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Home My WebLink About01102001CITY OF SEBASTIAN HOME OF PELICAN ISLAND SEBASTIAN CITY COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2001 - 7:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1225 MAIN STREET, SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA 2. 3. 4. Mayor Barnes called the Regular Meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Invocation was given by Police Chaplain Frank Camillo - First Baptist Church of Barefoot Bay. ROLL CALL City Council Present: Mayor Walter Barnes Vice Mayor Ben A. Bishop Mr. Joe Barczyk Mr. Edward J. Majcher, Jr. Mr. James Hill Staff Present: City Manager, Terrence Moore City Attorney, Rich Stringer City Clerk, Sally Maio Building Director, George Bonacci Finance Director, Mark Mason Police Chief, Randy White Public Works Director, Terry Hill Parks Supervisor, Chris McCarthy Administrative Secretary, Joanne Sandberg City Council Meeting January 10, 2001 Page Two AGENDA MODIFICATIONS (.ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS) Items not on the written agenda may be added only upon a majority vote of City Council members (R-gg-21) Mayor Barnes requested addition of an Arbor Day proclamation under Presentations as A. 1. There was a 5-0 voice vote to add the item. Mr. Barczyk requested that New Business item I be moved to New Business item A, 1, There was a 5-0 voice vote to add the item. 6. PROCLAMATIONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND/OR PRESENTATIONS 01.001 A. Presentation of Life Saving Award Ribbons to Officers Rachel Branen and Chris Rodriguez Mayor Barnes and Chief White presented life saving awards to Officers Branen and Rodriguez, A. 1. Proclamation - Arbor Day Mayor Barnes read the Arbor Day proclamation and announced a ceremony at City Hall on January 20, 2001. 01.002 B. Formal Presentation by Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council - CR512 Charrette Marcella Camblor, of Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council gave a lengthy formal presentation of the CR 512 Charrette process. Tape I - Side II (7:47 p.m.) The presentation continued. The City Manager suggested that, if Council was satisfied, it would be appropriate at this time to make a motion to initiate implementing the plan as presented. He recommended that he would then go forward to make a presentation to Indian River County to solicit a partnership and investments accordingly. MOTION by Majcher/Hill "1 make a motion that we move forward with this Charrette process, to continue it, and implement it." ROLL CALL: Mayor Barnes - aye Mr. Bishop * aye Mr. Barczyk - aye Mr. Majcher - aye Mr. Hill - aye MOTION CARRIED 5-0 City Council Meeting January 10, 2001 Page Three 01.003 C. Presentation by Charter Communications - Update on Imj3rovements Ken Vickers, General Manager, Charter Communications, distributed a map exhibiting completed areas and a mailout that had been distributed to 6000 homes in the City; and gave a lengthy presentation on the cable improvements which he stated, should be in place by January 29, 2001. He requested to be scheduled for the February 14, 2001 meeting for the City's first live broadcast on the new government access channel. He then responded to concerns from Council relative to customer service. Julianne Barrett, asked if everyone will need a box and Mr. Vickers said it will be necessary for pay per view and digital service only. 01.004 D. Presentation by International Association of Chiefs of Police - Dispatch Study The City Manager said this is a synopsis of the study only, and, for the record, any future arrangements to be made either way would be done so during budget adoption; and requested that any public input be withheld at this time. Dr. Robert Ford reviewed the report as presented to City Council (see attached). Tape II - Side I (8:30 p,rn,) Chief White noted that personnel from the Sheriff's Department were available in the audience to respond to questions. Dr. Ford responded to questions and concern from Council and a lengthy discussion followed. It was requested that before any decisions are made, information relative to prior City Council action on the dispatch matter be distributed to Council. Chief White was asked to provide telephone numbers for Dr. Ford and Sheriff's personnel to City Council for their use in the review of the matter, Mayor Barnes called recess at 9:08 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 9:25 p.m. All members were present. 7. CITY ATTORNEY MATTERS A. Reports: 01.005 Overgrown Lots (Memo) The City Attorney briefly reviewed language that had been previously addressed. Mr. Hill said his concern was primarily for older residents who are not capable of cutting back nor paying for cutting back vegetation that is encroaching onto their property. Other members agreed with him, however, the City Attorney inquired what level of encroachment it would consider a problem and what action would be taken to address the problem, He was asked whether there are current nuisance codes which might address this. Tape II - Side II (9:35 p.m.) lular City Council Meeting y 10, 2001 Page Four The City Attorney said that piling of yard trash is covered by the nuisance ordinance; and advised that perhaps some community effort could be established through groups such as Boy Scouts. Mayor Barnes suggested that Council review backup and that this item be placed on the February 14, 2001 agenda for discussion. Council concurred. 01.006 Construction Damage to Roads The City Attorney said he was still working on language for this ordinance. The City Attorney received a 5-0 voice vote approval to submit an application for the Board of Governors for the St. Johns Water Management District. 8. CITY MANAGER MATTERS 01.007 A. Presentation by Buildin.q_Director~_George Bonacci - Portable Sanitary Facilities The Building Director cited direction from a former Building Official in 1986 to require portalets on construction sites as allowed by the Southern Building Code. He advised that portalets do not leak waste if they fall over on their sides, and recommended that restrictions on portalets in right- of-way be repealed due to lack of enforceability. Mayor Barnes requested that this be placed on the February 14, 2001 agenda. 9. CITY CLERK MATTERS None. 10. CITY COUNCIL MATTERS A. Vice Mayor Bishop None. B. Mr. Barczvk None. C. Mr. Hill None. D. Mr. Maicher Mr. Majcher asked if it had been determined what Indian River County boards require alternate members and the City Clerk reported that the information will be compiled prior to the first regular meeting of the new City Council after the March election. O. egular City Council Meeting January 10, 2001 Page Five Mayor Barnes Expressed concern for the appearance of the pawn shop across from Walmart on US 1 which is located in a County enclave. The City Manager said he will be bringing back an annexation recommendation on the January 24, 2001 agenda. Recommended language requiring that drainage ditches for future housing projects and commercial development be piped Said he didn't see any visible enforcement of the new parking ordinance 11. 12. 13. CONSENT AGENDA All items on the consent agenda are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion, There will be no separate discussion of consent agenda items unless a member of City Council so requests; in which event, the item will be removed and acted upon separately, A. Approval of Minutes - December 20, 2000 Regular Meeting MOTION by Bishop/Barczyk "1 move to approve the minutes of December 20." ROLL CALL: Mr. Bishop - aye Mr. Barczyk - aye Mr. Majcher - aye Mr. Hill - aye Mayor Barnes - aye MOTION CARRIED 5-0 PUBLIC HEARING - None INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUSINESS FROM THE PUBLIC Item that has occurred or was discovered within the previous six months which is not othen/vise on the agenda - sign-up required - limit of ten minutes for each speaker Sal Neglia, Sebastian, said Council should take exception to comments from Vero Beach Councilmember Capra who stated the proposed VA Clinic should not be built in Sebastian; reiterated his concerns about cell phones in vehicles; and inquired what will happen if boy scouts fall on private property. Mayor Barnes noted that there is a meeting scheduled with Congressman Weldon. Maura Raborn, 155 Harris Drive, Sebastian, expressed concern for what she perceived as a disparity in the method of calculating franchise fees. The City Manager said the Finance Director is available to address these types of public concerns. In response to Mr. Hill, the City Manager said that $922 balance for the Capital franchise fee had not yet been paid, 15. OLD BUSINESS - None Regular City Council Meeting Janua~ 10,2001 Page Seven 01.0t0 16. MOTION by Barczyk/Hill "1 make a motion that the meeting be extended to 11 pm." ROLL CALL: Mr. Hill - aye Mayor Barnes - aye Mr. Bishop - aye Mr. Barczyk - aye Mr. Majcher - aye MOTION CARRIED 5-0 NEW BUSINESS Appropriate An Amount Not to Exceed $1000 and Authorize Councilmembers to Attend National League of Cities Conference in Washinqton, DC - 3/9/01 throuqh 3/13/01 (City Clerk Transmittal 1/4/01, Brochure) The City Clerk stated that the appropriation needed for education for two Councilmembers would be approximately $1500. Mayor Barnes reiterated the cost would be $1500 to send two people and he would be the second person. (Review of the tape reflects that no motion was made, therefore this item will be placed on the January 24, 2001 consent agenda) ROLL CALL: Mayor Barnes - aye Mr. Bishop - aye Mr. Barczyk - aye Mr. Majcher - aye Mr. Hill - aye MOTION CARRIED 5-0 i~gular City Council Meeting nuary 10, 2001 ge Eight old A.I(I) Lions Agreement Ol. Oll 01.012 01.013 01.014 01.015 Recommendations were made as follows: more bands, less campaigning, increased safety issues. Discussion took place on projected costs and sources of funding. The City Manager recommended language be modified to reflect that the Lions Club and the City would work together to facilitate arrangements for event activities and requested direction to have the City Attorney draft an agreement. There was a 5-0 voice vote to proceed. Waive Bid and Authorize City Manager to Enter Into Agreement with John Woodstock as Consultant for Skateboard Park at Barber Street