[Administration and Management]
[Community Interaction]
[Patrol]
[Traffic]
[Investigations]
[School Resource Officer]
[Communications and Records]
[Jail]
[Property and Evidence]
[Facilities]
[Equipment]
[Human Resources and Training]
[Regional Coordination and Cooperation]
[Plan Review and Update]
[Fiscal Implementation]
3.1 ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
INTRODUCTION: The police chief is responsible for the administration and management of the police department. The only other supervisor/manager in the department is a police lieutenant who assists the police chief with supervisory/manager duties. Both the police chief and the police lieutenant occasionally must backfill a patrol shift due to staff shortages. Because of shift work, and different day off patterns, supervisor/management oversight of department work is negatively affected.
3.1.1 GOAL: To provide effective supervision and management of department operations.
1. Policy: To utilize existing supervisory/management resources to provide greater first line supervision and still provide adequate planning, organization, staffing, direction, coordination, reporting and budgeting.
Strategies:
a. Police chief and police lieutenant work overlapping shifts to extend supervisor/management coverage.
b. Police chief and police lieutenant work different day off patterns to provide greater coverage on days of the week.
c. Standardize Standard Operating Procedures format and update procedures where necessary.
d. Prepare budgets in accordance with Strategic Plan for Police Services.
e. Periodically examine potential for reorganization/reclassification of positions to provide for more effective supervision and management of department operations.
INTRODUCTION: It is important for the Junction City Police Department to continue to seek opportunities to interact with law-abiding citizens in the community in a non-law enforcement setting. For example, the City Council Public Safety Committee is an excellent opportunity for citizens to attend public meetings and share whatever ideas they may have. Another good example is the recent citizen attitudes survey that provided a sampling of citizens the opportunity to share their views and ideas on a broad range of police services.
Other examples are prevention and education programs, employee volunteer activity in the community and employee membership in service clubs.
3.2.1
GOAL: Maintain professional and positive
relationship with the public media.
1. Policy: Provide public information on police incidents.
Strategies:
a. Release information in accordance with department policy (Oregon Bar/Press Guidelines.
b. Ensure media releases are prepared on major incidents and released in a timely manner.
c. Meet periodically with local media (particularly Tri-County News) to discuss matters of mutual interest.
3.2.2 GOAL: Ensure fair and equitable enforcement of laws and respect for constitutional rights.
1. Policy: Receive, investigate and adjudicate all allegations of misconduct by department employees.
Strategies:
a. Maintain standard operating procedure on handling citizen complaints
b. Ensure named employee is notified of the complaint and that their due process rights are protected.
c. Ensure complaining party is kept informed of the progress of the investigation and is informed of the final determination
d. Ensure Chief and department supervisors are properly trained to conduct internal investigations
3.2.3 GOAL: Promote greater opportunity for citizen involvement in police policy
development.
1. Policy: Provide means for citizen input.
Strategies:
a. Consider changing the role and responsibility of the Public Safety Committee to include citizen members appointed by the Council and make it advisory to the Chief of Police.
b. Conduct periodic citizen attitude surveys.
c. Conduct periodic open house for the public.
3.2.4 GOAL: Programs that provide greater opportunity for law-abiding citizens to
interact with police officers in non-emergency and non-enforcement situations.
1. Policy: Promote citizen involvement and public education opportunities.
Strategies:
a. Consider conducting periodic citizen police academies.
b. Consider expanding reserve police officer program.
c. Maintain School Resource Officer Program.
3.3 PATROL
INTRODUCTION: There are five police officers assigned to provide 24/7 coverage to the City. At minimum, it requires 6 FTE to staff one position 24/7 so overtime is used on a regular basis to ensure coverage.
Patrol is the primary law enforcement function of the department and is defined in the broadest terms. Patrol officers perform a wide variety of duties including responding to non-criminal service calls, maintaining civil order, enforcement of city code, traffic law and state criminal code, preliminary investigation of crime, follow-up investigation of crime arresting offenders, testifying in court relieving communication officers for breaks and to feed prisoners, etc.
