Title
Resolution to Approve a Contract for the Provision of City-wide Police Dispatch Services by Washtenaw County ($759,089.00 (offset $12,520.00/yr by Co. facility use fee)
Memorandum
This resolution approves a contract for services with Washtenaw County for the provision of City-wide dispatch services for law enforcement personnel.
To curb further reductions of sworn officer positions in future fiscal years, it is necessary now to make changes to the way we deliver police services to this community by following the examples of other communities that have done so successfully. This contract does not sacrifice quality of service. It changes the way the service is delivered and in doing so creates an efficiency that also significantly reduces some of the cost burden to the general fund.
Brief points describing why this contract is before you:
• AAPD has faced significant reductions in force over the past decade. The future fiscal situation of the state and city are uncertain regarding the potential impact of further reductions.
• City staff requested a proposal from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) to provide all emergency police dispatch services. (Emergency fire dispatch is currently handled through contract with Huron Valley Ambulance service (HVA)).
• The Sheriff has operated Central Dispatch since 1990 providing dispatch services to Northfield Township, Michigan State Police, Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority as well as contract policing jurisdictions.
• In January, 2010, the City of Ypsilanti contracted with the Sheriff's Office for dispatch services.
• It has been determined that the City of Ann Arbor may save an estimated $500,000.00 or more per year by contracting dispatch services to Washtenaw County. These savings may allow the City to maintain police officers on the street. Greater savings may be possible over the long term.
• The Sheriff's dispatch operation would like to add staff, but cannot within present budget. A contract with the City would provide the funding for additional staff that comes at a per FTE cost savings to the City.
• This contract will allow WCSO to have a larger pool of resources to deploy more efficiently.
• Two new coordinator positions will provide shift supervision and each will have an additional area of responsibility (quality improvement and training).
• Part-time call-takers will supplement staffing and assure that minimum staffing levels are maintained.
This change to emergency dispatch service follows the path that many other communities across the nation have taken to eliminate otherwise duplicative services that can and should be done collaboratively. If approved by Council, this initiative can be reported to the State in January 2012 as the City's collaborative effort to qualify for the 2nd part of the State's Economic Vitality Incentive Plan (formerly statutory State Shared revenue).
Highlights of the proposed contract with WCSO are:
· The term of the agreement is five years, with an anticipated start date of March 2012.
· The City will pay the County a flat fee of $759,089.00 per year for the service billed quarterly, offset by an annual amount of $12,520.00 for use of the facility space currently used for the emergency dispatch center.
· Service Level specifications are incorporated into the contract to provide clarity of the expectations of agreed upon service.
· The Service Level specifications also provide flexibility to modify the operational service levels agreed upon as needs dictate.
· The County will give first consideration in hiring for their dispatch operators to all City dispatch employees who were employed as of July 1, 2011.
· Performance measures have been agreed upon to measure the areas of: operations; quality of service; financial performance; and employee development.
· The performance measures will be reported to Ann Arbor on a regular basis.
· Either party may terminate the contract with or without cause by giving 180 days written notice to the other. Should this occur the County will be able to continue providing dispatch services from the current facility pursuant to an existing co-location agreement.
Staff
Prepared by: DC Bazick, AAPD
Reviewed by: Chief Barnet Jones, AAPD, Safety Services Area Administrator; Robyn Wilkerson, Human Resources Services and Labor Relations Director and Nancy Niemela, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Approved by: Steven D. Powers, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, To curb further reductions of sworn officer positions from the Ann Arbor Police Department in future fiscal years, it is necessary now to make changes to the way the City delivers police services to this community by following the examples of other communities that have done so successfully;
Whereas, The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office (WSCO) has operated Central Dispatch since 1990 providing dispatch services to Northfield Township, Michigan State Police, Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority as well as contract policing jurisdictions;
Whereas, This delivery model for emergency police dispatch service follows the path that many other communities across the nation have taken to eliminate otherwise duplicative services that can and should be done collaboratively;
Whereas, City staff requested a proposal from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) to provide all emergency police dispatch services;
Whereas, It has been determined that The City of Ann Arbor may save $500,000.00 or more per year which savings may allow the City to maintain police officers on the street;
Whereas, Contracting with WCSO for emergency police dispatch services will not impact the quality of service provided to Ann Arbor citizens and will create an efficiency that also significantly reduces some of the cost burden to the general fund, and
Whereas, Under the terms of the police dispatch services contract
· Performance measures have been agreed upon to measure the areas of operations; quality of service; financial performance; and employee development; which will be reported to and subject to review by the City on a regular basis.
· The term of the initial contract will be for 5 years, with an anticipated start date of March 2012.
· Either party may terminate the contract with or without cause by giving 180 days written notice to the other, with the County retaining the ability to continue providing dispatch services from the current facility pursuant to an existing agreement.
RESOLVED, That City Council approve a contract with Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office for provision of police dispatch services for the City of Ann Arbor,
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute the contract for services after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney, and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take all necessary actions to implement this resolution, including if deemed in the best interest of the City, authorization of and execution of any renewal term of the contract under the same terms as the initial agreement subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney.