07-14-14 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

spending. Chalfin and McCarary do not place the same, large value on the perception and feeling of safety that other studies do. While they are both important, the value of perception and feelings are difficult to quantify and may differ greatly from location to location. Chalfin and McCarary found, "Each dollar spent on police is associated with approximately $1.60 in reduced victimization costs, suggesting that U.S cities employ too few police." They also found that more violent and serious crimes are affected by the police to a greater extent than previously believed. In addition to the consequences of displacement and greater opportunity for crime, failing to make proper investments in police services could also reduce the City Council's ability to control and accurately forecast the budget. Insufficient staffing reduces police administration's ability to make intertemporal internal staffing adjustments. This inability can result in unavoidable overtime costs and employee turnover. Allocation and Deployment Recommendation for 2015-2020 Based on the previously stated factors, it is recommended that the Lino Lakes Police Department add three full time officers in 2015. Once trained, two officers would be deployed to the patrol division and one deployed to investigations. The two additional patrol officers would be deployed as a Problem Response Team (PRT) to respond to specific, identified problems within the City of Lino Lakes. By adding the officers at the same time or prior to major construction in the City, the Problem Response Team can take an active role to prevent the problems in new developments rather than just responding to calls. By allocating one officer to investigations, fewer patrol resources will need to be shifted when major investigations occur. Development Specific Crime Prevention Initiatives If properly staffed at 3 additional officers, there are two main crime prevention programs that the Lino Lakes Police Department would initiate. The first is a voluntary registration at the park and ride. The registration would include schedules, contact information, crime prevention information, and a window sticker to help identify legitimate users of the space. The program would include partnerships with local business to give discounts to users who register for the program. For construction sites, the Problem Response Team will make contact with contractors and sub -contractors and provide them with a tool to document the serial numbers and description of the tools and materials used at the site. They would also provide a single point of contact who contractors can call when large amounts of copper or other materials are being delivered. The officers deployed to the PRT would also be tasked with surveillance at construction sites and the park and ride. Conclusion The Lino Lakes Police Department has a philosophy that has proven to be both efficient and effective. In order to maintain the current ability to prevent and react to crime, three additional FTEs need to be allocated for the 2015 budget. By adding three officers in 2015, we