06-24-13 Regular Meeting of La Porte City Council

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REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM Budget Agenda Date Requested:6-24-13 Source of Funds: Requested By:Ken Adcox Account Number: Department:Police Amount Budgeted: Report: Resolution:Ordinance: Amount Requested: Exhibits:Meet and Confer Agreement Budgeted Item:YESNO Exhibits: SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION Management representatives of the City of La Porte and the La Porte Police Officers’ Association have voluntarily met and reached agreement on the conditions of employment as set out in the attached agreement pursuant to the provisions of the Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 142 et. seq., Subsection B. The attached agreement has been voted on and approved by the membership of the La Porte Police Officers Association and is now being presented to City Council for consideration and approval. The new agreementwould take effect on October 1, 2013 and run through September 30, 2016. As with the existing agreement, the new agreementincludes provisions that allow the department to hire lateral transfers and provides for a pay for performance wage system, minimum educational requirements,anda compensatory time program. Proposed changes contained in the new agreementinclude: (1)AdjustingPolice Officer wages annually over the next 3 years so that officers continue to be compensated at a determined median market ratefor similarly structured regional cities; (2)Adjusting the pay scale to include an additional step for 15+year officersand compressing the Sergeant Pay Scaleeffective October 1, 2013. Adding astep for 20+ year officers and compressing the Lieutenant Pay Scale effective October 1, 2014;and (3)Strengthening the Police Department’s promotional system by: a)restructuring the senioritypoint systemso that seniority point are limited to time in grade; b)increasing the minimum time in grade to take the sergeants test from 2 to 4 years; c)encouraging participationin the LPPD’s existing leadership mentor/training program, d)adding a 6 month probationary period for newly promoted sergeants and lieutenants,and e)allowing for the inclusion of a police assessment center, which would include hands-on practical exercises designed to assess various essential leadership dimensions such as decision making, judgment, initiative, and communication skills, when specifically requested by the Chief and approved bya majority vote of those participating in the promotional test.