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'ity of <br /> <br />iver <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />Item # 4.15. <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />SUBJECT: <br /> <br />Mayor & City Council <br />Pat Klaers, City A~~s)rator <br /> <br />June 26, 1997 <br /> <br />COPS FAST Officer <br /> <br />Attached for your information is a memo from the Chief of Police regarding <br />his desire to hire two additional COPS FAST officers. The Chief will be in <br />attendance at this meeting to discuss his request with you. <br /> <br />A number of months ago the city was notified that it was successful in <br />receiving an additional COPS FAST grant for two more officers. At that time <br />the Council authorized the hiring process to begin. We are now at the point <br />of selecting two officers for the final phase of the hiring process which is the <br />psychological and medical evaluations. Essentially, when the Council <br />authorizes these evaluations, it is making a conditional offer to hire. <br /> <br />As the Council is aware, the city has levy limits placed upon it which will <br />impact our budget. In general, the city will not be able to raise as much <br />general fund tax revenues for activities as we have had in the past few years. <br />This COPS FAST matching expense by the city will be outside the levy limit. <br />However, we have about six COPS FAST officers that have recently been <br />hired and these officers are gradually coming off of the grant program and <br />becoming the full responsibility of the city. Two such officers are scheduled <br />to become 100 percent the city's responsibility in 1998, and this will be about <br />the same expense as an additional one-half time officer. Individually, these <br />officers coming off the grant program and becoming the city's responsibility is <br />not too much of a big deal, but collectively it has a significant financial <br />impact. It is hard to turn down a grant for police officers which ultimately <br />will be needed, but I want everyone to understand that these officers also <br />come with a price that we will have to pay in the future. This price will <br />include an impact on how many other non-police staff can be hired simply <br />because there is a lack of funds available. <br /> <br />\\elkriverXsysXshrdoc\council\copsfast.doc <br /> <br />13065 Orono Parkway · P.O. Box 490 · Elk River, MN 55330 · (612) 441-7420 · Fax: (612) 441-7425 <br /> <br /> <br />