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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0724.000 2002-2004 r<r or H AARON S.Y. CH[JNG Phone: (R08) 961-8396 Cuuncilmemher EaX: (808) 961-8912 iij'j ~ r% 0, , ~ 1r~ ~.Nrjlr l.: HAWAI C~J~T~'COUNClL Cuunty o/'Hawaii //nwai'i County Huildin,~ ZS aupm+i Street, Su7/e 209 [lilu. Uawa7'f 96720 _ _ August 5, 2004 ~ T MEMORANDUM TO: James Y. Arakaki, Chair, and Council Members CJ FROM: Aaron S. Y. Chung a/L SUBJECT: A Resolution Requesting the Administration to Develop a Transition and Implementation Plan for Conversion from Subsidized Private Vehicles in Police Service to a County-Owned Fleet of Police Vehicles Commencing in Fiscal Year 2006-07 Attached for your consideration please find a resolution calling for the establishment of a Police Fleet Implementation Working Group to be supported by a $20,000 Council contingency fund appropriation. Also attached for reference is an earlier draft of this resolution prepared by the Legislative Auditor's Office. Ifyou have any questions regarding this measure, please do not hesitate to contact me. AGrf Attachments Comm. No. 1 L~ Ref. To: PG Ret. Gate All(; ~ ~nnA DRAFT -July 11, 2004 Legislative Auditor's Office Reference/Information Only A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A TRANSITION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR CONVERSION FROM SUBSIDIZED PRIVATE VEHICLES IN POLICE SERVICE TO A COUNTY-OWNED FLEET OF POLICE VEHICLES COMMENCING IN FISCAL YEAR 2006-07 WHEREAS, the County Council affirms the principle that the County of Hawaii, as a municipal corporation, bears the responsibility to furnish its employees, including sworn police officers, with the necessary equipment and vehicles to enable effective, professional performance of official duties; and WHEREAS, reports on file in the Legislative Auditor's Office indicate that the feasibility of continuing the Hawaii County Police Department (HCPD) subsidized vehicle program vs. purchasing marked "blue & white" police cars has been evaluated by HCPD in 1972,1978,1994 and 2003; and WHEREAS, the HCPD studies from 1972 to the present did not identify the most suitable police patrol car (or combination of police vehicles) to support law enforcement services in Hawaii County and, instead, presented budgetary conjectures and findings favoring continuance of the department's vehicle subsidy policy; and WHEREAS, conversion to a fleet of marked police patrol cars and other County-owned police vehicles will increase conspicuous police visibility in the community and enable the installation of the latest technological equipment in police cars; and WHEREAS, an advisory opinion from the Office of the Corporation Counsel (Corp. Counsel Wrk. No. 03-5909 dated August 26, 2003) provided guidance for conversion to a county-owned police fleet and found that: (1) The County may change its policies respective to subsidized automobiles during the life of the SHOPO contract, upon consulting the Union; and (2) The County is not obligated to pay for the cost of subsidized private vehicles if it converts to a county-owned fleet system; and (3) Should the policy on subsidized vehicles change, the County of Hawaii would meet with the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) to negotiate items relating to the effects of change in policy since such items would fall under the category of `terms and conditions' which must be recognized; and WHEREAS, a study compiled by the Legislative Auditor's Office in 2003 found that some of the most positive trends in police work including community policing, transparency, and the emergence of high-tech "smart cars" all point in the direction of greater community partnering, professionalism, and service to the public; and further found that "public safety and assurance are ever more linked to conspicuous identification of essential, first responder public safety providers"; and WHEREAS, the Corporation Counsel has advised the Council re: §105-7 and §105-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes that subsidized privately owned cars may not be "controlled" by the County and are not subject to state-mandated inscription of county motor vehicles; and WHEREAS, for purposes of risk management and traffic enforcement, marked police cars will place the County in an offensive, rather than defensive, position when "establishing the color" of law enforcement officers' official authority; and WHEREAS, police visibility in Hawaii County would be enhanced by standardization of colors, detailing, HCPD shield emblems and prominent departmental identification on all patrol vehicles, and such action would bring the longstanding issue of "unmarked subsidized police cars" in Hawaii County to a positive resolution; and WHEREAS, conversion to a county-owned fleet would allow the County, as