The department responds to approximately 18,000 calls for
service annually.
3.3.1 GOAL: Provide highly visible, efficient and effective patrol services to the community.
Strategies:
a. Assign available police officers in such a manner to ensure at least one officer assigned per shift.
b. Color and mark police patrol vehicles in a distinctive manner.
c. Conduct periodic review of calls for service to determine patrol strategies and response to special problems.
d. Give neighborhoods and areas around schools primary patrol emphasis.
3.4 TRAFFIC
INTRODUCTION: Traffic Law enforcement is the responsibility of every patrol officer. However, calls for service and other duties often significantly reduce the time available to dedicate to traffic law enforcement. One officer has been assigned primary responsibility for traffic law enforcement but is often required to backfill on a patrol shift due to vacancies, illness, injury, etc.
In a survey of citizen attitudes in May 2002, many respondents expressed the desire for more traffic law enforcement in the neighborhoods and along Ivy Street.
3.4.1
GOAL: Ensure safe and efficient travel for
vehicles and pedestrians on city
streets and sidewalks.
1.
Policy: Provide
for dedicated traffic control and enforcement during peak traffic hours on city
streets.
Strategies:
a. Assign at least one officer primarily responsible for traffic control and enforcement.
b. Emphasize traffic control and enforcement responsibilities of patrol officers while not otherwise engaged in calls for service or other patrol activities.
c. Periodic review of all traffic enforcement activity to ensure traffic control
and enforcement is receiving proper emphasis.
3.5 INVESTIGATIONS
INTRODUCTION: The department does not have a full-time detective. Patrol officers conduct follow-up investigations on cases that occur on their shift. The department conducts a follow-up investigation on every crime if there is an investigative lead. This includes misdemeanor cases. Follow-up investigation of major crimes is most frequently assigned to the police lieutenant. The department is a member of the Lane County Major Crime Team that provides interagency assistance for follow-up investigation of major crime.
The Oregon State Police provides the department with forensic crime scene search and processing for major crimes against persons.
3.5.1
GOAL: Provide effective and efficient
investigative services to the community.
1.
Policy:
Ensure officers receive adequate training in the conduct of follow up
investigation, particularly in the areas of major crime and specialized
investigation related to crimes against the elderly, computer crime, and
identity theft.
Strategies:
a. Maintain membership in Lane County Major Crime Team.
b. Expend investigative training resources in the areas of critical need.
3.6 SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER
PROGRAM
INTRODUCTION: The School Resource Officer Program is a joint venture by intergovernmental agreement between the City and the School District. The program is funded primarily through the Federal Government “COPS IN SCHOOLS” in schools program. The grant is in the final year of funding. Local funding will be required in FY03/04 if the program is to continue.
The School Resource Officer (SRO) is assigned to all four schools in the school district. The primary focus is on the high school with less time available for the middle and elementary schools. The triad responsibility of the School Resource Officer is to teach and counsel young people and to perform law enforcement duties when necessary.
The SRO has been positioned to intervene and peacefully resolve many incidents at the schools that might have resulted in violence if the officer had not been present.
3.6.1
GOAL: Prevent youth crime and violence.
1. Policy: Maintain police presence in schools with continued funding for School Resource Officer position.
Strategies:
a. Seek joint funding for School Resource Officer position.
b. Examine continuing grant opportunities.
INTRODUCTION: An effective communications center operation is critical to the law enforcement function. The system satisfies the immediate information needs of police officers in the course of their normal daily activities and during emergencies. The Junction City Police Department operates its own communications center staffed with four full-time and two part-time communications officers. Communications Officers not only perform dispatch duties but perform collateral duties as well such as jail operations, records and data entry, front counter reception, etc. In addition, the communications center dispatches for the Junction Rural Fire Department.
3.7.1 GOAL: Provide a communications center that is able to meet the immediate dispatch needs of the department in the course of its daily activities and emergencies and to operate the jail and records systems to meet all mandated legal processes and reports and to handle front counter reception duties.
