RTC#02-290

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RTC#02-290 July 16, 2002

SUBJECT: CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS TRAINING AND BUILDING COMMUNITY TRUST WITHIN PUBLIC SAFETY WORK PLAN

REPORT IN BRIEF

The purpose of this request is to gain City Council approval for a work plan on the subjects of communications skills training and building community trust. Project funds in the amount of $40,000 were previously approved for this effort. This work plan proposes to evaluate ways to increase communication between community members and the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS), so that the Department is providing the fire and police protection services desired by the community and is more fully interacting with the community. It is anticipated that the study will recommend actions DPS can take to improve communication, build trust and increase knowledge in the community about public safety operations. The most important goal of the plan is to ensure that the Department of Public Safety maintains its reputation for excellence and its high satisfaction rating from the community (currently at 94%).

BACKGROUND

The most critical element for a successful police department is community trust. Trust is at the core of a police department's problem-solving, crime-prevention and crime-fighting strategies. Without that trust, members of the community would be reluctant to involve the police when they are victims of crimes, and they would be unlikely to call the police to mediate their disputes or to step forward as a witness to a crime. In short, without a foundation of trust, the police are left with few opportunities to impact crime and disorder. In Sunnyvale deep-rooted trust levels have enabled us to enjoy some of the lowest crime rates and highest safety ratings in the country.

By all measures, Sunnyvale DPS deserves the already high level of trust invested in it by the community. A high rate of community satisfaction and a low level of complaint combine to paint a very bright picture of the regard and trust between our department and the community it serves. Those high levels of trust do not occur by accident. They are nurtured by continuous excellence in customer service. They speak to the way officers interact with members of this community on a daily basis, in responding to emergencies, in providing emergency medical attention at accident scenes, and even in issuing traffic citations.

The fact is that Sunnyvale is a community undergoing change; the changing demographics, an aging community, and further urbanization all pose greater challenges in the assessment of that trust. Many of our residents are foreign born and use English as their second language. Some come from areas where suspicion rather than trust in government prevails. More specifically, the police who are often seen as the most visible agent of that government become the focal point for that mistrust. Given these dynamics, this study issue will address factors, which contribute to or detract from the community's trust, and examine the methods we can employ to build upon that trust.

Three elements stand out as keys to maintaining or building community trust:

The community must have confidence that officers are properly prepared to deal with volatile circumstances where they engage potentially violent or uncooperative people. The public should take comfort in knowing that their officers are aptly schooled, trained and equipped with the most up-to-date humanitarian techniques available to diffuse even the most volatile situations.

Of equal importance is an accessible and open process available for members of the community to raise its concerns about police performance. The public must be confident that should they have questions or concerns about either overall department performance or the performance of an individual officer, there would be ample opportunities to objectively investigate those concerns. If warranted, the community must be assured that appropriate follow-up or corrective action will result. Likewise, the community should be aware of the processes in effect for the department to proactively review officer performance within a system of continuous improvement.

Perhaps most importantly, the department and the community need to continuously explore opportunities to improve their relationship so that greater understanding and trust will result. Neighborhoods and communities of interest should have ready and regular opportunities for dialogue with the Department so that enforcement priorities, expectations, problems and opportunities can be identified and pursued. This lies at the heart of Community Policing, and allows for the broadest base of police accountability; accountability directly to those served.

DISCUSSION

The plan will be implemented in two parts; First, it will explore the interpersonal communications training officers receive in dealing with people who present potential safety and flight risks to officers. Identify other sources of training to improve communications in those challenging circumstances so as to improve the outcomes of the interaction and raise the level of safety of all concerned. It will describe the above in terms of:

Recruit training

Field training

In-service training

Policy, procedures and techniques

Equipment

Second, it will address the extent of community trust of the Department and improvement opportunities by performing the following:

Conduct an independent survey of community trust in Sunnyvale Police Service.

The survey will break the results down by area, demographics, nature and extent of contact with the department, and level of satisfaction.

Examine methods to enrich officers' knowledge of the various cultures represented within Sunnyvale and how cultural orientation affect residents' interactions with police officers.

