PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to present a number of options that may be utilized to increase the  success of recruiting qualified applicants for the position of police officer.

BACKGROUND & ANALYSIS:

Currently, there are seven vacant police officer positions.  In addition, a total of eight police officer positions have been frozen during the last two fiscal years due to budgetary constraints.  The Burbank Police Department has been attempting to fill the vacant positions for months.

Along with the standard methods for recruiting officers, such as advertising in news publications, efforts have been expanded to include visits to college campuses and military facilities, implementing a recruitment web site, and using Channel 6 to air recruitment videos.  During the last several months, two police officer tests have been conducted.  More than 200 entry level applicants applied, but none have met Department standards.  Over the past five years, slightly more than half of the officers hired by the Police Department have transferred from another department.  During these two testing periods, only one lateral applicant attended the first phase of the testing, and he dropped out before completing the process.

In short, our current recruitment efforts have been unsuccessful.  As a result, the Police Department was directed to explore ideas to attract qualified police officer applicants, and the following options may enhance recruitment efforts:

Salary

The recruitment effort has certainly been impacted by salary comparisons with neighboring communities.  Researching comparative compensation packages for police agencies is easily done by visiting the various police department recruiting web sites to conduct informal salary surveys.  The impending settlement of the BPOA contract will hopefully have a positive effect on recruiting efforts.

Cadets

Police Cadets are part of the long term recruiting strategy of the Police Department.  This entry level position allows the police department to observe the work of young people who have indicated a desire to become officers, and allows the cadets to determine if they want to pursue a police career.  The current job specification allows the assignment of a cadet to the police academy without further testing, streamlining the hiring process.  Two Cadet positions were eliminated in the FY 04/05 budget.  These two positions could be reinstated immediately, and additional cadets could be added in future budget years.

Monetary Incentives

A number of monetary incentives could be used to enhance recruiting efforts:

Finder�s Fee

A $1000 incentive for any City employee who recruits an applicant who successfully completes the background process and is hired as a police officer.

Signing Bonuses

A $2000 payment to any police recruit applicant who successfully completes the probationary process.  Half of the money would be paid after the completion of the police academy, and the other half paid at the end of the probationary process.

A $5000 payment to any lateral entry officer who transfers to the Burbank Police Department from another California law enforcement agency.  Half of the incentive would be paid upon the initial hiring, and the remaining half paid upon successful completion of the one-year probationary period.

Vacation Accrual

Allow lateral transfers to apply their years of law enforcement service for the purpose of vacation accrual.  For example, a five-year veteran Sheriff�s deputy who was hired by the Burbank Police Department would begin to accrue vacation at the rate of three weeks per year instead of the two weeks usually awarded newly hired employees.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Reinstating the two vacant Cadet positions would increase the Department budget by approximately $46,000, and if approved, could be added to the mid-year revisions.

The other proposed recruiting incentives would result in a maximum of $6,000 per position (a lateral referred by a current employee).  If all vacancies were filled with lateral entry officers, a total of $42,000 would be paid.  Salary savings from the seven vacant positions could be used to fund all the proposed recruiting enhancements during the current fiscal year.  In subsequent fiscal years, salary savings from vacant police officer positions would be used to fund the cost of the recruitment incentives, resulting in no increase to the Police Department budget.

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council restore the Cadet positions and implement the monetary incentives.  An annual review of the recruiting process should be provided to Council to determine whether to retain the incentives.

Thomas Hoefel

Chief of Police

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