OVPD Intensifies Traffic Safety Efforts, Combats Property Crimes Community Engagement Efforts

Focus on community engagement

The Oro Valley Police Department ("OVPD") continues to prioritize community engagement through various programs and events, as detailed in this month’s OVPD Crimefighter email. For example,  "Coffee with a Cop" initiative allows residents to interact with officers in a casual setting, fostering open communication and strengthening police-community relations. Additionally, the department participated in the annual "Bike Rodeo" event, educating children on bicycle safety and distributing free helmets.

Crime Prevention Strategies
To combat property crimes, OVPD has implemented targeted patrols in areas experiencing higher rates of incidents. Officers have also conducted educational campaigns, reminding residents to secure their homes and vehicles to deter potential burglaries. The department's partnership with neighborhood watch groups has proven invaluable in identifying and addressing community concerns.

One of these strategies is “Darkhouse Program”
The Oro Valley Police Department offers a valuable service called the Darkhouse Program, designed to provide an extra layer of security for residents' homes when they are away for an extended period. Enroll in the program by completing an application form.

Traffic Safety Initiatives
Ensuring safe roadways remains a top priority for OVPD. Officers have increased enforcement efforts targeting speeding, impaired driving, and distracted driving violations. The department also collaborated with local schools to promote pedestrian safety awareness among students and parents during drop-off and pick-up times.

Recruitment and Training
OVPD is actively recruiting qualified individuals to join its ranks. The department offers competitive benefits and opportunities for professional growth. Additionally, officers have participated in specialized training programs to enhance their skills in areas such as crisis intervention, de-escalation techniques, and community-oriented policing.
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Source: Oro Valley Police Department's May 2024 Newsletter

Bits and Pieces

Barrett and Bohen "get it."  Oro Valley’s stewardship requires balancing the financial impact of buildout and the sustainability of maintaining a maturing infrastructure

In January, LOVE reported on an independent study of the town's financial future. This study focussed on the impact of a "buildout" on Oro Valley's future. That study concluded that the town's budgets will remain sustainable through the expected residential buildout in 2034. However, the projected financial margin is very tight, leaving limited resources for long-term maintenance and unforeseen costs. Then, a few weeks ago, we reported regarding the town's five year financial projection. This was prepared by staff. That report projected that the town will face financial challenges starting in 2026, necessitating at least $11 million in bond funds to cover shortfalls for major highway projects and rising pavement preservation costs. 

The study and the five year projection address different time frames regarding the town's financial future; but both do emphasize the need for careful planning and spending as the town continues to mature. Given what we observed in the two day TMRB study session last week, two council members, Bohen and Barrett, "get it." And Nicolson is not far behind.

Town Grant Update: $18.1 Million in Progress, $213K Awarded

Town Manager Wilkins added a section in his May report to the council. That section discusses the status of grants sought by the town over the past six months. The report lists eight grants in progress, totaling $18.1 million. $213K has been awarded to date. Most of the pending dollars requested are for three public works bridge projects. $4.5 million is sought for public safety, including a $3 million request for the design of a police station. The town will file a $2 million grant request for the Vistoso Nature Preserve revegetation project in the next fiscal year. (Source: Town Manager May Report to Council, page 32)

Town Financial Update through February: Revenues rise, expenditures driven by capital Projects

"The Town continues to perform as expected from a Townwide financial perspective. Total Townwide revenues are up $7,399,890 through February 2024 in comparison to February 2023. Meanwhile, total Townwide expenditures are greater than February 2023 by $6,388,977. Capital is the primary driver of the increase in spending from the prior year, as it accounts for $4,875,207 of the $6,388,977, or 76%. Personnel and O&M also continue to outpace last year’s outflows through February. Total estimated Townwide Fund Balances through February 2024 are $84,981,826, which is about $4.2 million less than the Town carried into the fiscal year. This reduction in fund balance is primarily a function of the large capital projects being executed and the continued spend down of ARPA and Parks and Recreation bond monies." (Source: Town Manager May Report To Council, page 31) 

Let’s hear it for CDO’s… An Arizona sports leader

The Canyon Del Oro High School sports teams have had an impressive year, showcasing their talent and dedication. While both the baseball and softball teams narrowly missed winning the 3A Arizona State Championships this past week, their effort and skill were commendable. Last fall, the football team triumphed, securing the 3A State Championship. Congratulations to all the athletes for their hard work and for being outstanding representatives of Oro Valley. Your community is proud of your achievements and spirit.

