Staff Report.LG Police Services Report July - Dec 2022
PREPARED BY: Jamie Field
Chief of Police
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 01/17/2023 ITEM NO: 13
DATE: January 2, 2023
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Receive the Police Services Report: July – December 2022
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive the Police Services Report: July – December 2022
BACKGROUND:
On August 16, 2022, the Police Department presented an update on overall delivery, staffing
updates and comparison analysis of Police services. This Police Services Report presents the
following information:
• Department staffing update,
• Calls for service and Officer activity,
• Training and mandates,
• Operational responses, mental health services, and Flock updates, and
• Community outreach and partnerships
DISCUSSION:
DEPARTMENT STAFFING UPDATE
Law enforcement agencies continue to compete for fewer applicants as there remains a
nationwide decline in the number of qualified people wanting to become Police Officers since
the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the national spotlight on policing in 2020. The law
enforcement profession continues to see a trend of retirements and career changes. Los Gatos-
Monte Sereno Police Department (LGMSPD) culture and institutional knowledge transfer are
integral parts of all Department staff and the loss of local experience is noticeable.
PAGE 2 OF 10 SUBJECT: Receive the Information Provided in the Police Services Report: July – December 2022 DATE: January 17, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
The LGMSPD is in the process of implementing mechanisms to bring new staff up to speed,
which takes at least six months for each new staff member.
The Police Department is in the process of administering a Career Development Plan and a
Leadership Development Plan for all staff. These plans will support and provide guidance for
career growth and advancement through internal mentorship and required or recommended
Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) training.
The LGMSPD budget allocates for 39 sworn positions; however, recruitment and retention of
qualified personnel remains challenging and a priority. The LGMSPD operates in an extremely
regulated environment and data-driven profession with fewer staff than 15 years ago. From
July 2022 through December 2022, two sworn staff members have departed for personal
reasons or lateraled to a department closer to their home. Additionally, an academy recruit
self-selected to not continue in the Police Academy. Also, several additional experienced
Officers are expected to be separating soon for other career opportunities, to work closer to
home, or pursue a new career path, bringing the current sworn number below what is reflected
in the chart on this page. The Police Department has been successful in hiring two Police
Officers in the last six months from other Bay Area law enforcement agencies. These new
Officers are currently assigned to the Field Training Program and are not yet operating as
independent Police Officers.
The Department has two current vacancies with one Police Officer Recruit scheduled for the
Police Academy beginning February 2023. The 30 available sworn personnel are divided among
four patrol shifts, the Investigations Bureau, and Administration. In addition, the last six
months have experienced significant impacts by vacancies caused by extended on the job
injuries and Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). These have resulted in higher-than-normal
overtime needs to maintain staffing levels, support special events, and participate in
community outreach opportunities. Of the remaining sworn personnel, the table identifies the
current availability of sworn staff, while also considering injury status, light or modified duty,
and those currently being trained:
Budgeted
Sworn
Current
Sworn
Off due to
injury
Light /
Modified Duty
Training Total Active and
available
39 37
5 2 2 30
The process of hiring and training a Police Officer is a lengthy process. The process is further
extended for applicants that have not completed a Police Academy. Recruitment, background
PAGE 3 OF 10 SUBJECT: Receive the Information Provided in the Police Services Report: July – December 2022 DATE: January 17, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
investigations, and hiring of sworn and professional staff is estimated to take about three
months. Each officer is required to complete a California POST accredited Police Academy for
about six months. Upon graduation, the recruit must complete a POST approved 16-week Field
Training Program led by certified members of our Police Department. Since July 2022, the
Police Department has conducted three sworn oral boards and two professional staff oral
boards. These efforts resulted in 15 applicants entering the background process phase, with
nine as sworn positions. An additional sworn oral board is scheduled for the beginning of
February.
It should be noted that the Fiscal Year 2022/23 Adopted Budget included one-time temporary
staff hours to further augment sworn and non-sworn capacity with additional academy recruits,
Community Service Officers (CSOs), and Reserve Officer support.
The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department’s localized and full-service Dispatch Center
(Communications Division) is critical to the personalized and high-quality public safety response
and delivery provided to the community. The Police Department is budgeted for eight full time
Dispatchers and presently is at four with two additional expected to begin in training. Over the
prior six months, one trained Dispatcher accepted an opportunity at another Police
Department.
The hiring and recruitment efforts between July – December 2022 resulted in the following ten
sworn and nonsworn hires:
• Police Officers – two with law enforcement experience
• Police Academy Recruit – one starting the Academy February 2023
• Dispatcher – three with two beginning training on January 17, 2023
• Records Specialist – two began in November 2022
• Community Service Officer Interns – two began training on September 1, 2022
The Police Department currently has the following open positions:
• 2 Sworn Personnel with more expected
• 2 Communications Dispatchers
• Police and Records Manager (expected to be reclassified to a different position)
The Police Department has a total of six per diem Dispatchers to supplement the full-time
Dispatch staff and allow for better coverage, training, and vacation opportunities with more
focused training of the new Dispatch staff. Vacations or elective time off frequently requires
per diem backfill as well as overtime coverage.
PAGE 4 OF 10 SUBJECT: Receive the Information Provided in the Police Services Report: July – December 2022 DATE: January 17, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
COVID continues to be an impact to staff and necessary overtime to fill the unexpected sick
time vacancies. There were 496 fewer hours of Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSLA) in the
last six months of 2022 versus the first six months. SPSLA time for the last six months was 728
hours, and the six months prior to that (1/1/22 – 6/30/22) was 1,224 hours.
Since October 30, 2022, the Police Department began collecting staff hours spent on special
events and Community Policing activities. There were 300 staff hours spent in preparation for
and the day of the Children’s Holiday Parade. Additionally, an estimated 58 staff hours were
allocated to the Tree Lighting and 34 hours devoted to Community Policing activities. The table
below depicts the number of overtime hours collected in pay and compensatory time that were
necessary to fill shift vacancies when comparing January to June with July to December. The
variance of 1,227 hours more overtime for sworn staff during the second six months is due to
vacancy, workers compensation vacancy, staff transition, community outreach and special
events, required trainings, and SPSLA coverage.
Title 1/1/22 – 6/30/22 7/1/22-12/31/22 Variance in FY
2021/2022
Communications 1,607 hours 1,582 hours -25 hours
Sworn Staff 3,523 hours 4,750 hours 1,227 hours
CALLS FOR SERVICE AND OFFICER ACTIVITY
Despite the outlined staffing challenges, the LGMSPD has continued to meet response times
and provide an uncompromising high level of service to the community. The following table
depicts a comparison of the Communications Division call volume, both inbound and outbound,
immediacy to which they are answered, and number of 911 calls over the last two years
between the months of July to December.
The industry standard for a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) agency is a target for 911 calls
to be answered within less than ten seconds 95% of the time. Outbound calls can be a result of
transferring callers to other points of contact within Town Departments, contacting or following
up with community members, or conducting other inter-agency duties.
PAGE 5 OF 10 SUBJECT: Receive the Information Provided in the Police Services Report: July – December 2022 DATE: January 17, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
July –
December
Inbound 911
calls
% of 911 calls
answered < 10 seconds
Incoming Non-
emergency calls
Non-emergency
Outbound calls
2021 4,875 95.3% 16,219 7,786
2022 4,589 96.8% 15,112 7,453
Officers’ response to priority calls for service continue to be comparable to prior years,
generally responding faster that the response time goals. The LGMSPD has set response time
goals of 5:00 minutes for Priority 1 calls, 10:00 minutes for Priority 2 calls, and 15:00 minutes
for Priority 3 calls. This data will be presented at the Council meeting. The metrics can also be
found in the Fiscal Year 2022/23 Adopted Operating Budget in the performance measures
section of the Police Department chapter. Priority 1 refers to immediate emergency with
threat to life or a public safety hazard, Priority 2 is an urgent emergency that requires an
immediate response, and a Priority 3 incident is a non-emergency.
Additional data regarding traffic stops and preliminary Racial Identity Profile Act information
will be provided in the presentation to Town Council on January 17, 2023.
TRAINING AND MANDATES
The LGMSPD is committed to ensuring exceptional public safety service levels as a result of
dedicated efforts from the Communications, Patrol, and other Divisions within the Police
Department. Recruitment, training, and succession planning continue to remain an ongoing
priority while monitoring the fiscal implications from overtime needs and wellness impacts on
staff members.
Unfunded State legislative mandates effective in 2023 are being implemented, carefully
navigated, and are a primary focus in the Police Department’s personnel assessment,
equipment, and training. These mandates require a close review of Department policies and
processes, and many are outcomes of police reform efforts towards increased transparency.
There have been several opportunities for promotions throughout the summer of 2022 for
sworn and professional staff. These included five promotional positions for sworn staff and
four for professional staff that require POST mandated and recommended training. There are
no more open promotional positions currently in the Police Department. Within their first year,
a new Corporal or Sergeant is required to attend a two-week Supervisor School and an Internal
Affairs course, while the Captain position is required to attend a three-week Management
PAGE 6 OF 10 SUBJECT: Receive the Information Provided in the Police Services Report: July – December 2022 DATE: January 17, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
School. The Department’s currently strained staffing level has forced this training to be delayed
or required backfilling by a supervisor on overtime.
