15-17 - Police Compensation-Recruitment-RetentionNos. 15-17
Memorandum
TO: Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem & City Council
FROM: Grayson Path, City Manager
Richard Salter, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: Police Compensation / Recruitment / Retention
DATE: February 13, 2023
F-INUOKOWT41110I
For several years, the Paris Police Department has struggled to maintain staffing. Due to a number
of national and local factors, it is challenging to find qualified individuals to serve as police
officers. Despite our constant efforts to advertise and recruit, we are currently down approximately
17 police officers, which represents nearly 50% of our front line force. While we have managed
to maintain absolute minimum numbers for shifts, further vacancies as well as burn out are serious
concerns. In addition, due to the regulations under civil service, the speed at which we have a
vacancy occur is very lopsided as compared to the time it takes to refill that position (this will be
illustrated later in this memo).
Beginning in FY21/22, we began a two-year approach to adjusting pay within the department as
compared to similar communities. This was part of the city-wide pay study. While this was very
helpful, we have come to realize the importance of comparing to more immediate competition
within our own county. Local competition consists of the Lamar County Sheriff Office as well as
four ISDs. We have lost a fair number of officers to these entities recently. While the City is heavily
regulated by civil service, they are not civil service entities which gives them greater ease, speed
and flexibility to adjust and respond to staffing issues. Given the qualifications to work for any of
these entities are virtually equivalent to those of our own, transferring is relatively easy. And when
compensation and job duties are compared, some are making the decision to move.
STATUS OF ISSUE:
As the PPD is down about 17 officer positions at this time, and given our recent several attempts
to recruit and hire officers through our civil service testing have not fared well, and in order to try
and reverse the course we are on and build our department back up, management believes it is time
to re-evaluate our compensation once again. We also feel there is urgency in this request, therefore
warranting adjustments to occur now and not waiting until October 1St with a new budget.
Additional adjustments will be considered in the FY23/24 budget, but in order to try and avoid
further vacancies as well as try and recruit new officers, something more immediate needs to occur.
While we cannot account for the differences in responsibility between being a PPD officer as
compared to a Sheriff Deputy or ISD officer, we do have the ability to adjust our compensation in
order to 1) attract local and/or afar candidates, and 2) retain existing officers.
Therefore, management recommends that we make immediate changes to try and address our
staffing issues. These changes consist of the following:
1. Authorize lateral seniority pay such that when an applicant is hired who is certified and has
previous years of experience as an officer with another department, once their probationary
period is complete, they may be placed in an appropriate seniority step to align with those
previous years of experience.
a. Note — for non -civil service positions in the City, we will, when warranted,
authorize a starting pay higher than Step 1 based on years of experience, credentials,
education, etc. in order to attract and retain skilled employees. Doing so with the
Police Department may attract existing officers in other departments who would
not otherwise be willing to accept a drop in pay to come to the PPD and begin at a
seniority level of no years in the department.
2. Authorize the sign -on bonus to be given to both certified and non -certified officers, as well
as increase the sign -on bonus from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00.
a. Note — this is not paid all upfront, but over the course of the first year. There is also
a clawback agreement should they resign during that time. It is only given to those
who have never been a Paris PD officer before.
3. Authorize up to $1,000.00 in moving expense reimbursement for anyone who becomes a
PPD officer and who lives more than 1 hour away.
a. Note — our policy requires that all PPD officers live within 1 hour of work, therefore
distant candidates will have moving expenses that may be challenging to meet
without some assistance from the City.
4. Authorize an increase in certification pay as follows:
LevelCurrent..a.......................�.� ...........................New
a. Basic $0.00 $125.00
b. Intermediate $62.00 $150.00
c. Advanced $87.00 $175.00
d. Master $110.00 $200.00
e. Notes:
i. All sworn police personnel must have at least a Basic certificate in the State
of Texas from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to be a peace
officer. As they advance in their trainings, skills, experience, and ultimately
levels, we compensate them for these advancements. This is allowed under
City Code 2.10.033 and is authorized by Texas Local Government Code
143.041 and 143.044.
ii. Compensation Pay is paid out at each pay check (as an example, a Basic
level officer would receive $125.00 every two weeks in addition to their
base pay and seniority (if applicable)).
iii. The Sheriff Office recently adjusted their certification pay as follows:
1. Leve ..... FY.2..1./22 FY22/23
2. Basic $0.00 $75.00
3. Intermediate $50.00 $100.00
4. Advanced $75.00 $150.00
5. Master $90.00 $200.00
6. These changes, in addition to their annual base pay of approximately
$49,751.00 plus longevity pay of $5/year of service/check, makes
them very competitive with our existing structure for new officers
with lower seniority in the department.
iv. These changes would place us more comparable, and competitive, to that of
local competition.
v. We currently have 15 Basics, 1 Intermediate, 7 Advanced, and 18 Master
Certificate holders in the department.