Get ready to rock at OV Battle of the Bands, May 17

"This free concert, which runs from 6:30 to 9 p.m., on Friday, May 17, at the Riverfront Park Amphitheater (551 W. Lambert Lane), features three bands comprised of students from local high schools. The bands will bring their musical talents to a live audience with a three-song setlist...Admission to the concert is free and food trucks will be on site with items available for purchase. It is recommended that attendees bring a lawn chair or blanket." (Source: Town of Oro Valley Media Release).   

TMRB Seeks Added Staffing for 2023-24... No Reductions Planned

Six new positions... Total of 424 Town of Oro Valley Employees

The 2023 town manager recommended budget includes an increase of five new full-time and two part-time positions. This will bring the total number of people employed by the Town to 424. 

Where are they?

We see many of them on the roads because they are employed by the Police Department. We see other town employees on the roads because they are part of the Public Works Department. We know that many work in the Water Department because they provide beautifully clear fresh water every day. When we go to our Parks, we see them maintaining the facility that we are visiting that day. Indeed, more than three quarters of the town's employees are in these four departments (see chart below, right).

Police: 140 personnel, including 1 new position, $18.7 million cost
Half of the personnel in the Department are deployed in Field Services. Field Services is responsible for the uniformed patrol functions of the Department, including 24-hour response to the initial investigation of crimes and incidents, traffic enforcement and control, crash investigations, community policing programs and specialized operations such as SWAT and K-9.

Most of the remaining staff is involved in support services. The includes the Criminal Investigations Unit, Crime Analyst, Task Force Operations, Property and I.D., School Resource Officers, Community Resources, Citizen Volunteer Assistants Program, Records, and the Communications Bureau. Support Services focuses on and analyzes crime trends, efficient resource allocation and technological solutions. 

Public Works: 78 personnel, 1 new position, $6.4 million cost
This department wants to add a full-time transit supervisor to assist in driver management and review, service scheduling, and operations and program compliance, ensuring we continue meeting the needs of our community for this critical service.

Parks and Recreation: 69 personnel, 1.5 new positions, $4 million cost
Two-thirds of this department’s personnel are employed at the Community Center (23) and the Aquatic Center (22). This department wants to add a full-time parks maintenance worker to accommodate the addition of the Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve and a part-time park monitor to accommodate new acreage and facilities coming online with the completion of the latest phase of the Naranja Park improvements.

Water Department: 40 personnel, no new positions, $3.9 million cost

Two thirds of the water department staff are deployed in field operations. "The Operations Division oversees the operation and maintenance of all potable and reclaimed water production and distribution facilities, to include wells, boosters, reservoirs, metering stations, water mains, fire hydrants and valves. Additional responsibilities include meter installations, commercial meter testing, water quality testing, backflow prevention, construction of minor water main projects and oversight of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure system, disinfection systems and security systems."

 
All other Departments: 97 personnel, 2.5 new positions, $10.1 million

There are ten other departments. The fastest growing of these is the Information and Technology Department, which seeks a complement of nineteen staff.  "The Recommended Budget includes two new full-time positions in the Innovation & Technology Department. An additional business systems analyst is necessary to support the growing use of technology in Town operations, with special emphasis on the needs of the Police Department. A security and compliance administrator will protect the organization by implementing and managing cybersecurity tools, as well as respond to and remediate cybersecurity incidents and threats. This position will also ensure the Town’s IT systems are compliant with recommended best practices and that action plans are completed for all regulatory agencies."

No cuts anywhere...even in places where position should be eliminated...for example

Somewhat of a surprise is that the Community and Economic Development Department continues its current complement of almost 29 staff. That department ought to be examined as a candidate to reduce staff. This is because there is a long-term continuing decline in permitting activity and of economic activity. 