1. Policy: City will maintain its own communications center
Strategies:
a. Examine opportunities to upgrade part-time positions to full-time to
Reduce the need for excessive overtime to meet 24/7 staffing requirements.
b. Continue to evaluate technology changes being made at the
regional level such as the county migration to a digital radio system and
records management system for opportunities for the City to improve its
communications and records systems.
3.8 JAIL
INTRODUCTION: The Junction City Police Department operates a municipal jail with a capacity of 4 beds. The jail provides the Municipal Court Judge the means to effectively administer justice in Junction City. The majority of inmates in the Junction City Jail fall into three categories: (1) those who have been arrested for a violation of the Junction City Code (misdemeanors) and are awaiting an appearance before the Municipal Court Judge: (2) those who have been arrested on Junction City Municipal Court arrest warrants; or (3) those who been convicted of a Municipal Code offense and sentenced to jail by the Municipal Court Judge.
3.8.1 GOAL: Maintain the City Jail to provide proper sanction for violations of the Municipal Code.
1.
Policy:
Operate the jail in accordance with Oregon state law and other
applicable standards related to operation of a “local correctional facility”.
Strategies:
a. Maintain at least one staff with certified corrections officer credentials.
b. Examine future reorganization/reclass possibilities to provide for more effective jail supervision.
c. Review and revise, as necessary, the jail standard operations manual at least annually or as changes in legislation requires
INTRODUCTION: The property evidence control function must provide for the security and control of seized, recovered and evidentiary property as well as abandoned, lost or found property in the custody of the police department.
There is no dedicated property and evidence technician in the department. This responsibility is assigned to a police officer that handles the duties in addition to his normally assigned patrol duties.
3.9.1 GOAL: Maintain the department’s strict measures for the receipt, handling, security and disposition of property.
1.
Policy: All
in-custody property and evidence is stored within designated, secure areas.
Strategies:
a. Require all property to be logged into agency records as soon as possible.
b. Provide guidelines for packaging and labeling property prior to storage.
c. Establish extra security measures for handling exceptional, valuable, or sensitive items of property.
d. Ensure all department employees are properly trained in property/evidence handling and control procedures.
3.10 FACILITIES
INTRODUCTION: Police department facilities include the police station, the jail, the firing range, property evidence storage facility and k-9 kennels. The police station and the jail are conjoined with city hall and are meeting present needs. The firing range is also meeting present needs but there may be a noise issue in the future when a planned housing development near the site is built out.
The property evidence storage facility is not sufficient to meet current needs and is vulnerable to break-in. Also, the k-9 kennels in which dogs are housed up to two days needs to be upgraded to provide for more humane conditions.
3.10.1
GOAL: Provide
for the security and control of seized, recovered, and evidentiary property as
well as abandoned, lost or found property in the custody of the police
department.
1.
Policy:
Provide a property/evidence storage facility that meets all legal
requirements to protect all property coming into the department’s control and custody
and its ongoing obligation, in criminal incidents, to maintain an uninterrupted
chain of custody.
Strategies:
a. Construct a new property/evidence facility to required standards.
b. Consider upgrading existing facility to standards.
3.10.2 GOAL: Provide for the safe and humane housing of dogs taken into temporary custody by the police department.
1. Policy: Police officers shall enforce the City Code related to dog control to
include impoundment of dogs in violation of the Code.
Strategies:
a. Construct new K-9 temporary housing facility to provide for safe and
humane conditions.
b. Ensure regularly scheduled maintenance and cleaning of the facility.
INTRODUCTION: Police department equipment includes office equipment, jail video equipment, vehicle fleet, radios and personal equipment issued to officers. The office equipment is adequate for current use with some upgrade to computers. There is a need to fix the sound in the jail videos to provide for more clarity. The vehicle fleet is stable through FY 02/03 but there is a future need to provide a manageable vehicle replacement schedule. The department provides police officers with uniforms, firearms, protective vests, and other equipment. Four new replacement protective vests have been recently purchased. There is a need to purchase three more as soon as possible to replace vests that are beyond the manufacturer’s recommended 5-year replacement schedule.
