COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - BUDGET - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, March 21, 2007 10:25 a.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANNA C. VERNA COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILWOMAN CAROL ANN CAMPBELL COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO COUNCILMAN W. WILSON GOODE, JR. COUNCILMAN WILLIAM GREENLEE COUNCILMAN JACK KELLY COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO COUNCILMAN DANIEL SAVAGE COUNCILWOMAN MARIAN B. TASCO BILLS 070114, 070115 and 070016 RESOLUTION 070128 - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 2
Good morning, everyone. This is a continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole regarding our Operating Budget, and I would ask Mr. McPherson to please read or call the first department to testify. MR. McPHERSON: Managing Director's Office.
Good morning, President Verna. My name is Pedro Ramos. I'm Managing Director for the City of Philadelphia. I want to thank Council for giving us this opportunity to review our Fiscal '08 budget and answer any questions today. The total proposed budget for the Managing Director's Office is $18,413,552, of which $15,472,097 is in the General Fund and $2,941,455 is in the Grants Fund. 6 percent, from the Fiscal 2007 Grants Fund. The majority of the decrease in the Grants Fund is a result of the reduction in funding for the Targeted Assistance Program, a reduction of $216,647 and a $700,000 decrease in the Jackson versus Hendrick spending for Fiscal 2008. The mission of the Managing Director's Office is to ensure that City services and programs are delivered effectively and efficiently, and MDO has traditionally accomplished this by providing oversight, support and assistance to the operating departments that it supervises. We accomplish our mission by prioritizing and communicating key administrative initiatives, by monitoring and analyzing departments' performance and progress, and by serving as a catalyst to encourage cooperation and collaboration. In addition, this office has assumed responsibility for 4 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 organizing and supervising major interdepartmental initiatives and special events. This year, working with the Department of Public Property and the Mayor's Office of Information Services, we transferred the communications and network responsibilities of the Department of Public Property to MOIS. This transfer creates a stronger technical organization and consolidates responsibility for planning, developing and maintaining the City's communication and data networks. Though budget-neutral, the consolidation should improve services and streamline our adoption of new voice and network technologies. The MDO continues to support NTI activities through our CLIP, Vacant Lot and Anti-Graffiti programs. Since 2002, the Vacant Lot program has cleaned nearly 80,000 vacant lots and the Graffiti Abatement Team has removed 5 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 graffiti from over half a million properties and street fixtures. 3 million that will allow these teams to clean an additional 5,000 vacant lots and provide surveillance and enforcement support for anti-graffiti and blight teams. In July 2006, the City issued a report detailing over 200 recommendations to improve our emergency preparedness. The threat of catastrophic events like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, coupled with the realities of daily emergencies that occur in a large urban setting, underscored the need to ensure that both our government and our citizens are prepared. Since the report's release, we have moved expeditiously to enhance our emergency management capacity. In September 2006, we partnered with the American Red Cross, The Star Group and 11 counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to launch the 6 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 "Ready, or Not" campaign, a regional public educational and outreach campaign that has garnered an estimated $2 million in corporate sponsorship and in-kind services. Actor David Morse volunteered to serve as campaign spokesperson and appeared in public service announcements that have run on radio, television and in theatres. The campaign has produced billboards, posters and print advertisements that appeared in local media. org, and a hotline, 1-877-READY-11, so that citizens can learn more about their local government and how it is preparing for emergencies and what they can do to make sure that their own household is prepared. Additional activities and materials are being developed as we continue the campaign throughout the coming year. Increased funding for the Office of Emergency Management has allowed us to increase the staff devoted 7 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 to this important task.
We have hired a Deputy Managing Director for Emergency Management, retained a full-time Public Information Officer, and added other key positions to focus on planning projects involving mass care, vulnerable populations and incident mapping. We participated in a major exercise with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Task Force, SEPTA, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and the Wachovia Center, simulating multiple transportation threats resulting in mass casualties. As we move forward with these and other projects, it is critical that we continue to secure all available outside funding. This year, we worked closely with our regional partners to develop the Fiscal '07 Homeland Security Grant Application Package to support the region's emergency preparation. Our ability to respond quickly and effectively has allowed us to reach out and assist others as well. In 8 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 September of 2005, we responded to the needs of those affected by Hurricane Katrina with Project Brotherly Love. We provided services such as housing, medical care and counseling to over 1,400 individuals. This past July, we responded again. The federal government requested our assistance with Lebanese repatriation. We partnered with the federal authorities, the state and the private sector in this effort. Within 48 hours, we had transformed space in Terminal A at the Philadelphia Airport into a reception area for individuals fleeing the conflict in Lebanon. And by "we," I mean the partnership that evolved from that, with extraordinary effort by Philadelphia International Airport. We provided food, medical care and behavioral health services, medical transport services, services to unaccompanied minors, free phone and Internet services. State and federal agencies provided travel reimbursement 9 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 and financial assistance to those who qualified. In six days, we handled 4 flights and 4,171 individuals, which I 5 believe is about a third of the total 6 repatriations that happened out of that 7 effort, federal effort. 8 Over the past year, the MDO has 9 focused energy on other planning efforts 10 as well, notably those that affect the 11 environment. In early 2006, we 12 collaborated with NTI to launch GreenPlan 13 Philadelphia, the City's blueprint for 14 sustainable open space, and our first 15 comprehensive parks, recreation and open 16 space plan. GreenPlan Philadelphia strives for a balanced provision of open space resources throughout the City, better coordinated efforts among agencies and organizations responsible for open space, and continued support for projects from key funders like the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The expectation is that GreenPlan Philadelphia's recommendations 10 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 will be institutionalized the way the City provides -- that the plan will institutionalize the way the City provides, pays for and manages parks, recreation and open space resources going forward. For many years, the City has worked to reduce energy use at its facilities. Philadelphia was the first large city in the United States to install LED traffic lights. 3 million kilowatt hours. Departments follow Energy Star purchase requirements and have instituted thermostat setbacks and other energy-saving ideas. From Fiscal '03 to Fiscal '06, through the efforts of all City departments, we reduced our electricity usage from 232 million kilowatt hours to 214 million kilowatt hours and our gas use from 775,000 million cubic feet to 712,000 million cubic feet. 11 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Under the leadership of the Office of Fleet Management, we have reduced the size of the City's fleet, participate in a community car-sharing program to meet demand for vehicles and purchase more fuel-efficient vehicles. Unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel usage has decreased by four and percent 10 respectively from a seven-year high set 11 in 2004.
