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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06.7.2021 Work Session Minutes COUNCIL WORK SESSION June 7, 2021 3:50 p.m. Harold E. Getty Council Chambers Members present: Boesen, Amos, Klein, Feuss, Grieder, and Juon. Absent: Morrissey. 160044 -Juon/Grieder that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved. Voice-vote Ayes: Seven. Motion carried. Objective: Update on Police Department operations. Chief Joel Fitzgerald provided an update on police department operations. He shared that they are authorized to have 123 officers but currently have 118 on staff, with 105 that are actually deployable. This is due to difficulties with hiring new employees, retirements, and officers on leave due to injury. He provided an overview of crime statistics in 2020 vs. 2021. He updated council on agencies that assist the department on federal Task Forces, such as ATF, FBI and US Marshall's Office. In addition, the department has instituted a crisis intervention unit through a partnership with Elevate to address mental health problems in the community. This is called the CIT program. When officers suspect a call for service is mental health related, a social worker from will go on the call with the officer to provide services. Mrs. Juon stated that she had a citizen call her to ask if the CIT program is funded through a grant and questioned if it would run out. Chief Fitzgerald stated that the CIT program is grant funded through Elevate and a state grant. Few communities in the state are taking advantage of these funds and expressed that he has minimal concerns about the funding running out. Mrs. Juon questioned the disparity on the index crime rate and CFS Rate on slide three for Waterloo versus the rest of the state. Chief Fitzgerald commented that the disparity indicates just how well our staff has done at mitigating some of the problems that hit those other cities. Mr. Boesen questioned where the Elevate staff persons are housed when they are working with the city. Chief Fitzgerald explained that they do not have a dedicated space; however, they are able to utilize the interrogation room to write their reports when it is available. He stated that the aim is to have them spend more time on the street than in the building. Mr. Boesen asked if the Elevate staff persons are NCIC certified. Chief Fitzgerald commented that Elevate staff are not certified, and then explained how officers and staff maintain the integrity of confidential information. Mr. Grieder commended the police department for the hard work that they do every day. He asked the Chief to address the LGBTQ, downtown and the homelessness liaison programs. Chief Fitzgerald explained that he has received favorable responses from the citizens who have commented on the proactive nature of the LGBTQ liaison. The same has been for the homelessness and downtown liaisons. He said that with COVID relenting a bit, there will be even more opportunity to proactively interact with the citizens. Mr. Grieder requested an update on how the change to beat work is going. Chief Fitzgerald commented that it has been a bit hard for officers to meet community leaders to meet their MPO liaisons due to COVID. As restrictions are lifting they are working to get officers to the meetings to engage with the neighborhood. Page 2 Mrs. Klein explained that someone had called her and said that the officers are no longer able to write their reports in the building and that they're required to make their reports in their vehicles. Chief Fitzgerald commented that the officers need to be out on the street, and that they have means to perform their work from inside the police vehicle. He stated that she was misinformed by the caller and explained that the officers have not been restricted from coming into the building, but they have been told that they need to utilize the computers in their cars to type up the necessary reports. Mr. Amos commented that prior to him becoming Chief there was a project started called the Hail Mary Project. He questioned what the status of that program currently is. Chief Fitzgerald commented that it is not currently active but that they are working to get it restarted. Objective: Discussion of criminal activity. Mrs.Klein commented she called this work session because it seems that crime in the community has been getting worse, especially since there was a murder downtown on 4th Street. She questioned what will be done to make people feel safe with all of the upcoming events this summer, including RAGBRAI. She then questioned if officers are forbidden to wear the flag pin and the thin blue line pin. Chief Joel Fitzgerald denied that officers are forbidden to wear either of the pins and stated that policy allow the pins to be worn. Mrs. Klein questioned if all officers need to be qualified on a firearm to serve and if he was currently qualified. Chief Joel Fitzgerald confirmed that all officers and the chief need to be qualified to serve. He explained that he is not currently qualified due to recent shoulder surgery that has prevented him from being able to do the physical qualifications, and that he has been given an extension. He further explained that he has been an officer for 30 years and has never not qualified in any state that he has worked in. Mrs. Klein questioned if the officers are required to always wear body cams and body armor. Chief Joel Fitzgerald confirmed that patrol officers and those that are typically on the street during the majority of their tour of