Police Advisory Commission AGenda 04-20-1994•
PRELIMINARY NOTES JAN 1994
ANALYZING THE PROS AND CdNS dF A POLICE FORGE
THE MOHTICELLO POLICE COMMISSION'S
COMPARISdH STUDY OF COUNTY CONTRACTING
VS. ESTABLISHING A LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT
XXX 1994
Members of the Monticello Police Commission are
Warren Smith, Chairperson
,7smes Fleming, Vice Chairperson
David Gersrde, Secretary
Lis Desmarais
Brad Fyle, City Counoil representative
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The number one question asked of the Police Commission and
the City Council regarding public safety is "Why doesn't
the Gity of Monticello have a local police department?"
The question poses two specific implications: wouldn't we
be better off with our awn force frnrn both a public safety
position and an economic standpoint? The factors of
consideration in trying to answer these implications are
complex. In a major effort to fulfill our assignment to be
an advisory committee to the City Council, the Po11ce
Commission has undertaken a cnrnprehesive study of these
issues to arrive at a learned position.
PROCEDURE
1. Collect and analyze data from other cit~.es in Minnesota
with comparable demographics to Monticello.
2. Compile practical, political and philosophical
considerations of police protection. Prn & cons to each
• system.
3. collect specific casts involved in police protection.
Make Comparison chart between the two systems.
4. Detail the history of police protection in City of
Monticello as it pertains to this study.
S. Conclusions.
__ analyse data from other cities in Minnesota
o_ec an
with_agm arable demo ra bias to Monticello.
Have City Administrator contact target cities/counties for
financial information. Potential cities:
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POLICE DEPARTMENT
COST COMPARISON CATEGORIES FOR ITEM #1
DIRECT EXPENDITURES
1) Personnel
a) Police Chief _ administrative
b) Deputies ~ patrolmen
c) Investigators
d) Clerical/Receptionist
e) Other? Fill-in's, overtime
2) Benefits
a) PERA
b) Social Security/Medicare
c) Health, life, dental, long-term disability
d) Unemployment insurance, workman's comp
e) Clothing allowance
f) Other -training
• 3) Equipment
a) Vehicle(s) -annual depreciation cast
b) Cxas, oil, maintenance
c> Insurance (vehicle & general liability)
d) Other equipment -radios, guns, radar equipment, misc.
e) Office equipment -computers, typewriters, etc.
4) OfficeBuilding Casts
a) Rent or building costs
b) Utilities, heat, phone
c) Supplies -computers, typewriters, etc.
INDIRECT EXPENDITURES
I) City administration of department
2) Personnel administration
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1) State aid
REVENUES
2) Court fines, less: legal prosecution costs
3) Other -misc.
a) Training costs reimbursement
b) Police reports (copies)
c) Special police services
d) Other
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Net Operating Costs
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2. Com i1e Tactical olitical and hiloen hiaal
considerations of olice rotection. Pro & cone to each
stem.
Practical considerations:
City--Practical considerations included start-up costs in
organizing a new department; forming a committee to
determine procedures in establishing a new police
department, se well as a departmental operating manual;
making decisions on hour large the local force would be;
citing an office; hiring a police and deputies; drafting
an operating budget; purchasing equipment, supplies,
uniforms, etc.; determining fines?; setting police
coverage.
County---these things ere in place.
Political considerations:
City----There are two significant questions to be addressed.
The first is, does having a local force improve public
safety because the hometown officers are farniler faces to
local residents and business owners? Secondly, ie having s
police chief directly answerable to the city council more
or less advantageous to the community's benefit?
Strange faces make us wary; unfarnilar faces wearing police
uniforms make us uncomfortable. Tt goes with out saying
that familiarity adds a degree of comfort. How important
is this to public safety? It seems to be a matter of
degrees. Cold and distant officers--no matter who they
represent--put people off. Overly-friendly deputies run
the risk of becoming non-objective. The mayor point in
favor of having local police is that citizens feel that
the force is a part of the community, not an outsider
entity that comes in to enforce the laws. Also, that when
you are a pert of a community, you also know the community
better, end this pays off when it comes to crime
prevention sod apprehension.
County--Sheriff Donald Hozempa, several years ago,
responded directly to Monticello's concern of
unfamiliarity by initializing a policy that officers
patrolling the streets of Monticello consider it a
longterm position. How long have the current officers been
is place?
1.
2.
3.
Comment. If Monticello were to hire a new police chief and
deputies, chances are good that these people would come
from outside of Monticello; hence, the paint of
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familiarity would be negated. In time, if all members were
required to establish residency within the city, a local
police force might acheive a higher degree of familiarity.
However, in any department, city nr county, there will
always be turnover, as deputies came and ga.
Xs it better to have s pnlice chief directly answerable to
the city cauncil...nr en independent county sheriff in
charge of en~Earcing the laws? This is a subjective
political question that cannot be answered with
statistics. It is likely that a police chief will try to
keep a city council happy with his ar her performance by
telling them things they went to hear; hence, the risk of
politics influencing ,justice. The county system places
pnlice work beyond those particular politics; yet, there
is no system that eliminates politics completely.
Under the present county system, the city is not without a
voice, because the city is paying the bill, and therefore
has direct input into public safety matters. Indeed, the
est$blishment of this police commission is to create
improved communication and brader understanding between
the county and the city.
3. Com orison of costs.
4. Histnr of the Police be artment in Monticello.
5. Canclusinns.
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