For City Council Meeting March 26, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: David N. Carmany, City Manager
AUTHOR: Shama Curian, Director of Human Resources and Risk Management
Title
Consideration of Adjusting the Salary Schedules for the Dispatcher and Records Series, and the Executive Assistant to the Police Chief.
RECOMMENDATION
Request City Council to Adopt Resolution No. 8193, Updating the Citywide Classifications and Compensation Schedule for Full-Time and Part-Time Employees to Amend the Salaries for the Classifications within the Dispatcher and Records Series, and the Executive Assistant to the Police Chief
Body
BACKGROUND
The Classification and Compensation Plan is a structured system designed by organizations to define and allocate remuneration for different job positions within the workforce. It's a strategic tool used to attract, retain, and motivate qualified personnel. Within the context of the Rialto Police Department, the plan is essential for ensuring fair and competitive compensation for employees in various roles, including emergency dispatchers, records management personnel, and administrative staff.
The purpose of this staff report is to address the critical issue of recruitment and retention of qualified personnel within the Rialto Police Department, specifically within the Emergency Dispatcher and Records Management series. Both of these roles are essential for maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency response services and record-keeping within our community. The current salary structures for these positions are not competitive enough to attract and retain skilled candidates. Therefore, it is recommended that the City Council consider adjusting the salaries for employees in both series to ensure that the Rialto Police Department can continue to provide high-quality services to the residents of Rialto.
Emergency dispatchers and records management personnel play vital roles in public safety and maintaining accurate records within law enforcement agencies. The demand for these positions has been steadily increasing, and the jobs have become more challenging due to various factors, including advancements in technology, increased workload, and the complexity of tasks. However, the recruitment and retention of qualified candidates for these positions have become increasingly difficult due to low salaries compared to neighboring jurisdictions, high stress levels, and demanding work schedules.
Recently, the City Council requested that the compensation of the classifications within the series of Police Records and Police Dispatch be evaluated to determine the City’s competitiveness within the labor marketplace. The Classification and Compensation Survey conducted last year illustrated a critical inequity of salary among comparator agencies for these classifications. Coupled with the constant turnover and continued staffing shortages within the Records and Dispatch Divisions of the Police Department, the City Council requested an updated review done on comparator and competitive agencies to ensure the Police Department has a viable edge in recruiting and retaining qualified employees.
A comprehensive review of the salary ranges for the classifications of Police Records Assistant I, Police Records Assistant II, Lead Police Records Assistant, Police Records Supervisor, Emergency Dispatcher I, Emergency Dispatcher II, Lead Emergency Dispatcher, and Emergency Dispatch Supervisor yielded a critical need to increase salaries by an average of 18% overall to address the recruitment and employee retention struggles within the Police Department.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
While the Classification and Compensation Survey conducted last year analyzed top step salaries to determine market equity, Police Chief Mark Kling requested that the first step monthly salaries also be studied since employees are rarely hired at the higher steps of their salary ranges. Further, it can be reasoned that the first few steps of classifications are likely a determining factor for an applicant when considering a potential employer as they are aware that they will be placed in one of those steps when hired.
A comprehensive salary review of comparator agencies with Police Records and Police Dispatch was conducted. The analysis also took into consideration those agencies the Police Department considered competitive agencies within the surrounding area, and agencies that had a similar organizational and pay structure similar to our classifications within the Police Department. The results of this review determined that the City’s pay structure for the positions within the Police Records and Police Dispatch series are significantly below market average. The table below summaries the inequity in monthly salary between our classifications and that of the comparator agencies.
The study illustrated that the City’s classifications were significantly below average at the first step of the salary ranges, with the Emergency Dispatch Supervisor at $2,656.67 per month below market average.
A subsequent review of the Department’s internal organizational structure was conducted to determine any effects to the parity among the positions within similar ranges and reporting structures. The review yielded that there was one position that would be misaligned when implementing a change to the Class and Compensation Plan for the Records and Dispatch series. The Executive Assistant to the Chief of Police position currently reports directly to the Police Chief, and handles complex, confidential matters for the Police Department. The classification is currently in the Rialto Police Benefit Association- Management Bargaining group. To continue internal equity and parity among the non-sworn positions within the Police Department, it is also recommended that the salary range for the classification of Executive Assistant to the Chief of Police be amended.
Balancing the necessity to recruit and retain a talented and qualified workforce with the internal organizational structure of classifications, staff is recommending the pay ranges for these classifications be adjusted as follows:
TABLE 2- PROPOSED BASE MONTHLY SALARY
|
Classification |
Range |
Step 1 |
Step 2 |
Step 3 |
Step 4 |
Step 5 |
Step 6 |
Step 7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Police Records Assistant |
1800pd |
$ 3,400 |
$ 3,570 |
$ 3,749 |
$ 3,936 |
$ 4,133 |
$ 4,339 |
$ 4,556 |
|
Police Records Assistant II |
2300pd |
$ 3,936 |
$ 4,133 |
$ 4,339 |
$ 4,556 |
$ 4,784 |
$ 5,023 |
$ 5,275 |
|
Lead Police Records Assistant |
2900pd |
$ 4,557 |
$ 4,785 |
$ 5,024 |
$ 5,275 |
$ 5,539 |
$ 5,816 |
$ 6,107 |
|
Police Records Supervisor |
3400pdm |
$ 5,276 |
$ 5,540 |
$ 5,817 |
$ 6,108 |
$ 6,413 |
$ 6,734 |
$ 7,070 |
|
Emergency Dispatcher I |
2700pd |
$ 4,400 |
$ 4,620 |
$ 4,851 |
$ 5,094 |
$ 5,348 |
$ 5,616 |
$ 5,896 |
|
Emergency Dispatcher II |
3300pd |
$ 5,094 |
$ 5,349 |
$ 5,616 |
$ 5,897 |
$ 6,192 |
$ 6,501 |
$ 6,826 |
|
Lead Emergency Dispatcher |
3700pd |
$ 5,897 |
$ 6,192 |
$ 6,501 |
$ 6,827 |
$ 7,168 |
$ 7,526 |
$ 7,903 |
|
Emergency Dispatch Supervisor |
4000pdm |
$ 6,827 |
$ 7,168 |
$ 7,527 |
$ 7,903 |
$ 8,298 |
$ 8,713 |
$ 9,149 |
|
Executive Assistant to the Chief of Police |
3600pdm |
$ 5,496 |
$ 5,771 |
$ 6,059 |
$ 6,362 |
$ 6,680 |
$ 7,014 |
$ 7,365 |
The new ranges would ensure reasonable compensation for the classifications and will address the Police Department’s need to remain competitive, sustainable, and equitable within the labor workforce.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The request is not a Project as defined by Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
The City of Rialto has outlined key goals and objectives relating to public safety.
Goals 5-8: Provide effective and comprehensive policing services that meet the safety needs of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney has reviewed the resolution and approved it as to form.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
The recommended action will result in an additional cost of $430,386 in total compensation (salary and benefits) for the remainder of the Fiscal Year 2023-24, which will be absorbed through cost savings from vacancies in the Police Department.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
There is no impact to the Capital Improvement Budget through this action.