Title
Approval of Use of Asset Forfeiture Funds
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Finance Committee recommends approval of the expenditure of $16,123.48 from the Asset Forfeiture Fund for scheduling and payroll software.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to recommend approval of the expenditure of $16,123.48 from the Asset Forfeiture Fund for scheduling and payroll software.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the expenditure of $16,123.48 from the Asset Forfeiture Fund for scheduling and payroll software.
Staff Contact:
Laura Wohl, Administrative Services Manager, Olympia Police Department, 360.753.8214
Presenter(s):
Laura Wohl, Administrative Services Manager, Olympia Police Department
Background and Analysis:
The Olympia Police Department (OPD) completed a large asset forfeiture process in late 2001, following criminal convictions in a homicide case. The net proceeds, $369,247, were placed in the Special Accounts Control Fund, Seizure and Forfeiture Account (“Asset Forfeiture Fund”). By statute, money seized and/or forfeited as a result of criminal behavior must be used “exclusively for the expansion and improvement of law enforcement activities,” and the funds may not be used to supplant pre-existing funding sources (RCW 10.105.010).
When the Asset Forfeiture Fund was established in 2002, Council determined that the primary purposes for its use were to invest in employees by providing them with special training and educational opportunities and to fund one-time expenditures for equipment.
As a 24/7/365 operation with multiple programs, OPD has complex scheduling and payroll needs. To field the necessary complement of police officers on duty and corrections officers in the jail, sergeants and managers spend considerable time each month developing a core schedule and then, each day, managing the schedule for unexpected absences. Scheduling at OPD requires juggling multiple factors: specialty skills needed for particular positions, planned absences for training and vacations, overtime limits, etc. At this time, OPD has no tool to help with this task. For each vacancy on a shift, both planned and unplanned, a supervisor or manager must determine who is available with the requisite skills for the open position. When planning for a major event, the task becomes even more complex. In addition, supervisors have only one way to contact officers about unplanned scheduling needs: calling officers one-by-one until the available shift vacancies are filled.
In addition to complex scheduling, OPD also has complex payroll. Three different union contracts dictate a variety of pay exceptions that must be tracked and calculated each pay period. The City’s current payroll software lacks the flexibility needed to manage the complicated time-keeping efficiently. Support staff spend literally days preparing payroll each period. Similarly, the City’s payroll system is not designed to provide management reports that will allow OPD’s leadership to manage staff resources effectively.
The Department considered three possible software packages. The software InTime best meets our needs and our financial constraints. InTime allows OPD to create schedules with the right staff in the right positions with little effort. When supervisors need to schedule staff for extra shifts, the information is automatically sent to multiple staff cell phones and e-mails simultaneously. Staff can access InTime from any internet device. In addition, management has the ability to draw much more detailed information about how shifts are staffed and how employee time is used.
For several months, the Department has been testing InTime. The test unit supervisor has enjoyed less time spent on administrative tasks, while the officers have found it easier to record their hours and to respond to requests for extra shifts. Support staff have also evaluated the software and have determined that it will save them considerable time in preparing monthly payroll information. The software is web-based and fully-supported. Payroll information from InTime can be easily entered into the City payroll system for processing employee pay.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
N/A
Options:
The Committee may choose to not approve the expenditure from the Asset Forfeiture fund in which case the Department will not purchase the software.
Financial Impact:
$16,123.48
Attachments:
None