Since January 2022, we have held 4 tests. The following is a summary of when those tests were
given, how many took the test, and how many were hired from this group. Those not hired would
have failed any of the written test, physical test, psychological evaluation, background, and/or
interview.
Test DateTested11-1111111",
Hired
A. February 8, 2022
6
1
B. May 25, 2022
3
0
C. September 13, 2022
14
1
D. January 10, 2023
9
TBD
From this, we see that it continues to be very challenging to draw interest to the PPD for testing
purposes, let alone hiring someone from this group who passes all the steps. Therefore, the key is
more taking the test, and if possible, attracting existing certified officers to take our test. The
majority of those who test are not existing certified officers, thus we must send them to a six month
academy plus a three month FTO program. During this same time period, we lost 10 in the
department for various reasons. For transparency though, we hired 4 in February 2022 from a 2021
test, so the actual hire vs. lost in 2022 is 6 vs. 10. Nevertheless, we lost more than hired and our
recent testing has done very little to account for the 17 positions we are down.
To help put the timing imbalance in to focus; an officer wishing to leave the City of Paris must
simply give us a two week notice. From that point, the time it takes to refill that position is typically
2-3 months in advertisement for a new test, 2-3 months in testing (discussed above), 6 months in
an academy (unless they are existing certified, and assuming we are able to get our candidate in
the next available academy), and three months of FTO program, totaling approximately 7 — 15
months from start to finish. This is a very lopsided timeframe and further amplifies the importance
of 1) retaining existing officers and 2) attracting more candidates.
The above changes are meant to 1) attract more candidates to take our test, 2) attract existing
certified candidates, 3) attract candidates from afar to move to Paris, and 4) retain our candidates
once hired by getting them through the first few years where local competition in compensation is
strongest. This is not a guarantee to obtain 17 new officers immediately nor losing any further
officers for any number of reasons (i.e. retirement), but something needs to be done to try and halt
our current downward trajectory in staffing numbers.
BUDGET:
To authorize lateral senior it pqy° by hiring experienced officers and placing them at a seniority
level equivalent to their years of experience will equate to payment beyond the base pay for a
police officer position. Attached to this agenda memo is our current pay plan which shows the bi-
weekly seniority payment based on years of seniority. This will not have an immediate impact to
FY22/23 given it would only be given once their probationary period is complete, and while it
could raise our expense in FY23/24 and beyond from what we would see hiring new officers
without seniority pay, there would be some offset in savings by not having to send these
experienced officers to the academy while also expediting this now -filled position to field service,
thus relieving some OT and burn out from other officers. In addition, hiring experienced officers
should reasonably offset the issue of hiring a new inexperienced officer only for them to determine
that police work is not suited for them, thus resigning, which can occur at any point in the 7 — 15
month onboarding period.
To make an increase in sign -on bonus from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00, that would be — at most, 17
positions x $5,000.00 increase = $85,000.00. It is extremely unlikely that we will have 17
successful hires in one year, and these are one-time payments over the course of their first year,
assuming they remain employed with the City of Paris. This therefore will have a negligible impact
to any one Fiscal Year as it will be spread out over the next several years.
To offer moving expenses up to $1,000.00, that would be — at most, 17 positions x $1,000.00 =
$17,000.00. Not only do the same impacts discussed with the sign -on bonus apply here, but so
does the requirement that one must live more than an hour away, thus must move to Paris (within
one hour) to apply and receive this reimbursement. Once again, this should have a negligible
impact to any one Fiscal Year.