Sports Complex in the Amount of $30~000 (City Engineer Transmittal 12./29/00, Letters of Commendation, Proposal) John Woodstock presented a proposal for the skateboard park. The City Manager assured Council that the balance of funds will be sufficient for the project. MOTION by Majcher/Bishop "1 move to waive competitive sealed bid requirements, and authorize staff to enter into an agreement with John Woodstock as consultant for the skateboard project, in the amount of $30,000." ROLL CALL: Mr, Bishop - aye Mr. Barczyk - aye Mr. Majcher - aye Mr. Hill - aye Mayor Barnes - aye MOTION CARRIED 5-0 The City Manager recommended that items C, D, E, and F be postponed to the next meeting and City Council concurred, These items will be placed first on the January 24, 2001 agenda. Discuss Possible Alternatives Re: Restroom Facilities at Yacht Club, Hardee Park and Barber Street Sports Complex (City Engineer Transmittal 1/02/01, Bid Tabulation Form) Approve Kimley Horn & Associates, Inc, Work Order #1 to Design Roadway Improvements for Traffic Signal at Barber Street and Schumann Drive in the Amount of $37,500 (City Engineer Transmittal 12/29/00, Exhibit "A" Scope of Service & Fees, Exhibit "B" Interlocal Agreement) Approve Purchase of Chevrolet One Ton Pickup Truck in the Amount of $27,957 and Chevrolet S-10 Pickup Truck in the Amount of $13,324 for City Garage (General Services Administrator Transmittal 12/19/00, Quotes) Approve Purchase of Two Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Model #CC25903 3/4 Ton Pickup Trucks in the Amount of $40,848 from Maroone Chevrolet from Florida Sheriff's Association Bid #00-08-0905 (Parks Superintendent Transmittal 1/02/01, Quote) alBl~egular City Council Meeting nuary 10, 2001 ~laP;g e Nine 01.016 G. Approve Purchase of Digital Imaging System Software and Hardware for City of Sebastian Records from Shell Office Systems, Orlando, Florida from State Negotiated Aareement Price ~SNAPS) - Dell Comj~uter from Florida State Contract and Miscellaneous Hardware/Software in a Total Amount of $24,800 (City Clerk/Finance Transmittal 1/02/01, Shell Quote, Misc. Hardware/Software Quote. Dell Quote, SNAPS II Agreement) The Finance Director stated there were savings in the Capital Projects fund for this purchase. MOTION by Bishop/Barczyk "1'11 move to piggyback SNAPS ii contract and award Shell Office Systems the installation, software, scanning hardware, and training in the amount of $16,467.55 and appropriate $24,800.00 for the Scanning/Records Retention Project." ROLL CALL: Mr, Barczyk - aye Mr, Majcher - aye Mr. Hill - aye Mayor Barnes - aye Mr. Bishop - aye MOTION CARRIED 5-0 01.017 H. First Reading of Ordinance No. O-01-02 - Building Permits - Schedule Public Hearina for 2/14/01 (Finance Director Transmittal, 0-01-02) AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, FLORIDA, AMENDING CITY CODE SECTION 26-35 CHAPTER 26 ARTICLE II BUILDING CODE; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. The City Attorney read Ordinance No. O-01-02 by title and advised that on page circle 98 - $7.50 should be stricken. MOTION by Bishop/Barczyk "1 move to adopt Ordinance O-01-02 and set public hearing for February 14, 2001 and advertise same." ROLL CALL: Mr. Majcher - aye Mr. Hill - aye Mayor Barnes - aye Mr. Bishop - aye Mr. Barczyk - aye MOTION CARRIED 5-0 The City Attorney pointed out that "approve" should read "pass" since this is only a first reading, 17. Being no. further business, Mayor Barnes adjourned the Regular Meeting at 11:05 p.m. Approved at the~.~(:X./'',r¢~ (J~ C~ ~ , 200j~ Regular City Council Meeting, WaltZes City Clerk CONSOLIDATED DISPATCH THE' SEBASTIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE Prepared by The International Association of Chiefs of Police CO NSOLI DATED .DISPATCH THE SEBASTIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND. THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFIC Prepared by The International Association of Chiefs of Police December 2000 Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................ · ................. 1 Executive Summary ................................................................ ...........................2 Chapter I: The Sebastian Police Department Communications Function ......... 4 Section Section Section Section Section Section Section Section 1: The Communicatio, ns Center ........................................ 4 2: Organization and staffing ............................................. 4 3: Workload .................................................................. ~'...5 4: Field Activity ................................................................. 8 5: Computer-Aided Dispatch .......................................... 10 6: The Radio System ...................................................... 10 7: Officer Perspectives ................................................... 11 8: Observations ............................................. ? ................ 12 ChaPter I1: The Indian River Sheriffs 'Communication Function ..................... 13 -Section Section Section Section Section Section SectiOn Section Section Section 1: The Communications Center ...................................... 13 2: Organization and staffing ........................................... 14 3: Workload .................................................................... 14 4: The 9-1-1 System ........................................................ 15 5: The Radio System ...................................................... 16 6: Policies and Practices ................................................ 16 7: Fellsmere and Indian River Shores ............................ 18 8: Officer Perceptions ..................................................... 18 9: Technology Perceptions ............................................. 19 10: Observations ............................................................ 19 Chapter II1' Consolidation ................................................................................ 20 Section 1: Section 2: Section 3: Section 4: Section 5: Technology ................................................................. 20 Service Capacity ........................................................ 21.:,,~ Cost Considerations ............................... ' .................... 22 Employee Concerns ................................................... 23 Laptops for Police Cars .............................................. 23 Chapter IV: Consolidation Transition Plan ....................................... , .............. 25 If Consolidation Does Not Occur .................................................. 27 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River Sheriff's O~ce INTRODUCTION In May of 2000, the IACP contracted with the Sebastian, Florida Police Department (SPD) to study the feasibility of consolidating the communications function of the SPD with the communications function of the Indian River Sheriff's Office, which would host the combined operation. Objectives of the study were' to: Identify potential benefits of joint dispatching Identify potential disadvantages of joint dispatching Identify staffing, equipment, training, space, and related conversion and operating issues and requirements Assess, broadly, cost impacts. This report presents the results of our study. Dr. Robert Ford, criminal justice faculty member at the University of Central Florida and former chief of police of the City of Port Orange, Florida, served as principal analyst. He prepared this report. Work was reviewed and approved by Jerome A. Needle, Director of Programs and Research at the IACP. We wish' to acknowledge the following individuals for their exceptional support during the study process: Chief Randy White, Sebastian Police Department Ms. Sandy Fox, Dispatch Supervisor, Indian River County Sheriff's .Office. Consofidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Pofice Department an, d the Indian River Sheriff's Office EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Sebastian Police Department serves a growing community. It can be anticipated that both the agency and the community will continue to grow. Service demands and officer workloads are appreciating. The Communications Center is at a point where additional investments are needed to meet growing call loads. SPD dispatch operations are very basic. Still, they consume a substantial portion of departr~ent resources. This report provides an analysis of the managerial, operational, and financial implications of a consolidation of Sebastian's ,Communications Center with the dispatch function of the Indian River Sheriff's Office. It also .provides recommendations for the future development of Sebastian Police Communications if consolidation does not occur. Factors considered to determine whether communications consolidation is appropriate for the. SPD include: readiness of the technology potential of the proposed host agency; ability of the host to deliver necesSary services effectively; economic implications of the merger; and employee perspectives and concerns. The readiness potential of the proposed host agency is high. Both 9-1-1 and a radio system are already in place in the SherifFs Office. To place Sebastian officers-on the Sheriff's Law Enforcement Talk Group,. an officer only needs to turn his or her radio to a different talk group. Emergency phone calls (9-1~1) are already answered at the Sheriff's Office. To dispatch SPD officers a call-taker only needs to enter the call into the CAD instead of forwarding it to the Sebastian Communications Center. The proposed host agency, the Indian River Sheriff's Office, has the ability to .deliver necessary services effectively. The Sheriffs Communications Center is well equipped, employs professionally trained staff, and presently delivers quality services. Most components are in place to provide .quality dispatch service to the Sebastian Police Department. Cost considerations are favorable for consolidation. Through economies of scale, overall savings can be achieved, particUlarly by reduction of personnel. Savings` for Sebastian could be significant, while still maintaining quality services. Current outl.