2001-02-16 Police Commission Minutes

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February 16, 2001 Regular Session Minutes Page 4 that by adding more manpower, part of that overtime will go down substantially. Instead of paying time and a half, they could pay the flat rate and make a savings. Commissioner Williams stated that they need to appropriate money through the council and people need to assist the department in doing this. Chief Correa reported that there are other support areas that are in extreme need, one of which is dispatch. They have a large sum of overtime as a result of dispatchers having to work overtime as a result of injuries or sickness. Automation in dispatch has made the department very efficient which means they are catching more people which means its costing them more money because they are out there conducting more investigations. He has asked for an additional five dispatch positions, but there was no funding for it. They are going to try to find some funding within the department because the reduction of overtime would pay for a few people's salary. Commendations: Chief Correa reported receiving 12 commendations since the last meeting. UNFINISHED BUSINESS — None NEW BUSINESS Corresp. 033, from Tom Russi and Christine Paul, asking for correction to the date of Correspondence 015, request for copy of minutes of November 17, 2000, 9:00 a.m. which included comments by all commissioners, and his request for the commission to provide him a letter stating that the commission voted in favor of holding public hearings before renewing Wood & Tait's contract. Vice Chair Manago stated that the intent was to let Mr. Russi have his day. He complained that the investigation he received was not proper. He wanted to give Mr. Russi his day to come up and explain to them why he felt the investigation was not proper and to give background information on how Wood & Tait conducted their investigations. When he brought this matter up previously, he did not intend to have open hearings, but he just wanted to let Mr. Russi come up and explain what he was dissatisfied about. Commissioner Hara asked if they are having public statements on agenda items on this matter or holding public hearings as they did in the selection of the police chief which was dedicated only to that item. Vice Chair Manago stated that the intent was not a public hearing. Chair Okabe stated that at the last meeting it was stated public hearing, so someone has to move to change from public hearing to public statements, and he will write a letter to Mr. Russi stating that. Commissioner Williams stated that Mr. Russi has been bringing up this subject for four or five years ever since Wood & Tait investigated his case. The gentleman has been to almost every agency that deals with this. He's gotten an answer from the Ombudsman on his cases. They found absolutely nothing wrong, and yet he continues to bring it up. Mr. Russi's cases were decided on years ago, and he doesn't see why he's being given this extra time to bring it up again. This has already been done. It's a done deal. There was nothing wrong. Many agencies looked at this and found nothing wrong with what the commission did, so why does the commission continually give him the floor to bring it up again for the umpteen time. It's done, its over. He needs to accept this and they should move on. The public is not going to know who puts in an application, that's private information. They're going to testify and not even know if the person has applied.