During the same period, unleaded fuel prices, however, have increased from $1 per gallon to $2 per gallon. Our reduction in use not only mitigated the impact of dramatically increasing fuel costs, it also reduced the amount of particulate emissions released in the environment. The Managing Director's Office plays a critical role in implementing and supporting public safety initiatives, such as Operation Safer Streets. Operation Safer Streets has four main components: focused policing, engaged communities involved in crime prevention, 12 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 coordinated delivery of social services, and reduced availability of handguns. As part of the City's violence reduction and prevention activities, this Administration established a Curfew Center in South Philadelphia in July 2006 to enforce the curfew for youth under 18. In the eight months since the center opened, there has been a decrease in the number of juvenile shootings and homicides. This success has led to plans to open 11 more Curfew Centers in this calendar year. In March, centers will open in Southwest and East Police Divisions. In April, centers will open in Northeast, Northwest and Central Police Divisions. We're working with the Police Department and other departments to determine the best place for the remaining six centers. I want to thank you, President Verna and members of Council, for this opportunity to present testimony. I want to ask that my written testimony, which 13 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 contains an appendix with some additional testimony for some of the smaller operational areas in the Managing Director's budget, be submitted as part of the record, and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you. Does the stenographer have a copy of the testimony and the appendix? STENOGRAPHER: Yes.
Thank you. On -4 of the detail, apparently it appears that you're requesting more than $598,000 for full funding of staffing requirements. Can you explain why your department is increasing your budget at a time when departments are being required to take a 2.5 percent reduction?
Yes. Thank you, President Verna. The position changes are the net effect of the increases for 14 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 the staffing of the Office of Emergency Management and I believe a net decrease in two positions, but the increases -- the driver of the increase has been the decision to increase the capacity of the City's emergency planning and preparedness efforts.
On the same page, you're requesting a $1.5 million increase in the Vacant Lot/CLIP crews. Can you explain why this increase is justified at a time when other critical areas of the City's budget is being cut?
This is an effort in furthering our continuing NTI priorities to increase the number of vacant lots, graffiti removals and such quality-of-life services that have been provided by that program in this coming year. I believe that our target is an additional 5,000 lots as a result of this effort.
Well, 15 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 is that going to be citywide? Because I thought the CLIP program was in maybe one or two districts, Councilmanic districts. Does this indicate that the CLIP program will be citywide?
It's been my expectation that that will support efforts beyond the areas of which we have focused on. We continue -- for example, currently, in the 12th District, we have a number of coordinated intensive services out there. It enables us in the course of the year to do more things like that with that type of concentrated effort.
But that has just started. Hasn't that just started?
I'm just giving that as an example of a place where we're 16 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 coordinating increased vacant lot activity. And we want to be able in the course of this year to maintain the work that has been done over time in cleaning and clearing these lots and clearing and cleaning graffiti and trying to stay ahead of it.
On -14, you are budgeting $250,000 for campaign for Working Families for Low-Income Household Assistance. Can you explain this request?
Yes, President Verna. I believe that, as a prefatory matter, that this is funding that provided -- in conjunction with City Council in this last fiscal year. It is the effort that provides -- the major piece of this is an effort by an organization led by Bob Brand where they've devised software that enables low-income working people to apply for the full array of government entitlement.
So 17 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 this would be part of the Benefits Bank?
On -14, you're requesting $15,000 for the Philadelphia Housing Authority for Welcome America. Please explain.
I believe this has been a regular expenditure as part of Welcome America where we have an MOU with PHA for, I believe, facilities-related services, their tradespeople. I'll confirm that that's the case. Welcome America is one of the beneficiaries of that service of PHA tradespeople that are called on on an ancillary basis. For example, two years ago when we stood up the Wanamaker School as part of the response to Katrina, some of that effort was, as you recall, done by PHA and the tradespeople that we call on on an as-needed basis often under exigent circumstances, but I understand the history of it was that it started 18 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 with Welcome America and they were part of that, but we use them for more than Welcome America.
President Verna, what page was that? I'm sorry. I didn't hear.
33-80 of the detail, you are requesting an increase of $225,000 in Class 399 not otherwise classified. Can you tell us how these funds will be used?
This is part of the request that relates to the increased capacity for the Vacant Lot program. These are supplies and materials otherwise not -- for the Vacant Lot program.
Madam Chair, my name is Anthony Torre. I'm the 19 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Administrative Services Director for the Managing Director's Office. That $225,000 is for the increased money for the Vacant Lot program. As we go ahead and do more vacant lots and clean more properties, we're going to need more of the supplies mentioned in that category. So rather than just break it out amongst all those categories above, we just put it in one line item. So that we'll buy bags and supplies and brooms and whatever else facilities that we need to accomplish the expansion.
I'm sorry. Why wouldn't that have been added to the increase that you have for the Vacant Lot/CLIP program?
Why wouldn't you have added that to the $1.5 million that we talked about earlier?
It is part of the 1.5 million. 20 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114
Because you served as both City Solicitor and Managing Director, you may be uniquely qualified to answer this question. It's come to my attention that millions of dollars have been paid out through arbitration related to the Police Department because of contract violations dealing with hours of work and overtime, wrongful transfers and other matters. Can you tell me how much has been paid out over the last few years?
I don't have that data with me. I know Police is scheduled 21 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 to be here later today. I can alert them of the question or I can respond after I've had a chance to look at it. I have heard and have begun to dig, but don't have any conclusions to report from both sides, from colleagues and acquaintances in FOP as well as in the leadership of the Police Department, about different views on that issue. I can't tell you that I've either -- certainly on the legal side haven't been able to dig down. I know that in the area --
So you don't know of any trends at all in terms of whether --
I think that -- I know that in the heart and lung area, we have dramatic -- and I know Risk Management can also testify to that and can give you a more informed response on the dramatic increase in heart and lung expenditures. Some things are -- both sides are working to address parts of the 22 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 problem there, which relate to the pool of arbitrators. On the issue you're raising about just general losing grievances, I don't have any information to support or refute that, but I invite you to ask today. I understand Deputy Commissioner Gaittens will be here with the Commissioner and will probably be able to give you a better answer.
Okay. When those payouts occur, from which department is the money pulled?
I don't know, Councilman. I would assume that it's indemnity, but I don't know.
So I'll look for the information on how much has been paid out, whether there is a trend, but if those payouts could be reduced, could that money be applied to hiring more police?
If it's the indemnity, the nature of the indemnity 23 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 fund is that you're paying for expenditures incurred in the context of disputes where the City has to pay and sometimes you have -- sometimes in any given year -- and I'll let the Law Department and Risk speak for themselves, but in any given year, you really don't know how, in a predictable way, how much or how little you're going to have in the indemnity fund.
So you estimate how much you think you may have to pay out across the board?
And I think the second part to that is when you -- unlike the litigation where you don't know how much or how little you're going to pay out, when you hire somebody, you know that you're going to be paying that out every year.
When you hire somebody, it's a recurring expense. So, 24 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 in theory, any dollars saved anywhere is fungible somewhere else with enough planning. On the other hand, a short-term trend, either positive or negative, in what the City pays in litigation wouldn't be the -- unless you're looking at a really long-term trend, probably would not be the basis on which to budget recurring expenses.
So the arbitrations and other settlements come out of the same pot?
As I said, I'm not sure. I believe it's indemnity fund, but I don't see Finance here and I would want to double-check with them.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman 25 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Rizzo, if he's here.
I'm here, Madam President. Managing Director, first let me start off by -- it's impressive that Fleet Management or Procurement, whoever it was that was able to procure, from what I understand -- I've talked to some other municipalities -- that going from a dollar to $2 is still a victory, because I've talked to some other fleet managers that are paying a lot more than $2 a gallon for unleaded gasoline. And I think that's what your testimony -- I mean, I understand we were paying a dollar for a lot of years when other places were paying $2.
As you know, it changes. What we try to do when market permits is to do some forward purchases to lock in some prices, but we get -- 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 over the long term, we save some, but you tend to get -- you never get the best of the bottom and you never get -- you never get the best of the bottom or the worst of the top when you're purchasing, doing these forward purchase contracts.
Well, again, I talked to some other municipalities. They're envious of the deal you were able to do. So that's a compliment.
And the other thing, as resources permit, that Fleet is being very aggressive about purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles, just going from eight-cylinder Crown Victorias to six-cylinder Tauruses or Impalas or -- I don't know whether the Chargers are six or eight. I mean, all of that, just you've got the benefit of a newer, more fuel-efficient car to start with and then a car that's a lower cylinder car and as prices come down, continue to be more aggressive about hybrids, although often times you're better off with a smaller 27 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 traditional car than with a bigger hybrid.
That was communicated to me just last week about the word is on the street that you guys really cut a deal on the fuel purchase for the next year or two. That leads me to the question, I have noticed -- and everybody figures out the numbering system. The first two numbers of the vehicle are the year, the age, and I see a lot of really aging vehicles in our fleet. And knowing a little bit about that stuff, I know that when you have an aging fleet, the maintenance costs go right through the roof. Are we carefully managing the fact that maybe we need to spend a little bit of money on new cars rather than try to dump a lot of money into compactors or 28 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 fire engines? I mean, I saw a fire engine on the street a couple weeks ago, I think it was a ladder truck, back from the '80s. So I hope we're paying attention and giving the money to -- I'm not sure whether it's Procurement or Fleet -- to get rid of some of this old equipment that we're dumping a tremendous amount of money into.
Jim Muller will be prepared to talk in great detail about our fleet purchases. And you're right, especially with our -- and we're scheduled to buy bigger vehicles as well as fire vehicles. Some vehicles do have a lot of age on them. We have been helped, in addition to good maintenance efforts, have been helped by the fact that we also reduced the fleet and that we were able to take some of the -- by reducing the overall number of vehicles, take better care of the ones that are here, but it's -- I've had this 29 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 discussion in some detail within the government. I think where we are now is okay. It's adequate. That's not to say that over some period of time looking at some ways of more quickly -- looking at the benefits and more quickly replacing some vehicles would probably be a worthwhile thing. But it's a question I ask a lot, and the best response I have, and I trust, is that we're doing fine. I've asked that question about six times with respect to this year's fleet request.
For the same reasons. I drive behind the vehicles, too, and I --
Exactly. Especially when you learn throughout years to figure out those first two numbers are the age of the vehicle. But I'll tell you, even though that ladder 30 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 truck was from 1988, it still looked good. Obviously the Fire Department wouldn't allow it to be used in the fire service if it wasn't going to provide. But, again, I just want to make sure that we're not dumping more money into this old equipment than we should.
No. And another thing that I'm sure -- and I want to make sure Jimmy Muller has a chance to brag about some of the things he's been doing. One of the things that I'm also very proud that he's been doing is, he's been getting a better deal on the disposition of old City vehicles and has moved a lot of it online and is doing pretty well by it.
Could you please comment -- and, again, I want to thank your office, because they've done a great job, and I think we're close, but we're not there yet -- in reference to an issue that's bothered me for a lot of years and it's the rec chasing that goes 31 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 on in the City of Philadelphia when tow trucks come from every direction to pounce on people that are involved in vehicle accidents. And your staff at the Managing Director's Office has done all the legwork, along with the Police Department, to put together a program. And if you could just take a minute to explain the program and where we are with rotational towing, I'd appreciate that.
Sure. The issue for people not as familiar with it is this issue of the tow trucks that sort of sit on the side of the highway that presumably have scanners and, at the first sign of an accident or an impaired vehicle on the highway, all race out to the location and sometimes put the driver or the police in the position of refereeing them, for lack of a better word. The process that we've worked out is one that would provide sort of a master list and, on dispatch, the tow 32 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 trucks would be dispatched off of a list. If they're not able to respond, they get taken off. There would be a service stand for the time in which they have to respond. I believe that standard is drafted minutes, but I'm not positive. 8 The implementation of that 9 requires some L&I regulation, and I know 10 that L&I and Law are working on that. 11 Off the top of my head, I don't have the 12 date by which we expect to have the 13 regulations done, but we'd be happy to 14 brief either Council as a whole or your 15 office on it. 16
One of the 18 issues -- and I know this is one of your 19 favorite topics, and I'd say it at my 20 peril -- is, one of the glitches we've had is -- and we're working with them -- is the coordination with the State Police --
I would hope that that piece -- and we'll talk to the Police Department later and get a report on where we are with that takeover of the Expressway, but I would hope that the piece with the Parking Authority in having that three-month program or pilot program to deal with the small piece that they have on the Schuylkill Expressway will not impede the implementation of this program in the neighborhoods of our city so we can start cleaning up this. And I also appreciate the fact that you have not just pushed these folks that are in this business of rec chasing aside, that you're going to give them an opportunity to do it the right way. But I would hope that this takeover of the Expressway will not interfere with implementing this program.
At this point, what's been reported to me is that it's 34 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 an issue that's being worked through, and if it becomes an obstacle, I'm sure I'll get in it.
Terrific. And we'll talk more about the Expressway and the State Police, 95, when it's the Police Department's turn. Other than that, again, I appreciate all the operating departments' good work. It's tough work and you do it well.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Savage.