To make the adjustment in Certification Pay as discussed above will be immediate and more
impactful to the FY22/23 and subsequently FY23/24 budget. Given the above identified numbers
in each category, we estimate an increase of approximately $120k to the budget (between
certification pay increases and the associate impact to Social Security, TMRS, and Medicare
payments). This does not take into account the hiring of 17 new officers, however, you do not
receive your Basic Certification until one year in service, thus the added impact of these new 17
officers (as soon as they can be hired), will not be felt until future fiscal years. We cannot however
only apply the new scale to new hires, and we are also using this increase as a means of retaining
our officers and staying at or above comparable to local competition. So this scale would apply to
all existing sworn personnel.
If we can find a way to attract and keep new officers for the first few years, we believe our seniority
plan, promotion opportunities, plus increases to certification pay will make it very difficult for new
officers to choose to move to local competition on account of compensation (as it stands today
with local entities). In addition, if we can find a way to attract and keep experienced officers, this
will bring faster relief to the department and savings in academy expense, OT and the effects of
burnout in our officers.
While we are currently one-fourth the way through our existing fiscal year, and even though we
did not budget for the added certification pay, sign -on bonus, moving expenses, or lateral seniority
pay, it is our opinion that our situation is critical and given we have vacant funded positions in the
department, we know FY22/23 can handle the increase and we will work to mold this in during
the FY23/24 budget process. Unfortunately, to not make any financial changes, despite their
budget impact, may result in the loss of more officers and the continuation of our disappointing
testing and hiring results.
OPTIONS:
Approve the necessary ordinances and resolutions to:
a. Authorize lateral seniority pay for new experienced officers.
b. Increase the sign -on bonus from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 and apply it to all first-
time candidates, whether existing certified or not.
c. Offer up to $1,000.00 in moving expenses for those who live beyond 1 hour from
work, thus must move within 1 hour of work.
d. Increase the Certification Pay as follows:
Level _. -Current
New
i. Basic $0.00
$125.00
ii. Intermediate $62.00
$150.00
iii. Advanced $87.00
$175.00
iv. Master $110.00
$200.00
2. Approve any number of the above options.
3. Adjust any number of the above options.
4. Identify and request more information to be brought back for your consideration.
5. Do not approve any of the above options.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve the necessary ordinances and resolutions to:
a. Authorize lateral seniority pay for new experienced officers.
b. Increase the sign -on bonus from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 and apply it to all first-
time candidates, whether existing certified or not.
c. Offer up to $1,000.00 in moving expenses for those who live beyond 1 hour from
work, thus must move within 1 hour of work.
d. Increase the Certification Pay as follows:
Level Current New
i. Basic $0.00 $125.00
ii. Intermediate $62.00 $150.00
iii. Advanced $87.00 $175.00
iv. Master $110.00 $200.00
Position
Police Officer
Police Sergeant
Police Lieutenant
Police Captain
Assistant Chief
Current Pay Plan
Paris PD
Annual Base
$16.61
Pay
Hourly
$52,000.00
$25.00
$59,542.27
$28.63
$68,229.61
$32.80
$77,528.89
$37.27
$87,172.54
Salaried;
Certification and/or Longevity are not included in the above amounts
Bi -weekly Seniority Pay All Positions
2-3 years in rank
$16.61
4-5 years in rank
$33.23
6-7 years in rank
$49.84
8-9 years in rank
$66.45.
'10-11 years in rank
$83.06
112-13 years in rank
$99.68'
14+ years in rank
$116.29'
(Bi -weekly Certificate Pay
Master Certificate
$110.00
Advanced Certificate
$87.00
Intermediate Certificate$62.00
EMT Certificate
. _.
$11.54
'Bilingual
$46.16
SWAT/Hostage Negotiation
$43.75.
