HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/16/2013 07 Yakima Police Department Succession Planning ProposalBUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No.
For Meeting of: 7/16/2013
ITEM TITLE: Yakima Police Department Succession Planning Proposal
SUBMITTED BY: Chief Dominic Rizzi
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
The Yakima Police Department Operational Command Staff consists of three Captains and six
Lieutenants. All but one of the nine police command staff are eligible for retirement in the next eight
months. To ensure a smooth, stable, and effective police command leadership transition, the Police
Chief and City Manager have created the attached succession plan proposal.
Resolution:
Ordinance:
Other (Specify):
Contract:
Contract Term:
Start Date:
End Date:
Item Budgeted:
Amount:
Funding Source /Fiscal Impact:
Strategic Priority:
Insurance Required? No
Mail to:
Phone:
APPROVED FOR
SUBMITTAL: City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommend approval of the plan.
ATTACHMENTS:
Name:
C] YPD Command pgposal.docx
Description:
YPD succession plan memo
MEMORANDUM
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Yakima City Council
From: Tony O'Rourke, City Manager
Dominic Rizzi, Police Chief
Date: July 8, 2013
RE: Yakima Police Department Command Staff
The Yakima Police Department Operational Command Staff consists of three Captains
and six Lieutenants. Collectively, they have a combined 227 years of service. These
nine command officers, with oversight by the Police Chief, have day -to -day
responsibility for 148 police department personnel and are entrusted with the safety and
security of the residents and businesses of Yakima.
While the City is blessed with such an experienced and exceptional command staff, we
must begin planning for a significant command staff turnover given all but one of the
nine police command staff is eligible for retirement in the next eight months. To ensure
a smooth, stable, and effective police command leadership transition, the Police Chief
and myself have created the following succession plan proposal. The plan is focused
on the lieutenants position based on a current register of eligible sergeants for
promotion to the lieutenant position, and the requirement that a lieutenant have a
minimum two years of in -grade service to be eligible for captain. We expect our first
captain retirement by 2015.
Offer retirement eligible lieutenants a lump -sum financial incentive of $55,000,
plus payment of their Teamsters Medical Insurance and Medical Trust Premium
($1,550 /month) up through August 1, 2014, to retire prior to August 1, 2014. The
lump sum financial payment and medical premium payments are in recognition of
the fact that the retirement eligible lieutenants are still in the prime of their
careers and earning power, and at an average age of 54, could continue working
for the City for some time. By retiring early, these lieutenants are forfeiting
average annual salaries, deferred compensation, medical insurance, and other
benefits of $144,750.
2. Four of the five lieutenants eligible for retirement are interested in the proposed
retirement incentive offer. Based on the following proposed retirement dates, this
will cost the City $257,192.
a. Lt. Steve Finch October 1, 2013
b. Lt. Gary Belles January 1, 2014
c. Lt. Mike Merryman April 1, 2014
d. Lt. Tom Foley July 1, 2014
These graduated retirement dates will enable the Chief to promote eligible sergeants to
these vacant lieutenant positions in a measured and orderly manner to ensure
leadership continuity at the police department.
3. The proposed $257,192 early retirement proposal expenses are off -set by the
salary differentials between the four retiring lieutenants at the top of the
Lieutenant pay scale and their replacement by four sergeants, who are also at
the top of their pay scale, being replaced by four patrol officers. Collectively
these savings are $173,000 in year one. The other major savings opportunities
are the time to recruit, screen, and hire four new patrol officers to replace the four
patrol officers promoted to sergeant. This process generally takes 12 months.
The vacancy savings from these four patrol officer positions is $350,559.
In summary, the combined salary and benefit differential savings generated by the
retirement of four lieutenants of $173,792 and the vacancy savings of four patrol officers
of $350,559 is $524,341. These are twice the cost of the $257,000 succession plan
retirement proposal. In the interest of an orderly and effective Police Department
command succession, we strongly recommend the City Council's consideration and
approval of this plan.