~ys for communications are in excess of $300,000 per year. One factor could hamper the quality of dispatch services for the City of Sebastian. The Indian River Sheriff's Office dispatches law enforcement patrol services on a single channel. This talk-group serves the criminal deputies, the City of Fellsmere and the City of Indian River Shores. This talk group is presently nearing saturation during high volume periods. A second patrol channel would be needed for high volume periods, were Sebastian's Dispatch Center to consolidate with the Sheriff's. Consolidation with 'Sebastian will not require additional full-time Sheriff's dispatchers in and of itself. It ~Would.:simply hasten the inevitable. Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian Rive/- SherifFs Office Our analysis suggests that with a second dispatch channel for high volume periods, the Sheriff's Communications Center could provide the Sebastian Police Department with quality dispatch services with significant cost savings. Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River SherifFs O~ce I. THE SEBASTIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS FUNCTION The City of Sebastian encompasses 13.5 square miles. CL~rrent population is approximately 16,500, with 4,000 additional winter residents. The population is growing, an estimated average of 600 new residents yearly. Projections suggest continued population growth and a larger service area resulting from annexation. Growth is reflected in calls-for-service'increases handled by the SPD Communications Center during the last five years. SPD staff totals 46. Thirty-three (33) of the 46 are full-time sworn police officers. Twelve (12) civilians provide staff support. The SPD is also responsible for code enforcement. Code enforcement staff, a police officer and a civilian, utilize SPD radio and dispatch. The SPD hosts an active volunteer group which conducts a range of services that rely, in part, on communications services. Continuing growth promises that the number of officers served by the Communications Center will also continue to grow. Number of officers served is a key variable in calculating dispatch center workload. The SPD Communications Center will need additional staff and equipment to service the needs of more officers and process calls- for-service increases. SECTION 1: THE COMMUNICATIONS'CENTER The Communications Center is located in police headquarters. All' operations are housed in one large room, convenient to both restroom facilities and a break area. The dispatch area has a window to the lobby which permits staff to serve visitors. This lobby window is secure. A locked door to the main hallway limits access. The d~cor is pleasant and the room and equipment are in good condition. Space is available to accommodate growth and additional equipment. An emergency generator is in place for backup power, A taping system records incoming calls. SECTION 2: ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING Communications is a unit in the Support Services Division. The Division is commandad by a lieutenant. Communications Center staff totals eight: one supervisor; five full-time dispatchers; and two part-time dispatchers. The supervisor has administrative and records duties in addition to communications management duties. Dispatchers staff the Center 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year. Shift hours are 8:00 'a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.; 12:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. The Center is generally staffed by one dispatcher per shift. At full staffing, a second dispatcher sometimes works during high-volume periods. Continuing turnover among dispatchers Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian POlice Department and the Indian River Sheriffs Office has generally restricted staff to one dispatcher. combined in Sebastian~ Call-taking and dispatching are Turnover. Staff shortages have resulted from high turnover among dispatchers. When a dispatcher retires or leaves.for another job, it takes considerable time to fill the position and to train the dispatcher to work alone - up to three months, occasionally longer. During the period of recruitment and training, veteran dispatchers must work overtime to cover the personnel deficiency. Dispatcher reaction to forced overtime tends to aggravate a situation. Overtime is taken kindly at first. Additional money provides incentive. However, after a month o,r more of heavy overtime, dispatch staff tends to burn out. Seeking time off, dispatchers call in sick. This causes other dispatchers to have their days off disrupted by being called in and creates a round-robin of frustration. Often the end product of this frustration is further turnover. Four dispatchers, including the supervisor, are among long-term employees. Budget. Communications is budgeted at $300,399 for fiscal year 2000-2001. The majority of funds are personnel, $264,116, 88% of the total. Operating expenses include telephone lines fees (to connect to the radio system); a ring-down .line for ANi/ALI/and various leases and equipment repairs. For the coming year, $31,183 is budgeted for operating expenses. An additional $5,100 is set aside for capital equipment purchase. Salaries. Dispatcher wages are competitive with some neighboring agencies. SPD dispatchers start at $9.22 per hour and peak at $11.86. Salary is lower than at the Sheriff's dispatch center. Benefits at Sebastian also do not appear to be as good. Dispatcher turnover is an industry-Wide problem. Pay is simply not competitive in terms of the skills required, the pressure experienced,' and the shift work.. Pay schedules can make a difference. Salaries that approach the pay level of sworn officers tend to retain a far higher proportion of dispatch staff. SECTION 3: WORKLOAD Principal sources (and measures) of Communications Center workload are: [] Incoming Cai.Is- Total Number .... [] Dispatched Calls- Total Number [] Walk-in Activity - Total. .Incomin.q Calls. This category of workload includes calls received on two numbers, 9-.1-1 and the agency's seven-digit non-emergency number. The Communications Center cannot provide reliable documentation on number of incoming calls. The study team developed estimates through sampling procedures that focused 5 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Po/ice Department and the Indian River Sheri~s Office on the two source categories and extrapolation from the sample results. We estimate the annual total number of incoming calls to be 36,500. Two 'thousand four hundred and forty-six (2,446) walk-ins are also projected. All Indian River County residences are Enhanced 9-1-1. Enhanced 9-1-1 attaches an identifier to every phone number in the area. These identifiers link to a specific Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). When a resident dials 9-1-1 the phone company computer automatically directs that call to the specified PSAP. The County has two (2) PSAPs, one in the City of Vero Beach and one at the Sheriff's Dispatch Center which receiVe all countywide 9-1-1 calls, including Sebastian. This results in a slight delay. Calls for police services are first routed to the Sheriff's .Office and then transferred to the Sebastian Police Department Communications Center. Each transfer increases the probability of error. If a decision is made not to consolidate with the Sheriff's Office, installing a 9-1-1 PSAP in Sebastian Communications should be considered to reduce response time to emergency calls. An average of three 9-1-1 calls Per day were received during the two week sampling period. Sampling occurred during the slower summer period. Activity picks up during the tourist season, the winter months. The SPD can anticipate a daily call average of five to six 9-1-1 calls per day during winter months. Using two base figures (3/day and · 5.5/day) we .estimate an annual incoming 9-1-1 call Icad of 1,547. Incoming phone traffic on the seven-digit lines is heavier. Activity for a two-week. sample period, by hour of the day, is diSplayed in Table 1. For the two week period an average of 95 calls were received daily.· This projects to 34,675 calls annually. This sample underestimates true annual: call rates since it was conducted during the traditionally quieter summer season. Dispatchers advised that workload during the winter months is probably 25-33% higher. If even approximately accurate, a truer estimate of seven digit incoming call Icad is 40,135 (17,385 for summer months and 22,750 winter months). Calls pick up and remain high during the workday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. They drop noticeably after 7:00 p.m., and on the weekends. This section left blank intentionally 6 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River Shedf-Fs Office Table 1 AVERAGE SEVEN-DIGIT CALLS PER Hour Number of Calls Hour Number of Calls HOUR 2400 1.0 1200 9.0 0100 1.6 1300 7.6 "' 0200 1.0 1400 7.4 -",' 0300 0.7 1500 5.3 '- 0400 0.3 :1'600 5.1 :~ 0500 0.7 1700 5,0 '"'~' 0600 1.5 1800 ' 3.2 ~:' 0700 4.7 1900 3.2 ! 0800 10,0 2000 2~5 :" 0900 11.0 2100 2.4 1000 8.5 2200 2.1 'i;, 1 t O0 10.3 2300 1.5 '-~" Average N = 95 per day :~ (Projected based on two week Sample) Table 2 patterns the hourly data in time blocks. The. four-hour period in the morning, 8:00 a.m. to noon is the peak period for incoming seven-digit calls. These. break outs are useful for scheduling dispatchers and designing shifts. r~ Table 2 SEVEN-DIGIT CALLS - TIME PERIODS Time of Day Call Average 12:00 - 06:00 (Midnight to 6:00 a.m.) 07:00 - 17:00 (7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..) 08:00 - 12:00 (8:00 a.m. to Noon) 17:00- 23:00 (5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.) .97 perhour 7.60 perhour 10,00 perhour 2.50 perhour Seven-digit calls are motivated by several classes of citizen needs. Our observations and calculations suggest a three-way break out. A number of seven-digit calls are administrative in nature - calls for police administrators, detectives and officers. For these calls, the Center is serving as a switchboard. Rough calculations suggest about one third of seven-digit calls are for department members and do not require further dispatch efforts. Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Po/ice Department and the Indian River Sheriff's Office Communications centers serve as a primary information resource for communities. When garbage will be picked up during a week with a holiday is a frequent question. Information concerning special events, how city officers can be reached, and a myriad of other information is sought from communications centers. It is estimated that up to 25% to 30% 'of seven-digit calls are information requests. These require no further dispatch action. Calls from residents for emergency services are the third category. To estimate this number, we examined, calls-for-service data, separated officer-initiated work, and assumed that the majority of these calls were .generated by a call from a resident. An estimate of 9,000 seven digit calls-for-service was developed. Realizing that a number of 9-1-1 calls and seven-digit calls for any one incident may be multiple (about a third) we estimate that the number of seven digit phone calls that require dispatch or other service from the SPD is 12,000 - 13,000. Dispatched Calls. Unlike incoming phone call data, reliable dispatch data are available. Dispatch' cards provide/permit accurate calls-for-service (CFS) accounting. A card is time punched for each call dispatched. Dispatch cards indicate that 32,781 calls-for-service were dispatched in 1999. Time an officer arrives and leaves a scene is also recorded. The dispatcher records information on the nature of the call, location, name of complainant, name and general overview of officer actions at the Scene. Walk-In Activity, The sample 'indicated .an average of seven visitors, daily, who · request direct assistance in the lobby. This projects to 245 service events annually. Workload Trend. Calls-fOr-service and radio traffic are increasing. Comparison of calls-for-service in 1996 and 1999, a four-year period, shows an increase of 64% (20,019, 1996) (32,781, 1999), an annual average of 21%. Increase is particularly 'evident during the daytime hours. Between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. call loads will soon require a second dispatcher, particularly on weekends when the volunteers are active. SECTION 4: FIELD ACTIVITY :Table 3 displays the composition of 1999 calls-for-service (dispatched calls). Types.,~3f dispatched calls impact the communications function in different ways and degrees. As the. table below reveals the Sebastian Police Department is proactive and service "oriented. While in the short run proactive and service oriented calls are labor intensive, "in 'the long term such community policing strategies do tend to reduce crime and disorder, leading to future reduction in need for police response. Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River Sheriff's Office Table 3 SEBASTIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT CALLS-FOR-SERVICE 1999 Abandoned Vehicles 178 Accidents (vehicle) 240 Agency Assists 1,096 Alarm Calls 1,139 Animal Calls (bites, injured, sick, etc.) 70 Barking Dog Complaints Building Checks §,476 Burglary 257 Criminal Mischief 191 Disabled Vehicle 227 Flag Downs 49 Found Property 150 20 Fraud 216 Illegal Parking 109 Loud Music 4,065 Misc. Calls-for-Service 22 Missing Juvenile $6 Phone Calls (lewd, harassing, etc.) 331 Police Information 1,612 Police Service 9 Property Damage 122 Stand B¥'s 178 Suspicious Incident 341 Suspicious Person 214 SuspicioUs Vehicle 214 Theft 97 Traffic Control 5,423 Traffic Stops 93 Welfare Checks 1,021 10~28 Checks 376 9-1-1 Hang-Ups 407 96 Adult Arrests 3,155 Juvenile Arrests Traffic Citations ' ':';~' ', These are the calls as initially dispatched. The final classification of these calls, based investigation may differ. · These calls do not add up to the total number of dispatch calls. · enforcement and certain volunteer calls. ':'·Source,: 'Di.~patch Log Not included in this total are calls for code ::.':'..::?.'7'raffic enforcement, a major proportion of dispatched calls, demands more of the .'.":~ .icommunications center than many police undertakings. Each traffic stop generally ":".i::':'i.r. esults in a number of inquiries into the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC). .:, ".:::.iCitations and accidents require similar inquiries, Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian F~iver Shedff's Office Table 4 TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT 1999 ~ Traffic Citations 3,155 CI Traffic Stops 5,423 i~'r' Traffic Control 97 :'~ Illegal Parking ?.16 ~ :' Accidents .24.0 TOTAL ': :,. S~urce: 'Dispatch Log '~::i:~ ~iunteers. run errands for the department, taking vehicles to the repair shop, for They deliver paperwork to the Courthouse, State Attorney, and Sheriff's Volunteers conduct vacation house checks, funeral escorts, and assist with irking enforcement. During 1999, volunteers conducted 7,152 house ·watches and · funeral escorts. Each event required interaction with the Communications Center, ... "'°ften'multiple interactions. The SPD'.'is responsible for Code Enforcement. Two full-time staff members, one of which is a police officer, operate as code enforcement officers. While they do not rely as heavily on the radio as field patrol officers, they introduce calls for Communications "to address. SECTION 5: C;,OMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCH Sebastian does not have a computer-aided dispatch system (CAD). This is a problem for'the Communications Center, par[icularly 'during high volume periods. ~ CAD systems serve as dispatchers' "memory." They keep track of calls, safety checks, unit availability and flag dangerous locations or individuals. CAD systems encapsulate coi~:hmUnieations policies and procedures; call priorities; and backup. CAD systems provide reports, As the SPD groWs and call loads increase this assist to communicationS'" staff will be absolutely necessary, :;~i~', SE TION 6. THE RADIO, SYSTEM '-',,'~,:i" =!:~'i'i~!.,., '~?.: ~mmumcat~ons ubl~zes a trunked 800 MHz radio system installed by GE-Ericsson ~r .' = ~he. system operates on 24 800 MHz frequencies. Fifteen frequencies are use~ '"~:,.'"":~':°n~sumulcast five fr' ' ' di~ .~i;:.. ' . equenc~es west/east and four frequencies for mutual a~d. Ra ~i~:.::':'.;,: ": ;, 10 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River ShedfFs Office traffic is dynamically rerouted to open frequencies. One may call dispatch on one frequency, receive an answer from dispatch on yet another frequency, and thank the dispatcher on a third frequency. Trunked radio systems are a marriage between radio and computer. "Sebastian shares this system with the Indian River County Sheriff's Department and several other police agencies in the County. The radio system" is administered and .'maintained by Indian River County's Department of Emergency Management. The "System is countywide in scope, By routing calls selectively, the system permits each · ':'. User to operate on the system as if it were their own separate radio system. Each law :enforcement agency is responsible for maintaining the equipment used to access the .:'SyStem, such as mobile and portable radios and dispatch consoles. SPD · .Communications Center. has a control module which permits it to dynamically ~.,..:.:....reconfigure the radio system. This radio system is state-of-the-art and has sufficient · ."..:.capacity to accommodate the additional radio traffic that future grov~h will spur. · ~i:," .:~ !?. The ' Sebastian Police Department has 35 mobiles and 37 portables in good condition. :'..:.;.'?Radio transmissions, monitored during ride-a-longs with'officers, appear to be excellent ::ii~i?i~..!throughout Sebastian. Officers compliment the radio system. SECTION 7: OFFICER PERSPECTIVES Interviews were conducted ·with 12 officers, representing all shifts. on: Experience with the center Interviews focused Views on consolidation. Officer views of the SPD'Center are generally positive. Every officer interviewed regards senior dispatchers as knowledgeable, concerned and willing to do a little extra. . They are particularly complimentary about safety checks that dispatchers make, their willingness to research situations, and make calls for the.officers. Dispatchers look up phone numbers and connect officers, check information for officers and take messagc¢. 'Calling and seeking information from residents and witnesses is often done at the behest of an officer. .... A number of officers expressed concerns about newer dispatchers. They note that "': newer dispatchers are sometimes confused, unfamiliar with officer safety issues and are . too streSSed to end the level of assistance received from senior dispatchers. Officers t;~!' .:.':'!.??!'.bel'~e::that the new dispatchers will improve. Several officers fear continued turnover ~':":i; '::;?;~':"'in disCatch staff. ;~lt?ii?Offic~r~.'ifeel that dispatchers are particularly attentive to local residents and provide "'~' :?.::';'Se'rviCeSthat no other agency's personnel would. Dispatchers, officers believe, provide 11 Consolidated Dispatch; The Sebastian Police Deparfment and tho Indian River Sheriff's Office a wide range of personal services generally not provided by the larger communication centers. Officers agree that as Sebastian grows and the Center is required to respond to.. a higher volume of calls, individualized service will decline as it has elsewhere. Officers observe that to remain viable the Center needs better equipment and that some ..dispatchers need additional training. Concerns about consolidation are evident. Officers: Fear they will become second-class citizens with deputies receiving priority. ' Feel that the Sheriff's dispatch is too busy to absorb Sebastian traffic. Are concerned that response time will suffer because Sheriff's dispatchers won't respond as quickly to Sebastian calls. Are concerned that County dispatchers will not take as much interest in their welfare nor check on officers as frequently. Are worried that the positive relationship with the residents will falter because Sheriff's dispatch will refuse to dispatch service calls so common 'to Sebastian. ..;.