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INFORMATION #3 08-12-2002City Police Department MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Thomas D. Zerwas, Chief of Police DATE: August 7, 2002 SUBJECT: JUVENILE LIAISON PROGRAM As I am sure the council is aware, the Elk River Area School District is again talking with the Sherburne County Sheriff's Depa~-ha-aent about getting free liaison service. This came as a big surprise to us as there was a signed Letter of Understanding between the City of Elk River and the school disthct that indicated we would provide liaison services until at least December 31, 2004 (see attachment). This has changed, however, and the school district has indicated that the last paragraph in the Understanding indicated that if the "crime levy increased beyond $2.00 per capita (which it has), this would allow renegotiation." During the last couple weeks, we have met and discussed this issue with school administrative staff and members of the school board. It boils down to the fact that if we want to keep the program, we will have to offer the same arrangement as Sherburne County or they will drop our services. I have met with my administrative staff and we strongly believe that we should keep the liaison program. We are, therefore, recommending that the money that has been budgeted for an undercover drug officer be used for the liaison program. The benefit that we realize from the liaison program is significant and warrants this recommendation. Assistant Chief Beahen will have survey results about liaison programs from around the State to hand out on Monday night. Even though a large majority of cities get reimbursement from their districts, Jeff and I have taken the position that we must stick to the recommendation that we are making to you. If you have any questions, give either one of us a call. TDZ/kma Independent School District 728 ADMINISTRATION OFFICES 327 King Avenue DAVID M. FLANNERY Elk River, MN 55330 Superintendent of Schools (612) 241-3400 Fax (612) 241-3407 May 26, 1999 Letter of Understanding between the City of Elk River and the Elk River Area School District For the five year period beginning January 1, 2000 and ending December 31, 2004, the Elk River Police Department will provide two full-time liaison officers for service in the Elk-River secondary schools. These schools include Salk, VandenBerg, Ivan Sand and the High School. In return for this service, the School District agrees to commit annually a percentage of the existing crime levy, currently $1.50 per capita, that equals the percentage of the secondary students attending school in Elk River. Using this formula for the year 2000, the School District commitment is $43,000. If the crime levy is increased beyond $2.00 per capita or if the secondary enrollment in Elk River changes by more than 20%, both parties agree to sit down to renegotiate the particulars of this understanding. City of Elk River Elk River Area School Board Date They have no problem with the level of service they are getting from the Elk River Police Department, but say they can't justify spending crime levy dollai~s on a pro- gram they get for free m Rogers and Zimmerman. "How do I report fiscal responsibility to my con- stituents?'' School Board Member Patricia Scharber asked. School Board members object to spending a higher portion of the crime levy in Elk River than in the north- ern and southern reaches of the school district. They also have a philosophical belief that police officers they should not pay for police serv- Ices. They want to use money from their crime levy to add security systems a~ schools throughout t. he school district in response to break-ins in the district this past year. School officials have asked Klinzing and Zerwas ~o ask the city to take over the cost of the liaison program, or they will pursue an arrange- ment with Sherburne County as early as Jan. 1. Anderson already provides liaison services and/or D.A.R.E. programming in St. Cloud, Clear Lake, Becker and Zimmerman. If asked, he said Monday he would pro- vide a high quality service for free and evaluate the pro- gram at the end of the school year to see if it could be improved. He can afford co offer the services because the revenue generated by the jail. "Why would be pay for something we can get for free?" said Mark Stra~er, chairman of the Elk River Area School Board. Elk River Police Chief Tom Zerwas is. troubled by the potential loss of Elk River police working in the schools. "There's tremendous value in having juvenile officers in the schools for solving crimes in and outside of the schools in the city of Elk River," Zerwas said. He's also concerned that the con~ac~ his officers would have with youth would be limited to negative contacts through traffic stops and so forth. He said it would take time before county officers could establish the relation, ships and kinds of experi- ences his liaison officers have with students. Anderson said he would pro- vide as good a service to the school district. Zerwas would like the school district to follow through on its agreement with the city, but has asked the school district ~o wait a~ least a year before making changes to the liaison pro- gram. Anderson told the School Board it has been difficult to be: in the middle, of the debate, and urged members of the School Board Monday night to proceed in a profes- sional manner so that all of the parties can walk away from the table without har- boring ill feelings. 'Why would we pay for something we can get for free?' -Mark Strater Chairman of the Board The Elk River chief and Assistant Police Chief Jeff Beahen have said they have no control over what the City Council tells them ~o spend and predicted last week they will not win a battle for more money to fund the liaison officers entirely. "They know there's a levy and they know it's increas- ing,'' said Beahen, who in a study he condfic~ed of 26 other police departments found only one department that didn't get at least half of the funding for its liaison offi- cers. That department was Fridley. He said the only other notable exceptions are in Hennepin and Sherburne counties. Sheriff Anderson is hopeful some steps he has taken or is willing to take may provide the city of Elk River the abil- ity to hang onto the liaison program. He recently added a drug enforcemen~ officer who's focusing on the Elk River area and he's willing to con- sider adding officer time to focus on truck enforcement and take over some or all event coverage. The drug offi- cer and truck enforcement are two initiatives the police department had hoped to tackle but are be less press- ing with Anderson's help. Jensen has recommended the board wait a year before making any changes to the liaison program, and a deci- sion for' the following year be made soon to provide time to prepare for any changes. The Elk River City Council will discuss the matter at its 6:05 p.m. this Monday (Aug. 12) at Elk River City Hall.