The department’s radio system will need replacement within 5-7 years. In addition, new technology at the regional level will create the need for the department to consider buying laptop computers for use in patrol vehicles to take full advantage of the new technology.
3.11.1 GOAL: Provide funding to equip department employees in a manner that enables them to provide safe, effective and efficient police services.
1.
Policy:
Provide necessary equipment to facilitate professional and timely
response to requests for service.
Strategies:
a. Establish reasonable replacement schedules for necessary equipment such as computers, ballistics vests and vehicles.
b. Identify funding strategies for the replacement of department radio system and laptop computers.
c. Replace all personally owned handguns used by officers with city purchased and owned handguns.
d. Conduct periodic evaluation of personal equipment issued to department employees to determine is such equipment is meeting present day demands.
e. Supervisors periodically inspect department-issued equipment to ensure it is being maintained and is in proper working order.
f. Consider using City Maintenance for minor vehicle repair and maintenance and such other maintenance and repair they may be capable of providing.
INTRODUCTION: The police department staff is professional
and competent. According to the results
of a May 2002 survey of citizen attitudes, respondents generally view
department employees as competent and courteous and demonstrate respect for
citizen rights and protect the community.
There are significant training requirements mandated for police officers and communications officers. The department strives to provide mandated training and other training to employees necessary for quality performance of assigned duties
3.12.1 GOAL: Maintain highly professional highly skilled, motivated and productive workforce.
1.
Policy:
Hire the best applicants who are able to perform the duties and
responsibilities of the position they have been hired for and provide quality
training.
Strategies:
a. Ensure hiring standards and tests are job related.
c. Provide quality training.
d. Reward employees for good work performance and hold them
accountable for less than satisfactory work performance.
e. Compensate employees with a fair market rate salary.
INTRODUCTION: The department has a long history of cooperation and coordination with other State of Oregon and Lane County law enforcement agencies. The department assists as well as benefits from the assistance of other agencies. It is recognized that the safety of citizens of the State of Oregon, Lane County and Junction City depend on each agency’s willingness to work together in an effort to enforce the law and provide service.
3.13.1 GOAL: Maintain existing regional coordination and cooperation efforts with Lane County Law Enforcement and Public Safety Agencies.
1.
Policy: To
position the City and the Department to take advantage of any regional effort
that will improve services to the citizens of Junction City.
Strategies:
a. Maintain file of all existing intergovernmental agreements as a ready reference
b. Look for opportunities to serve in leadership role for other small cities
in Lane County.
c. Support any and all efforts to reestablish a regional reserve police
officer academy in Lane County.
d. Play an active role in the on going planning for the new DOC facility.
INTRODUCTION: Strategic planning is a critical function for any police department. It provides the department with the most effective and efficient means for coping with change. While this Plan provides a guide for the Junction City Police Department to direct its operations, the Plan must periodically be reviewed and updated to meet new demands.
3.14.1 GOAL: Maintain a current strategic plan.
Strategies:
a. Conduct review and update of the Plan in conjunction with annual budget process.
b. Conduct complete review and update of the Plan at 5-year intervals.
INTRODUCTION: Police services are funded by the general fund. Police services related to traffic law and city code enforcement generate revenue in the form of fines and forfeitures that go directly to the general fund. These funds do not directly offset the cost of police services.
The department actively researches grant opportunities, but generally the strings attached to grant money and the required local match-money are too burdensome for the Department to take advantage of.
3.15.1 GOAL: Provide general funded police services in a manner that will meet community expectations for police services.
Strategies:
a. Develop cost recovery mechanisms for extraordinary police services.
b. Aggressively enforce recently established vehicle impound SOP.
c. Conduct review of city fees and adjust where appropriate.
d. Consider police services bond or levy.