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REQUEST FOR <br />COUNCIL ACTION <br />CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: <br />OCTOBER 20, 2015 <br />TITLE: <br />POLICE OFFICER RECRUITING AND <br />HIRING UPDATE {STRATEGIC PLAN NO. <br />1,11) <br />z d <br />CITY MANAGER <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: <br />APPROVED <br />❑ <br />As Recommended <br />❑ <br />As Amended <br />❑ <br />Ordinance on 1" Reading <br />Cl <br />Ordinance on 2n' Reading <br />❑ <br />Implementing Resolution <br />❑ <br />Set Public Hearing For <br />Receive and file Police Officer Recruiting and Hiring Update. <br />DISCUSSION <br />CONTINUED TO <br />FILE NUMBER <br />During the period of 2010 through 2014, the Santa Ana Police Department had reduced hiring to <br />a very low level. Sworn officers and civilian staff were hired at a rate less than the attrition rate. <br />The Department and the City were reducing staff in order to regain control of the budget. The <br />Backgrounds staff at the Police Department was reduced to one person responsible for all <br />backgrounds in the Department. Because of the reduced hiring, having only one background <br />investigator was sufficient. <br />Beginning in 2014, the Police Department began to recruit and hire for the numerous vacancies <br />throughout the Department. The Background Unit was expanded from one to five full -time <br />background investigators. Additional staff was hired at City Hall to assist the Police Department <br />with the increased hiring. In addition, as described below, the Police Department has improved <br />several aspects of the hiring process including marketing /advertising (web presence), our <br />recruitment efforts, the physical agility test, and technology and software. As a result, the Police <br />Department has seen a marked increase in the number officers hired. The number of Police <br />Officers hired has increased from 17 in 2014 to 33 to date in 2015 and the Police Department <br />anticipates additional hiring by the end of the calendar year. <br />The Department continues to work towards hiring more officers than it separates. In 2014, 17 <br />officers were hired, but 24 officers separated from the Department. In 2015, 33 officers have <br />been hired, but 21 left the Department. As the number of officers we hire continues to increase <br />and as separations decrease, the Department will continue to see positive growth in sworn <br />staffing. <br />19E -1 <br />