In your 35 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 testimony you talk about reducing the use of fuel, and in your dialogue with Councilman Rizzo, you talked about going from eight-cylinder to six-cylinder and four-cylinder vehicles. Do you plan to implement hybrid cars and, if not, why?
We are currently -- we've been piloting hybrids and we continue to expand its use. Right now where we have the widest deployment planned is in the Philadelphia Water Department, which, on an operational basis, has pretty consistent need for field folks to have four-wheel drive. Also in some cases, either there or in Health have been able to secure some grants. I believe Health had some grant-funded Priuses even. So our experience has been good, and, in fact, the response from our Fleet people -- which I wasn't sure how Fleet would adapt to introducing hybrids. They've been cheerleaders for them as well. 36 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 The prices are starting to come down. In some cases, like I said, the hybrid isn't always the most fuel-efficient or environmentally friendly option. Sometimes it's the smaller car, if it's appropriate. I mean, a hybrid sedan is probably not as good as a regular old Taurus or something. I mean, it depends. So Fleet is very cognizant of the fuel usage, and it's part of what they consider. I expect our use of hybrids, to answer your question directly, to continue to grow, and this year's Fleet purchase will show continued and steady growth and not just sort of minimalist growth.
Thank you. 37 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you, Madam President. I wanted to ask a question about of the appendix. As you know, the Mayor's Commission on African and Caribbean Affairs has been in effect about a year and a half or -- anyhow, it is, whether or not you're aware. We do a lot of wonderful work. We meet monthly. We serve dinner. We work with every group in the City from any country that comes to us, and we are recognized as a legitimate group in the City for people from Africa and the Caribbean, no matter what their issues are. We've had people who have gone to South America and so on and so on. I will forward to you some of the newsletters that we print, et cetera. Having said all that, we would like to work with the Administration and maybe avail some people -- so far we've been supportive, and it would be nice if 38 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 we had a little bit of a budget, because as I said, we do newsletters, we do everything. We have dinner every month. Last month we met at the African-American Museum. And we do a lot of wonderful things. We're working with the Police Commissioner, who even made a commitment in terms of officers from Africa. They work with us. They come to the meeting. We're really involved. It's a wonderful, professional organization, and we would like to be included in this Targeted Assistance Program for people with regard to social services and people from especially Africa. As I said, it's for Africa and the Caribbean and Asia, because we work with this population anyway. Every City agency, everybody deals with us. We are the legitimate organization of record, and we would like to be included in helping to solve problems and maybe included in whomever works that with the social service outreach program. And I'm happy to get 39 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 to you -- I'll get information to you so you kind of know, give you some background. We have tons of it. And they also co-sponsor Echoes of Africa, and we're going into our eighth or ninth year with the Zoo, and the Zoo is partnering with us this year to make it an Echoes of Africa Day at the Zoo. So we're really doing wonderful, wonderful things that would make you proud, and maybe we can be involved in this program.
Thank you, Councilwoman. First of all, I'd be very happy to serve to facilitate not just MDO departments but any other departments that could be a resource. With respect to the Targeted Assistance Program in the appendix of the testimony, it's a federally grant-funded program for refugees that's being cut, unfortunately, like so many of the other safety-net programs of the federal government, but we have -- through a 40 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 grant from the William Penn Foundation that expired, I believe, last year or the beginning of this fiscal year, we had coordinated an effort of a group called the Grassroots Business Development Task Force, which was pretty much a group of community-based organizations, advocacy organizations and a lot of the business associations of immigrant populations. As a result of that effort, Stephanie Naidoff, the Commerce Director, and I partnered on hiring somebody specifically to address the immigrant community, sort of to help be a bridge between the immigrant community and service City departments such as L&I and also to connect into Commerce. And we have a resource there between MDO and Commerce that may be a good vehicle then to connect organizations like that to other City departments, agencies, potential programs. So I'd be happy to do it. And I believe that the organization was -- 41 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 were they part of the Task Force? I'm not positive that they were part of the Task Force.
That's great. We have Dr. Lawrence Robinson, Deputy Health Commissioner, who is also on our Board and he heads our Health Committee. And we deal with all -- whether there's various communities' specific health agencies. We deal with trying to expand immunizations. You name it, we're doing it. We know where there are community problems or where there are problems between people and other countries. It's really phenomenal how we try to work with people. And we know those who come to us with -- we keep up with issues across the country on where the federal government is on immigrant issues, immigration, the young lady -- the kid, for example, who at Bartram who was attacked who had problems. We deal with it from across the board. Dr. Nancy 42 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Morgan is head of our Education Committee. So we're doing phenomenal work, but we've reached that point where we could use some outside support instead of having to kind of toughen up and finance everything ourselves. But, I mean, we will do what we have to do because the need exists. And, in fact, Dr. Oliver Franklin gave us a gift, awarded us among those at the International House this past year because of the work that we try to do for the immigrant community and for those from -- on the whole Diaspora with all of their issues. So we look forward to being in touch with you and working with you. And thank you for being willing to do that.
You're welcome. I just received a call from 43 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Carol Ann Campbell, our Councilwoman, who indicates that she has a problem in her district which will preclude her attendance today, and she asked me to let that be known. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Madam President. Good morning, Mr. Ramos.
Just a quick question and, I guess, sort of a comment on the graffiti-fighting unit. Certainly my dealings with them have been very positive over the years. I was wondering, do you know roughly a time frame once you get a complaint how long it usually takes to -- my experience of it is pretty quick, but is there an average about how it goes? And how has that had an effect on seeing less graffiti in the City? 44 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114
I'm going to ask Tom Conway from my office to come up, but I'll give you some -- preface the comments by saying that we have noticed an increase in graffiti activity. I mean, people are -- there just seem to be some bold efforts out there.
And I think Tom Conway's crew does a very good job responding to it. And part of this effort that we talked about earlier, the additional resources, I think will help us sort of keep that from becoming a bad -- taking away from our success. We want to be able to -- we know that with this that you don't want to lose -- you don't want them to get ahead of you. You want to be able to keep that level of response there as part of your graffiti-fighting strategy. But let me ask Tom Conway to talk a little bit more about the response times. 45 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114
You're welcome. Are there any other questions -- oh, I'm sorry.
My name is Thomas Conway, Deputy Managing Director. Roughly, I would say we target to 48 hours after a complaint is 15 received to have the graffiti removed, 16 but then again, weather permitting. 17 Obviously in the winter months, we can't 18 power wash when it gets very cold, but we 19 can paint over. But it's usually within 20 a couple days, our response time. And, 21 again, with additional funding, we try 22 and -- more so about surveillance and 23 apprehending them. 24
Has that been successful at all? 46 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114
Of late, we haven't done as much surveillance and apprehension as we should have, and that's what the additional funding is going to be used for, as opposed to just painting over and removing.
