SR-6-H (71)
- . MAY 25 ~H
PO JTB CGR F \POLlCE\GENERAL\CATHYR\SRPOST2
Council Meeting May 25, 1999 Santa MOnica, California
TO Mayor and City Council
FROM. City Staff
SUBJECT Recommendation to Direct the City Attorney to Draft an Ordinance to Allow
Public Safety Dispatchers (Communications Operator II) to Participate In
Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)
INTRODUCTION
ThiS report recommends that the City Attorney be directed to prepare an ordinance which
allows Public Safety DIspatchers (Communications Operator II) to participate In Peace
OffIcer Standards and Trammg (POST)
BACKGROUND
The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) adopts rules for the
purpose of raIsIng the level of competency and establIshing mmlmum standards relating
to recruiting and tramlng of law enforcement staff, Includmg Public Safety Dispatchers For
a City Police Department to participate In the POST program for Public Safety Dispatchers,
the State requires that the City Council adopt an ordinance accepting the requirements of
sections 13510(c) and 13512 of the California Penal Code A certified copy of thiS
ordinance IS a requIrement of section 13522 of the Penal Code If the City IS to receIve
reimbursement for schools attended by PubliC Safety Dispatchers, and must be on file With
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commUnities In Los Angeles County Santa Monica IS also the workplace for approximately
155,000 workers and a destmatlon for as many as 400,000 daily VISItorS. Thus, extreme
density complicates planning efforts and makes preservation of the quality of life a difficult
challenge
(d) Moreover, planning difficulties are exacerbated by the fact that the City IS fully
bUilt-out and has been 50 for decades As of November 1995, there were only sixty-two
(62) vacant reSidential parcels out of approximately 6,132 multi-family zoned parcels In the
entire CIty Smce then, even thIS hmlted number of vacant parcels has shrunk. Thus,
planning fleXIbility IS limited by the reality that reSidential development In the City's
residential districts means change .- not expansion - and virtually any new project or
construction replaces an eXlstlng structure or Improvement.
(e) Planning dIfficultIes are most acute In the multi-family dlstncts which are the
largest and densest In the City Santa Monrca has the highest percentage of land zoned
multI-family reSIdential among westslde/south bay JUrisdictIOns Permitted denSities In
these zones range from approximately 29 Units to approximately 48 umts per acre. As
a result of these standards, the vast maJonty of City reSidents live In mu I!I-famlly dwellings
Most of them live In the City's 37,000 apartment unrts
(f) In the past, the dynamiC created by competing demands for use of a small,
chOice space has brought the City to crossroads on other occasions In the late 1970's,
the City faced a severe shortage of rental hOUSing precipitated In part by a "Demolition
Derby" -- a fifteen (15) month penod dUring which over 1.300 rental housmg Units were
demolished and hundreds of others were converted Into condominiums These housmg
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no current selection or testing practices would be changed
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The cost for medical exams for new employees annually, would be approximately $2,000
Funds are available In the department's operating budget As a benefit of partiCipation,
POST will reimburse a portion of the City'S costs to train Public Safety Dispatchers At thIs
time It IS difficult to project the amount of reimbursement for training. Reimbursement
momes will vary based on the number of schools attended and POST's reimbursement
polrcles, which may change from year to year
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council direct the City Attorney to draft an ordinance which would
allow participation of Public Safety Dispatchers In the POST program
Prepared by James T Butts, Jr , Chief of Police
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