HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 29 - Police Management Promotion FreezeTOPIC
Police Management Promotion Freeze
TITLE
Police Management Promotion Freeze to Affect Right-Sizing Police Staffing and
Personnel Budget
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Discuss and direct the City Manager to direct staff to implement a temporary promotion
freeze for police management until at least 90 percent of the current vacant police
officer positions are filled.
DISCUSSION
Background
From 2016 to present, criminal activity within the City has increased, resulting in the
need to increase the number of Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) patrol officers to
discourage such activity and improve call for service times. Members of the City Council
have addressed these concerns and authorized an increase in the SAPD budget to add
more patrol officers serving the community. Often, the SAPD has continued to operate
with a fluctuating deficit of police officers due to unfilled vacancies as a result of
increasing transfers, retirements, and promotions from patrol. As of today, there are 31
funded vacancies for police officer.
Increasing Vacancies
A recent list of potential candidates for promotion to Sergeant was compiled, of which
two of the candidates were promptly promoted. One patrol officer was recently
promoted from an already depleted pool of employees who are required to respond to
calls for service and provide direct services to our citizens. Waiting to promote officers
until vacancies are filled would have been the more prudent course of action to ensure
that the City would not experience any further impact on service time and criminal
activity.
Unused Funding
For years, the surplus of General Fund monies programmed for police officers have
been used for overtime costs resulting from the high number of police officer vacancies.
While such a practice may benefit the bottom line of City finances, it occurs at the
expense (and reduced security) of our residents, business owners, and visitors. Tax
dollars should be invested appropriately as budgeted and where it has the most visible
impact in our city. Public safety starts with community policing and prioritizing the
staffing of police officers, not in-house management roles.
Proposed Freeze on Promotions
The City acknowledges the efforts that the Police Department and the City have done
so far to recruit new officers, such as through recruitment fairs, hiring bonuses, and
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marketing. The current vacancies are still relatively staggering for a city that has the
geographic size and population density of Santa Ana. Priority should be given to filling
vacant police officer positions prior to processing any other internal promotions. To
promote officers at this time further exacerbates the vacancies within the rank and file. It
is proposed that SAPD cease any promotions until at least 90 percent of the current
sworn officer vacancies are filled. It is also recommended that the City perform an
analysis to determine the appropriate ratio of command staff to rank and file.
EXHIBITS
1. Santa Ana Police Department Organizational Chart (Effective April 1, 2023)
2. List of Currently Assigned Patrol Sergeants and Police Commanders
Submitted By: Mayor Amezcua
SANTA ANA POLICE DEPARTMENT
CHIEF OF POLICE
DAVID VALENTIN
LEGAL ADVISOR
Sr. Asst.City Atty.Tamara Bogosian
CHIEF OF STAFF
Sergeant A. Lopez
HonorGuard
SANTA ANA COMMUNITY
Effective April 1, 2023
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Commander J. Gonzalez
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
ElizabethPlotnik
TRAINING/HUMANRESOURCES
DIVISION
Commander Lizardi
Risk Management
Recruitment/Backgrounds
Field Training Program
Centennial TrainingCenter
RECORDS DIVISION
Manager Antes
Evidence
Public Records Requests
INFORMATION SERVICES
Manager Duran
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
Commander Sorenson
Gang Suppression Unit
MajorEnforcement Team
Court Liaison
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION
Commander Weber
Robbery/Assaults
Burglary/Economic Crimes / Auto Theft
Special Crimes (Child Abuse,Sexual Assault,
Domestic Violence)
CSI / Crime Analysis
INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU
Deputy Chief Sergio Enriquez
PATROL DIVISION
WATCH COMMANDERS
Commander Rodriguez
Commander Oropeza
Commander Andrade
Commander Ponce De Leon
TRAFFIC DIVISION
Commander Craft
Field Traffic Officers
Collision Investigations
Parking Control Program
Traffic Education Program
SUPPORT SERVICES
Contractor/VendorLiaison
Facility Inspections
Audit Compliance
Education/Religion Programs
Inmate Counseling Services
JAIL RECORDS
InmateRecords
Registrants
PRISONER TRANSPORT
InmateDiscipline
InmateGrievance
JAIL OPERATIONSDIVISION
Manager Willard
Shift Operations
Facility Security
Inmate Classification
Inmate Mail
JAIL BUREAU
Jail Administrator
Jaime Manriquez
CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS/SPECIAL
INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION
Commander Elms
Homicide Unit
Career CriminalUnit
Vice/Narcotics/Human Trafficking
Orange County Computer Forensics
FBI Laboratory (OCRCFL)
ADMINISTRATION BUREAU
Deputy Chief Enrique Esparza
BUDGET DIVISION
Manager Gorospe
Budget /Fiscal /CDC
Facility Management
Internal Affairs
Public Information Officer –Sgt. M. Lopez
COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION
Manager Mendoza
Dispatch
Telephonic Reporting Unit
NORTH AREA COMMANDER
Commander Viramontes
Special Weapons and Tactics Team
Mounted Enforcement Unit
Canine Unit
FIELD OPERATIONS BUREAU
Assistant Chief Robert Rodriguez
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Commander Marty
District Policing Liaison Program
Police Athletic & Activity League (PAAL)
Santa Ana Family Justice Center
Community Police Academy
Parent /Teen Academies
Chaplain Program
Explorer Program
HOMELAND SECURITY
Commander Moreno
UASI
Emergency Operation Center
Special Events
QOLT –City Wide
Parks
SOUTH AREA COMMANDER
Commander Hernandez
Directed Patrol
Civic Center Patrol
Downtown Business Liaison Unit
Current List of Sergeants and Commanders – March 2023
SERGEANTS
Patrol Sergeants 23
Training Sergeant 1
Human Resources Sergeant 1
Internal Affairs Sergeants 3
Homicide Sergeant 1
Burglary Sergeant 1
Robbery Sergeant 1
Sex Crimes Sergeant 1
MET Sergeant 1
Gang Sergeant 1
CCU Sergeant 1
UASI Sergeant 1
Chief of Staff Sergeant 1
PIO Sergeant 1
QOLT Sergeant 1
Cannabis Team / Vice
Sergeant 1
Traffic Sergeants 2
K9 Sergeant 1
POA Sergeant 1
TOTAL 44
COMMANDERS
Patrol Watch Commanders 4
Training / HR Commander 1
CAP / Special Investigations Commander 1
Metropolitan Division Commander 1
UASI Commander 1
Executive Officer / IA Commander 1
CID Commander 1
Community Engagement Commander 1
North Area Commander 1
South Area Commander 1
Traffic Commander 1
TOTAL 14