A Good Year For Policing In Oro Valley

Police continue to post outstanding results times in 2021
The Oro Valley Police Department has published key statistics on the 2021 year of operations.  Results have not changed much from prior years, though there is an uptick in theft. 

Really, though, strong results considering that the town continues to add residents each year.

Response times are quick

If you had a big problem in 2021 and you needed a cop, you got one quickly!  The average response time to the most important call was less than four minutes. Indeed, if you had any problem at all and you needed a cop, you got one quickly. The average response time for even the lowest priority call was under seven minutes.  All this service delivered in response to almost 3.200 calls during the year. (See panel that follows). There were other important calls, including more than 500 residential alarm responses to more than 1,400 first aid calls.  All responses were delivered over 36 square miles of coverage!

Burglaries remain low... Assaults up a bit

It's nice to feel safe a home and Oro Valley appears to be a place where you can do just that.  There were 19 residential burglaries. This is a small number in relation to the thousands of residences in our community. One of our observations is that the number of residential burglaries has remained low even though the number of apartments in our community have increased. There were 108 assaults. This on par with 2019 and 8 more than last year. There were 2 robberies reported.

Traffic as usual
The traffic division issued almost 3,400 traffic citations in 2021. This is comparable to the number of citations issued in 2019. Both of those years saw a greater number of citations in 2020 when there was far less road travel because of the pandemic. More than 400 of the traffic citations were related to DUI. There were 567 crashes. Unfortunately, three of these were fatal crashes

An uptick in theft
Theft is by far the most significant crime in town. This year there were 555 thefts. Thats 10% more than in the prior two years. We've seen some evidence of the increase in theft in requests to residents by the department to identify  individual in photos taken of those allegedly stealing in our retail stores.

A safe community

It is our conclusion, and, we suspect, the conclusion of many, that Oro Valley remains a safe community thanks to the hard work of our police officers. 

Thank you for a  job well done!

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After Six Years Of Funding Neglect, Public Safety Is On The Front Burner

Lack of public safety funding support during Hiremath years
Last week, Chief Daniel Sharp of the Oro Valley Police Department said that he felt that the town needed 4 additional police positions in fiscal 2020 (Begins July 1) and four more for fiscal 2021. The 2020 recommended budget submitted by Town Manager Mary Jacobs does not include these four positions.

Sharp states that there has been police understaffing for years
Speaking at last week's Town Council Study Session, Sharp said: "We knew there was going to be a point at which we were not going to be able to continue [being short positions]; and we’ve deferred [adding positions] every year. As I signaled last year, we aren’t going to be able to defer [adding positions] any more unless there is going to be a cut in service…. We’ve been band-aiding. This is the year [we need more police]. I tried to defer as long as I could. We’ve started slipping faster in the last few months that I even anticipated....we didn’t have enough officers to dispatch..” (Town Council Study Session of May 8, 2019: 1:16-1:17 minute mark)

Astounding but true
LOVE researched police department staffing over time. The chart that follows confirms that police positions have not been added during the past six years (2013-2019). The budget for these years was determined by former Mayor Hiremath and his council majority.

Double Click On This Chart To  Expand To Full View

Hiremath started his tenure by reducing police staffing from 135 to 125 in his first two years as Mayor. These are years in which current Council Member Solomon served. In 2011, the council doubled the Utility Tax from 2% to 4% to pay for police. This provided about $1.4 million in added funding. According to then Council Member Joe Hornat: "...1 percentage point...is worth $720,000 to the town." (source).

The added utility tax funds did boost police staffing. By 2013, police staffing had increased to about 132 positions.  Since then, however, police staffing has been relatively flat. It was even reduced in 2016, the first full year of town ownership of the El Conquistador Country Club.

The result: Six years, from 2013 to 2019, of approximately the same level of police staffing.  

It's up to Council, not the Town Manager, to properly assess and fund our public safety needs
In 2010, the Hiremath Council voted to have the police department report to council and not to the Town Manager. Town Manager Jacobs plays an advisory oversight role when it comes to the budget for the police department. The police department budget that she submitted this April is her budget. It is not the budget of any member of this council.