Open and necessary collateral assignments for Field Training Officer, Peer Support, Drone and
Defensive Tactics and De-escalation have required staff to be sent to training for certification.
Training for these courses is generally a week in length and due to staffing, frequently requires
backfill by other staff.
The LGMSPD sworn staff are required by POST to complete 34 hours of training annually and
Dispatchers are required to complete 24 hours. This year, Officers have completed training in
Emergency Vehicle Operations (EVOC) in the Explorer patrol vehicles to re-emphasize safe
driving disciplines. From July to December 2022, staff have attended 812 hours of required
training due to POST, Cal-Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and other
compliance mandates. An additional 656 hours of necessary development training has been
provided for sworn and professional staff. Finally, sworn and professional staff have attended
320 hours of leadership training to aid in the career growth and new promotional positions
achieved in 2022.
Staff is also being trained and preparing for compliance with Senate Bill (SB) 2 – Police
Decertification. This legislative requirement is overseen by POST to ensure reporting and
compliance with Police misconduct and eligibility for current or future employment. The Police
Department’s Personnel and Training staff have been engaged in learning, explaining, and
preparing for the robust requirements outlined in SB 2, as portions of the bill are retroactive to
the conduct of Officers.
Finally, SB 16 is intended to increase the level of transparency into allegations and
investigations of peace officer misconduct, and accountability for such misconduct. It expands
on Senate Bill 1421, enacted in 2018, to create exceptions to the general rule that peace officer
personnel records are confidential and not subject to disclosure. SB 16 also requires a pre-
employment background check of personnel files for each applicant, extended record-retention
requirements, individual use-of-force reporting requirements, and expanded use of peace
officer records in litigation.
Providing newly promoted and existing staff with the POST required and highly recommended
training to develop confidence and competency is a priority for the Police Department. This
requires continuous assessment of mandatory or immediate Department training needs based
on POST requirements and operational effectiveness.
PAGE 7 OF 10 SUBJECT: Receive the Information Provided in the Police Services Report: July – December 2022 DATE: January 17, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
OPERATIONAL RESPONSE, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND FLOCK UPDATES
Earlier in 2022, the Department leadership participated in a Team Building Workshop. The
outcome was the development of a two-year Strategic Plan that outlines five goals and
priorities that the Police Department will continuously assess and remain focused on as part of
the Departments direction through 2024. These goals and some of the accomplishments this
year are listed below:
Goal 1 – Organizational recruitment, development, and retention of a quality workforce
• New staff – Officers, CSOs, Parking Control Officer, Records Specialists
• Sworn promotions and professional staff career ladder
• Outside background investigator for sworn personnel
• Training for career growth and advancement for sworn and professional staff
Goal 2 – Prevent and reduce crime, increase quality of life, and focus on traffic safety
• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) – ongoing drills and trainings
• Jewish Community Center – hosted law enforcement training location
• School Resource Officer (SRO) Agreement with School Districts 2022 – 2024
• Methodist and St. Luke’s Church – vulnerable communities support with LGMSPD
• Collaborative work with federal and local law partners regarding residential and
commercial burglary
Goal 3 – Active partnerships
• Neighborhood Watch – 16 meetings in 2022
• Special Event support – Promenades, Music in the Park, Tree Lighting, and Parade
• Community Policing – Coffee with a Cop, Community Police Academy, Special Olympics
• Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Foundation
Goal 4 – Embrace and integrate technology throughout the agency
• Flock – significant increase in investigative leads, crime prevention, and recoveries
• California Incident-Based Reporting System (CIBRS)/National Incident-Based Reporting
System (NIBRS) compliance by LGMSPD in July 2022
• Axon camera update to fleet and body worn cameras
• Drone Team – early development stages
Goal 5 – Organizational wellness
• Peer Support Training – sworn and professional staff
• Two new Chaplains
PAGE 8 OF 10 SUBJECT: Receive the Information Provided in the Police Services Report: July – December 2022 DATE: January 17, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
• Therapy Canines continued training and community engagement
• Support for time off for professional and sworn staff and improved managed leave
balances
Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services and the LGMSPD collaborate to provide mental
health resources. LGMSPD evaluates multi-disciplinary needs when providing support to those
of our unhoused community or experiencing mental health concerns. Below is an outline of
available resources that may be utilized:
Therapy Canine Program
o Training is ongoing and they are an available resource to both staff and the public.
Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT)
o Efforts of MCRT are focused on connecting family/caregivers to community support,
conduct mental health evaluations and assessments, provide post-crisis follow up, and
provide crisis intervention and safety planning as needed for 18 or older.
Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS)
o Provides stabilization and support services for children and young adults from ages 4-20.
Post-crisis stabilization services are provided to ensure referral and coordination to
ongoing services.
Trusted Response Urgent Support Team (TRUST)
o TRUST onsite field teams are available on weekdays and consist of a Crisis Intervention
Specialist, First Aid Professional, and a Peer Support Specialist. This non-law
enforcement
o mobile crisis response team works closely with crisis hotlines, the community and family
member to provide intervention and follow up.
9-8-8
o In Santa Clara County, when someone calls 9-8-8 for services, their needs are evaluated
by the Suicide Prevention Hotline to determine what above resources may be best
suited to meet the caller’s needs.
The Flock Safety Technology pilot program continues to be an extremely valuable investigative
and crime prevention tool throughout the Town of Los Gatos. Metrics will be shared in graph
form during the presentation of this staff report at the Council meeting. The information will
depict the increase in Flock incidents that alerted law enforcement in Los Gatos to vehicles
PAGE 9 OF 10 SUBJECT: Receive the Information Provided in the Police Services Report: July – December 2022 DATE: January 17, 2023
DISCUSSION (continued):
associated to criminal acts and direct Officers to respond to specific areas or provide effective
investigative follow up abilities. The current pilot program includes 16 Flock cameras.
The agreement ends in February 2024. Consideration for ongoing funding at $2,500 annually
per camera will need to be evaluated for consideration in the FY 2023/24 Proposed Operating
Budget.
The public is encouraged to access and use the information available on the Police
Department’s website Transparency page which includes updated transparency data, crime
statistics, and the Flock Transparency Page.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIPS
The Police Department is committed to building, bridging, and enhancing police-community
relationships. This is done through opportunities for engagement and in the multitude of
services that the Department offers to develop collaborative methods to maintain a safe
community that is free of the fear of crime. LGMSPD initiated a Community Policing campaign
in May 2022. The engagements are integral to building community – police partnerships and a
better-informed vision of public safety needs and responses.
Community outreach and resources occur in many forms. Below are some highlights of the last
six months:
• Neighborhood Watch meetings – 7
• National Night Out – 4 Participating Neighborhoods
• Coffee With a Cop – 2
• Bike Rodeos – 5
• Boy or Girl Scout Troop Presentations – 8
• Inaugural 10-week Community Police Academy
• Therapy Canine community engagements – 10
• PRAGNYA event for neurodiverse community
• Downtown Business Safety Meeting with Chamber of Commerce
• Presentations to Interfaith / Service Clubs – 3
• New Resident Welcome Packet deliveries - 72
• Vacation Checks – 192 and homes registered / visited 576 times
The Disaster Aid Response Team (DART) and CERT work collaboratively throughout the year on
common drills and robustly support the Los Gatos Holiday Parade with many volunteers. Two
trainings, one annual drill, and six new CERT graduates occurred in the last six months.
Additionally, the Police Department has been recruiting for other volunteer opportunities, such
as the Explorer Cadet program.
PAGE 10 OF 10 SUBJECT: Receive the Information Provided in the Police Services Report: July – December 2022 DATE: January 17, 2023
CONCLUSION:
The Police Services Report is intended to provide a six-month review of available resources,
operational efforts, and continued priorities that may be considered valuable to the community
and Town Council. The overview provides a comprehensive understanding of the full-service
model provided by localized policing services. The LGMSPD is committed to providing and
demonstrating the values of professionalism, compassion, and integrity. The Police
Department continues to pivot to meet the highly regulated federal, state, and local mandates
and requirements within the law enforcement profession. Continued reduction in sworn
staffing may lead to a modification and evaluation of the ability to support nonessential
activities at the scale of the prior six months. LGMSPD also adjusted in response to national
incidents that developed necessary evaluation of prior standard operations to assure the safety
and security of the community.
In 2023, the LGMSPD organizational vision is centered on a theme of development. This
includes professional development, advancement, and progressive efforts in technology
throughout the Department. The focus on development and growth opportunities, progress on
staffing, and career focused training for our most valued resource, our staff. This development
will allow for greater efficiencies, eventual reduction in overtime, and retention. The external
focus continues to be local engagement, safety, and security for our community and those that
visit the Town of Los Gatos.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The receipt of this report has no fiscal implications.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.