HomeMy WebLinkAbout10112022 Civil Servic Meeting Agenda and PacketCivil Service Commission
Meeting Agenda
October 11, 2022
3:00 p.m.
This meeting will be conducted virtually.
The City determined the meeting shall be held virtually when the October 11, 2022 Civil Service agenda was
created on Friday, October 7, 2022. The City will hold virtual meetings when a meeting cannot be held with
“reasonable safety”. “Without reasonable safety” means that the COVID-19 risk is Moderate or High, per the
dashboard located at https://www.clallam.net/coronavirus at the time the meeting is advertised.
For audio only please call: 1-844-992-4726
Use access code: 2550 977 0704
Once connected press *3 to raise your virtual hand, if you wish to make a public comment. You will be
notified when it is your turn to speak. This access code is good for the October 11, 2022 meeting only.
If you are joining in through the Webex link:
https://cityofpa.webex.com/cityofpa/onstage/g.php?MTID=ea8894e697be61be50f901dcea78f91cc
and wish to make a comment or public testimony, please use the “raise your hand” feature in Webex. You
will be notified when it is your turn to speak.
1.Roll Call
2.Approve Minutes
1.January 27, 2022
2.May 26, 2022
3.Roles and Responsibilities:
•Assistant City Attorney, Chris Cowgill
•Deputy Director of PenCom, Karl Hatton
4.Public Comment Period
Civil Service Commission Meeting
1/27/22
Meeting Minutes
Agenda
• Introductions/Roll Call
• Updates from Police and Fire Departments
• Review and Discuss Roles and Responsibilities of Deputies
• Public Comment
• Adjournment
Late Item – approve meeting minutes from 7/21/21 – minutes approved
Meet start: 1:05pm
Roll Call – all here
Danetta Rutten
John Brewer
Brooke Nelson
A Fountain asked D Rutten if she would like to run meeting, said she would like Fountain to run meeting
this time. Fountain reviewed agenda.
I. Introductions – Police Chief Brian Smith, Fire Chief Ken Dubuc, Attorney Chris Cowgill, Karl Hatton
not present
II. Updates from Police Department – Chief Smith
Legislative changes in 2021
Staffing/attrition
Lost 7 employees in one year
5 of 7 left the profession, other 2 retired
Pencom – started year out with 8 vacancies, now have 7
Recruitment & retention struggles continue
Chief mentioned new hires to replace 7 PO vacancies
Won’t be fully staffed until mid-fall
Doing well compared to SPD Considered an outlier.
Legislation – creation of unit to investigate use of force #1 issue – impacts staff moral
Crime in PA about the same as in 2020
PenCom/Council CBA brought up wages. More competitive.
First City to recognize Dispatchers as first responders.
Working with county on new EOC/911/west side fire station building.
Has impact on staff moral
Currently working in a small space
Recruited Karl Hatton from Jeffcom/PenCom Director position to become Deputy Director of
PenCom
Karl working with Legislature to recognize Dispatchers similarly to sworn police officers
Finishing up 2021 report
III. Updates from Fire Department – Asst Chief Sanders
Proud of the relationship between PAPD and PAFD
Work together as a team.
5600 calls in 2021. Challenging. about 15 calls per day. Very busy.
Community Paramedics – up to 3 staff primarily grant funded
Doing spectacular work
Reach out to high volumizers of 911 - Roughly 48
480 calls/referrals for staff of 3 – 60-70% reduction in 911 use and need for them to go to ER
COVID – 900 vaccines administered by Community Paramedics.
Testing for City employees
Staffing is the biggest challenge
Difficult for recruitment & retention
People leaving Fire service
Competing with other agencies, especially on paramedic side.
Promoting PA
80% turnover rate in last 5 years
Bringing in qualified, driven, great people.
Currently 2 vacancies
Increased medic 1 rates 5 years ago since then unable to fill positions.
Staff continue to do a great job despite challenges.
IV. Deputy/Assistant Chief roles -
Matches other law enforcement agencies
Models military chain of command
PAPD 3 divisions – Operations, Records, PenCom
Sent org charts
PenCom - 17 agencies
Chief Smith explains chain of command in PenCom
Divides up workload evenly
Hatton/Viada comparable workload – peers
Chain of command flows through Director
Deputy Viada – run day to day operations “all the cop stuff” – sworn officers, code enforcement,
volunteers, reserves – duties include
5 Sergeant direct reports
Schedules – Patrol Teams - 24 hours per day/4 days per week with staggered start times
Detectives – Detective Sgt, SRO, get large cases from patrol most work is crime against children,
some suspicious deaths, some major incidents, narcotics team member (Sgt)
Admin Sgt – training program, code enforcement, backgrounds for new employees, volunteer
coordination
Specialist assignments – picked by Sgt, finalized by Chief
Assign daily work
Primary media contact/social media
Review all domestic violence investigations
Review all use of force under the lens of law & policy
Review all pursuits
Review complaints/assign detective. Communicate with complainant.
Oversee/enforce uniform standards
Policy updates
Grant management
Rediscovery – social services
Stonegarden – extra patrol on the border
Evaluations for Sgts and review evaluations performed by Sgts.
Annual audits – always looking for an indication of bias-based policing
Manage fleet of 36 vehicles
Hearing’s officer when needed
Accreditation oversight
Deputy Hatton – run day to day operations of PenCom
Records Supervisor Jacobi – oversees Records operations
D Rutten comment – appreciate the discussion. Make video show what first responders are doing. Put
on YouTube. Positive – so much negative things out there.
