Election: Tuesday, August 4, 2009 City of Independence, Missouri

Police Services Sales Tax Proposal Election: Tuesday, August 4, 2009 City of Independence, Missouri

Table of Contents Topic Page Police Department Facts 2 Police Services Sales Tax Ballot Question 3 Police Services Issues & Trends 3 Police Services Issues & Trends 4 Frequently Asked Questions 5-8 Information on the sales tax issue is provided by the City of Independence, City Manager s Office, 111 E. Maple St., Independence, MO 64050. City staff is prohibited by law from advocating for or against a sales tax. This information is provided for public information only. Call 325-7019 for more information about the Sales Tax. Call 325-7271 for more information about the Police Department. 6/25/2009 1

Police Department Facts The Independence Police Department (IPD) consists of two bureaus with oversight and supervision of six divisions. The more than 300 men and women in the Independence Police Department provide fullservice law enforcement to Missouri s fourth largest city. Of this number, 205 are commissioned police officers. The six divisions and officers assigned to them are: Patrol, 88; Investigations, 49; Special Operations (which includes the Traffic Safety and Education, K-9 and the Special Response Team units), 32; and Community Services, 26. The Police Department is the largest of the 18 City Departments. The 2009-2010 operating budget is $23,367,731, or approximately 33% of the City General Fund. In addition, $2,101,774 is budgeted from the Public Safety Sales Tax approved by voters in 2004, and which is specifically designated for capital expenditures within the Police Department. The Police Department s core mission is the prevention and reduction of crime and disorder. The Department is charged with the preservation of peace and order, enforcement of the laws and ordinances of the City, prevention and suppression of crime, detection and apprehension of law and ordinance violators, incarceration of those sentenced to detention for municipal convictions or those awaiting formal state or federal charges, and the performance of other duties related to public peace, order and safety. The Police Department works with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in an effort to combat criminal organizations that cross jurisdiction boundaries. Personnel are currently assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force; the Jackson County Drug Task Force; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Project Cease Fire Task Force. In addition, the Department has partnered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to form a Career Criminal Unit. This Unit works closely with a unit formed by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department to target violent and habitual criminal offenders. Through partnerships with local school districts, Independence Police officers work with teachers and administrators to enhance the educational experience for our children. Services such as D.A.R.E. and the School Resource Officer Program are now an integral part of the educational environment. 6/25/2009 2

Police Services Sales Tax Ballot Question Voters will answer the following question on August 4, 2009: Shall the City of Independence impose a sales tax of three-eighths (3/8) of one percent, to be effective January 1, 2010, for the purpose of Police Services? ⅜ Police Services Sales Tax Proposed Police Services Sales Tax On May 18, 2009 the City Council approved an ordinance to place a sales tax issue on the August 4, 2009 ballot. The proposed Police Services Sales Tax is projected to produce about $6 million annually and will primarily be used to add police officers and civilian support staff. The Police Services Sales Tax will also fund: Police equipment purchase and maintenance, including vehicles; Improved technologies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of police operations; Police Department facilities, including improvement of existing facilities, construction and operation of a new precinct station, and lease or purchase of space that may be necessary in the future. Prisoner housing; and Overtime associated with investigations. The current city-wide sales tax rate is 7.6%, of which the City receives 2.25%. The remainder goes to other jurisdictions such as the State of Missouri and Jackson County. If the Police Services Sales Tax passes, the city-wide sales tax would increase by 0.375% to 7.975%. The City s share would then be 2.625%. The Independence Chamber of Commerce has estimated that at least 40% of the sales tax the City receives is paid by those not living in Independence. A citizen oversight committee of unpaid volunteers will be responsible for monitoring the expenditures of the Police Services Sales Tax. The committee will be responsible for making a formal report to the City Council at least twice a year. 6/25/2009 3

Police Services Issues & Trends The Independence Police Department, like law enforcement agencies across the country, keeps detailed crime statistics. Records show calls for service have increased from 58,900 in the year 2000 to 65,400 calls in 2008. Average response times have gone from 14 minutes and 30 seconds in 2000 to 21 minutes and 10 seconds in 2008. The Police Department has established a five-minute response time as a standard for Priority 1 calls. Priority 1 crimes include domestic violence, injury accidents, shootings, robbery in progress, and any call where there is an injury. In the year 2000 there were 4,500 Priority 1 calls and in 2008 there were 7,990. Response times in 2000 averaged 5 minutes and 15 seconds. In 2008, the response time had increased to 7 minutes and 29 seconds. Today, the Police Department and all law enforcement agencies face emerging crimes and responsibilities related to nation-wide efforts to address criminal and homeland security issues. Cyber crimes, identity theft, and domestic violence investigation and prevention have created increasing challenges and demands for law enforcement resources. 6/25/2009 4