~ ..Q Will lose the extra support assistance that their own dispatchers provide such as looking up phone numbers, saving phone messages, doing :':: ' research and making phone calls. .. '~ Are apprehensive about having to learn a new system. These concerns, quite typical, are sincerely felt. Communications is the lifeline of officers and they are most protective of it. It is natural, as well, to be apprehensive . about change, particularly to something as important as a dispatch center. SECTION 8: OBSERVATIONS Service demands and i=:i~he..sebastian police Department serves a growing community, ":i~ffiC'~'~"~:'l°a'ds are appreciating. Both the agency and the community will continue to grow. Th,~ Communications Center is at a point where additional investment is needed ~c mee,. growing call loads. .Calls-for-service, incoming phone calls and officer requests have reached 'a level that makes it difficult for a single dispatcher to keep full control. 12 Consofidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River Sherf~s Office Call volumes are mounting. Days are particularly heavy, when code enforcement and volunteers are in service. Late mornings and afternoons will soon require a second dispatcher, This will require additional staff. The Center will need a new CAD system. A CAD system requires a platform on which to operate. Sebastian will need a new computer system to host CAD as well as a.number of peripherals such as UPS and printers. A new record system may be needed, it is important that the CAD system be integrated with the department's computerized records system. (Sebastian's current USA RMS has a companion computer-aided dispatch system, which Sebastian would consider for a CAD.. This was one of the considerations in the purchase of this record system.) Consideration should be given to providing direct 9-1-1 service as a public safety answering point to the SPD Communications Center. Q Turnover remains a problem. Higher salaries for dispatchers should slow turnover. Additional staffing to anticipate turnover will reduce the . ~,'~.~. deleterious impacts of turnover. Both require financial investments. .'SP'D communications operations are very basic. Still, they consume a high proportion :.~ ':.,:of.:.!.r._esources then do communications.centers in large departments. As departments 'grOw!larger economies of scale become available.' Relative costs of dispatching fall. t'. The ~.f. oregoing considerations and their managerial, .operational, and financial .... .~'? ':i~ip'lications are central to examination of consolidation. !1. THE INDIAN RIVER SHERIFF'S COMMUNICATION FUNCTION ' ;To position ourselves to comment authoritatively on the consolidation options the communications operations of the potential host were examined. Resources, policies :a:nd",.pr...actices, and professional capability to provide quality emergency services to the :citiz'ens~.of Sebastian received primary attention. 'SECTION 1' THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER :.:.The ,Indian River Sheriffs Communications Center serves the SherifFs Office, the Fellsmere Police Department and Indian River Shores Public Safety Department. It ~also,diSpatchers all fire and emergency medical units in Indian River County. It is one 0f.'.t~o Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in the county. The second is in Vero Beach. 13 Consolidated Dispatch:. The Sebastian Po/ice Department and the Indian River Sheriff's Office The Center has appropriate space and proper equipment for a professional communications center. The Center, located in the Sheriff's Administration Building, .has sufficient security procedures in place. Access'is through secure passageways. A i lock bars access to the Center itself. Policies and procedures regulate entry to the .Communications area. The dispatch area is well designed and thought out. ~;':Dispatchers are located close enough to each other to communicate face-to-face when :.:criSes arise. They are located far enough apart so that they doh't interfere with each . :?ther. The d~cor is pleasant. The room is clean and well organized. This'Center has i..':=..emergency power. 'A large generator powers the Center when electricity is not '.:!~/ailable, Battery backups are available tc~ maintain the CAD and other computer ...:~yStems. 9-1-1 phone calls are recorded. ':.' ";i::' i~,. SECTION 2: ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING · .:i:;:~'?~):m'mUnications functions 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year. The room is configured dispatcher positions, two call-taker positions and a supervisory (dispatch) '? ;;:):=,:..'~.~,e.. There is a hookup in the Center, which provides the potential for one more ~ ..... :~,,,.~ ...... position. All positions have the capability to answer 9-1-1 calls. Five.'dispatch consoles are currently available. In addition to a 24-hour law enforcement " .dispatch" position, an administrative and information dispatch position which addresses civil, jail and transportation functions is staffed, between 8:00 a.m, to 12:00 p.m.. This ..?~.? .;.:' position also serves as an information source for accessi'ng law enforcement databases :il. :::::.~.: such as "NCIC and FCIC. A third, position is staffed 24/365 for fire and emergency ,~ · ,~,:~., .:~!~: .- , · ... , * ..::..:?..:'.::.:?::~:me.d~cal~.serv~ces. The fourth poSition is the supervisory console, used by supervisors to ~::'" 'monitor sitUations and to assist when necessary. A fifth console is staffed, infrequently, for special details/events. There are two positions for call-takers. One position is staffed 24/365. The second is filled during higher volume shifts. i!~::: .... .:::~ . SECTION 3: WORKLOAD '"~!ii: '::i:..!?.The":'i.'i:nldian River Communications Center s active averaging about 5,000 CJalls Call loads have increased steadily over the past five years as 9-1-1 the cou;~ty i':'!~I i?~i:'~ ...... ha~' experienced population growth. Since 1995, 9-1-1 calls have increased by 32%, an e of 8.0%. Continued increase should be anticipated. (9-1-1 call totals '~'~:'in:c ~de' Calls for Sebastian.) 14 Conso/idated Dispatch: 7he Sebastian Po/ice Department arid the Indian River Sher/f?s Off/ce Table 5 INDIAN RIVER SHERIFF'S COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 9-1-1 CALLS Year Number of-9-t-1 Calls 1995 44,833 1996 51,493 1997 51,145 1998 54,165 1999 59,096 The Communications Center does not count incoming seven digit calls. Indian River C-&:u:'nty'"Communications staff estimate that the number of seven digit calls equals the number of 9-1-1 calls. Dispatched calls-for-service data tends to support the estimate. ..In 199.9, the Center handled 122,296 calls-for-service, almost double the number of 9-1- 1 .calls received. While this figure includes self-initiated work by deputies and officers, 'and emergency medical and fire calls, the vast majority of these calls were telephone~ .initiated. Including traffic stops and other police actions, 152,197 incidents were .recorded. Of these, 7,756 were fire or emergency medical related. .. Table 6 · :"'.., ,INDIAN RIVER SHERIFF'S COMMUNICATION CENTER - DISPATCHED CALLS BY YEAR i Year Dispatched Calls I .,'.' 1995 105.026 "'... ' 1995 109,943 ,.. ;". 1997 117,784 1998 126,624 1999 122.296 SECTION 4: THE 9-1-1 SYSTEM 'River County is served by E-9-1-1. A 9-1-1 call from a resident is automatically routed to the. emergency center. Enhanced 9-1-1 links each phone in an area to an '"*"~':':~!~.~..P'oint. All phones in Vero Beach are linked to the Vero Beach Police Department's Dispatch Center. Phones in Sebastian have not been configured to go to Sebastian Dispatch. 9-1-1 calls from the City of Sebastian are routed to the indian "-':'i:::i!'i::'!:"~Ri{;~0r"'Sh~';i.~,", .Communications Center. An Indian River Communications Center call- ".,..~.4'" .... a' ,,,.,,, ,....,s'""' the call. If it is from Sebastian, the caller is advised the call is being ';:."i,i::t~a:d~feiTed: to the Sebastian Dispatch Center. The Indian River Sheriff's .:-commun. ,.. cations Center uses a one-button transfer to send the call to Sebastian. 15 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River Sheriff's Office 2. SECTION $: THE RADIO SYSTEM ii..':.~1~ Sheriff's Communications Center operates on a countywide 800MHz GE-Ericsson .. :.i.:!tr..u~ked radio system, Trunked systems have the capability to provide private talk ..g.rouPs:..to specific subsets of radios. A talk group is similar to what in legacy systems : ....=-~w_.ascal!ed a channel, a shared set of transmissions. To the deputy or officer in the field ' :"?!i:iti..iaPpears· that they are operating on a separate channel. This trunked system has 24 .:..'.:.::~ii'.:':ii~h'.a~n'nels available. All police and fire agencies in Indian RiVer County share this radio -'The Sheriffs Office, Fellsmere and Indian Rive~"Sho'res share a law enforcement talk group for dispatching of calls-for-service. Sebastian has its own talk group for dispatching police calls. Vero Beach has its own talk group for dispatching police calls. Veto Beach has its own talk group as well for dispatching its calJs. There are other law ~nforcement talk groups within departments tying together a set of police radios for special purposes, narcotics/vice, special events, and talk around, for example. ,.T. alk groups are enabled by software that links a set of portables, mobile-radios and the console together to share transmissions. While officers may actually be using different frequencies, for all intents and purposes, it appears to the officers that they are on the same.frequency. Alert tones for serious calls in progress are broadcast to alert officers "' ...and =deputies who may be utilizing the alternate talk group. ;: ,' '..!..',, .. ,; - .'.' SECTION 6: POLICIES AND PRACTICES ... · .'A,.:call-taker answers all incoming 9-1-1 calls. Address, name of the phone customer "and the phone number come up on the call-taker's screen. Reason for the call and .pertinent information are keyed into the CAD system. This information, is automatically '.tran~sfer. red to the computer screen of the appropriate dispatcher. The process of '." handling'non-emergency calls follows a similar less hurried path as 9-1-1 calls. 'l'h. dian River Communications basically operates two talk groups. The law enforcement ,.talk group is the main broadcast channel for Sheriff's law enforcement and police · 'se~ices. in indian River Shores ~nd. Fellsmere. All law enforcement services a~ ha'ndled on this talk group. One dispatcher serves this talk group. Sebastian operate8 on.a. separate independent talk group. Agencies however can monitor each other's talk :groups.