And have the community groups -- you talk about vouchers to individuals and community groups. Has the cooperation of community groups been pretty good?
Over the last two years, we haven't seen increased improvement with voucher participation. We do PSAs in local papers, try and get more people involved in fighting graffiti through Town Watch and our block captains as well.
Any idea why it goes up and down? I mean, what generates that? Is there anything?
It just goes in cycles. And this is not just in the City of Philadelphia; it's actually 47 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 nationwide. There's a major increase across the country with regards to graffiti vandalism.
Thank you. And, Mr. Conway, if I could just say on the record, you're the person I usually talk to, and your response is always great. So thank you. Thank you very much.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Tom, don't leave yet. I just wanted to take a minute. Graffiti is an annoying, aggravating, useless problem. It's very costly, and you can't even understand the whole concept behind it. And I know a lot of these people talk to each other 48 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 and they have feuds and that's why some of the cycles come and go. It's just one of those annoyances that costs us money. But I just want to just compliment you. You and your people are the best. I mean, you are out there. You get it off. It keeps it from proliferating anywhere else so that conversations can't take place because you're on it so quick. It seems like a minor thing in the scheme of things in the City, but it really isn't. And it's just nice to have you there and nice to have your people there, because you do a tremendous job. Thanks.
Not only in the graffiti, but in all the CLIP stuff, all the quality-of-life stuff. It really does make a difference.
Thank you very much. And I would echo what 49 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Councilman Kenney just said. The Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo.
Just sit there, Mr. Conway, and take these bouquets, please. Likewise, I'd like to compliment your group, because the rapid response, I think, has a big effect on the people that do graffiti. If you do it on a Monday and it's gone on a Tuesday, that really, I understand, bothers them. But the question that I want to ask you is a conversation that we had earlier. It's about process, especially with the CLIP program. When there's a complaint in the community, weeds overgrown -- I know we had one, I think, on Verree Road where a house that was for 50 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 sale started to turn into a real pigpen, where the grass was three feet tall, and, finally, because of a lack of a response from the owner, your organization went out there and cleaned it up and bagged everything and then the Streets Department had to come. There's a cost associated with that. And you explained to me at the time that there was a process, but for the record, could you please explain when you do provide this service for a property that has ownership, how do we get paid for that work, lien, whatever? Could you explain for the record exactly how that works and how successful you are in getting recovery?
With regards to the CLIP program or any kind of enforcement with the City through L&I, we give -- an example for CLIP, we give the property owner ten days to abate the nuisance, which is cut the grass, clean up the debris in his yard, so on, so 51 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 forth. If they do not do that, then City crews do go on private property, will clean up the nuisance, bill the property owner for the cost of the clean-up through L&I. If they do not pay their bill, then the lien is placed on the property. I do not have figures with regards to -- we have compliance rate numbers, but with regards to how much money we receive back from revenue, I do not know that answer.
You do have compliance records, though? In other words, you do feel as though that the process really brings money back? Because so many years I've heard about recovery and then at the end of the day, you ask, Well, how much do we have, and you find out you have nothing. But you're fairly confident that you are recovering your costs on jobs that we just talked about?
I can say, 52 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Councilman, that my understanding from the Budget Office is that we do pretty well in recovering on fines.
Well, I think the lien, it will be interesting to know how much go to lien, because there's where you get your money. I would assume that that particular property that we discussed earlier that was for sale, if you liened it -- and I know we had to hurry up and get the lien in place before it went to settlement, but at settlement is where you get your cash. So I'm hoping that that process is working. And if you would, just take a look at it, Managing Director, to make sure that it's working the way we believe it is, because so many times I've had experience where we believe a program is working well and then all of the sudden, we realize there is a glitch in it. 53 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Thank you. Thank you, Madam President.
You're welcome. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Blackwell.
Thank you. One issue I neglected to mention, Mr. Managing Director, is that of GreenPlan Philadelphia. As you know, most of us work hard in that area. And my question is, how do we access it? Do you pick groups and organizations? Do we access it through you, contact someone else like Frankie Hughes or Eva Gladstein? How do we participate more widely if there are new dollars that we have for our areas?
The most direct way is, Eva and I are collecting the proposals for what some of the early 54 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 projects might be. We're trying -- I mean, we really consider some of the early projects still part of the organizing effort, some small projects that have high impact and get people more involved. And I'd be happy to provide you with the plans going forward. As you know, we've had a number of community meetings all around and that process is still ongoing. So in whatever -- I'd be happy to brief you further in any way you want.
You're welcome. Do we have any other questions or comments from the members of the Committee? (No response.)
Thank you very much. We appreciate all of the help that you give us throughout the 55 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 year.
This Committee will stand in recess until 12:45, at which time the Police Department will be in to testify. Thank you very much. (Short recess.)
Good afternoon, everyone. This is the continued public hearing of the Committee of the Whole. Mr. McPherson, will you please call the next department. MR. McPHERSON: The Police Department.