It's the responsibility of the Council to listen to the Chief, as they did last week, to truly understand the needs of the public safety. Council should meet again with him, meet without the hoopla of political rhetoric demonstrated at last week's budget study session. Indeed, it may be time to catch up on years of public safety neglect on the part of Hiremath Council.

Guns or Butter? Golf or Cops?
Where should the funds come from to support new public safety positions? The decision is easy. The funds should come from the Community Center/Restaurant/Golf Course budget. That endeavor is a complete luxury. Public Safety is not a luxury.

There is no other place we can see it coming from.

The town must start to property fund its pension lability to ensure that we keep our promise of retirement for our employees. The town should not jeopardize our excellent roads by taking funding from the highway department. The town should not take this money from needed parks for our children. They are, after all, our future. We can't take it from a necessity like our water department, a department that will likely be successful tomorrow in raising rates to cover its costs.

The council can and should fund the public safety needs of 43,000 residents over the needs of 200 users of the town owned country club.

It's time to get real. The town cannot do everything on everyone's wish list.

Now is when the "rubber meets the road."
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Bits and Pieces

Night Work On Michigan Left Continues

Night construction of the Oracle and Ina intersection continued this week. We experienced it twice this week.  It would be a good idea to avoid the intersection at night because traffic can be backed up as they continue to pave the intersection.

Beware Of Caller ID Spoofing

Caller ID spoofing is an illegal activity that allows a caller to masquerade as someone else by falsifying the number that appears on the recipient's caller ID display.  It is being used to con county residents into paying fees to they don't owe. The caller ID displayed on your phone is not necessarily the real ID of the caller. So, beware.

County To Put Off Bond Elections Until 2015 At The Earliest

County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry has concluded that a county bond issue, one filled with "dream" projects, is simply not feasible at this time.  He says that the county is no looking to 2015 or 2016.  This delays county funding of one of Oro Valley's dream projects, a business incubator.  (Source)

Oro Valley Is, however, moving forward with a feasibility study of the incubator.  The town has issued a request for proposal for the study. Sealed proposals will be received until September 27, 2013 at 4:00 pm.

Town Offering Community Academy

The Oro Valley Community Academy is a series of sessions designed to acquaint residents with the town's governance. Attendance at the Academy is a requisite for participation on an Oro Valley volunteer board or commission.

"A series of six classes will be held on Thursday evenings, 6 - 8 p.m., Oct. 10 - Nov. 21, 2013. All classes take place at Oro Valley Town Hall, 11000 N. La Cañada. Space is limited."  Click here to register.

Oro Valley receives national award for graphic design

"The Town of Oro Valley received an Award of Excellence in Graphic Design for its 2013 Marketing Brochure from the City-County Communications and Marketing Association (3CMA). This national award, which seeks to recognize "projects and concepts that showcase creative talent and design that also perform essential communication functions," was announced at the 3CMA National Conference on Sept. 5, 2013." (Source: Oro Valley Press Release)

Click here to view this award winning brochure.

Congratulations to town communications director Misti Nowak and her support team.

Oro Valley seeks volunteers for Water Utility Commission

Oro Valley is seeking to fill two positions on the water utility commission.  The term of the appointment is for a two year period beginning January 1, 2014.

"Interested parties should have knowledge and/or interest in water-related issues.  Applicants must be residents of the Town of Oro Valley and customers of the Oro Valley Water Utility."

 The application for the positions is available online.   Applications must be submitted by November 1.  (Source: Oro Valley Press Release)
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Why Don't They Want A Study of the Oro Valley Police Budget?

The previous Oro Valley Town Council had approved an independent review of all town departments. Some of these reviews were completed. One resulted in combining several town departments into the Development and Infrastructure Department.

A study of two remaining departments, Parks and Recreation and the Police Department, were killed by the "Gang of Five" on the current council.  The Gang of Five, sans Lou Waters, is pictured at left, celebrating with Police Chief Sharp.  The Gang includes Steve Solomon, Mary Snider, Joe Hornat, Lou Waters and Satish Hiremath.  They were and in Solomon's case are endorsed by the Police Associations.

