TITLE
The Mayor and City Council shall discuss and possibly take action on Police Department dispatch services, provide direction to staff on how best to proceed, and consider a transfer of $138,574 from General Fund, Contingency (10010000-99000) to Police Support, Technical (10022124-53340) to cover the costs for dispatch services from Pinal County for the remainder of this fiscal year. Discussion and Action.
AGENDA ITEM DESCRIPTION
Dispatch services for Maricopa Police have been provided by Pinal County through an IGA since the formation of the Maricopa Police Department. The cost for FY 2011-12 will be $762,469. The City Council had questions about the revised IGA, specifically about the increased cost to the City over the FY 2010-11 costs.
Council directed staff to seek alternative solutions for providing the City's police dispatch and approved less than $762,469 for payment of dispatch services. Council asked staff to research other options and bring those options to the City Council.
City staff subsequently investigated numerous options for other dispatch service providers. That research included agencies using Spillman, the same CAD system as City of Maricopa, and those that did not. Based upon costs, services provided, willingness of other agencies to provide this service, and the technical-compatibility, the City narrowed the option to the City of Buckeye, AZ.
The benefits of a partnership with City of Buckeye to provide dispatch services for the City of Maricopa are:
- Willingness to partner with Maricopa
- Their dispatch center is being built and has the capacity to include consoles for Maricopa
- Dispatchers are already trained and use Spillman so the technology is compatible
- The anticipated service costs total $573,946 (seven dispatchers plus a supervisor and related expenses) is $188,523 less than the cost of service from Pinal County
If the Council directs staff to negotiate with the City of Buckeye, the transition will take approximately one month, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2012. During the interim, Pinal County will still provide dispatch services.
Since inadequate funds were approved for the Pinal County contract, this agenda item also requests a budgetary transfer from General Fund, Contingency (10010000-99000) in the amount of $138,574 to Police Support, Technical (10022124-53340) to cover the costs for the remainder of that contract through June 30, 2012.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council direct staff to negotiate, and bring back to Council for consideration, an IGA for police dispatch services with City of Buckeye for FY 2012-13. Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council approve the transfer of $138,574 from General Fund, Contingency (10010000-99000) to Police Support, Technical (10022124-53340) to cover the remaining costs for this fiscal year’s dispatch services from Pinal County.