In this area we will determine current methods used to measure and enhance officer’s knowledge of Sunnyvale’s various cultures. By drawing on the selected consultant’s institutional knowledge and a network of progressive police agencies, they will seek recommendations for further enrichment of officers’ knowledge.

Explore additional methods of community outreach for the Department.

Examined here are methods that may be employed to initiate or improve the depth and breadth of dialogue with residents of Sunnyvale. The study would uncover opportunities for input on community problems and opportunities for improving residents' perception of safety at home, at work, at school and while patronizing Sunnyvale based businesses.

This will be accomplished by defining the current outreach approaches used by the Sunnyvale’s Department of Public Safety. We propose conducting a series of focus groups, with diverse representation, to elicit residents’ ideas and opinions regarding effective communication methods, current perceptions of safety, and safety enhancement ideas. Recommendations will flow from this based upon community input and on our consultant’s knowledge of successful outreach efforts used in similar communities.

Identify the means with which to help communities to organize themselves into neighborhood associations, block watches, or communities of interest.

This study element addresses the importance of community groups in holding DPS accountable for performance around where people, live, work, or socialize. It will determine current community organization techniques used by Public Safety in Sunnyvale, seek input from residents regarding the most effective organizing methods and examine how approaches may need to vary depending on the type of community.

Recommendations will be based on community input and on the consultant’s knowledge of successful organizing strategies used in other similar communities.

Study the Department's demographic composition to determine the extent to which it reflects the community it serves. For example, in the last two years DPS improved its female and minority representation within its sworn ranks from 20% to 33%. What additional steps can be taken to improve representation even further?

We will determine the demographic composition of the community and the desirable targets for achievement. We will examine the Department’s current processes regarding recruitment and selection aimed at improving the demographic match. Recommendations will be based upon the consultant’s knowledge of best practices and of successful procedures used in agencies similar to Sunnyvale.

Determine best practices in total quality of service delivery and explore ways of appropriate implementation within Sunnyvale DPS.

This will be accomplished through interviewing senior Department staff, and OCM, and by using data from the focus groups to determine the preferred approaches in Sunnyvale for police service delivery. Sunnyvale will be compared to relevant benchmarks and best practices developed in some 50 areas of police organization, management and operations. Sunnyvale will be rated on benchmarks pertaining to service delivery. This will result in a process for Sunnyvale to move to, if necessary, to best practice and to maintain a high level of service delivery.

Identify best methods of reporting periodic Department service trends and outcomes to the community.

In this area we will determine current methods used to report to the public. Further, we will review the focus group responses regarding both preferred methods and content of Department reports to the community. We will make recommendations based on current practice, community input, and the consultant’s knowledge of successful reporting practices used by other agencies similar to Sunnyvale.

Study methods of improving community knowledge regarding how to contact DPS to comment on officer performance - positive or negative. Include communicating that information in various languages.

This effort will enable us to gauge, during focus groups, current level of community knowledge regarding contacting the Department, the need for different languages, and strategies for ensuring that different groups have the opportunity to gain knowledge of how to contact the department. Our aim will be to make recommendations based upon the results of focus groups, language and cultural needs, and successful programs in place in other communities similar to Sunnyvale.

All of the items above constitute the scope of the proposed plan. During the Request for Proposals (RFP) phase, if followed, we will undoubtedly be exposed to additional worthwhile elements to look at, which will be considered for inclusion on a case-by-case basis.

FISCAL IMPACT

Funds in the amount of $40,000 are available in special project number 823630. Consultant costs are estimated to range between $25,000 and $30,000. Costs for translators and miscellaneous expenses will comprise the difference.

PUBLIC CONTACT

Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda on the city's official notice bulletin board, positing of the agenda and report on the city's web page, publication of the Council agenda in the San Jose Mercury News, and the availability of this on the source report in the Department of Public Safety.

Prepared by:
David R. Johnson
Senior Management Analyst,

Reviewed By:
Irwin I. Bakin
Director of Public Safety

Approved By:
Robert S. LaSala
City Manager

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