duty. Mrs. Klein questioned if he was also required to wear the same equipment. Chief Joel Fitzgerald explained that he is not, and explained that body cams are for the officers, not for command staff. Mrs. Klein questioned if it is current policy to conduct exit interviews. Chief Joel Fitzgerald commented that it is not. Mrs. Klein questioned if he is aware of the feelings of some of the officers who have left the department. Chief Joel Fitzgerald commented that he is aware that some were unwilling to conform to the policy changes that were made by order of the council, and some were very dissatisfied; with dissatisfaction comes attrition. He stated that the majority of those that he has spoken to are very happy with the things that are happening. Page 3 Mrs. Klein questioned what is being done to make sure people feel safe when coming into Waterloo for the summer events. Chief Joel Fitzgerald commented that downtown is not plagued by violence and comments that perpetuate that thought are inaccurate. He explained that one of the things he instituted when he started was mandatory operational planning and that each event will have the right and appropriate amount of protection. The plans are not generally shared with individuals outside of police or fire or others involved. Mayor Hart commented that on June 21,2021,the City Attorney will be presenting his task force information to address violence at after-hours establishments, and on June 10, 2021 there is a meeting with downtown businesses to discuss holistic plans on making sure people feel safe in the downtown area. Mr. Boesen questioned if the iPads were being utilized to write municipal infractions as was established by the previous police chief. Chief Joel Fitzgerald commented that he is unaware if the tablets have been issued or are up and running, but he advocates the practice and will look into it and get things going. Mr. Grieder requested an update on when the new body cameras will be arriving. Chief Joel Fitzgerald commented that training will begin June 16, 2021. Mr. Grieder questioned what has happened to the police budget over the last five years, and is our department being funded at levels that are comparable to other cities. Chief Joel Fitzgerald explained that he does not have that information available at this time but he will come back to council with that information. Mr. Grieder thanked Chief Fitzgerald for being open and available to set the record straight by addressing the questions and rumors on a one on one level. Mrs. Juon commented on the nationwide increase in violence and commended all of the police officers for doing such a good job in taking care of crime in our city, and that is it not as bad as some people are making it appear to be. She acknowledged the efforts of the chief and thanked him for all the good he has done. Mayor Hart thanked the chief for his service and hard work and for answering today's questions and rumors. Chief Fitzgerald read some of the crime statistics from the last five years, which show crime is down, and that the officers have been consistent in their efforts, despite any rumor or innuendo. He will make sure that council and the city clerk receive a copy. Objective: Update on Waterloo Fire Rescue operations. Pat Treloar,Fire Chief,provided an overview of Fire Department operations and SWOT outlook. Mr. Boesen questioned if other cities we compare staffing to are also Fire based EMS or only Firefighters, and stated a need to find it in the budget to support an administrative assistant chief. Chief Treloar commented that not all of the cities compared have EMS, so a more true comparison would be to back out the number of EMS that Waterloo has. He stated that if he could have an assistant chief, the position would be in charge of operations. He explained that a lot of his time is spent administratively on personnel and budget related issues, adding that his admin is leaving at the end of June so he anticipates being swamped with administrative duties. He said that adding an assistant chief has been a goal, but he has not been willing to lose a position on shift so that he would have an assistant chief. Page 4 Mrs. Juon questioned the benefit of becoming an accredited department. Pat Treloar explained that the benefit is to force you to look at the weaknesses in the department through standard operating guidelines, rules and regulations, training format, etc. Accreditation is every five years. Mrs. Klein commended the chief on a great presentation. Mr. Feuss questioned the open status of Station 6. Chief Treloar commented that he does not have the number readily available but that it is very similar to the previous year. He will email the number to all of council. Mr. Feuss questioned the status of the overtime budget for the department. Chief Treloar commented that they have approximately $10,000 left in the current overtime budget and new overtime budget,which begins on July 1St,was reduced to$100,000. He expects those funds will be gone by the end of September so Station 6 will be browned out. Mr. Grieder requested an update on the SAFER Grant. Chief Treloar explained that the four employees the city got from the SAFER Grant are hired. Mr. Grieder questioned if those four employees that were hired could be brought in through attrition with the upcoming retirements. His hope is that council continues to authorize the department at 110 firefighters. 160045 -Juon/Amos That the meeting be adjourned at 5:07 p.m. Voice-vote Ayes: Six. Motion carried. KdZef -ekhZe Kelley Felchle City Clerk