Determining the Feasibility of Merging the Village of Shorewood

Police Department and the Village of Whitefish Bay Police Department

By

David M. Banaszynski

Overview of the Research Project – Business Problem

“The combined harsh realities of escalating

government expenses, stagnant local tax

revenues, and a dwindling population base

can no longer be viewed just as a short

term imbalances but rather as structural

problems requiring fundamental changes in

the way we approach local governance.”

(The Onondaga Citizens League, 2006, p.3)

Overview of the Research Project

In 2005, The Maximus Group was hired to examine consolidation between Villages of Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Fox Point and Bayside

Findings:• Combined Shorewood – Whitefish Bay

Police Department would save:• Shorewood $563,410

• Whitefish Bay $23,300

(Maximus, 2005, p.46)

Possible Outcomes Available

• Do nothing and continue to work as the two departments

• Continue to do business as separate departments but build a joint police station

• Identify certain functions or functional units within the departments that could be combined

• Complete merger of the two departments

Shorewood Founded in 1900 4th oldest suburb 1.3 square miles Population July of

2005 was 13,192 No industry

Description of the Organizations

Whitefish Bay Founded in 1892 2nd oldest suburb 2.1 square miles Population July of 2005

was 13,508 No industry

Consolidated Fire Service and Health Department

(Shorewood History Home, 2004, para1) (Whitefish Bay Wisconsin, 2006, p2, para4)

Description of the Organizational Units

Shorewood Whitefish BayChief of Police 1 1Lieutenant 3 2Sergeant 3 4Det. – Sgt. 1 0Detective 1 2Patrol Officer 16 15

Total 25 24(Personal communication, 2007)

Description of the Organizational Units - Buildings

Shorewood Whitefish Bay

Built in 1929With Fire Dept.5400 square ft.

Built early 1960’sWith Village Hall 5800 square ft.

(Zimmerman Design Group, 2007) (Personal communication, 2007)

History of Police Departments

Unlike England, American police

systems followed the style of local

and municipal governments (Uchida, 2004)

12,656 local law enforcement

agencies

451,737 sworn police officers(Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003)

History of Police Consolidation

1973

1980

1898

1980

2003

2007

(Sunnyside Chamber, 2007, para.1; Stockton, 2006 )

Consolidation in Wisconsin

1949 - Sauk Prairie

Police Department:

Sauk City and

Prairie du Sac

1969 - City’s of Abbotsford and Colby joined forces

1993 - Everest Metro

Police Department:

Weston and

Schofield Police

Departments

1995 - Fox Valley

Metro Police Dept:

Villages of Kimberly

and Little Chute

(Sauk Prairie Police, n.d.; Peterson, 2004 )

Driving Forces for Consolidation

Economies of Scale Duplication of Efforts or Services Effectiveness Efficiency Accountability Harmony Unified Command Structure

(Wisconsin Chiefs, 2004; Peterson, 2004, p.1)

Restraining Forces to Consolidation

“The political and social pressures

linked to the desire for local self-

government offer the most

significant barrier to the

coordination and consolidation of

police departments”(President’s Commission, 1967)

Method of Research From the research question, four

investigative questions were developed. • Economic feasibility

• Maintaining or increasing the current service levels

• Reduction of duplicated police operations, services and equipment

• Department structure and staffing levels of a combined department

Results and Analysis (Findings)

The

Findings

Results and Analysis Staff Levels Wisconsin Departments

City PopulationTotal officers

Officers per 1000

Stevens Point 24,403 44 1.80

Sun Prairie 24,585 44 1.79

Neenah 24,678 38 1.54

Mount Pleasant 25,514 35 1.37

Superior 27,080 58 2.14

Average 25,252 44 1.73

(OJA, 2005)

Results and Analysis Staff Levels Midwest

StateAverage

PopulationAverage

Total officersOfficers per 1000

Ratio

Indiana 28,348 50 1.75

Iowa 26,873 40 1.51

Michigan 27,008 36 1.32

Minnesota 27,074 35 1.28

Ohio 26,598 44 1.66

Wisconsin 25,252 44 1.73

Midwest Average 26,816 43 1.59

Shorewood 13192 25 1.90

Whitefish Bay 13508 24 1.78

Combined Population 26700 49 1.84

(Crime in the United States, 2005)

