community access to the Chief. This position currently is already included as an authorized position within City Ordinance and is recognized by the Police and Fire Commission.

Taser replacement This is a non-deadly force option that has prevented both officer and suspect injuries for several years. The current Taser units we have are no longer under warranty or serviced by the manufacturer and will need to be replaced through an ongoing budget cycle.

August 6, 2013 Page 7

Technology We will continually be faced with technology changes and innovations. Issues related to equipment, weaponry, vehicles and software will continue to advance and will undoubtedly challenge us to stay on the cutting edge of providing state-of-the-art law enforcement services. In addition, ever increasing community expectations in regards to the availability of data and/or other information will continue to drive technology needs well into the next decade.

In closing, the men and women of the Madison Police Department care deeply about the job they do and the community they serve. They are committed to our core values of Human Dignity; Service; Community Partnership; Integrity; Continuous Improvement; Diversity and Leadership. It is imperative that we continue to give them the necessary tools to do their work, especially in an ever changing and increasingly dangerous society. I continue to appreciate the support you and the Common Council have given me and the police department over the years, and I look forward to working together with you to maintain and improve the work we do every day and the quality of services we provide for our citizens here in Madison.

_________________________________ Noble Wray Chief of Police