Good afternoon. Welcome. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Good afternoon, Council President Verna and members of City Council. I am Sylvester Johnson, Police Commissioner. With me today are Deputy Commissioners Patricia 56 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Giorgio-Fox, John Gaittens, Richard Ross, Charlotte Council and Budget Officer Scott Cadden. The Police Department's Fiscal Year 2008 General Fund budget request is $514,015,714. 1 million higher than Fiscal Year '07 estimated obligations of $495,894,428. The General Fund Class 100 budget of $498,865,287 will provide for 6,624 sworn personnel. That includes 348 recruits, 884 civilians, 1,037 school crossing guards. It exceeds the Fiscal 2007 Class 100 budget amount by $18,401,202. The increase provides for a four percent salary increase effective July 1st, 2007 for both uniform and civilian employees. The Class 200 budget of $7,342,029 is $83,416 lower than the Fiscal Year 2007. Funds were adjusted to allow Police to provide for the clothing maintenance checks of 100 additional police officers and funding of $118,000 was transferred from the Police budget to 57 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Risk Management to provide for helicopter insurance. The Class 300 and 400 budget of $7,627,265 is $196,500 less than the Fiscal Year 2007. Incoming recruits in Fiscal Year 2007 required initial clothing and equipment at a cost of $239,000, of which $196,500 was non-recurring. The Fiscal Year 2008 General Fund budget's sworn personnel level includes 100 officers funded through the state Police on Patrol Grant. The addition of 155 Aviation Fund officers brings the Department's sworn strength to 6,779, an increase of 204 officers over the Fiscal Year 2006 sworn complement of 6,575. The Fiscal Year 2008 General Fund budget is supplemented by $13,916,182 provided by the Aviation Division and $16,064,880 received through various grant applications. Our objectives: The number one priority of the Philadelphia Police 58 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Department is to protect the citizens of Philadelphia. This objective will be accomplished through current and new police strategies aimed at detecting and eradicating existing illegal activity and through collaboration with City agencies and the community to expand on current programs that reduce violence by curtailing troubling patterns of behavior. These activities will be accomplished through the Operation Safer Streets strategy initiated in February of 2006, a strategy that combines innovative policing techniques, coordinated City services, community engagement and pursues responsible gun legislation. Policing alone is not the answer. This is not to diminish the role of the Police or to remove the accountability from the Police force. We are a part of the solution, but Police activity is not the only solution. Between 1999 and 2005, overall 59 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Part 1 crime, a combination of violence and property crime categories, declined more than 22 percent, and overall crime numbers continue to be sufficiently reduced as compared to the previous decade. Unfortunately, Philadelphia has been impacted by violence, especially violence perpetrated with the use of firearms. This is not a troubling issue impacting Philadelphia alone, with a number of large municipalities reporting increases in gun-related aggravated assaults, robberies, shootings and homicides. We are concerned with the violent trend, and we will combat it aggressively as our 2006 street activity numbers reflect. There's an eight percent increase in violent crime arrests, a five percent increase in property crime arrests, a ten percent increase in arrests for violation of the Uniform Firearms Act, a 32 percent increase in quality-of-life crime arrests, a nine percent increase in the 60 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 number of gun confiscations, and a 55 percent increase in the dollar amount of drug confiscations with a dollar amount over $136 million.
Even with the increase in police activity, Philadelphia continues to struggle with the impact of violence on our communities. This is the exact reason that I do not believe that policing will be the sole answer. Increasing the number of police officers within the ranks, as we will by 200 officers, will always help to contribute to the overall mission of the Police Department. The most practical solution to criminal gun violence, however, is to apply innovative ideas and strategies at the same time through coordination with the community and other City agencies. To that end, the Department has initiated a series of new strategies to combat the combined and interrelated menace of gun violence and gun and narcotics trafficking. These strategies 61 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 include the addition of police officers, the redeployment of existing personnel, utilization of new technology and expansion of programs to prevent violence. As previously stated, Operation Safer Streets is an initiative involving a number of agencies and the community. I will speak about the Police Department's strategies. By the end of Fiscal Year 2007, the Police Department will have a sworn complement of 6,779 police officers. That includes 155 Aviation Fund officers, 204 more than Fiscal Year 2006. In addition to hiring more uniform personnel, the Department has made significant deployment decisions by using up-to-date intelligence and weekly discussions with the Commanders. Using current intelligence, police officers are assigned to increase the police presence, enforce laws, make arrests when warranted and take all 62 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 appropriate steps to remove illegal weapons from the street. Work schedules have been restructured to deploy more officers in areas where and when violent crimes are more likely to occur. The Strategic Intervention Tactical Enforcement, SITE, Unit was deployed in June 2006. Beginning January of 2007, the Department has established a Gang Intelligence Unit as a component of the Criminal Intelligence Unit. The Police Department is engaged with a number of other law enforcement agencies to address violence, as noted in many written testimonies. S. Marshals. Police teams are riding with probation and parole officers. S. Attorney, the DEA and the FBI, is investigating straw purchases, coordinating criminal investigations and sharing intelligence data. Other Department programs recently employed include the South Philadelphia Curfew Center, the truancy initiative, Step Up and Speak Up program. The Department has also introduced new technology to support the efforts of crime detection and prevention. In 2006, the Department worked with City staff to implement an 18-camera surveillance pilot program. We will continue to work with City agencies to expand this citywide public safety effort through an evaluation of potential locations where the installation of cameras will be most likely to impede crime. In September 2006, the DNA Identification Laboratory, Drug Chemistry and Arson sections of the Forensic Science Bureau was accredited in 64 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 accordance with 2005 guidelines, International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission. The Department is implementing procedural changes to improve recovery of DNA and now has the ability for patrol car computers to display mug shots of wanted persons. We are now Phase II compliant and wireless phone calls can be traced within 400 feet of the caller's location, and we already have the ability to receive e-mailed photos from cell phones in Differential Police Response. The Department established the Police Crisis Team to reduce violent encounters of mentally disturbed individuals. Other policy improvements include the implementation of considerable advances to ensure that all persons who are limited English proficient have access to all of the Department's service.
65 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 In our conclusion, as previously stated, the Police Department shows across-the-board increases in activity in 2006 from increased arrests for violent and property crimes to an increased number of gun confiscations. However, with the impact of violence on our community, I will not speak of these activities as accomplishments. As the Police Commissioner, I care about all instances of violence, not just increasing levels of violence. All violence impacts our residents, and there is not an acceptable level. I can pledge to you that this Department will never cease in its efforts to combat gun violence and crime. As I have outlined in the description of initiatives, our department has implemented tactical strategies, technological innovations and policy changes that will advance the Department's crime-fighting ability, while working within constitutional 66 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 limits to protect the rights of our residents. In addition, I regularly meet with my command structure to ensure that these strategies are adapted in a timely manner to reflect patterns on the street. The Philadelphia Police Department will not rest on its accomplishment of increased activity. The mission of the Department will not change. We are here to protect our residents. We will change tactics and methods as needed to meet changing criminal and public safety conditions, and we will continue to work with the community and other City departments to address violence as a united front. The men and women of the Philadelphia Police Department are committed to end violence, and they will continue to operate through increased contact with the community, sound decision-making based on solid intelligence, and bravery as they have in the past. 67 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Thank you.
You're welcome, sir. Commissioner, on -9 of the detail, in Section D, you show a budgeted uniform position of 6,524 for FY07 and 6,624 for FY08. You show a filled level as of December 6, 2006 of 6,445. Can you explain why six months into the year you haven't filled the 100 positions City Council added to your FY07 budget? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Okay. Actually --
Please identify yourself for the record. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Yes, ma'am. Deputy Commissioner Jack Gaittens, Administration and Technology. The officers who were funded by the City Council money was Class No. 347. They started the Police Academy on 8/14 of '06 and they just graduated on March 12th of '07. 68 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114
But the numbers on the section that I'm referring to -- DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: I don't know what page you're referring to, ma'am. If you could give me the number, please.
