For City Council Meeting [July, 9, 2019]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Rod Foster, City Administrator
FROM: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to Approve a Purchase Order to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in the Amount of $66,120 for Trimester Training and Emergency Vehicle Operations Course Training, in Order to Remain State Compliant for FY2019/2020 and to Approve a Three-Year Agreement Ending June 30, 2022.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND:
Training requirements of California law enforcement peace officers are regulated by the State's Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Officers are required to complete a minimum of 14 hours of specified training bi-annually. Peace officers in the State of California are currently in the 2019/2020 bi-annual cycle. The 2019/2020 bi-annual cycle began on January 1, 2019 and concludes on December 31, 2020. Historically, the Rialto Police Department held in-house training through the Department’s Personnel & Training Division to remain compliant with these standards.
The 14-hour mandated POST training is comprised of 4 hours of Arrest and Control, 2 hours of Tactical and Interpersonal Communications, 4 hours of Tactical Firearms and 4 hours of Driver Training and Awareness. Due to personnel attrition, support positions such as Investigations, Traffic, Narcotics, SCAT, various Regional Team assignments and Personnel & Training have been significantly reduced. Sworn personnel from these assignments have been assigned to fill basic patrol functions in order to serve the community's most critical needs and have been unable to attend POST required training.
From January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2018, the Department experienced a total of 67 vehicle collisions, in which 56% of the collisions involved police personnel who were at fault. The Department currently does not have its own Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) for in-house driver training and contracts with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, when behind the wheel training is necessary. Currently, behind the wheel training is assigned to personnel who have been found at fault of a vehicle collision and behind the wheel training is deemed necessary for corrective action. The Department is proactively changing this training need and proposing to proactively train personnel in emergency vehicle operations.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
In May, 2019, training files of 95 sworn personnel members were audited. The audit encompassed the past POST cycle (2017/2018 calendar years). The audit revealed a majority of the training files were not compliant with POST standards. The table below indicates the amount of officers who completed these training requirements:
The police department is in the process of updating officer training to once again be in compliance with POST mandated training. Department staff is recommending contracting with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department (SBSD) to achieve critical POST training standards. The training provided to officers will be enhanced beyond what is currently offered by the Rialto Police Department due to limited staffing levels. In fact, training provided to personnel by SBSD will surpass POST requirements and keep officers updated with current case laws, industry standards and regularly introduce personnel to tactics and practices used by law enforcement agencies within the region. Curriculum taught by the Sheriff's Department will provide further knowledge and skills in the areas of: Blood-borne Pathogens, Domestic Violence Updates, First Aid & CPR, Electronic Weapons Updates, High-Speed Vehicle Pursuits, Less Lethal Review, Racial Profiling, De-escalation, Pepper Spray Review, Arrest & Control, Expandable Baton, Active Shooter, Firearms, Elder Abuse, Tactical Communication, Excited Delirium, Low-Light Firearm Qualifications and Driver Training (EVOC).
Entering into a contract with the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department for Trimester Training will ensure officers at the Rialto Police Department will remain compliant with POST requirements, reducing liability, and provide department personnel with current training trends that will ultimately reduce litigation exposure.
Staff recommends City Council approve an annual contract agreement with San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department for Trimester Training for POST compliance and furthering officer’s skills and professional knowledge. This contract with SBSD will keep Rialto Police Department personnel regularly updated with required POST training.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The request is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
The City of Rialto has outlined key goals and objectives relating to public safety.
Goal 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact
Funding in the amount of $66,120 is included in the FY2019/2020 budget in Citizen Option Public Safety Account No. 214-500-6973-2021 for a Purchase Order for Trimester Training, Use of Force Orientation Session, and EVOC training through the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The approval of a three-year agreement from FY19/20 to FY21/22 is requested by the Rialto Police Department to continue POST compliance training for the Department’s sworn personnel. Funding for FY20/21 and FY21/22 for this agreement will be requested in Account No. 010-500-6285-2022 during the annual budget process.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The report does not impact the Capital Improvement Budget.
Licensing
This action does not trigger a requirement for a business license.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
• Approve the Rialto Police Department entering into a three-year contractual agreement for Use of Force Orientation, Trimester and EVOC training for the Fiscal Years 2019/2020 through 2021/2022.
• Approve an annual Purchase Order in the amount of $66,120 to San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department for Trimester Training, Use of Force Orientation and EVOC training for each fiscal year for the period of FY19/20 through FY21/22.