Agenda Item Wording:
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Receive Presentation and Update on the Visalia Police Department Operations and Staffing.
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Deadline for Action: None
Submitting Department: Police Department
Contact Name and Phone Number: Jason Salazar, Chief of Police jason.salazar@visalia.city (559)713-4215; Candido Alvarez, Police Captain candido.alvarez@visalia.city (559)713-4151; Luma Fahoum, Police Captain luma.fahoum@visalia.city (559)713-4103.
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive a presentation and update on the operations of the Visalia Police Department.
Background Discussion:
To provide timely updates and open the City Council Strategic Planning meeting schedule, City Departments are bringing annual updates to the City Council during Council work sessions throughout the year. These reports outline the departmental functions, operations, accomplishments, and challenges. In addition, this report will also address current challenges related to hiring, recruitment, and retention issues- particularly related to police sworn staffing and communications staffing.
The Visalia Police Department is comprised of a total staff of 259 employees, 243 of those Full-Time Equivalent, and 165 of those sworn police officer positions. Classifications of these employees range from sworn police personnel, community service officers, parking enforcement officers, communications operators, records specialists, administrative support personnel, crime lab technicians, property & evidence technicians, and civilian investigators. Each of these classifications that are part of the Police Department staff play significant roles at the operational and support levels that are key to providing law enforcement and public safety services to our community.
The Police Department is organized into two main divisions: Operations & Operations Support. Captain Candido Alvarez heads the Operations Divis...
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