HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/19/2012 10 2012 Police Officer Hiring Update F•
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. I°
For Meeting of: June 19, 2012
ITEM TITLE: Report regarding 2012 Police Officer Hiring Update
SUBMITTED BY: Captain Copeland
CONTACT Captain Copeland, 575 -6178
PERSON /TELEPHONE:
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
See attached
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APPROVED FOR City Manager
SUBMITTAL:
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E Hiring update
YAKIMA POLICE DEPARTMENT
INTEROFFICE MEMO
DATE: June 1, 2012
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Yakima City Council
Interim City Manager Michael Morales
FROM: Capt. Greg Copeland
SUBJECT: 2012 Officer hiring update
I was asked to submit a memo regarding an update of our efforts to hire officers thus far
this year.
As you know, the testing process for officers is quite involved, and we usually end up
disqualifying about 90% of applicants for various reasons. Applicants first have to pass a
written and physical agility test. Once they make it through these initial tests they must
pass an oral board. Candidates who successfully complete the oral board are given an
initial ranking and are placed on a scored list.
A thorough background check is done and candidates who pass the background then must
pass a polygraph exam, a psychological exam, and a physical exam. The candidates who
can successfully pass all of these stages (again, less than 10 percent normally) are offered
a position.
So far, in 2012, we have hired five entry-level candidates and one lateral candidate. Our
most recent hires were two entry-level candidates who successfully passed all of the
requirements and were hired on May 21, 2012. They have been accepted to attend the
June 2012 Police Academy.
This puts us at the halfway mark of reaching our directive to hire 12 officers this
year. We have several other candidates "in the pipeline" to be hired.
Both the department and human resources believe it will likely take most of the year to
hire all of our open positions. The above process takes time and the hiring of entry -level
officers must coincide with openings at the academy. Sometimes we have to delay a
hiring to accommodate the academy's schedule; otherwise, we end up paying a recruit
while he or she waits for the academy class to start.
Lateral candidates save us time and money since we do not have to send them to the basic
academy. We are on the lookout for good lateral candidates.
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In summary, we will move through the hiring process as quickly as we can. However,
the process is time - intensive and some factors (most particularly academy availability)
are out of the City's control. We must take care in selecting our officers, as we want to
ensure we are getting the best and most - qualified individuals.