Agenda Index City of Vancouver

POLICY REPORT
FINANCE

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: Chief Constable

SUBJECT: Staffing Requirement - False Alarm Reduction Program Premises -

RECOMMENDATION

COUNCIL POLICY

Any proposed increases in program and/or service levels be offset by corresponding spending reductions elsewhere in the City’s operating budget or by increases in non-taxation revenues, subject to council discretion.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s approval to add one additional clerical position in the office of the False Alarm Reduction Program (F.A.R.P.). The report also seeks approval to provide funding for improvements to the False Alarm Reduction Program premise sand includes computer software, hardware and the software licenses necessitated by the new regional Emergency Communications Center (E-COMM).
1. False Alarm Reduction Program – Staffing

BACKGROUND

On June 16, 1992, Council approved the False Alarm Reduction Program. On May 18, 1993, Council approved the Security Alarm System By-Law #7111 regulating user permits for residential and commercial alarms. With the passing of the Security alarm by-law, the police department’s authorized manpower was reduced by five full time sworn police officers (estimated salaries savings at the time of #319,000 annually). The False Alarm Reduction Program enforced and administered the by-law since May 18, 1993 with an authorized staffing of one Alarm Coordinator and one (1) Clerk III position until November 1997 when two (2) Full Time Equivalent (F.T.E.) temporary positions were converted to regular full time clerical positions. The funding for one part time temporary position was also approved in 1997.

DISCUSSION

From July 1993, to December 31, 1993 the program issued 18,617 alarm permits and generated approximately $406,600 in gross revenue. Total revenue for calendar year 1994 was $544,600. This was the first full year of the program and additional administrative procedures and processes were setup under the guidance of sworn police personnel.
Some of the major tasks accomplished were:
· Actual enforcement of the by-law, obtaining evidence and setting up a court file for the by-law prosecutor.
· Issuing permit cancellations for excessive alarms and police response cancellations to premises that failed to have their permits reinstated.
· Permit reinstatement process to ensure alarm system problems have been addressed and special conditions, if required, have been complied with.
· Establish and maintain an appeal process to the Vancouver Police Board for permit and police response cancellations.
· Yearly renewal notices and yearly renewal of all permits on file.
· Monitoring and enforcement of premises that do not renew there alarm permits.

The False Alarm Reduction Program was originally targeted to generate $650,000 in net revenue to the City. Revenue generated by theProgram since inception, is as follows:

Note: Increase in revenue versus actual increase in permits is as a result of fees charged for Alarm Permit re-instatements. Net revenue = Gross Revenue less actual F.A.R.P. operational expenses.

The False Alarm Reduction Program has contributed significantly to the reduction of police resources required to attend false alarm calls in the city. The table below summarizes theimpact of the program on police resources since inception. Most notably, the number of police calls for service to alarm incidents has dropped significantly from 40,604 in 1992 (last year prior to Security Alarm System By-law 7111) to 25,493 in 1998. This drop is significant considering the number of new alarm systems installed each year by the alarm industry. This is demonstrated by the increase in alarm permits on file at the False Alarm Reduction Program office (23,758 in 1993 to 46,488 in 1998). Alarm incidents were increasing at an average rate of 4% per year, prior to the implementation of the False Alarm Reduction Program. Using this 4% annual increase in alarm incidents as a base, the police department would have been required to respond to approximately 54,000 alarm calls for service in 1999. Average police response time to alarm incidents improved to 13 minutes and 7 seconds in 1998 from 19 minutes and 55 seconds in 1992.

Alarm Incident Statistics 1992/1998

 

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Total Incidents - All Calls

222,433

219,173

224,046

227,476

226,256

218,441

212,849

% of Total incidents – Alarm

18.25%

17.70%

14.52%

14.00%

13.10%

13.16%

11.98%

Total Incidents – Alarm

40,604

38,804

32,523

31,856

29,637

28,746

25,493

Total False

  

37,248

30,650

29,748

27,247

26,486

23,541

% False

97%(est)

96.0%

94.2%

93.4%

92.0%

92.1%

92.3%

               

Total Permits on file

  

23,428

29,737

35,428

40,584

43,429

46,488

FDSY (Average False Dispatch per alarm system per Year)

  

1.59

1.03

.84

.67

.61

.51

A review of the F.A.R.P. operation was conducted in May 1998. At this time, five-month, year to date revenue to May 31, 1998 was down $45,910 when compared to the same five-month period in fiscal 1997.

Results for the five months from January 1998 through to June 1998 compared to the same five month period in fiscal 1997 is as follows:

An updated enforcement/voluntary compliance policy was developed. During the next seven months, the F.A.R.P. office was increased by one additional clerical staff member (1 temporary employee for four months then a three-month trial period for a full time employee on loan from another section). The Alarm Coordinator was able to focus on enforcement and voluntary compliance of the by-law. As a result, the number of reinstatements were up 40.4% generating an additional $63,100 in reinstatement revenue over the same seven month period in fiscal 1997. Total reinstatement and renewalrevenue was up $108,290.

Results for the seven months from June 1998 through to December 1998 with comparative fiscal 1997 results are as follows:

The table below illustrates a complete twelve-month review (June 1998 to May 1999) of the financial benefit resulting from the additional Clerk II position at the False Alarm Reduction Program. The program generated an increase of $178,950 over the same year to date 12-month period (June 1997 to May 1998).

