HomeMy WebLinkAbout25 - Addition of One Full -Time Police Officer PositionCITY OF
NEWPORT BEACH
City Council Staff Report
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June 25, 2019
Agenda Item No. 25
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Jon Lewis, Chief of Police - 949-644-3701, jlewis@nbpd.org
Dennis Birch, Deputy Chief, dbirch@nbpd.org
949-644-3720
Addition of One Full -Time Police Officer Position
At the June 11, 2019 City Council meeting, during discussion of the proposed FY 2019-
20 Budget, City Council discussed additional police resources and then directed staff to
bring back for Council consideration the addition of one full-time police officer position to
enhance service levels in patrol operations.
RECOMMENDATION:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because
this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly;
b) Approve addition of one Police Officer FTE to the Police Department Patrol Division;
and
c) Authorize Finance Department staff to execute an administrative budget amendment
appropriating $136,555.30 in the Patrol Division's salary and benefit accounts and
$10,000.00 in uniforms and equipment in the Fiscal Year 2019-20 budget.
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS:
The Fiscal Year 2019-20 budget will be increased by $146,555.30 in expenditure
appropriations from the General Fund unappropriated fund balance.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Newport Beach has experienced a consistent downward trend in Part 1 Crime
over the past several years. In 2018, Part 1 Crimes totaled 2,244, down 2.4% from 2017
and down 1.8% over the five-year average of Part 1 Crimes in the City. The crime
reduction in 2018 compared to the five-year average is significant because the past five
years have seen some of the lowest Part 1 Crime totals in the recent history of the City.
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Addition of One Full -Time Police Officer Position
June 25, 2019
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While the statistics are trending positively for the City, the landscape for law enforcement
in California and the City of Newport Beach has changed in the last several years. These
changes include: the increasing number of visitors, heightened focus on traffic safety in
school zones, changes through state legislation that have impacted police response to
crime and quality -of -life issues, and the increasing needs associated with homelessness.
Offenses associated with quality -of -life issues have largely become decriminalized. The
result is that these issues often require resolution through nuance and influence rather
than enforcement of long-standing laws, which has been our community's expectation.
Following the Great Recession, the number of budgeted police officers was reduced by
12 as part of budget restructuring in 2011. Over the last eight years, resources were
strategically added back in specific areas: five positions were added to create a crime
suppression unit that targets criminal activity based on crime data analysis and area
policing; four positions were added to re -institute the Peninsula Enforcement Team and
one position was added to our school resource team. Recently, the Police Department
committed a full-time police officer out of existing Patrol staffing in 2017 to engage
homeless issues in a non-traditional law enforcement manner.
The addition of one permanent full-time police officer will provide an enhancement to
service levels, continue the dedicated Homeless Liaison Officer position, and bring the
Department near the staffing levels from 2010, while working to ensure Police Department
operations are aligned with community needs, expectations and quality of life.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not
result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment)
and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA
Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no
potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of
the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
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