· ~he'"'.administrative talk group is the second. This talk group services the 'communications needs of the administrative staff, the jail, civil deputies, transportation ce,',,L:;:e;~ cr:c serves as an information channel for all staff. A second dispatcher I:,,t, · ~'"' '~ I'" "J'l~ ,., ~,~-~', ..... group, Nationa~ Crime Information Center (NCIC), Florida Crime · il!.n;~c)i:'mati°n':Center (FCIC) and other law enforcement databases are queried for id~:~'ties:anc~ offiCers by this dispatcher, who also supplies information on licenses, Consol/dated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River Sheriff's Office warrants and wants, registrations, missing and endangered persons and' stolen vehicles. ':Volume of calls remains high on the law enforcement channel. Approximately 15 road deputies, two community policing deputies, two to four traffic deputies, two canine deputies, one to two Fellsmere officers, one to two Indian River Shores Officers and 0ftena couple of detectives operate on the law enforcement talk'groups at one time. ~R'anch' and Grove deputies also may use this talk group. Communications managers '.find':20-25 active officers t° be the limit that a 'dispatcher can handle. Active deputies and;~:officers would include officers on regular patrol, canine officers and traffic officers, '.COmmunity policing deputies and detectives usually put less demand on dispatchers ;a.nd.~:':.use the radio less frequently. Having a second dispatcher provide information ~se~ices to officers significantly reduces pressure on the primary dispatcher. This action ~ti.~-"extended the functionality of the law enforcement channel. W. hile dispatcher response is adequate most of the time, the call loads on the law enforcement talk group argue that, in the near term, there will be a need'for a second law enforcement talk group and a reduction in the number of officers and deputies on the present law enforcement talk group. Addition of the active officers from 'Sebastian ~?,:.wp.?!d~:,'exceed the capacity of the present talk group during high volume periods. It is important to note that the Indian River Sherifffs Office will need a second law enforcement channel, shortly, whether Sebastian Consolidated Dispatch becomes a reality or not. This second talk group will be needed during high volume periods only, not 24-hours-a-day. .The Communications Center is aware of the high load on the law enforcement talk group. Recently. they tried to divide the law enforcement talk group, using State Road 60 as the divider. They returned to the current configuration after protests from deputies that dispatched calls to deputies in the other sector could not be heard. They ,want to be knowledgeable about calls countywide. The desire of deputies to hear calls countywide notwithstanding, it is just a matter of time before the county must go to two law enforcement dispatch talk groups During emergencies, such as hurricanes, the ... ":'Commuriications Center splits the law enforcement talk group along State Road 60. ~ ~-~:, .:.' ,':~ :~ . ,' ....... . .' ~.. ".'~"::,::.- 'CAD.~.SySl~ems house geo files which he p route officers to emergency scenes A gs'~ i:~i' .i' file...'..i~'.::.in!.;,Place for Sebastian 9-1~1 calls from Sebast an are identified as '~' ..'.~":,,'.S'..".= .. '. ' originating in ~. .:...... ebast~an:....CAD alerts the call-taker to' forward the cai to Sebastian CommunicationS' '~.'. '...~....'.', The CAD is routinely backed-up. Tapes are changed regularly. ~":! .. Dispatch personnel are not happy with the CAD system. They criticize the speed, the ~ "" ":i'.:~.'n.umbef"of. screens they have to course through, and the general absence of d spatcher i..:'../..:.,~aids.i... :..i,t is 'not uncommon for dispatchers to dislike a new CAD after using another for · : '"=~': ':"':'ye.a'r.',si""~'~.':~.~",,T-h'e.. current CAD dispatch system meets the specifications, but the r '" ...... '"sYstem tow · ecords ,. , :.'.". '.. .,. · h~ch ~t ~s linked has not functioned as promised.. As a result, the records · ': system,is not used and will probably be replaced. This opens a question on the future ': '~!"!he'"CAD"since records and CAD work in tandem. 17 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River SherifFs Office . Dispatchers appear well trained and radio demeanor .is professional. New dispatchers receive extensive training and are involved in an FTO program. Additional training is provided to dispatchers on a number of topics. Radio monitoring ,revealed that dispatchers know how to dispatch and maintain radio discipline. During the periods monitored, dispatch loads did not appear high, nor could radio traffic be characterized as heavy. ... SECTION 7: FELLSM.ERE AND INDIAN RIVER SHORES Fellsmere and indian River Shores police are dis, patched by the Indian River Sheriffs Office. Fellsmere and Indian River Shores are small police departments that field one or two officers per shift, indian River Shores, a public safety department, has more complex radio needs since it responds to fires and medical emergencies as well as police calls, Staff of these agencies were interviewed. All stated that they are satisfied with the dispatch services that they receive from the Indian River Sheriff's Officel As positives, they cite the up-to-date' equipment of the Sheriff's Office, the professional demeanor of dispatchers, and the ability to communicate directly with deputies and officers from other departments. They do not feel that they are treated as second-class officers. The one negative cited is that radio traffic is a little too high during peak volume, periods. Two officers interviewed worked previously in' agencies that had their own dispatch center. When queded about a comparison, they observed that the current system worked just as well, Fire dispatch for the Sebastian area is provided by Sheriff's Communications. Fire staff appeared to be satisfied with the services provided. SECTION 8: OFFICER PERCEPTIONS SPD .officers routinely monitor the Indian River Sheriff's law enforcement talk group. They keep close watch on what is occurring on their peripheries. From time to time they interact with the Indian River dispatchers. SPD officers were queried about their perceptions of the skills of the Sheriff's dispatchers and how well they think the prima~:~., dispatch channel operates. Officers are unanimous in assessing Sheriffs dispatch as a very professional operation, Overall, officers feel that Sheriffs communications is better equipped and dispatchers are excellently trained. They acknowledge that the Sheriff's Office has good dispatchers. They are concerned about call loads and overloading of the law enforcement talk group. They believe that Sheriffs dispatchers would not provide the level of personal service that they now receive from 'their own dispatchers. 18 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River Sheriff's OffiCe SECTION 9: 'TECHNOLOGY POTENTIAL Dispatch environments are changing. Important technologies are leading the change. Laptops in police cars, when tied to digital radios, interface with computer-aided dispatch systems. Interfaces are available with information repositories such as the National Crime Information Center an.d the Florida Crime Information System.' This permits silent dispatch. Silent dispatch has dramatic implications for workload reduction. It reduCes the number of radio interactions. A dispatcher simply enters the nature of the call, and pertinent information, and sends it to an officer's laptop. An officer can acknowledge the call has been received. An officer can notify dispatch by a single keystroke that he/she is on scene. When a call is complete, an officer can receive his report number and digitally send any information needed. All this can be done without a single voice transmission. Radio-linked laptops permit direct transmission of information from the laptop, license, registration, warrant, wants and other personal information. Direct inquiries by officers cut the workload of the information talk group dispatcher. Messaging through laptops promises to free up air space. Car-to-car. messages reduce voice communications permitting supervisors and officer-to-officer information transfer. The sheriff has laptop capability. Presently, 16 sheriff's, vehicles have laptops linked to the radio system. These laptops can do NClC/FClC checks directly from the police cars. They are not presently enabled for silent dispatch or messaging. Enabling them would invoive purchase and installation of software. Sebastian Police Department has noted interest in securing laptops for their police cars and are presently field-testing laptops for report-taking. Four officers currently use laptops to write reports. Overall, substantial communications productivity gains are available to the Indian River County Communications environment. SECTION 10: .OBSERVATIONS Sheriff's dispatch is professional and disciplined. Staff is well trained and knowledgeable. Policies and procedures are in place and observed. The Center housed in quality space, is secure and well equipped. Dispatch is supported by an,.. excellent radio system. A computer-aided dispatch system and enhanced 9-1-1 provide additional technical support. Knowledgeable supervisors and administrators direct center operations. ' There are minor negatives. This Center, like many, experiences turnover problems. Some of the newer dispatches, while trained, are not as experienced. Turnover has not been as high as in many other centers and center personnel have been able to cope fairly well. 19 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Pofice Department and the Indfan River Shed, s Off/ce The computer-aided dispatch system does not provide the ease of use that disPatchers would like. It is a minor irritant. The law enforcement talk group, which supports a sizeable number of deputies and officers, is meetings its mission. By shifting information requests to a second talk group, the effectiveness of the law enforcement talk group would be extended. As the area continues to grow, it is only a matter of time before a second law enforcement channel will be needed. Introduction of laptops with inquiry, silent ali§patch and messaging capabilities has important and sometimes contradictory implications. Full implementation of laptops will increase the number of units that can be addressed by a dispatcher.. It will also decrease or eliminate-the need for an information talk group, Introduction of laptop related technology might alter the relationship between dispatcher and officer.. Officers will be doing most inquiries, calls, and other activities themselves, utilizing either cell phones or computer interfaces. Many of the concerns officers have about impersonal services and lack of amenities, should the centers consolidate, will no longer be relevant due to changes wrought by these technologies. Iii, .CONSOLIDATION Factors to consider to determine whether communications consolidation is appropriate for the SPD include: technological readiness of the proposed host agency; ability of the host to deliver necessary services; economic implications of the merger; and employee perspectives and concerns. SECTION 1: TECHNOLOGY Consolidation requires rerouting telephone and radio technology to the new host. This. can be costly. 