ACTION REQUESTED:
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PRESENTATION from the Fire and Police Commission with a Request to RECEIVE and FILE the ANNUAL PERFORMANCE GOALS REPORT Covering the PERIOD of JANUARY 2018 through FEBRUARY 2021.
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BACKGROUND: The Fire and Police Departments, on behalf of the Fire and Police Commission, will present an overview of the annual performance goals from the period covering January 2018 through February 2021.
Fire Department Summary
In 2016 the Peoria Fire/Rescue Department entered into a joint partnership with District 150 and Illinois Central College to provide dual credit hours to junior and senior high school students. As part of this program, some of our employees teach EMT-B and Fire Service Technology classes. While this program continues today, we have not experienced a significant increase in these students applying to be part of our organization.
In 2016 the Fire Cadet program was reestablished with the hopes recruiting minority candidates as these are paid positions. While this program was going well, it was discontinued due to budget constraints.
The Peoria Fire/Rescue Department has an authorized suppression strength of 160 personnel. This number includes:
• 6 Battalion Chiefs
• 48 Captains
• 48 Engineers
• 58 Firefighters
In addition to the 160 suppression personnel, the department has the following positions;
• 5 command staff
• 2 mechanics
• 6 fire prevention/inspection staff
• 1 Office of Emergency Management Senior Planner
• 1 Management Analyst
• 2 Administrative Specialists
The current diversity make-up of the department’s staff
• Caucasian- 87% (84% in 2019)
• African American- 8% (12% in 2019)
• Female- 3% (2% in 2019)
• Hispanic- .5% (1% in 2019)
• Asian - .5% (1% in 2019)
The Peoria Fire/Rescue Department has not hired any personnel since 2018. Nineteen firefighters were hired that year with 36% being members of a protected class.
There were fifteen retirements in 2020.
• 7 Caucasian Males
• 7 African American Males
• 1 Hispanic Male
Police Department Summary
As of February 2021, the Peoria Police Department employs 214 sworn Police Officers with 2 Police Cadets. The Department has an authorized commissioned strength of 222. Minorities make up 22% of our sworn police officers. There are 20 Civilians also employed by the Peoria Police Department, which consist of 30% minorities. Minorities currently make up 22% of our total work force.
In 2020, the PPD saw a lot of retirements. In fact, 52% of all separations came from retirement. The PPD had 13 sworn officers retire, 23% were minority. One sworn officer was selected to serve at the federal level as a United State Marshall. Our civilian staff also saw 2 retirement and 2 others resigned. Of the 4 civilians that left the PPD, minorities accounted for 50% of civilian separations. The PPD also had 5 recruits and 2 cadets resign in 2020. These separations were comprised of 71% minorities. The PPD had a total of 25 separations in 2020, with 44% being minorities.
In efforts to account for these losses, the PPD has hired 11 new Police Recruits in 2021. Of the 11 new recruits, 64% are minorities, 2 of these recently hired recruit officers where from the cadet program.
The PPD had 129 minorities apply to be an officer in 2020, comprising 39% of all applicants. Of those 129, 75% did not submit required documents or did not show to take the written exam. Of the 25% who submitted the required documents and took the written test, 72% passed the written exam, physical fitness test, and were placed into the hiring pool.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: N/A
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: N/A
IMPACT IF APPROVED: N/A
IMPACT IF DENIED: N/A
ALTERNATIVES: N/A
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: N/A
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2014 - 2029 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Financially Sound City Government, Effective City Organization
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Have an efficient government.
DEPARTMENT: Human Resources