Desk Itemwx f
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X08 uasog COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
DATE: APRIL 21, 2015
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
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FROM: LES WHITE, INTERIM TOWN
MEETING DATE: 04/21/15
ITEM NO: 5
DESK ITEM
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE TOWN TO NEGOTIATE CHANGES TO THE 1995 MONTE
SERENO POLICE SERVICES CONTRACT WITH THE CITY MANAGER OF
MONTE SERENO TO ADJUST THE ANNUAL INCREASE CAP AND TO
CONSIDER OTHER COST SHARING ADJUSTMENTS
REMARKS:
After the staff report was prepared for distribution, staff received the attached public communication.
Attachments (Previously received with Staff Report on April 16, 2015):
1. Report previously received on February 12, 2015 for the February 17, 2015 Town Council Meeting
Exhibit A: Desk Item on February 17, 2015)
2. Los Gatos /Monte Sereno Beat Map
3. Memo from Chief Frisby to Interim Town Manager Les White dated March 31, 2015 regarding
Police Department Programs
Attachment received with this Desk Item:
4. Public communication received for the period of 11:01 a.m. Thursday, April 16, 2015 through
11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 21, 2015
PREPARED BY:
MATT FRISBY
Chief of Police
Reviewed by: ! Assistant Town Manager luftown Attorney Finance
C:\ Users \Bgeary\AppData \Local \Microsoft \Windows \Temporary Intemet Files\Con1mt.0ut1cok \RFPI HTXW \PD Contmct Service Desk Item.doc
From: sharweoer(o)aol.com [mailto:sharweoer(o)aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 9:07 AM
To: whuff(a)citvofmontesereno.oro
Cc: lallan(acitvofmontesereno.oro; manstandig (a)citvofmontesereno.org; bcraia(a)citvofmontesereno.org;
saarner (a)citvofmontesereno.org; bloventhal (acitvofmontesereno.org; Marcia Jensen; BSpector; Steven Leonardis; Rob Rennie; Marico
Sayoc; Town Manager
Subject: Our Opinion Since We Won't Be Able To Attend The Meeting
Dear City of Monte Sereno, Town of Los Gatos, Honorable Mayors, Council Members & City
Managers-
We are 28 -plus year residents of Monte Sereno and write to express our concern about potential
changes to our police services. We recently learned that the Town of Los Gatos is considering
whether to continue its service contract for shared police services with the City of Monte Sereno, and
that both Monte Sereno and Los Gatos are considering a contract with the Santa Clara County
Sheriffs Department (similar to the contract that Monte Sereno had pre- 1995). As longtime residents
of Monte Sereno, we have experience with both the LG -MS Police and the Sheriff's Department, and
strongly favor services from the joint Los Gatos -Monte Sereno police department.
A Joint Los Gatos -Monte Sereno Police Department Is In Both Cities' Best Interests
Los Gatos and Monte Sereno initially adopted the joint law enforcement contract because it was
mutually beneficial in terms of cost, service for the community, and continuity of law enforcement in
cities that overlap. In deciding to combine services - -and have Monte Sereno move away from
contracting with the Sheriff's Department - -both cities acknowledged, and expressly stated as the
basis for their decision, the value of having a single provider for efficiency, personalization, and
effectiveness.
The Los Gatos -Monte Sereno police department has achieved these goals —we believe it has
been a successful and noteworthy partnership —and breaking apart this joint law enforcement agency
will be detrimental to both cities, and Monte Sereno in particular. There is much overlap between the
two cities and thus, it makes sense to share police services. Los Gatos children attend Monte
Sereno's Daves Avenue Elementary school and Monte Sereno residents attend both Los Gatos'
Fisher Middle School and Los Gatos High School. Parks and businesses in both cities are
frequented by residents of both Monte Sereno and Los Gatos.
We understand that the idea of dissolving the highly successful and mutually beneficial contract
between Los Gatos and Monte Sereno may have been prompted by the overtime hour charges
sought by the Town of Los Gatos as a result of work on the Kumra Homicide. It appears that the
additional hours required to investigate this homicide may not have been factored into the contract
some 20 years ago. Although Monte Sereno is a small bedroom community with a small amount of
crime, it was inevitable that a major crime requiring more resources would occur at some
point. Unless this was already factored into the 80 hours per week of law enforcement services
agreed to back in 1995, it is only reasonable that Monte Sereno factor in such occasional overtime
moving forward.