'In the current instance, rerouting will not be necessary. Both Sebastian and Indian River County 9-1-1 and the radio system are already in place in the Sheriff'S Office. All that is necessary to place Sebastian officers on the Sheriff's law enforcement talk group is for officers to run radios to a different talk group. Emergency phone calls (9-1-1) are already answered at the Sheriff's Office. A call-taker will only have to enter a call in the CAD for dispatch instead of forwarding it to Sebastian. Seven-digit lines that now ring in Sebastian Dispatch would have to be transferred to the Sheriff's call- taker position. This should not be expensive. A lobby phone that rings down in the Sheriff's dispatch center should be installed for walk-ins. Sebastian dispatchers enter and retrieve information to and from the department's record system. This capacity must be retained in a consolidated environment. A ~umber of options are available: 2O consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Po/ice Department and the Indian River Sheriff's Office. Sebastian could link its record system directly to the Sheriff's CAD. The record system could be updated either on line or through a batch program, each night. Given the Sheriff's Office commitment to the current CAD and the potential cost of programming an interface, this option is not recommended. At some future point, with longer-term prospects for the cOmputer-aided dispatch system, this option might become viable. The SPD could merge its record system with the Sheriff's Office and enter and access records through terminals in its station. To users, this would appear to be their own system. ,The CAD could automatically update this records component since they are dynamically linked. The Sheriff's Office is in litigation with their record vendor and is looking for another record system. Accordingly, this option is not recommended at this time. The SPD could secure a terminal on the Shedffs CAD and inquire into and keep track of their calls-for-service and other information; This .would involve the c°st of a ,leased line and terminal and the permission of the .Sheriff. This would be a reasonable solution for an interim period. The SPD could receive paper reports on a daily, weekly or monthly basis that detail their calls-for-service and other dispatch activities. This would also be an acceptable short-range solution. If Sebastian is to consolidate its dispatch operation, it will have to develop a computer interface to allow access to calls-for-serVice on a timely basis. In the long run, it is impor[ant that 'Sebastian's record system be linked to the call originating CAD. Increasingly, police agencies are joining together in regional information sharing systems. New records technologies permit agencies in a shared environment to maintain their own databases. They also permit an agency to maintain limited access to certain records and to appear to be that agency's own system. 'All this occurs in shared environment permitting the ability to view all incidents and events within the region. It also permits, with proper permission, access to the regional name and arrest fides for modus operandi. SECTION 2: SERVICE CAPACITY The Indian River Sheriffs Communications center is well positioned to deliver quality service to the SPD. It is well-equipped, employs professionally trained staff, and presently delivers quality services, Only one factor would hamper the quality of dispatch services, The law enforcement channel (talk group) is presently nearing saturation during high volume periods during the day and the evening. Our calculations suggest that the addition of Sebastian officers to the law enforcement talk group would stretch the dispatch resources too far. Sebastian's 32,781 calls-for-serVice in 1999 is a respectable 27% of Indian River 21 Consolidated Diapatcl~: The Sebaatian Police Department and the' Indian River Sheriffs Office County's 122,296 calls-for-service load. The Law Enforcement Talk Group cannot absorb an increase of this magnitude. To include Sebastian, two law enforcement dispatch talk groups will be needed during days and evenings. With growth continuing, the Sheriff is expected to go to a second law enforcement talk group shortly. There have been attempts to do this in the recent past. Plans are in place to initiate such a second talk group during emergencies. Emergency 9-1-1 calls'will not pose a burden. Call-takers initially screen all Sebastian's 9-1-1 calls. It would take only minimum additional effort to enter the call into the computer. Seven-digit calls, the majority of Sebastian call load, will impact call-takers, particularly during the daytime when these callS'cluster.. Sebastian receives about 35,000 to 37,000 seven digit calls for service. Calculations suggest that about a third are administrative. These would not transfer to Sheriff Communications. Another 25% to 30% of calls are for information. The majority of these information requests being Sebastian-specific, would probably not migrate to Sheriff's dispatch. This leaves a core of about 30 additional calls per day that could transfer to the Sheriff's Communications Center. While we believe that current call taker staffing should be able to absorb this additional load, Sheriff's staff should review current call-taking loads. To reduce dispatch'load for a consolidation, Sebastian could reduce calls-for-service and dispatch activity. Code enforcement calls and activity' could be removed from the channel.' Code enforcement calls are so few that we recommend that they stay on the .channel, especially since one of the two agents is a police officer. House checks produce a substantial number of calls-for-service (5,476). This is an important service and should be maintained. These communications, could be addressed by use of a secondary talk-group dispatched by a volunteer or could be continued on the regular law enforcement talk group. The Sheriff's Department currently puts their secondary units, volunteers, civil deputies, and detectives on their secondary channel. This could be done with Sebastian's secondary units as well, if consolidation becomes a' reality. Removing house checks or code enforcement will not reduce the need for a second law" enforcement talk group. We recommend that these calls continue to be addressed. ~'To provide the services that Sebastian requires we recommend a second sheriff's law enforcement talk group. Without a second talk group, consolidation will not work {~r Sebastian SECTION 3: COST CONSIDERATIONS Cost considerations are favorable for consolidation. Overall savings can be achieved through economies of scale, particularly reduction of personnel. Savings could be substantial for Sebastian. Current outlays for Communications are in excess of $300,000 per year. Hidden in Communications Center costs are those for record entry and other services that will have to continue, even after consolidation. Shift costs are 22 Consofidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Pofice Department and the Indian River Sherfff's Office likely to increase - to fund additional dispatchers for the day and. evening shes. With the growth that is occurring in Indian River County, Sheriff's dispatch will soon need an additional talk 'group for days and evenings, under any circumstances.. COnsolidation with Sebastian will not require additional full-time Sheriff's dispatChers in and of itself. It will simply hasten the inevitable. If costs are an obstacle-for the Sheriff, consideration should be given to establishing a Municipal Service District .for the three cities of Fellsmere~ Indian River Shores and Sebastian, to fund a portion of the costs, for. additional dispatchers. SECTION 4: EMPLOYEE CONCERNS MoSt-Sebastian officers oppose consolidation. Reasons were discussed earlier. This reaCtion, comes as no surprise. Patrol officers, in particular, face a chaotic world. Faced 'with daily uncertainty, "officers naturally cling to routine. Officers are correct that there will be some diminution in perks that dispatchers currently provide. Such perks '~'re 'most likely to decline ir~ the near term even without ConsOlidation. As call loading continues to grow within Sebastian, dispatchers will be forced to confront the higher workloads and. limit services to officers. Consolidation will simpl.y bring such realities to Sebastian sooner. ~ · The growing ,computerization of dispatch services Will also work to reduce the personal services provided to officers by dispatch. Making inquiries and phoning complainants ..are the two most common services--cited, by officers. With the advent of laptoP · computers in police cars, officers will find themselves increasingly involved in making inquiries and looking up information in department, 'state and federal databases'. With cell Phones officers will find themselves phoning complainants and witnesses directly, more frequently'. .; SECTION S: LAPTOPS FOR POLICE CARS If consolidation becomes a reality we recommend that a portion, of savings be invested to outfit SPD vehicles with laptops, interfaced with NClC/FCIC. This will provide a direct consolidation' benefit to officersl Interfaces will reduce pressure on the sheriff's information,, ch~n.nel. Interfaces should be added for silent dispatch and record inquiries, when the Sheriff's computer-aided dispatch and record systems are ready for these interfaces. Only gross cost estimates can be provided for iaptops.' 