Police departments prepare to expand as cities grow

Police departments prepare to expand as cities grow

Written by Susan VanDeWater Saturday, 07 April 2007

With the opening of new toll roads and shopping centers, comes the need for more city services. Due to recent bonds and the support of city councils, both Leander and Cedar Park police departments are ready to expand.

New building in Leander

To accommodate the growth, the Leander Police Department is building a new facility. Scheduled to open in late 2008, the new 27,000 sq. ft. building will satisfy the department’s needs for the next 10 years. The facility will be located across from the Leander Post Office, at 701 Leander Drive. This centralized location eventually will house other important city services, including the public works department and a new fire station. The three buildings will encompass one city block.

A $1.4 million bond, approved in May 2006, provides some of the funding for the construction of the facility, as well as a fitness center for officers and city staff, construction of a road connecting the police department to US 183, an upgrade to the training facility, expansion of the department’s firing range and the addition of a physical agility course. The building also will feature safe rooms for victims of crime and true holding cells.

“This new facility will allow us to stay ahead of the curve with the projected growth of the city,” said Lt. Greg Minton, commander of LPD’s Uniformed Division.

Bicycle Patrol

In addition to a new facility, LPD is working to establish a bicycle patrol unit. “With the city’s parks and the planned TOD, a bicycle patrol will be a good community tool,” Lt. Minton said.

Leander’s growth is a challenge facing the department, which currently employs 25 sworn officers.

“With growth comes new and sometimes more serious crime. We are always actively recruiting new officers, driving to all areas of the state to find qualified candidates,” Lt. Minton said. “Of course, another challenge to hiring officers is finding the funding to do so.”

Lt. Minton has created a five-year staffing report that outlines the needs of the department over the coming years.

Cedar Park adds to force

The Cedar Park Police Department is also expanding to keep up with the city’s growth. By the end of the 2007 fiscal year, the department will have added 10 sworn officers to its ranks, including one night platoon lieutenant, one patrol sergeant, one patrol corporal, two patrol officers, one criminal investigations detective, three traffic officers who will focus on the 183A Toll and one school resource officer exclusively for Vista Ridge High School. This is the largest single year increase in the history of the CPPD.

Even with the addition of new officers, the department remains mindful of the anticipated growth of the city.

“We have created, and presented to the city council, a five-year staffing plan that will help us maintain our growth and achieve a ratio of 1.5 officers to every 1,000 residents,” said Cedar Park Police Chief Henry Fluck. “We will revisit the plan every year to re-evaluate and adjust as needed.”

The CPPD continues to focus on improving recruitment efforts and is experiencing success.

“The city approved an increase in compensation, as well as a hiring incentive of $2,000,” said Chief Fluck.

New Programs

In addition, through the Meet and Confer process, a joint effort of the city and the Police Officers’ Association, the upper age limit of 45 years has been eliminated and two new programs created — a lateral entry program and a cadet program.

The lateral entry program offers experienced police officers additional incentive to join the CPPD by allowing them to transfer in at a higher pay rate. Previously, all officers, regardless of experience, started at Step 1 on the established pay scale.

Through the department’s police cadet program, applicants without law enforcement certification may be eligible to join the CPPD. The department hires the applicant at the cadet salary level and pays for him or her to attend a basic peace officer training course.

Once the training is complete and the cadet has been certified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education, the officer is required to serve with the CPPD for two years or he or she must repay all costs associated with the academy.

“These new incentive programs have given us a competitive advantage and allowed us to increase our candidate pool significantly,” Fluck said. “On March 17, the department offered a civil service exam, which we use to create an eligibility list of qualified candidates. Normally, we have eight to 10 candidates. This time, we have 35 to choose from.”

Despite the recent growth, Cedar Park continues to have the lowest crime rate in Williamson County.

“We are starting to see an increase in crimes, such as burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft and assault,” Fluck said. “But by using proactive police patrol, we can help deter crime and keep our citizens safe.”

Citizen involvement opportunities

Citizen’s Police Academies for Cedar Park and Leander

• Goal - To increase the understanding between the citizens and the police.
• Schedule - Cedar Park has three 12-week sessions per year. Visit www.cpcpa.net for class schedules. Leander’s next class starts June 4 and is a 9-week program.
• Qualifications - Open to all citizens who complete an application and submit to a background check.
• Classes - Attendees learn about patrol procedures, use of force, communications, criminal investigations, use of canines in police work, public safety interaction and are encouraged to ride with an officer while on duty.
• Information - For Cedar Park, call 259-3600 ext. 238. For Leander, call 528-2800 and speak to Officer Billy Fletcher.

Leander Police Department Statistics

• Employs 25 sworn officers, including Chief of Police Don Hatcher
• Departments include: Criminal Investigations, Patrol, Communications, School Resource Officers, Animal Control and Support Services
• The department receives approximately 1,500 calls per month, ranging from citizen assist to traffic hazards and shoplifting
• Current department building encompasses 5,000 sq. ft.; new building will provide 27,000 sq. ft.

Cedar Park Police Department Statistics

• Currently has an authorized strength of 66 sworn officers; in August, the number will rise to 67, bringing the department’s staffing ratio to 1.4 officers per 1,000 residents
• Departments include: Criminal Investigations, Patrol, Special Operations, Traffic Enforcement, Professional Standards Division, Communications, Community Services, School Resource Officers, Animal Control and Support Services
• The department receives an average of 2,450 calls per month, and expects to field 30,000 total calls for service in 2007
• CPPD recently expanded its online services to include traffic accident reports; citizens can log on to the department’s Web site 24/7 and purchase traffic collision reports from the convenience of their homes