The overtime hours that Monte Sereno is being asked to pay for resulted in arrests and
convictions. Well done, Los Gatos -Monte Sereno Police. We could not have asked for more, and
this is money well spent.
ATTACHMENT 4
Coverage By The Sheriff's Department Is Not Necessarily More Cost Effective
We understand that a comparison study was completed by LG -MS Chief Matt Frisby earlier this
year that reviewed costs and compared the two options, but we do not know whether all of the
relevant information was available for his consideration. For instance, did he know:
• That the Sheriffs will receive a 20 plus percent salary increase over the next 5 years?
• And that additional costs may be incurred for disability retirements, which according to a
2013 Grand Jury report are as high as 29% for the county compared to only 17% for Los Gatos.
These are relevant factors that need to be considered if they have not been already. Moreover, while
the Sheriff's Department may quote one rate for the initial contract, they too may determine that they
need to charge more upon contract renewal. While the grass may look greener on the other side
(contracting with the Sheriff's Department), it only looks greener until you get there. Significantly, we
have been there and know that it is not better.
Regardless Of Cost, It Is In Monte Sereno's Interest To Continue Joint Police Service With Los
Gatos
We are deeply concerned because we have experienced police services under both of the current
options and based on first hand experience we know that shared services with Los Gatos works
best. Our service has been better under the contract with Los Gatos in terms of response time,
personalization, and coverage (since contracting with Los Gatos, officers are much more frequently
seen actively patrolling neighborhoods including our cul -de -sac of 9 homes). This has kept our
neighborhood safer and it gives both us and our neighbors a greater sense of security.
Cost is not everything. According to Chief Frisby's conclusion from his review of police outsourcing
"Staff would not recommend any further consideration of outsourcing given the minimal cost savings
that could likely be achieved and the negative impacts that repeated consideration of outsourcing has
had on Police morale, recruitment and management workloads." If it is not broken, don't fix it. It is
also worth noting that there is likely no going back if Los Gatos and Monte Sereno decide to
outsource services to the Sheriff's Department. It is highly unlikely that we would ever have the
ability -- either financially or administratively - -to rebuild the police force.
Public safety should be the town and city governments' top priority. Although we are proponents of
smart and responsible government, Monte Sereno and Los Gatos are affluent areas and it should be
well within our means to afford an A+ law enforcement agency like Los Gatos /Monte Sereno Police.
Bottom line, the Los Gatos -Monte Sereno Police Department is among the finest and Monte Sereno
can and should have the finest. The City of Monte Sereno and Town of Los Gatos should treat
emergency services for its residents as its number one concern and the top priority when it comes to
the allocation of city funds. If the city or town needs to save money, we should find another way that
will not compromise our emergency services. Thank you for your consideration of our input.
Warm regards,
Al & Sharon Weger
15603 Dorado Lane
Monte Sereno, C
z
Subject: RE: Monte Sereno Contract
- - - -- Original Message---- -
From: John Shepardson [mailto:shepardsonlaw @me.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 10:53 AM
To: Marcia Jensen; BSpector; Steven Leonardis; Marico Sayoc; Rob Rennie; Council
Subject: Monte Sereno Contract
1. LG pop served by LGPD approx. 28K (SO serves 52 pockets).
2. $14,200,000 (expenditure budget) divided by 28K equals $507 /citizen.
3. Approx $2.5M grant monies and tickets) 4. $11,700,000 divided by 28K equals $417 /citizen.
5. Crime in Belwood and many other areas in LG comparable to MS.
6. LGPD headquarters closer to MS than places like Belwood.
7. MS refused to pickup any of extraordinary expenses associated with the murder. So, we can't expect any equity
concessions in future, and have a contract that protects the Town in future.
8. Town increases its own liability exposure for police misconduct. Rate increase because of this? The cost of the
increased risk should be borne by MS.
9. How many calls for service? Disproportionate to population?
10. MS will assert low crime. Should only pay for level of service required for its area. However, this is a benefit that
certain areas in LG don't enjoy. MS gets the logo of LGMS Police Dept. and an entire police dept. at the expense of LG
citizens. They don't presently fairly share in the overhead costs.
Nutshell: Suggest MS pay same cost per citizen as LG citizens of $417 /cit. Why should citizens in LG subsidize MS?
MS gets the feeling of security from a local PD with headquarters about two miles away.
JS:)
Sent from my iPhone