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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08142001 - SD.9 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Warren E. Rupf, Sheriff-Coroner DATE: August 14, 2001 SUBJECT: Office of the Sheriff Law Enforcement Training Center SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. RECOMMENDED ACTION: ACKNOWLEDGE that there is a need and a State requirement to provide specialized training to law enforcement personnel; and ACKNOWLEDGE that said training has taken place through the Contra Costa College District at Los Medanos-Community College but that Los Medanos is now operating the last basic law enforcement academy at its facility; and ACKNOWLEDGE that there is not enough student space available in California for the number of basic law enforcement academy students; and that the expense of sending personnel to training out-of-county is prohibitive; and that the Sheriffs Office must be prepared to operate the next basic law enforcement academy in January, 2002; and AUTHORIZE the Sheriff of Contra Costa County to develop and operate the Office of the Sheriff Law Enforcement Training Center to meet Sheriffs Office and other agency law enforcement agencies' training needs; and AUTHORIZE the County Lease Manager to negotiate a sub-lease for interim use of the Marina Center in the City of Pittsburg as the Sheriffs Office Law Enforcement Training Center; and DIRECT the Auditor-Controller to establish an enterprise fund for the Sheriffs Office Law Enforcement Training Center; and ACKNOWLEDGE that the Sheriff's Office agrees to operate the Sheriffs Office Law Enforcement Training Center on a cost neutral basis. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE (S): ACTION OF BOARD ON U S4_ ( D/ APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED_ OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact Person: Kathryn Holmes,Undersheriff,335-1512 CC: Sheriff-Coroner ATTESTED CAO,Justice System Administration JOHff—SWEETEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND OUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY / DEPUTY i II. FINANCIAL IMPACT: NONE. The Law Enforcement Training Center will be cost neutral, in as much as sufficient reimbursement will be available from the State Peace Officers Standards on Training (P.O.S.T.), the State Department of Education and other funding sources to cover the cost of operating the training center. III. BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATION(S): For the last 30 years, Los Medanos.College has been the site of the Basic P.O.S.T. Training Academy for law enforcement recruits and for the regional training of local law enforcement officers. The Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office has sent recruits primarily to Los Medanos for that same time period. For the last several years, the Sheriffs Office has desired a more active involvement in training recruits and in forming a partnership with Los Medanos. In April 2000, the Sheriffs Office engaged the services of the Chief Executive Group, a law enforcement consulting organization, to study the delivery of,law enforcement training for the Sheriffs Office and to recommend any improvements that would enhance the professionalism in which training is provided to both recruits and veteran,officers. The Group conducted an exhaustive study of all training models, visited numerous academy sites, and studied cost figures, revenue projections and Contra Costa County',law enforcement training needs. The recommendation from the Chief Executive Group was for more Sheriffs Office involvement in the Academy planning and operation, and a shift toward a law enforcement agency-run academy. These recommendations were shared with the President of Los Medanos and his staff, as well as with local police chiefs and the local representative for P.O.S.T. To that end, Los Medanos immediately approved the assignment of a Sheriffs Office Lieutenant as the Basic Academy Manager beginning with the March, 2001 academy. After further deliberation by Los Medanos College administrators, the College expressed a desire to completely cease operating the law enforcement training academy. Thus, during the spring of 2001, Sheriffs Office staff began negotiating with Los Medanos for transitioning the Academy to the Sheriffs Office, both for the basic and the advanced officer training. The current academy (which began July 16; 2001) will be the last academy sponsored by Los Medanos and is considered the transition academy. The Sheriffs Office will be responsible for the next academy in January 2002. Los Medanos will sub-lease to the County property at the Pittsburg Marina Center which will be the temporary site of the Sheriffs Office Law Enforcement Training Center. Although the space will need improvements and upgrading, it is suitable for classrooms and physical training. The location of the Training Center at this site is considered temporary. Sheriffs Office staff are already looking for a site to be the permanent location of the Training Center. In fact, discussions have been held raising the possibility that the Concord Naval Weapons Station could ultimately be a permanent site for the training center. However, those negotiations and potential plans are on a distinctly separate track than the urgent need to have a site leased and ready for the January 2002 academy. Lastly, additional personnel will be required for the Sheriff to operate the training center. In the near future, the Sheriffs Office will bring to the Board a resolution requesting the required positions. IV. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION: The consequences of not authorizing the Sheriff to develop and operate the training center includes a significant increase in the cost of providing both basic academy and advanced- officer training. Further, the limited spaces available in other basic academy sites will severely limit the number of trained personnel available to fill the numerous vacant Deputy Sheriff positions.