Police Services Sales Tax Frequently Asked Questions Is there an existing sales tax for Independence police? In 2004, Independence voters approved a 1/8 of 1% Public Safety Sales Tax to fund capital improvements. The revenue from this tax can be used to purchase, construct, repair and maintain facilities and equipment. This tax will expire on December 31, 2016. How has the existing sales tax revenue been spent? The Police Department has invested $398,884.32 for communications equipment, $2,905,411.36 for facility improvements, and $6,146,437.17 for equipment since the beginning of the tax through March 31, 2009. Why didn t the Police Department hire new officers with revenue from the existing sales tax? At the time the Public Safety Sales Tax was approved by voters, the only sales tax available was restricted to capital expenses. Since that time, the Missouri Legislature enacted legislation creating the option of a police services tax that could be used for personnel and other police-related expenses. What happens to revenue not spent in a fiscal year? Funds from the tax will be kept separate from general fund revenue and from the current Police Public Safety Sales Tax revenue. Funds not expended with a given fiscal year are carried over as fund balance for future use. What positions would be added to the Police Department if the Police Services Sales Tax is approved by voters? The Police Department would add 42 sworn officers (including six sergeants) and 18 civilian staff. Has the City conducted an independent study of the Police Department s manpower needs? A study was conducted in 2007 by Berkshire, an independent consultant firm specializing in police staffing. They reported that The Independence Police Department generally does a good job of providing police services to the citizens of Independence with the limited resources available to it. The report said additional resources will be needed to improve police response and strengthen efforts to proactively address crime. Indeed, in some areas most notably patrol, communications, records, and detention resources are currently insufficient to provide what the consultants consider the baseline level of services citizens in any community should expect. An evaluation conducted by the Police Department concluded that 60 new personnel would be needed to impact crime. How soon would officers be hired and put into service? The priority for the Police Department would be to hire additional police officers. Based upon the City s revenue projections, it is anticipated that 42 officers could be hired during the first three-and-a-half years the sales tax revenue is received. If approved by voters, the City would receive the first revenue from the tax January 1, 2010. How many of the Police Department s sworn officers are paid through grant fund sources? Twenty-eight of the 205 sworn officers are at least partially funded through outside funding sources. The fulltime equivalent grant funding of police officers equates to 22 sworn positions. 6/25/2009 5

Frequently Asked Questions continued: Where would the additional police officers be assigned to work? The majority of officers, approximately two-thirds, would be assigned to patrol duties and one-third would be assigned to investigations. These assignments may be modified over time to meet the future needs of the department and to ensure the most effective use of resources. What types of work would the civilian staff do? Civilian staff would provide the functions that do not require sworn officers, such as analysis of crime statistics and trends, oversight of maintenance of police vehicles, computer maintenance and operation of the detention facility (jail). What is a Priority 1 call? A Priority 1 call for service is one in which a person s life may be endangered. It is considered the most severe call for service. Where else can I go to get crime statistics? Crime statistics may be obtained from: Crime Reports - www.crimereports.com Missouri State Highway Patrol http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/mshpweb/sac/data_and_statistics_ucr.html Federal Bureau of Investigation - www.fbi.gov/ucr Why is crime increasing in Independence? A number of factors can cause crime to increase, including poverty, family structures and values, the job market, the economy, political issues, the exposure of juveniles to the criminal element, an unstable family life, and numerous other factors. The police can help address some of these issues; others, they cannot. Changes in neighboring jurisdictions can also impact crime rates, as crime can be displaced. The police cannot solve all of the systemic issues that cause crime, but they can work with the community to help address these issues. Whether or not the police can solve these systemic issues, they must have the resources to effectively forecast and react to crime and disorder in order to protect the community. With increased resources, police departments can initiate proactive efforts to focus upon specific crime trends, arrest offenders, and reduce or displace crime. What is the police department currently doing to effectively and efficiently reduce crime and disorder in Independence? The police department uses the philosophy of Community Oriented Problem Solving (COPS) and the strategy of intelligence-led policing through the CORE process to address crime and disorder within the City. Intelligence-led policing involves the analysis of timely, accurate information about crime and disorder and the allocation of resources based upon this intelligence. The four-step process is called Crime Overview Response and Evaluation, or CORE, and involves: Continual review of crime information from a variety of sources to determine the most significant crime and disorder problems Development of strategies and tactics to address identified crime and disorder issues Deployment of resources to eliminate, reduce, or deter crime and disorder problems Evaluation of the utilized strategies to determine if they have been effective 6/25/2009 6

Frequently Asked Questions continued: Community-Oriented Problem Solving (COPS) is a philosophy that recognizes the partnership required between the police, the business community and the citizenry to effectively reduce crime and disorder. Would the addition of police officers change the City s patrol districts? The proposal will allow the department to reduce the size of most patrol districts and increase the overall number of districts from the current 12 to 16. The strategy related to districts may be modified over time to ensure the most effective use of resources. Why is a new Police Precinct Building proposed for East Independence? An increased police presence is needed in this major retail district and the surrounding area that is expected to grow in the future. A new facility is necessary to house officers and support staff, and to alleviate crowded work areas at Police Headquarters. Where would the new Police Precinct Building be built? The building will be constructed on property already owned by the City east of Centerpoint Medical Center on 39th Street. What plans exist for the police substation located at the Independence Center? The Police Department enjoys a positive working relationship with the Independence Center management and merchants. There are no plans to eliminate the substation. Are there other examples of areas that funds from the tax would be used for? The tax will also fund an overtime contingency fund built up over time to $500,000 for long-term investigations. This fund will be used to pay for overtime costs associated with large-scale investigations such as missing persons or murder cases. An additional $50,000 per year will be dedicated toward the cost of housing offenders. The addition of police personnel is likely to result in an increase in arrests and associated detention costs. What type of oversight will exist to assure the tax is spent as intended? The Public Safety Sales Tax Oversight Committee that was created in 2004 will have the authority and responsibility to monitor the use of the Police Services Sales Tax. This civilian committee meets regularly and will review collection and expenditure of the tax. The committee will make written public status reports to the City Council at least twice per year. 6/25/2009 7