Accident Reconstruction
$43.75:
FTO
$46.15
'Dispatch Intermediate Certificate
$25.00
Dispatch Advanced Certificate
$37.50
Dispatch Master Certificate
$52.50
Shift Pay -Dispatchers
per hour .50
Court Clerk Intermediate Certificate
$25.00
Court Clerk Advanced Certificate
$37.50
Longevity pay -begins at 1 year anniversary $1.85 per paycheck, increases each year by $1.85
RESOLUTION NO. 2023
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
AUTHORIZING THE PARIS POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PAY A HIRING
INCENTIVE OF $10,000.00 TO NEWLY HIRED PARIS POLICE OFFICERS;
MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT;
AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the citizens of Paris to have and maintain a fully
staffed Police Department; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 2018-017, City Council, in recognition of chronic
staffing shortages at the Paris Police Department ("the Department") authorized the
Department to pay a hiring incentive of $5,000.00 to newly hired officers who are already
certified as peace officers by the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement ("TCOLE"); and
WHEREAS, since that time, the Department has continued to experience chronic and
long-term staffing declines; and
WHEREAS, other nationwide recruiting efforts have proven insufficient to achieve
full staffing within the Department; and
WHEREAS, extending the $5,000.00 hiring incentive to all new officers, regardless of
whether they have been certified by TCOLE as peace officers prior to hiring, and increasing
the incentive to $10,000.00 will enhance recruitment and retention efforts; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is in the best interest of the citizens of Paris
to extend this incentive to all applicants to be paid the same installments, to increase the
incentive from $5,000.00 to $10,000.00, and to make this action retroactive to January 1,
2023.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PARIS, TEXAS, THAT:
Section 1. That the findings set out in the preamble to this resolution are hereby in
all things approved and are incorporated herein by reference.
Section 2. That the City Council of the City of Paris hereby authorizes the Paris Police
Department to pay a $10,000.00 hiring incentive to new employees for the position of police
officer upon successful completion of the appointment and field training process. Said hiring
incentive shall be retroactive to January 1, 2023, and paid in installments as follows: upon
appointment ($3,500.00), upon successful completion of the Field Training Program
($3,000.00), and upon successful completion of the probationary employment period
($3,500.00).
Section 3. Any officer receiving any such installment payment will be required to
execute a contract providing that he or she be required to re -pay any incentive monies
received should his or her employment as a Paris Police Officer terminate before the third
anniversary of his or her initial hire date. Furthermore, former Paris Police Officers will not
be eligible for this hiring incentive.
Section 4. The City Manager is hereby authorized to execute any documents and take
any necessary action in order to complete the employment contract.
Section 5. This Resolution shall be effective from and after its passage.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 13th day of February, 2023.
Paula Portugal, Mayor
ATTEST:
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Stephanie H. Harris, City Attorney
RESOLUTION NO. 2023_
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS
AUTHORIZING THE PARIS POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PAY A RELOCATION
EXPENSES INCENTIVE OF UP TO $1,000.00 TO NEWLY HIRED PARIS POLICE
OFFICERS WHO LIVE FURTHER THAN ONE HOUR FROM THE PARIS POLICE
DEPARTMENT; MAKING OTHER FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO
THE SUBJECT; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the citizens of Paris to have and maintain a fully
staffed Police Department; and
WHEREAS, the Department has experienced and continues to experience chronic and
long-term staffing declines; and
WHEREAS, nationwide recruiting efforts have proven insufficient to achieve full
staffing within the Department; and
WHEREAS, the Paris Police Department (the "Department") requires its police
officers to live within one hour's travel distance from the Department located at 2910
Clarksville St., Paris, Texas; and
WHEREAS, offering a moving expenses hiring reimbursement of up to $1,000.00 to
defray the expenses of those applicants who will be required to relocate in order to accept
employment by the Department will make the Department a more attractive employment
option for candidates living outside of the one hour radius; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that it is in the best interest of the citizens of Paris
to offer a relocation signing incentive of up to $1,000.00 to police officer candidates living
further than one hour's travel distance from the Department in order to attract candidates
from a wider geographical area.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
PARIS, TEXAS:
Section 1. That the findings set out in the preamble to this resolution are hereby in
all things approved and are incorporated herein by reference.
Section 2. That the City Council of the City of Paris hereby authorizes the Paris Police
Department to pay a relocation reimbursement of up to $1,000.00 to new employees for the
position of police officer upon presentation by the applicant of documentation of qualifying
expenses. Said relocation reimbursement incentive shall be retroactive to January 1, 2023.
Section 3. Any officer receiving any such reimbursement will be required to execute
a contract providing that he or she be required to re -pay any reimbursements received
should his or her employment as a Paris Police Officer terminate before the third anniversary
of his or her initial hire date. Furthermore, former Paris Police Officers will not be eligible
for this hiring incentive.
Section 4. The City Manager is hereby authorized to execute any documents and take
any necessary action in order to complete the employment contract.
Section 5. This Resolution shall be effective from and after its passage.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 13th day of February, 2023.
Paula Portugal, Mayor
ATTEST:
Janice Ellis, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Stephanie H. Harris, City Attorney