Of your detailed budget, 34-9. It shows filled positions as of the date I indicated. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Right. That was the increment run. Those 100 positions came on on November 20th of '06. And the next class that went in --
But you still have at least, what, 71 vacancies? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: The next class -- if we're going by today's date -- you want to know how many people we have in today's date?
I'll 69 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 repeat the question. If you look at 34-9 of the detail, in Section D, you show a budgeted uniform position level of 6,524 for FY07. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Correct.
And 6,624 for FY08. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Yes, ma'am.
You show filled level as of December 6, 2006 of 6,445. My question was, can you explain why six months into the year we haven't filled the 100 positions that City Council added into the FY07 budget? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Yes, ma'am. That was the first pay period, so they technically were not on the books right at that time. That was one of those where they just missed the cut-off level. So a week afterwards, they are on the books and they were up over that 6,500 level. 70 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114
So how many vacancies do we have? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: As of today's date, March 21st, right now we have 6,570, and our hiring schedule, the next class that we are going to start --
I'm sorry. What was that figure? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: 6,570. Our next class, which will be Class No. 350 with 116 recruits, will start on April 23rd of '07. At that point, when that class goes in, we will reach a staffing number of 6,657. And of that number, 376 will be recruits.
Thank you for that explanation. In the proposed Five-Year Plan, FY09, your uniformed position level is being reduced from 6,624 to 6,561, a reduction of 63 uniformed positions. Can you explain this reduction? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: 71 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 Yes, ma'am. That was an adjustment that was made by the Budget Office. That was in anticipation of the Pennsylvania State Police coming in and taking over the highway. At this point in time, I don't know if that's actually going to happen. I don't know what our manpower needs will be at that point. I would think that's an argument for the next Administration.
I would think so, and we've been arguing that point for as long as I can remember. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Yes, ma'am.
As long as I can remember. Incidentally, it's my understanding that the state appropriated over $4 million for the Philadelphia Police Department to hire 100 new police officers. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Yes, ma'am.
Why 72 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 would we use that in FY08 if they appropriated it for this year? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: What we did is, when we contacted the state and asked them for our grant money, our original assumption was that we would have to get up to 6,524 before we could actually hire those officers. The state told us we did not have to wait. And being the fact that we wanted as many officers as soon as possible, they allowed us to start hiring the officers before we even reached our base level. So Class No. 348, we put in actually 110 recruits. They started November 20th of '06. They are scheduled to graduate on June 15th of '07. So we had the two classes consecutively. The City Council 100, who just graduated, and the next class that graduates are the Police on Patrol officers.
Can we have somebody from Finance come up, 73 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 please. If you would refer to of the budget and brief, I just don't understand this. If we're spending the money in '07, why aren't we showing revenue?
Dianne Reed, Budget Director. The amount shown on Line 7 is what I think you may be referring to, reimbursement, patrolling state highways, at the request of the state's, in an invoice to be reimbursed for patrolling through December of '06. And we have not received any money for that, but we did in fact get a payment in recently for the Police on Patrol Grant, and that came in after the budget and brief went to press. So they have begun to reimburse us in '07.
If we 74 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 hired the 100 police, why is it not showing on ?
For current estimate '07? I'll have to get back to you on that. That may just be a matter of timing.
Madam Chair, just so I get it straight so we're not on two different pages here, you use this term "state Police on Patrol." What's this acronym or this language you just used a minute ago, some grant, what's it called?
Is that the State Police taking over the expressways? Let's get it clear. We're not talking about the State Police patrol of the expressways. What is that grant that you just described?
This is the program 75 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 of Pennsylvania to provide funding for 100 officers. So this is on top of the 100 City Council officers.
Okay. I just wanted to make sure, because I think the way it's being spawned, it sounds as though you're talking about the police on patrol on the interstate. So it is not that. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
You're welcome. You might as well sit there. And, Deputy, maybe you could sit at the table, too, so we won't have to wait for somebody to approach the table. Your FY08 detail reflects $8.7 million for delay in filling positions and $1.5 million in turnover, for a total of $10.2 million. How many police officers could be hired for $10.2 million? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: 76 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 That would be approximately 300.
Then your FY08 budget is not for 6,624 officers but an average complement of 6,624 less the $10.2 million, correct? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: My FY08 budget gives a full year average of 6,638.
How much are the turnovers worth? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: The turnover varies from year to year. Generally speaking, our attrition rate is anywhere from 310 to 350. For Fiscal '08, we anticipate losing 348 personnel. We expect to lose 168 in the DROP and 180 leaving for other reasons, for a total of 348. So beginning Fiscal '08 --
You said 168? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: In the DROP program and 180 separations for other reasons. We begin with an approximate 77 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 level of 6,624 and finish with 6,624. So Fiscal Year '08 will be static. There will be no growth.
So how many police on average would be there in '08? You have calculated all of this into the figure that you gave us and that's in the budget book? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: On the Fiscal Year '08 Operating Budget, the average number of officers during the course of the full year, taking in attrition and hiring, will end up being 6,638. I have an itemized sheet that goes pay period by pay period and I'd be glad to provide that to Council.
I would appreciate it. Thank you. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Yes, ma'am.
Again, I guess I'm a little confused, too, as Councilman Rizzo is. Now, the 78 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 state appropriated $4 million for the Police Department to hire 100 new police officers?
Oh, excuse me. So why are we using that in '08 and not '07? We could have used some of that in '07.
We've gotten one payment so far. We got 1.9 million in in about the last week.
Okay. And, Commissioner, in your testimony, you said that a 55 percent increase in the dollar amount of drug confiscations with the amount of over 79 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 $136 million was achieved. How much money was confiscated? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: A little over $10 million, I believe.