Results and AnalysisStaffing Requirements to Ratio

Metro Police Department at 26,700 Population

Midwest Ratio (1.59) = 43 officers

Wisconsin Ratio (1.73) = 46 Officers

Average Midwest and

Wisconsin (1.66) = 44 Officers

Results and AnalysisEconomically Feasible

Metro Police Department Budget • Wages, overtime and fringe benefits at 49 sworn

officers = $4,719,892

• Average of $96,324 per officer Midwest Ratio = 43 officers (-6) $577,944 Wisconsin Ratio = 46 officers (-3) $207,972 Average of Midwest & Wisconsin = 44 officers (-5) $481,620

(Village of Shorewood and Village of Whitefish Bay Budget – 2007)

Results and Analysis Service Levels – Calls for Service

Department Calls Average Total Crime

For Service Calls/Officer

Metro PD 14,378 293 572 Neenah 14,000 368 439 Superior 26,300 453 1,629 Sun Prairie 28,000 636 621 Mt Pleasant 42,137 1,204 752

(Personal interviews, 2007) (Crime in the United States, 2005)

Results and Analysis - Duplication

Whitefish Bay 2007 budget

Administration

  2005 2006 2007 % change 05-07

Telephone $ 23,706 $ 23,706 $ 25,275 6.62%

Postage $ 1,000 $ 1,000 $ 1,000 0.00%

Utilities $ 22,836 $ 29,086 $ 30,540 33.74%

Shorewood 2007 budget

Administration

  2005 2006 2007 % change 05-07

Telephone $ 11,000 $ 11,000 $ 10,500 -4.55%

Postage $ 5,500 $ 6,000 $ 6,950 26.36%

Utilities $ 23,116 $ 23,837 $ 25,073 8.47%

(Village of Shorewood and Village of Whitefish Bay Budgets 2005 – 2007)

Wisconsin Population Between 22,000 and 29,500

State CityPopulatio

n

Total office

rs

Officers per

1000

WISCONSIN

Fitchburg 21,929 39

1.78

Muskego 22,711 36

1.59

Watertown 22,937 38

1.66

De Pere 22,988 32

1.39

Mequon 23,910 36

1.51

Caledonia 24,339 28

1.15

Stevens Point 24,403 44

1.80

Sun Prairie 24,585 44

1.79

Neenah 24,678 38

1.54

Mount Pleasant 25,514 35

1.37

Superior 27,080 58

2.14

West Bend 29,447 56

1.90

Average 24543 40

1.64

(OJA, 2005)

Results and AnalysisStaffing Metro Police Department

Use the 1.64 officer ratio per 1000 Metro Police Department would have

44 officers Same ratio as the average of the

Midwest and Wisconsin combined Reduction would be one less officer per

shift based on the staff minimums

(OJA, 2005)

Results and AnalysisSuggested Staffing Models

Position SunPrairie

StevensPoint

WestLafayette

Maximus ModelA

Model B

Model C

Chief 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Deputy Chief 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

Captain 0 2 2 2 0 2 2

Lieutenant 4 3 4 2 3 3 3

Sergeant 4 7 4 6 6 6 3

Det/Sergeant 1 1  0 1 1 1 1

Detective 4 4 4 3 2 2 2

Police Officer 29 27 29 31 30 29 31

Total Sworn 44 45 45 46 44 44 44

(Personal communication, 2007; Maximus, 2005)

Results and Analysis Staffing Change

Position ShorewoodWhitefish

Bay Model

APositionChange

Chief of Police 1 1 1 -1

Deputy Chief 0 0 1 1

Lieutenant 3 2 3 -2

Patrol Sergeant 3 4 6 -1

Det/Sergeant 1 0 1 0

Detective 1 2 2 -1

Patrol Officer 16 15 30 -1

Total 25 24 44 -5

Results and AnalysisShift Staffing

Shift minimums• Late Shift and Day Shift of 5 Patrol Officers and 1

Supervisor

• Early Shift minimums of 6 Patrol Officers and 1 Supervisor

Need 27 Patrol Officers 2 School Liaison Officers 1 Full-time Crime Prevention/Community

Officer/Court Officer

Results and AnalysisMetro Police Wage and Benefit Cost

Researcher Model A

Position Salary Number in Position

Total Salary

Benefits @45%

Total Cost

Chief $90,000 1 $90,000 $40,500 $130,500

Deputy Chief $84,023 1 $84,023 $37,810 $121,833

Lieutenant $74,895 3 $224,685 $101,108 $325,793

Sergeant $66,873 6 $401,238 $180,557 $581,795

Det/Sergeant $66,873 1 $66,873 $30,093 $96,966

Detective $64,319 2 $128,638 $57,887 $186,525

Police Officer $59,435 30 $1,783,050 $802,373 $2,585,423

Total   44 $2,778,507 $1,250,328 $4,028,835 Whitefish Bay’s July 2007 salary rates for all officers at Lieutenant rank or below at top pay.

