You Can Make A Difference
Sgt. Greg Bingham – (510) 750-4581
Email: GBingham@oaklandnet.com

Purpose ...
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To share information that may help you
to influence the people who make
financial decisions in your Dept.
To encourage those who want to make
a difference in your Dept in spite of the
challenges in front of you.

Brief Bio…
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NOT TASER EMPLOYEE
28 ½ year veteran
14 years - Narc, Robbery, Homicide
14 years in uniform, Patrol Division
20 years as Sergeant
NOT Adm Boy – House Mouse!

Recent OPD History
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The “Riders” Case
Negotiated Settlement Agreement
Reforms, Monitors, & Federal Judge
Return to Patrol Division
Wanted To Certify Officers in Squad
Became TASER Instructor
Discovered…….

Oops! This Ain’t Good!

We Had No…
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No written policy on TASERS.
No records of TASER serial numbers.
No download software.
No one was assigned to oversee the
training or use of TASERS.
Training for Patrol Sergeants (who had
TASERS) was inadequate and expired.

So I….
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Advised individual watch commanders
Began training sergeants and officers as
fast as I could on “straight” time.
Chased down everyone I could think of
that might have a TASER to get serial#s
Started a data base system to track all
TASER equipment and training

Next Thing I Knew…
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TASER Coordinator
Subject Matter Expert
Put on special assignment to write our
TASER policy
Develop our TASER program
Sitting behind a computer for endless
hours!

Went From This – To This
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No written policy
No serial# records
No valid training
No holsters
No accountability
Only Sgts
65 M26’s
No plans to change

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New written policy
Automated database
Update training
Thigh holster/eXo
TASER Coordinator
TASER Officers
90 new X26’s
Support full deploy.

How Did This Occur…
DESIRE - I wanted all officers to
have TASERS.
„ PREPARATION – “Keep your
friends close and your enemies
even closer.”
„ LANGUAGE – Universal language
is GREEN.
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Researched Five Specific Areas
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How many officers retired due to on
duty injuries?
How many work days missed due to
on duty injuries?
Workers’ Compensation Cost for
sworn members in a year period?
Overtime to backfill open beats?
How were our officers getting injured?

Research Showed….
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Averaging 45-50 Officers were off work
due to on duty injuries.
On duty injuries were costing the City
millions of dollar each year.
It was a bigger issue than just lost
wages.
I suspected those in administration
probably did not fully understand the
total cost of on duty injuries.

Cost of Retirements Due To
On Duty Injures
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2003-2005 – OPD retired approximately
30 officers due to on duty injuries.
Cost to train one recruit officer in our
academy = $48,000
New officer will be paid $20,000 while
still in field training.
All FTO’s are paid an additional 5%.
FTO Program is 15 weeks = $1,110

Cost of Retirements?
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Approx training cost to replace one
officer from ODI approx = $69,000.
Approx. cost to train 30 officers to
replace ODI retirees in 3 year period?
$2,070,000 = 3 years
$690,000 per year

Work Days Missed Due to On
Duty Injuries in 2004?

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6,090 days off work (OSHA’s Form 300)
1,648 days assigned to light duty
Step 3 hourly salary $34.53
8hrs X 6,090 = 48,720 hours

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48,720 hours X $34.53 = $1,682,301

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Light duty salaries =

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$ 455,243

Salary Cost of O.D.I.?
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$2,137,544 – off work and light
duty
$1,682,301 – off work only
BUT…..for every dollar paid in
salary to an OPD officer…

How Much is Paid In Benefits?
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I estimated approx 90 cents more.
I was wrong….
Over 1 dollar!
In other words, for every $1,000 paid to
an officer in wages, the City pays
another $1,000 for their benefit
package.
*Source – City Administrator

So….actual salary cost of ODI?
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$4,275,088 (combined light
duty and off work)

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$ 3,364,602 (off work only)

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For 2004 alone

How Do ODI Impact Overtime?
OPD currently has on going
MANDATORY overtime for all
officers.
„ Not uncommon to have 5-10
open beats a shift prior MOT.
„ Sick leave a factor? Not really.
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Overtime $$ to Fill Open Beats
in Patrol Division only…
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July 1, 2005 – Sept. 23, 2005?

$711,791
Can It Get Worse? YEP!

Workers’ Compensation Cost
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Fiscal year 2003-2004
For Sworn Members of OPD
$3,383,319 (initial)
$5,222,032 (incurred total estimated
cost)
Highest single category,”Persons
Committing Crimes” = $2,081,691 (61%)

The Big Question??
How are OPD officers getting
injured?
„ How many are from physical
conflict?
„ A review of over 400 medical
reports from 2003 to 2005
showed….
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Results of Medical Review?

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6% climbing / jumping fences
6% during training exercises
10% vehicle collisions
33% miscellaneous (tripping/lift etc)

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45% due to physical conflict

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What Does That Mean in $$$
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Depends on your math!
Acknowledge I am not an
accountant.
So….let’s look at a high and low
estimates.

HIGH ESTIMATE = Loss of

money and services to City annually

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$4,275,088 – wages/benefits
$2,847,164 – overtime to backfill Patrol
$5,222,032 – Workers’ Comp
$ 690,000 – Train new officers (ODI)

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$13,034,284

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45% Due to Conflict =

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$5,865,427

Low Estimate
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Eliminate Salary/Benefit Cost -$0
Reduce Workers’ Comp - $3,383,319
Reduce Patrol Overtime - $2,000,000
Cost to Train New Officers- $ 690,000
$6,073,319
45%Due to Conflict

= $2,732,993

Next Question?
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How could full TASER deployment
reduce our on duty injuries?
Orange County Florida = 80% reduction
But…California, Bay Area, more
restrictive use/policy?
Estimate from 20% - 60% reduction?

ODI Reduction Savings of High
Estimate $5,865,427
20%
„ 30%
„ 40%
„ 50%
„ 60%
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=
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$1,173,854
$1,759,628
$2,346,170
$2,932,713
$3,519,256

ODI Reduction Savings on Low
Estimate - $2,732,993
20%
„ 30%
„ 40%
„ 50%
„ 60%
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=
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$546,986
$819,897
$1,093,197
$1,366,496
$1,639795

Would It Be Cost Effective to
Fully Deploy OPD?
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Average Equipment Cost per Officer is
about $1,000.
Equip 450 field officers would be
approximately $450,000 plus….
Even with a 30% reduction in ODI on
the low estimate…

How Much Could We Save?
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30% = $819,897
Minus - $450,000 (full deployment)

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Savings-

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This is a conservative estimate.

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$369,897

Sources
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Oakland Police Officer Association
OPD Personnel Medical Administrator Tiffany Webb
OPD ODI Medical Reports 2003-2005
City Administrator Deborah Edgerly
2003-2004 Workers’ Compensation Report, Jan 25, 2005,
Stephanie Garrabrant-Sierra, Risk Manager
Sergeant Ken Bachman, OPD Training Division Academy
Supervisor
Lieutenant D. Downing, OPD Training Division Commander
Overtime Report, Peter Fitzsimmons Administration Services
Manager

QUESTIONS?