And for the record, can you tell us how that $10 million is used? I believe, if my memory serves me correctly, the DA's Office gets a certain portion of it. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Well, what happens is that the District Attorney's Office for forfeiture money gets 40 percent; we get 60 percent. But a lot of this money is from the federal government. With the federal government it's a little more difficult, but let me say this: The 40 percent the District Attorney's Offices get and the 60 percent we get, that's after -- I'm not sure of the exact number, but the last time I looked, it was a little over a million dollars, maybe more than that. It was $757,000 for their administrative costs. Once they get their administrative costs 80 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 off the way, then the forfeiture starts in, but not until their administrative costs is deducted. As far as the federal government is concerned, it's 80 percent Philadelphia Police Department and 8 percent that goes with the federal 9 government, and that money goes into the 10 general police funds. We just got a 11 check maybe about a month ago from the 12 FBI for $2.1 million. 13
And 14 how is that money used? 15 DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: 16 Jack Gaittens, Administration and 17 Technology. 18 We use the narcotics forfeiture 19 money for a lot of our expenses that are 20 associated with the furtherance of the Narcotic and Cosmetic Act. That would be for police officers doing investigation and arrests of narcotics. That would be for equipment and supplies to provide for the Narcotics Unit. 81 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 We also use that for leases of unmarked vehicles for the narcotics officers, over at the Police Lab for our scientists and evidence intake people to pay for their overtime to process all of that. Additionally, this year we're going to be buying a couple of evidence storage containers. They're basically like C containers that are being retrofitted to be climate controlled to store the evidence properly over there. As you know, there's more and more demand for evidence now and more forensics with CSI and all of these. So the amount of evidence we have to store has gone up exponentially. So we're getting very tight over there. We're paying approximately a half a million dollars out of forfeiture funds to just provide for more storage for the evidence.
I'm glad to hear that you're apparently getting some unmarked cars. I know a 82 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 couple years ago in my district it was just ridiculous that Police had a silver unmarked car that they were using. The drug dealers knew when the car was coming down the street. They recognized it. So I think that that is good news to hear, that they're not being able to use the same car all the time so that the drug dealers know when the police are coming, especially a silver car. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Yes, ma'am. Currently, we are leasing 58 vehicles for Narcotics, and we have a swap-out provision, that we just take the car back to the dealer and tell them the car has been burnt so we have to swap it and we get it traded in right away.
That's great. I'm glad to hear that. Councilman Savage.
Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon, Commissioner. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Good 83 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 afternoon.
The 15th District, there was a decrease in police officers from 2006 to 2007. Can you answer why that is? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: I'm not sure what the numbers are, but I know we've graduated three classes in the last year or so and I know that in one of the classes, we've put a large amount of police officers in the 15th District. Overall in the City, from July 1st to the present, we went down approximately 600 officers. So based on a lot of different things, based on the overall amount of police officers we've had, every district is a little shorter now than it was at three or four years ago, but I know for a fact that maybe approximately three years ago we put additional police officers up there. And as the class comes out or they will be graduating, we will evaluate every district and put officers in those 84 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 districts that are needed.
Commissioner, you also talked about new strategies to combat the combined and interrelated menace of gun violence. You talk about the redeployment of existing personnel. Could you elaborate on that? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Well, what happened is that the districts are normally running from 9-1-1 call to 9-1-1 call. So we have the tactical units, which is the Highway Patrol, the Narcotics Strike Force that we deploy there. We also have a SITE Unit, and that SITE Unit goes out there. They go from place to place depending on the amount of crime on a different location. So by redeploying, we look at the amount of crime that's happening every single week in our Comstat. We don't take any police officers from any other district to complement other districts. The tactical units are mobile units. Say, for example, in the 12th 85 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 District when we put people out there, the only unit that we added more people into was the SITE Unit. We didn't take any other Highway Patrol, Narcotics Strike Force, anybody else, no other part of the City, except that we added the SITE Unit, which is a mobile unit that constantly goes from place to place, district to district.
Thank you. In addition, you had talked about in your testimony about working to incorporate probation and parole officers with the police. Could you please elaborate about what their role is and what effect you hope to achieve? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON: Well, thanks to the probation and parole people -- and there's some problems there, is that they ride in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police Department. They'll go out at night with us to get the violations, the AR program, other things. So we have partnered. 86 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 One of the problems that a lot of times with their command staff, they don't have enough people to work at night. They don't have the manpower or the money to pay for overtime. So we have started an initiative where people who have violated probation and parole, we go out there with the probation officer to assist them. Say, for example, at one time when a person was arrested and did not appear in court, it was the Court's responsibility to find that person. We have partnered with them. If there is a person that's out there who had been arrested for a violent crime, then we will go out there and we will serve those warrants, where before we would only serve the warrants where a person had not been arrested. Now if a person had been arrested, fails to appear in court, we will go after this person, along with the probation and parole people.
One last 87 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 question. Could you tell us about the effectiveness so far of the pilot camera program? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Deputy Commissioner Jack Gaittens. As you know, we started the pilot program back in July with Phase I. We put two cameras in at 7th and Girard. In October, we put two more -- or four more cameras in at the Barratt Middle School down at 16th and Wharton, Hicks and Wharton, 16th and Latona, and Latona between 15th and 16th. We then expanded that in November of '06. We deployed eight PODs. They are the portable cameras that have the blue flashing lights. They went up at Germantown and Venango, Germantown and Lehigh, Broad and Erie. There were two cameras there, one on Germantown by the drugstore, the other by Church's Chicken. Broad and Butler, Wayne and Logan, Wayne and Seymour and Chew and Chelten. We've had pretty good results 88 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 with those cameras. To give you an idea of the activity generated from it, we took a map that covered a 500-foot radius of all the cameras in the location to see what the crime was six months prior to and for the period of time afterwards. Around Broad and Erie, Broad and Germantown, Broad and Butler, in that area, we've seen a 11 percent decrease in Part crimes. Wayne 12 and Logan, Wayne and Seymour, we seen a 13 31 percent decrease. Broad and Erie, 22 14 percent decrease. Germantown and 15 Venango, 25 percent decrease. Germantown 16 and Lehigh was flat. There was no change 17 there. Chew and Chelten saw a 42 percent 18 decrease. At 7th and Girard we had a 16 19 percent decrease. Around the school down 20 by 16th and Wharton, we saw a 43 percent 21 decrease. Broad and Girard actually saw 22 a 17 percent increase. However, part of 23 that was because the officers monitoring 24 the cameras observed incidents in 25 progress, so they actually reported the 89 1 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 crimes from their position. So it was something that we saw which probably in the past might not have been reported. So there is always that factor in there. When you add the cameras, you may actually find more crime which previously would not have been reported. And around Broad and Susquehanna, the crime is up percent, 11 and for the same exact reasons. You 12 begin to see things which might not have 13 previously been reported. 14
Thank you, 15 Commissioner. 16 Thank you, Madam President. 17
We're 18 just looking at the sheet you gave us. 19 DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: 20 Yes, ma'am.
Can you give us the amount of the totals of your payroll? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: You want the payroll totals? Which 90 3/21/07 - WHOLE - BILL 070114 particular page were you referring to?
The one that you gave us. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: Oh, the one I just gave you, okay. For Fiscal Year '08 under the Class 100, for the salaries, it's broken down, as you can see -- MR. McPHERSON: Just give the total. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER GAITTENS: The total for the entire is 517,107,641.