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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />APRIL 13, 1994 <br />1995 BUDGET Bergeron reported that as part of the 1995 Budget, the <br />ISSUES Sheriff's Department will be asking for an additional <br />squad car in the area of Rice Street during a specific <br />time of the day. Bergeron presented a map of the <br />contracting cities, showing police coverage as well as <br />the ability of squads to back-up one another. There are <br />currently 33 deputies providing police coverage to the 7 <br />contacting cities, or an average of 1 deputy per 2,100 <br />citizens. Bergeron reported that the national average is <br />1 deputy per 1,000 residents. <br />Scalze pointed out that the national average takes into <br />account inner cities. <br />Bergeron presented a graph showing both priority 1 and 2 <br />calls and priority 3 calls by 2 hour blocks from April 1, <br />1992 through March 31, 1993. This graph shows that the <br />peak call period is from 5 P.M. until 3 A.M. Bergeron <br />reported the need for an additional squad to cover this <br />time, and suggested that a 10-hour shift could be added. <br />It is being proposed that Little Canada would pay .75 of <br />the cost of this additional squad, while Vadnais Heights <br />would pay .75, Shoreview .25, and White Bear Township <br />.25. It would take two additional deputies to cover this <br />additional 10 hour shift for a 7-day period, 365 days per <br />year. Bergeron suggested that the squad would be radio <br />driven, and would free up some of the time of the other <br />squads in answering calls. Bergeron pointed out that <br />currently squads have to travel great distances to <br />respond to emergency calls. This situation is unsafe. <br />Having the additional squad more centrally located would <br />help address that problem as well. <br />The Administrator reported that the contracting cities <br />group which meets with the Sheriff's Department has asked <br />for additional analysis of the proposal, as well as <br />additional information on squads leaving jurisdictions <br />and helping out in other cities. <br />Bergeron pointed out that calls for service typically <br />increase 36 to 40 percent during the summer months, and <br />he is worried that there will not be enough officers out <br />on the street to handle this increase. Currently the <br />County car has been helping out on occasion. <br />Pedersen commented that residents think squads are out <br />patrolling neighborhoods, but it appears they are always <br />8 <br />