04-27-09 Common Council Meeting Agenda & Packet

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Bill No. Ordinance No. AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING CHAPTER 14 OF THE SOUTHBEND MUNICIPAL CODE BY THE INCLUSION OF NEW ARTICLE 10 ENTITLED USER FEES FOR SPECIAL PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE SOUTH BEND POLICE DEPARTMENT STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT The South Bend Police Department provides a variety of outstanding public safety services aimed to protect the life, property and personal liberties of individuals. The police department "affirmatively promotes, preserves and delivers" public safety services aimed to prevent crime. By utilizing "community policing", partnerships between individuals and their police officers have been created. These positive actions are working to make South Bend a safer community where people live, work and play; and where visitors will avail themselves to the many cultural and recreational opportunities offered. The South Bend Police Department "...continuously reviews the way that it deploys staffmg resources in an effort to increase their ability to respond to community needs and maximize resources". The Uniform Patrol Division is the largest Division in the Police Department and is often referred to as the "backbone of the Police Department". These officers protect the 107,000 city residents by patrolling the city which consists of thousands of residential homes and businesses; 460 miles of streets and 499 miles of alleys. The City's sworn police officers provide top-quality police services on a 24/7 basis. In addition to the uniform officers, the police department utilizes many qualified individuals some of which serve as K-9 Officers, Investigators, Detectives, SWAT, bomb technicians, Rapid Response, hostage negotiators, arson & fraud investigators; forensic lab technicians; school resource officers; crime prevention officers; supervisory personnel who are specially trained to "ensure timely responses and patrol coverage throughout the city". The South Bend Common Council is committed to maintaining the highest level of police services to the citizens of the City of South Bend. The Council therefore believes that it is necessary to establish user fees for special public safety services which aze provided by sworn members of the South Bend Police Department. Such special police services which go above and beyond the daily 24/7 public safety services provided to the citizens of South Bend. The Common Council specifically notes that the South Bend Police Administration has instituted many cost-saving measures in 2008, Examples include instituting a payroll deduction system for gasoline consumption; reducing the number of qualification shoots; reducing the fleet size; reducing the number of department cell phones, etc. In 2009, the South Bend Police Department has continued the payroll deduction for gasoline consumption; has limited the number of combat shoots; continued the reduction of qualification shoots; is re-using car equipment instead of purchasing new equipment; is scrutinizing the use of recall; as well as many other cost-saving