a self- insured employer, to realize savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars annually represented by the difference between current insurance premiums for subsidized vehicles versus actual losses incurred by county-owned cars; and WHEREAS, the 2003 Legislative Auditor's study proposed that conversion to a county- owned marked fleet of "police package" cars and "specialty service" vehicles should occur only after the Police Department undertakes a methodical assessment of its patrolling needs and determines the requisite number of police package cars, police specialty vehicles, backseat "cage" detainee transport needs, radio and mobile data terminal (MDT) communications requirements, and unmarked cars for each of its eight police districts. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII AS FOLLOWS: 1. The Council requests that a Police Fleet Implementation Working Group be convened by the county administration to include, but not be limited to, the Managing Director (or designate), the Hawaii County Police Department, the State of Hawaii Association of Police Officers, Finance Department Purchasing Section, Department of Public Works-Automotive Services Division, a member of the Hawaii County Police Commission, and two community members nominated by the Mayor and County Council, respectively. 2. The Police Fleet Implementation Working Group shall prepare a written implementation plan and identify all costs associated with the purchase, operation and maintenance of a county-owned police fleet. Its written plan shall be submitted to the County Council on January 2, 2006. 3. In preparing the fleet implementation plan, the Working Group is encouraged to seek guidance and consultation from the National Association of Fleet Administrators Law Enforcement Group (NAFA/LEG), to include attending the NAFA/LEG annual conference, as well as the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department, Los Angeles Police Department, and any other police department(s) acknowledged to possess expertise in police fleet operations. 4. The Council requests that the Working Group assess "job suitability" for each sworn police officer and his/her need for an assigned patrol or specialty police vehicle, including the suitability of "take-home" driving privileges. Where efficiencies can be realized by multiple shift or "on call" use of fleet cars, enhanced fuel performance, and safe driving practices, the Working Group is requested to explore and present those options, as appropriate. 5. It is anticipated that the necessary support infrastructure for acounty-owned and maintained police fleet -staffing needs, repair shops, back-up cars, auxiliary equipment (lightbars, etc.) -will require an assessment of the capital costs of fleet maintenance by the county's automotive services division, as well as estimated maintenance contracts via Detroit model auto dealerships on the island. The Working Group is encouraged to present cost options reflecting both public and private sector capabilities for fleet maintenance. 6. In preparing its recommendations for transition to a county police fleet, the Working Group is encouraged to employ "lifecycle cost analysis" tools to evaluate the most efficient and cost-effective fleet purchasing, vehicle rotation, depreciation, and maintenance practices, and shall assure that enhanced public safety and the safety of police officers in the perfonmance of their duties is focal to all the recommendations submitted for fleet implementation. 7. For all appropriate expenses, honoraria, travel costs, and publicly noticed meetings, the Council shall provide a $15,000 appropriation from its FY2004-OS Contingency Account to support the work of the Police Fleet Implementation Working Group. 8. Effective Date: Transmittal of Resolution. This resolution shall take place upon adoption thereof. Following such adoption, the Clerk of the County of Hawaii shall transmit copies of this resolution to: Mayor Harry Kim; Managing Director Dixie Kaetsu; Police Chief Lawrence Mahuna; Finance Director William Takaba; Police Commission Chair Horace S. Hara; Emory Springer, State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers; Bruce McClure, Department of Public Works; and DPW-Automotive Services Division Head Randall Riley. Dated at , Hawaii, this day of , 2004. INTRODUCED BY: COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII AC/rf COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL cALL voTE County of Hawaii AYES NOES ASB EX HI~Q, Ilawal`I ARAKAKI I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by CHUNG the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the ELARIONOFF County of Hawaii on ROLSCHOH JACOBSON A"I'TES1': REYNOLDS SAFARIK TULANG TYLER REFERENCE: COUNTY CLERK CHAIRMAN & PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO.