ACTION REQUESTED:
Title
Communication from the City Manager and Human Resources Director with a Request to RECEIVE and FILE a PRESENTATION from the FIRE and POLICE COMMISSION and the ANNUAL PERFORMANCE GOALS REPORT, Covering the PERIOD of JANUARY 2021 through DECEMBER 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 2021 through December 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. These classes are taught at the Woodruff Career and Technical Center (WCTC). 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 an effort to increase interest in the classes being offered at WCTC, a few of our employees came up with the Peoria Youth Recruiting Empowerment (PYRE) program. This long term strategy will allow for our instructors to engage students in grades 5th-8th. Some of the key components of this program would be to teach CPR, fire behavior and hose-line advancement. Engaging these younger students would give them the opportunity to learn more about being a Peoria Firefighter and have some of their questions answered. While this program is still in its beginning stages, we are hopeful that it will pay off in the future.
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
• 1 Battalion Chief of EMS
• 2 fire mechanics
• 4 fire prevention/inspection staff
• 1 Fiscal Technician
• 2 Administrative Specialists
The current diversity make-up of the department’s staff
• Caucasian - 87.5%
• African American - 11%
• Hispanic - 1%
• Asian - .5%
• Female - 3%
The Peoria Fire/Rescue Department hired 16 Firefighters in 2021 with 38% being members of a protected class.
There were 3 resignations in 2021:
• 2 African American Males
• 1 Caucasian Male
There were 6 retirements in 2021:
• 5 Caucasian Males
• 1 Asian Male
Police Department Summary
As of December 2021, the Peoria Police Department employs 196 sworn Police Officers with 9 Police Recruits. The Department has an authorized commissioned strength of 222. Minorities make up 20% of our sworn police officers. There are 20 Civilians also employed by the Peoria Police Department, which consist of 25% minorities. Minorities currently make up 21% of our total work force.
In 2021, the PPD saw a lot of retirements. In fact, 60% of all separations came from retirement. The PPD had 20 sworn officers retire, 25% were minority. Another 11 Officers resigned which with 9% being minority. Our civilian staff also saw 1 retirement and 6 others resigned. Of the 7 civilians that left the PPD, minorities accounted for 29% of civilian separations. The PPD also had 3 recruits and 1 cadet resign in 2021. These separations were comprised of 75% minorities. The PPD had a total of 38 separations in 2021, with 29% being minorities.
In efforts to account for these losses, the PPD has hired 20 new Police Recruits in 2021. Of the 20 new recruits, 45% are minorities. The PPD had 25 minorities apply to be an officer in 2021, comprising 18% of all applicants. Of those 25, 56% did not submit required documents or did not show to take the written exam. Of the 44% who submitted the required documents and took the written test, 91% 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