Chief Smith referred to fireworks video made a few years which featured him and Chief Sanders
V. Assistant Chief Sanders
Use Assistant Chief In lieu of Deputy Chief
Title of Fire Marshall – prevention & code enforcement
Evaluate for safety/fire protections - buildings (new/old construction), events, new
operations/business
Work with CED & Public Works to review permits
Inspection program – reduced since covid. Do what we can. Interact with new business owners.
Creates good report.
Sparky program. Teach the principles of how to be safe at home.
Shift Officers trained to review all fires. Trained to investigate.
Use resources such as code enforcement and preventative
Other 50% - other duties as assigned. Mostly administrative. Fleet maintenance.
COVID/Infection control
Assistant Chief Sharp
Assistant Chief of Operations & EMS
Department wide training Fire & EMS
In compliance with standards/industry best practices
Officer development training
EMT/Paramedic ongoing training
Specialized training
Training for career and volunteer personnel
¾ of line staff have less than 5 years of experience.
Training is a big component of getting them to be able to operate at high level.
Nationally, depts aren’t running to fire calls daily.
Must spend a lot of time training and building skills
Department safety officer – oversee safety committee
Personnel health & safety
Risk analysis
Risk reduction strategies – look at injuries
Operationally – develop goals, policies, standards
Fleet/equipment oversight
Recommendations on promotions of personnel
Relationship with public - Chair of Cl Co EMS Council, meet monthly
County-wide ems training
Utilize same ems training
Listed other committees
Work on funding opportunities
FIRE Pilot Program – reduction in workers comp rate
Rotate duty chief with Chief Sander & Chief Dubuc
Performance evaluations
Continual review of insurance safety rating
VI. No public comment
Adjourn: 2:10pm
Civil Service Commission Meeting
5/26/22
Meeting Minutes
Agenda –
1. Roll Call
2. Police Sergeant Roles & Responsibilities
3. Process information regarding union grievance versus civil service appeals
4. Public comment Period
Start: 10:09am
Roll call -
Danetta Rutten
Brooke Nelson
John Brewer
Staff in attendance -
Ken Dubuc
Chris Cowgill
Jason Viada
Kari Martinez-Bailey
Karl Hatton
Abbi Fountain
D Rutten started meeting. Talked about why the agenda has the topics it does she mentioned she was
interested in training, especially for new commissioners. Asked for roles & responsibilities of police
sergeant with papd. Meant to add mid-management for Fire Dept too.
I. Deputy Chief Viada – sergeant’s roles and responsibilities
Ever town, every agency is different. State of WA is least policed state in the country (51st)
Sgts carry a heavy burden.
5 Sgts, all work for Deputy Chief
Each position has a lot of responsibility. Sgts job number one is to take care of their people
Sgts must make tough decisions on the go, Each Sgt responsible for positive discipline, most
often no need for negative discipline, but if need Sgt gets facts to Deputy Chief and an
investigation occurs.
5 Sgts are a team within a team. Sgts rely on each other and their subordinates to assist in
accomplishing tasks during an emergency.
Prepare them to be ready for next step up if necessary. Prepare them so that I am not needed
(Deputy Chief)
Patrol schedule – Chief/Deputy Chief gives them people, Sgts are responsible for managing the
schedule.
Critical component of Sgt is to proofread reports.
Patrol Sgts responsible for prioritizing calls.
Patrol Sgts must make the call as to whether or not a case should be referred to detectives.
Detective Sgt determines what cases will be investigated. Ability to make their own decisions.
Has to prioritize workload for officers in detective division.
Narcotics/opnet Sgt. – Detached office. Multi-agency. Brian King from Sheriff’s office runs opnet.
Supervising everyone with a different union contract. Making sure everything they do meets
peer review standards. Working crimes that have a drug nexus. Controlled substance homicide.
Operations/Admin Sgt – ensure accreditation for the PAPD. Management of training for officers.
Run the training annually or to make sure a certified instructor delivers the training. Supervises
code enforcement officers. Serves as back up to patrol.
J. Brewer – What is the training cadre?
Officers have variety of training. Many of them involve instructor certifications. Will deliver
instruction to other officers. Overseen by Admin Sgt.
D. Rutten – asked Ken Dubuc to provide information on mid management.
II. Fire Department chain of command
8 people per shift – Captain, Lieutenant and EMT or Paramedic. Minimum staffing is 5
Rarely have Captain and Lt. on duty at same time. Always one officer in charge every day. Officer
in charge is responsible for making decisions on all 911 calls.
Chief – Asst Chief Fire Marshall – Asst Chief Operations – Chief duty schedule weekly
Will respond to large incidents. Raely take over but will be there for
support/resources. Place all decision making with Captain or Lt.
In training if not responding to calls. Inexperienced staff. Goal is to train as much as possible.
Officers selected/promoted by assessment process.
Quasi military – strict chain of command. Chain of command goes in both directions.
Have 2 days and 7 hours left until retirement. Asst Chief will be interim role until next Chief is
selected.
Good working relationship between the PAPD and PAFD.
III. Union grievance process and Civil service Appeal process summary
A Fountain provided process summary
A Fountain explained union grievance process and the difference with civil service appeals.
K. Dubuc – PAFD has only had one grievance filed in 22 years. Good relationships. Gratifying. If
people know you care, don’t resort to grievance process before brining things to management’s
attention.
J. Viada – reason why PAFD and PAPD don’t have many grievances is because the Sgt and Capt’s
are the first step and resolved at that level. Rely on them to prevent problems.
D. Rutten – will ask two people during next meeting to talk – Karl Hatton, Communications Director and
Chris Cowgill, City Attorney. Next meeting hear from both of them on what their jobs entail.
Public Comment 11:10am –
LSW councilmember – thank you.
No other public comments.
Will set next meeting.
Adjourn: 11:12am