'Equipme.nt costs for. each car may approximate $5,000, including laptop, modem and car mount. Software costs are difficult to estimate since they are tied to a larger software package. Estimates range from $1,000 to $4,000 per vehicle. Finally, CDPD interfaces to connect the laptop in the car with the department's computer system may cost approximately $50 per month, per vehicle. 23¸ Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River SherifFs Office ersonalized dispatch service. 7 summarizes the conditions that favor and oppose consolidation. Overall, the key question is channel availability on the Sheriff's radio. If a second dispatch channel were to be made available during the high volume periods, then consolidation would provide a quality dispatch service at a. substantial saving. The addition of a second sheriff's dispatch channel during high volume periods will be needed shortly whether Sebastian consolidates or not. Consolidation should not add 10rig-term additional 'costs to the 'County since this additional, dispatch channel is needed. Consideration shOuld also be given if ,consolidation beCOmes a reality.that at least a portion of savings realized be set aside to provide technology for Sebastian's officers to offset their loss of Table 7 CONSOLIDATION FACTORS That Favor Consolidation Emergency 9-1-'1 system is already in place at the Sheri~s Office. With Sheri~s personnel dispatching, there should be a slight reduction in delay, since call-takers will not have to transfer calls. Sebastian Police Department is operating on a shared radio system. ConSolidation would involve simplY changing talk groups. ...- Cost savings stand to be gained for Sebastian from merged efforts. Cost savings could provide SPD officers with important new tools, such as laptops in the police cars. Eme~ing technologies in Communication automation will change the face of police dispatch. These changes will lead to increasingly automated dispatch with officers doing more inquiries,. contacts with the citizens and CAD entdes from the cars. The personal service and assistance will gradually diminish even if Sebastian maintains its own communication center. ,nditiOns That O~)pose Consolidation The Sheriffs law: enfomement channel does not currently have the capacity to address the Sebastian Police Department in addition to current deputies and officers. Sebastian officers are generally opposed to consolidated commUnications. They fear that they will become second-class citizens and that the level of service that they receive from Communication will decline. Sebastian's Communications Center provides a series of. other services for the police department that will need to be transferred elsewhere. Dispatchers currently run inquiries for detectives, perform some records duties and serve as the internal switchboard. The costs for transferring these functions must be deducted from any potential savings. 24 Consofidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Pofice Department and the Indian River Sheriff's Office iV, CONSOLIDATION TRANSITION .PLAN Consolidation requires preparation to ensure a quality outcome. Above all, .it demands coOrdination. The following actions and issues must be part of the planning process. Consolidation Manarlers. One person in each agency should be. assigned responsibility for consolidation. These two staff members should meet regularly during the planning and implementation stage. · FOllowing merger, an SPD liaison to Indian River dispatch should be appointed. Transition Plan. The two managers, with necessary staff support, should develop and submit to governing bodies, or their delegates, a detailed plan describing new arrangements, authorities, and the myriad of additional considerations that will be central to consolidated service. ;' Policv Guidelines. PoliCies and procedures.must be developed: - ProtoCOls for dispatch of SPD officers - Written guidelines, jointly eStablished. - Liaison procedures and feedback mechanisms. EcluiDment Reviewed. A number of equipment addressed: -' Rerouting the seven-digit number that now Dispatch. matters must be serves Sebastian A ring-down line must'be installed in the Sebastian lobbY area to provide after hour access to walk-ins to the Sher'rff's Communications Center. - Methods to link t° indian River's CAD or obtain necessary data. Information Resources UI3date. Information about Sebastian should be provided to dispatchers and entered into the Sheriffs CAD: - Maps of Sebastian include beat and sector descriptors. Phone numbers and other information support materials should be assembled and entered into the CAD and placed at the appropriate dispatch positions. 25 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Police Department and the Indian River Sheriffs Office - Emergency call out procedures. Officer listS, with home and cell phone numbers, emergency notification materials, and other emergency information. - Fleet descriptors, for each vehicle. ..Develor~ A Training Plan. A Training Plan should be developed for Sheriffs dispatchers to enable them to process Sebastian calls knowledgeably. Training should address the structure of the. Sebastian Police Department, specific needs or procedures of' the SPD, protocols, and rules for dispatching.· A training plan should be established for all Sebastian officers. This training .would review the new procedures under Which the officers will be operating. Training plans should be retained for new replacement dispatchers and officers. Review And Assignment Of Duties. Once training, is completed, implementation should .follow quickly. During. the initial week,' the implementation manager should closely monitor consolidated dispatch.' Special attention should be paid to call-taker loads. Dispatch Retention. Even if consolidation goes forward, Sebastian should retain dispatch equipment and capability. It is further recommended that some personnel in records be 'trained to dispatCh.. For special events, Sebastian Police Department shoUld consider fielding 'a temporary dispatch capability. This will maintain Sebastian's ·ability to provide communications rapidly and without a high initial inVestment in case there is future need. Inauirv capacity. With dispatch closed in' Sebastian, secure access to" NCIC/FCIC has to be provided, There are situations' when a detective or officer does not want to share inquiries with dispatchers. For such cases we recommend that the current inquiry terminal .be maintained and detectives and officers trained to utilize it. A records staff member should also be trained. This will provide a capability for the department to make inquiries off the air. It will also' provide ability to get hard' copies and criminal histories for officers. Monitori'n~q Protocols. Regular monthly meetings should be scheduled, at least for the first year. A committee should review progress, 'monitor quality, resolve difficulties, and monitor incident forms. The secret to success of any consolidated service is maintenance of quality service for both agencies. It is important that a mechanism be established so that Sebastian's concerns can be addressed on a' day-by-day basis. Most consolidated agencies use a communications incident report to detail a · 26 Consolidated Dispatch: The Sebastian Po/ice Department and the Indian River Sheriffs Office problem with 'dispatch that has occurred. The Communications Manager then investigates the matter and responds in a timely fashion with corrective measures. AccommOdating Current~Dispatch Staff. If consolidation becomes a reality, positions should be 'provided to current dispatch staff. Dispatch staff 'should be given the option to take other positions in Sebastian government for which they are'qualified, Efforts should be made to 'determine Whether Sebastian dispatch staff could transfer to the Indian River County Center as vacancies arise, on-a preferred basis. Given moderate turnover in Sheriff's Dispatch, it is not unreasonable to expect that positions should be available within a 'short period for all current Sebastian staff. IF CONSOLIDATION DOES NOT OCCUR If a decision is made not to consolidate and to continUe' with a stand alone dispatch center, we recommend that Sebastian. consider a' series of improvements to. ensure continued ability, to deliver quality service, Dispatcher worklOad is becoming sufficiently high that the sebastian COmmunications Center would profit from the.addition of a CAD system. Microcomputer based.systems are affordable and promise to automate and quicken many of the tasks now performed by dispatchers by hand. When choosing a CAD it is important to tie directly into the record -system.~ -' Working together, CAD and record syStems can provide valuable operational and' administrative information to police managers. They can also provide a valuable assist to dispatch staff. CompensatiOn of dispatch staff should be reviewed. Agencies with Iow turnover among dispatchers should be surveyed and. their compensation packages examined. ConsideratiOn should be given to improving dispatch salaries as a retention tool. -Laptop computers .should be considered for patrol and' traffic officers. Presently, making inquiries for officers is the single most important category in dispatcher workload, in terms of time and effort. This work can be done by the officers, reducing dispatcher stress and workload. After familiarization with inquiries on. laptops,, offiCers, in fact, prefer making such inquiries themselves. Another workstation should be considered for high volume periods and special events. Sebastian should consider securing a PSAP to reduce delay in dispatching calls and improve response times. 27 INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUSINESS FROM THE PUBLIC SIGN-UP SHEET JANUARY 10, 2001 REGULAR MEETING "New Business" as used herein, is defined as an item that has occurred or was discovered within the previous six months USE THIS FORM ONLY FOR INTRODUCTION OF.NEW BUSINESS NOT OTHERWISE'ON THE'PREPARED AGENDA-' ~.lMi~ b~--':1--~' MINUTES PER SPEAKER If the item on which you wish to speak is on the printed agenda, do not sign this form. The Mayor will call for public input prior to Council deliberation on each agenda item. Please raise your hand when he calls for input. New Subject: ~ Name: New Subject: Name: New Subject: Name: New Subject: Name: New Subject: