Minutes-070813
MINUTES
Call to Order
Attendance/Roll Call
The meeting was called to order by Chair Tanick at 9:01 AM. Present at the meeting were Commissioners Marshall Tanick, Gloria Kumagai, Bruce Peterson; staff members Stacy Altonen, Paula
Graff and Amanda Johnson.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes from the June 22, 2007 meeting were approved by consensus.
Revised Police Sergeant Job Description/Sergeant Promotion Process
Altonen advised Sergeant Kelly Blad will be resigning effective August 31st. As a result, she requested approval to initiate a sergeant promotion process and presented a revised police
sergeant job description.
Altonen stated the revisions she is requesting approval for pertain to the eligibility requirements. Currently the minimum requirements state a candidate must be a Golden Valley police
officer and must have a minimum of three years experience as a licensed police officer. She recommended a candidate have a minimum of five years experience as a licensed police officer
with at least three of those years being with Golden Valley Police Department. She stated an officer is just getting comfortable with officer duties around the three-year mark so
it would be beneficial for a sergeant candidate to have a little more time served as a licensed officer. Changing this requirement would allow 14 current police officers to apply for
a sergeant position.
The other component to job requirements Altonen recommended be revised is the mandatory four-year degree. Altonen stated while she believes in the value of higher education, she does
not believe necessary experience and common sense are attained solely through a diploma. She stated a Bachelor’s Degree would be listed as a “desired” qualification and she would work
with Human Resources and the assessment center to create a formula that would give candidates with a Bachelor’s Degree a slight advantage over those with an Associate’s Degree, with
the addition of up to a couple points being added to the candidate’s final score.
Tanick asked if the preference points for a Bachelor’s Degree should be added to the job description and Paula Graff stated the points can be printed in a testing outline so all candidates
are informed, but they should not be listed in the job description itself. Tanick asked what preference points are currently given to candidates and Graff stated veterans’ points are
given at the time of initial application to qualifying candidates, but no added points are given during a promotional process.
Altonen advised she is requesting council approval for the addition of another patrol sergeant in 2008. Statistics show that 39.5% of the year there was not a supervisor working a patrol
shift. If approved by the council, the new sergeant would also be promoted from the sergeant eligibility register established over the next couple of months.
Peterson inquired why three of the five years of service should be with Golden Valley Police Department and Altonen stated she believes it is important for candidates to be acclimated
to the community and the organization, as well as the policies of the department and the city.
Tanick asked if the revisions to the job description must be negotiated with the police union and Graff advised while the union is aware of the proposed revisions, the job description
is drafted by the city and is independent of the police union.
Peterson stated the Golden Valley Civil Service Commission moves that the current position description for police sergeant be modified to include under “minimum requirements”:
“Minimum of five years work experience as a full-time licensed police officer, with a least three of those years being with Golden Valley Police Department.”
Associate’s Degree in law enforcement.
“Desired qualifications” would state a Bachelor’s Degree in law enforcement (subject to the department developing an appropriate preferential system with Human Resources for a Bachelor’s
Degree.)
Motion carried unanimously.
Peterson inquired about the department’s strategy to assure sergeants are performing at a sergeant level. Altonen advised her ultimate goal is to have a patrol commander and an administrative
commander, where the patrol commander would supervise all officers and would work all patrol shifts in order to aid the commander in writing performance evaluations. Altonen stated
the department currently has good sergeants in charge of patrol shifts and other assigned duties, and she meets with them every few weeks. She advised she would like to implement a
360 degree evaluation tool by the end of 2007 where the community and subordinate officers could provide feedback on sergeant performance.
Peterson stated the commission moves for police administration to initiate a sergeant promotion process amended consistent with the approved changes to the police sergeant job description,
including the application of an assessment process with preference of a college degree.
Motion carried unanimously.
Other Business
Peterson inquired about the current status of the police officer hiring process. Altonen advised 90 applications were received and after completing written tests and an oral interview,
physical fitness testing was offered to 21 candidates. Eleven candidates elected to take the physical fitness test and since there were not enough eligible candidates advancing to
the next phase the fitness test will be offered to 12 additional candidates who also successfully passed the written tests and oral interview. Testing will occur on August 23rd.
Peterson requested a one-page summary be drafted of the police officer recruitment and selection process and the sergeant promotion process. He asked that the requirements be clearly
stated and the phases of testing and assessment be outlined so as to inform potential applicants of the steps involved in each process. He would like the document sent to commissioners
upon completion. Altonen stated this document will be drafted and will be sent to commissioners and will be posted on the city website.
Peterson stated the commissioners desire to be an asset in a secondary role to the police department and offered assistance in any way it might be needed.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
Gloria Kumagai, Secretary