(Whitefish Bay Budget, 2007)

Results and Analysis Potential Savings

Shorewood/Whitefish Bay Combined Total (Wages/Fringe): $4,574,425 Minus new combined sworn officers (Wages & Fringe) $4,028,835 Savings $ 545,590

If Split evenly, savings of $ 272,795

Total Whitefish Bay Budgeted in 2007 $2,219,371 Half of new salary/benefits $2,014,418 Whitefish Bay Savings $ 204,953

Total Shorewood Budgeted in 2007 $2,355,054 Half of new salary/benefits $2,014,418 Shorewood Savings $ 340,636

2007 Wages and Fringe Benefits Only (Village of Shorewood and Village of Whitefish Bay Budgets 2007)

Trustee Survey Results

Rank your concerns about consolidation with one (1) representing your greatest concern or fear.

answer options One Two Three Four Five SixRating

AverageResponse

Count

Loss of local control 3 3 2 1 1 0 2.4 10

Loss of local identity 2 3 2 0 2 1 3 10

Start-up cost 2 2 2 1 1 2 3.3 10

Longer response times 2 1 2 1 3 1 3.5 10

Loss of services 1 1 0 5 2 1 3.9 10

On-going cost 0 0 2 2 1 5 4.9 10

Trustee Survey Results

How successful were the following consolidations?

North Shore Fire Department - 8 of 10 Trustees

rated it “Very Successful.”

North Shore Dispatch Center - 7 of 10 Trustees

rated it “Very Successful.”

Shared DPW Equipment - 5 of 10 Trustees rated it

“Very Successful.”

Trustee Survey ResultsI would like our Village to look at the following:

answer options Yes NoResponse

Count

A complete merger of the two departments. This merger would allow for a single operating unit within both communities.

4 6 10

Identify certain functions or functional units within the departments that could be combined such as investigative services, records, training and equipment.

9 1 10

Continue to do business as separate departments but build a joint police station for the purpose of eliminating redundancy of equipment, outdated buildings and giving each department the space needed for a modern police department to function properly.

7 3 10

Do nothing and continue to work as the two departments are working now.

1 9 10

answered question 10

Trustee Survey Results

Would you be interested in forming a joint

committee to further study this issue?

100% of the Trustees that responded

wanted to further study this issue.

Conclusion

It is feasible to merge the

Shorewood and the Whitefish Bay

Police Departments.

• Actively pursue consolidation

• Use the IACP retreat model

Conclusion

It is economically feasible to consolidate• Appoint a Management Committee

• Develop a cost allocation plan

• Develop a revenue allocation plan

• Look at cost allocations used• Health Services,

• North Shore Dispatch Services

• North Shore Fire Services.

• Use allocation formula to determine final savings

Conclusion

There is duplication of equipment.

• Joint Equipment Committee

•Study of similar equipment used

•Possible future equipment and capital needs

•Limit future purchase of equipment

ConclusionService levels remain the same and or

improve. • Examine core services

• Determine the level of service

• Staff to match these expectations

• Recommend Model for staffing

• Full-time Police School Liaison Officer

• Full-time Crime Prevention officer

• 24 hour clerical staff

Conclusion

There are cost savings from a joint

building

• Appoint a Facilities Committee

• Assist in a space needs study

• Determine a location

• Assist in scheduling the construction

• Dispose of duplicate equipment

Conclusion

Restraining forces must be addressed

• Appoint a Operations Committee

• Major restraining forces to consider:

• loss of local control

• loss of local identity

Conclusion

Operations Committee to:

• Officers to design:

• Department patch

• Squad design

• Visit:

• Sauk Prairie Police Department

• Everest Metro Police Department

• Fox Valley Metro Police Department

Final Conclusion

The function of this research was to determine the feasibility of a consolidated police department between the Village of Shorewood and the Village of Whitefish Bay.

It is feasible and this merger would be in the best interest of both communities.

Questions or Comments?