Twelve Month Review

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Current Staffing:

  
 

- (1) Program Coordinator

 

- (1) Clerk III

 

- (2) Clerk II

 

- (1) Temporary Part Time Clerk II

   
   

Requested Staffing:

  
 

- (1) Program Coordinator

 

- (1) Clerk III

 

- (3) Clerk II - (1 additional Clerk II @ $33,150)

 

- (1) Temporary Part Time Clerk II

   
 

Permanent staff salary increase --- $ 33,150

It is recommended that the funds required for this staffing change be added to the operating budget at no additional cost, with the offset to be obtained from the increase in revenue generated by this program.

2. Improvements to the False Alarm Reduction Program Premises

BACKGROUND

The False Alarm Reduction Program has been located at Unit 165 – 555 West 12th Avenue in the City Square Mall since its inception in June 1993. The lease expired on June 1, 1998. A new five-year lease was negotiated and signed by the City of Vancouver, Real Estate Services at the same rate per square foot as the previous five-year lease ($17.50 sq. ft.). The new lease was effective May 1, 1999 and expires on April 30, 2004.

DISCUSSION

The lease expired in June 1998. The landlord was reluctant to negotiate a new long-term lease for the premises at that time. As a result, the office operated on a month to month lease while Real Estate Services and Facilities Development looked at a number of options to the accommodate the False Alarm Reduction Program. Facilities Development estimated moving and renovation costs to another identified alternate location to be in excess of $65,000. The most cost effective and least disruptive solution proved to be the signing of a new five year lease at the present location and provide the necessary renovations to accommodate the current and future requirements of the program.
· The present office consists of 995 Sq. Ft. (888 Sq. Ft. of usable space)
· Staffing has increased from two full time employees in 1993 to four full time (five - with the approval of the requested clerical position) plus part time staff.
· Filing and storage space is required immediately. Future filing and storage requirements were not given full consideration at the outset.
· There are new software and hardware requirements to maintain a secure link to the new Emergency Communications Center (E-COMM).

The renovation and reconfiguration of the current office will provide the necessary office space to meet the immediate requirements of the office and accommodate the continued growth of the program. Facilities Development have reviewed the matter and provided a cost estimate of $40,000 for the improvements. Information Technology Section has provided an estimate of $9,000 for the necessary software and hardware to maintain a secure link to E-COMM.
Improvements include:
· Filing stacks and additional shelving.
· Three, employee work stations. Presently, two staff members share a single tableas a workstation.
· Redesign of the present configuration to incorporate approximately one half of 168-sq. ft. of unused, wasted hallway space into usable office space.
· Two newcommunications links for Internet access. Due to a policy change at Canada Post, our office no longer receives confirmation receipts for the delivery of registered mail. Canada Post has made this confirmation of delivery available through their Internet Web Site for free, or alternatively, for a fee of $5.00 per item, they will provide a copy of the written receipt.
· A secure, communications link to the new regional Emergency Communications Center, complete with all software licenses and hardware. The F.A.R.P. server presently uses NOVELL server software. To enable access to E-COMM the office will require the purchase of Windows NT Server software and additional licenses for each workstation accessing the server (6 in total). To provide access to the new E-COMM network, three of the False Alarm Reduction Program office computers will have to have memory upgrades to enable them to run the E-COMM software (min 64 MB each). In addition to the server software change, a new 8 GIG hard drive is required to update the current F.A.R.P. server. A new backup tape drive needs to be installed to enable a full backup of the server (new tapes are required as well). Additional network cabling at the False Alarm Reduction Program premises is also required. To meet with the R.C.M.P.’s strict security access requirements, all routing will be via the Vancouver Police Network.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

In order to meet the existing space requirements and accommodate future growth of the program, renovations to the existing premises are required. It is proposed that the estimated cost of renovations and improvements of $49,000 be added to the budget as a one-time non-recurring expenditure. The funds to be provided from the increase in revenue generated by the program.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There is no direct relationship between the contemplated staffing changes and families or children.

PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS

The Teamster’s Union has been provided a copy of this report.

CONCLUSION

Fiscal 1998 revenue forecast for the False Alarm Reduction Program was $1,100,000. As a direct result of the temporary increase in staffing for the last seven months of fiscal 1998, revenue increased by $108,290 resulting in a net increase of $62,380 for fiscal 1998 overfiscal 1997 results. Revenue forecast for fiscal 1999 has been forecast at $1,200,000 to reflect the additional revenue generated as a direct result of the requested increase in staffing (prorated for 12-months). As demonstrated during the last seven months of fiscal 1998, the increase in salary for the requested clerical position will be more than offset by the increase in revenue generated by the program. It is recommended that the office of the False Alarm Reduction Program be increased by one full time Clerk II.

The present location as it is currently configured does not meet current staffing, filing and storage requirements. Facilities Development has also identified three Worker Compensation Board issues relating to the existing office lighting, work stations, and filing cabinets.
The program has seen tremendous growth since inception and improvements are required immediately to address inadequate filing, storage and employee workstations. Facilities management have provided a floor plan to incorporate wasted hallway space into usable office space and provided for present and anticipated future filing and storage requirements. It is recommended that the office improvements to the present location be approved based on the Facilities Development plan to redesign the current space at an estimated cost of $40,000. It is recommended that the purchase of necessary computer software, hardware and software licenses be approved based on Information Technology Sections estimate of $9,000.

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