We still believe that an independent study of the Police Department's spending is imperative because the police budget is 48% of the total Oro Valley budget and because it is impossible for the "Gang Of Five" to be independent and make an unbiased budget decision when it comes to this department.

There are three Council Member seats in this primary election.  It is your opportunity to send a message to the "Gang of Five" by making it the "Gang of Four" and electing three members of Council (Burns, Garner and Zinkin) who will simply do the right thing when it comes to the Police Department's budget.

Here's where each candidate stands regarding having an independent study of the police department.  Our analysis is based on what the said at the Sun City Candidate Forum ten days ago.

All six candidates are proud of and pleased with the accomplishments of the the fine men and women of the Oro Valley Police Department.

The three candidates who are endorsed by the two Oro Valley Police Associations are against any independent study of the police department.

• Fred Narcaroti:  Fred is against an independent study.  He's not sure why. Frankly, Fred doesn't know much about the issues facing Oro Valley.
• Steve Solomon: Solomon is against an independent study.  Solomon alleges that Oro Valley has the finest police force in Arizona.  Solomon feels that the town should only do a study when something is wrong.  Solomon alleges that an outside consultant would not have the expertise to study our police department.  Solomon alleges that spending $50,000 on a study would be of no value.  "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  Solomon's mind is closed on this issue.  Then again, Solomon's mind is closed on every issue!
• Mark Napier is against an independent study.  He feels that he has the experience and the ability to be independent of his friend, Police Chief Sharp; that Mark can provide an unbiased view of police spending and operations.  Our reaction: Good luck with that, Mark.  

The three candidates who are not endorsed by the two Oro Valley Police Associations believe that an independent study of the police department would bring benefits and could even strengthen the department:

• Brendan Burns believes that a study would bring benefit because it could prepare the town for the future, a future that holds promise of growth through commerce, development and annexation.
• Bill Garner is already on record as having identified opportunities to reduce spending and improve police operations.
• Mike Zinkin believes that any department that is almost half of the Oro Valley town budget should be independently assessed.

The lines of differentiation among the candidates are clear.

The position of the Police Department is clear.  They do not want an independent study of their spending and their operations.  Why does Chief Sharp fear, rather than welcome, an independent look.   Of what is he afraid?  We don't know.  There must be something.  An independent study would identify what that is.

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(Picture Source: http://www.solomonovcouncil.com/)

Correction: Hidden In Tomorrow's Council Meeting Agenda: Funding Three Police Officer Positions

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Sometimes, important items get "buried" among some not as important items in the consent agenda of Oro Valley Town Council Meetings. Its a cute way to "getting things through". (The purpose of the consent portion of the agenda is to seek Council approval of items that require little to no Council discussion.)

There is one such item on tomorrow's consent agenda portion of the Oro Valley Town Council meeting:

"Item J: "Resolution No. (R)11-55 Authorizing and approving a task force agreement between the Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA") and the Town of Oro Valley ("Town") for the participation of two Oro Valley police officers...", which basically funds three Police Officer positions.

Chief Sharp defends funding Police positions through outside grands on the basis that the grants totally pay for these positions. This is not totally true.

Here's an example, provided by our Guest View commenter, John Musolf, when grants for Police Officers actually cost the town almost $90,000! It relates to two police officers assigned during a two year period (2009 and 2010) to the Pima County/Tucson Metropolitan Counter Narcotic Alliance (CNA):

Remember too: The grant contracts specify that the officers are under the direct supervision of the agencies not the Oro Valley Police Department. So, the Officers receive their assignments from the agencies. The bulk of their Officer's time is spent outside of Oro Valley! So, in our example, we, the taxpayers, wound up paying for Police work done outside our community!

On other thought: If the Grants don't materialize, then the Oro Valley police officers serving on the Federal, State, and County Task Forces become the sole financial responsibility of the Oro Valley Taxpayers. That means: You and Me.

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Sometimes,"consent agenda items" really do matter. Tomorrow's Item J warrants public discussion.

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UPDATE: Item J was discussed by council and approved by a 6-1 vote.

Let's hope the grant money comes through!