FY 24 Budget Q&A #001511: What is the cost of securing additional cameras with battery capability that could be placed around the City more easily? How many cameras would APD suggest are needed to better support our surveillance efforts at this time?

Page updated on September 20, 2024 at 11:15 AM
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Question: What is the cost of securing additional cameras with battery capability that could be placed around the City more easily? How many cameras would APD suggest are needed to better support our surveillance efforts at this time? (Councilwoman Gaskins)

Response: 

The chart below shows the staffing history for the sworn positions of the Alexandria Police Department (APD) over the last six years. Each year displays the budgeted sworn staff, including permanent and overhire positions, as well as the average number of filled and available personnel.

 

 

FY 23 BM 030 Table 1.png

 

Before FY 2022, the department had on average, more positions filled than the permanent authorized number of positions but fewer than the number of budgeted positions including overhires. However, the department still experienced regular understaffing. The APD consistently has several unavailable sworn positions that cannot be count for staffing availability. When an officer is hired, it takes a year for them to become fully trained and released into solo patrol. Officers in training cannot factor into actual available sworn staffing numbers even though they are filling a budgeted position. The department also consistently has several officers that are in an inactive status due to restricted duty including FMLA and disability leave. These officers are not physically carrying out typical sworn officer duties, reducing the number of officers available.  Because of these issues, the comparison of budgeted to filled positions overstates actual operational and patrol staffing levels. A more appropriate indicator compares budgeted (permanent and overhire) positions to available staff, as shown above.

 

With the 15 recruits who began the Academy in February 2022, the Alexandria Police Department would have reached its FY 2022 authorized sworn positions of 305. After accounting for retirements, resignations, and employee terminations, the current sworn staff has been reduced to 297. APD will continue to actively recruit new officers in order to send even more to the next Academy session beginning in July. Several challenges remain an obstacle: the regional competition for the same applicant pool, the need for competitive salaries to attract and retain talented officers, and the overwhelming shift in the national attitude towards law enforcement in general.

 

The department is committed to the City’s official policy and position to remain a fully staffed and capable premier service law enforcement agency for its residents, business community, and visitors.

 

 

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