By Christina Gramling
A consultant hired by Des Moines to study its police department suggested Dec. 8 that the city contract out its police services like Burien and SeaTac.
The King County Sheriff’s Office handles police duties for the two Highline cities.
The Des Moines police study was not what the City Council expected. The lawmakers agreed that Des Moines is not ready for contract police services, nor does the city need it.
At the Dec. 8 city council meeting, Des Moines’ Interim Police Chief John O’Leary presented the findings and conclusion of the Matrix Consulting Group’s report on the department.
“I thought this would be a tool to assist in hiring a new police chief,” said Mayor Bob Sheckler.
The Matrix Group compiled its findings through data that was supplied by the police department. It covered subjects such as tracking CAD time, which is Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) time, and patrol and staffing reduction suggestions.
Matrix is an independent consulting firm that provides analysis and consulting services to government entities in hopes of finding place for change and improvement. The study began eight months ago and was completed last month.
“It suggests ways of making good things better,” Sgt. O’Leary said.
Councilwoman Melissa Musser said she was “offended” by the push for contract services and expressed confusion as to the original purpose of the report and the outcome of it. She had hoped for, not only a tool for the city, but also a tool for the future police chief, she said.
The report calculated a possible savings of $700,000 to $1.2 million if contracted services were used.
With one of the lowest crime rates in King County, at 36.3 criminal offenses per 1,000 residents, Councilman Dan Sherman said, “The police department is performing an excellent function.”
With some neighboring cities having crime rates as much as double that of Des Moines, as well as higher police budgets Mayor Sheckler said he had no interest in contracting out their police services.
“It [the police department] identifies us as a city,” said Mayor Sheckler and immediately called a motion to order the recruitment of a new police chief by June 30.
The council agreed to the recruitment.
In regard to other ways of saving costs, it was suggested in the report that some positions be consolidated or limited. Positions such as the 24-hour records search, which includes two jobs were mentioned. The report said it was not necessary to have 24-hour access.
Sgt. O’Leary disagreed.
“Officers need 24-hour access to original documents,” he said, but suggested a possible regionalization of the records search process, similar to the contract with Valley Comm. for their dispatch services.
Valley Comm. provides police, fire, and emergency dispatch for Auburn, Des Moines, Renton, Federal Way, and Kent. Each dispatch costs Des Moines $33.42.
Other suggestions included reducing the city’s crime investigations unit, which Sgt. O’Leary strongly disagreed with. He used the Jayme Thomas murder as an example.
It took a full month of the entire investigations staff to make the arrest in the Thomas murder case, Sgt. O’Leary said.
“It’s not safe for the city,” to reduce officers he added.
The City Council plans on using the study and findings as a guide to improvement. However, they have no intention of moving toward contracted police services at this time.
