PLANT OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
This chapter reviews plant operations and maintenance functions of the Alamo Community College District (ACCD) in the following sections:
- A. Facility Planning, Condition and Utilization
- B. Maintenance Operations
- C. Custodial Operations
- D. Energy Conservation and Management
- E. Transportation
- F. Safety and Security
F. SAFETY AND SECURITY
ACCD's Department of Public Safety (DPS) operates a police organization with 42 full-time police officers, 11 security guards, six dispatchers, one police chief, one office supervisor and five clerical assistants. All 42 full-time officers are certified Texas Peace Officers licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education (TCLOSE) with the ability to carry firearms and issue citations under the Texas Penal Code. The 11 security officers supplement the police officers and cover ACCD facilities at night and on weekends and holidays. The security officers do not carry firearms and continuously check building security while on duty.
Exhibit 10-18 presents the organization structure for DPS.
Exhibit 10-18 Source: ACCD, Department of Public Safety.
ACCD Department of Public Safety
Current Organization
February 2003Board Policy CHA authorizes the board to "employ and commission peace officers to maintain law and order." Policy CHA further states "the primary jurisdiction of a peace officer so commissioned includes all counties in which property is owned, leased rented or otherwise under the control of the College District that employs the peace officer." Accordingly, DPS peace officers have police authority at all colleges and facilities throughout ACCD.
Exhibit 10-19 presents DPS' budget for the last three years.
Exhibit 10-19 Source: ACCD, Department of Public Safety.
ACCD Department of Public Safety
Budgets for 2000-01 through 2002-03
Line Item 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 Percent
Increase (Decrease)
2000-01 through
2002-03Salaries $1,562,771 $1,755,092 $2,006,215 28% Special Pay (A) $53,819 $89,252 $83,704 56% Fringe Benefits $184,486 $206,864 $239,931 30% Employee Development $0 $5,000 $5,000 100% General Expense (B) $108,000 $100,000 $104,757 (3%) Fixed Assets $0 $13,120 $0 0% Employee Travel $16,000 $20,000 $23,000 44% Basic Telephone Service $7,000 $9,000 $9,000 29% Personnel Agency Contracts $0 $0 $5,734 100% Totals $1,932,076 $2,198,328 $2,477,341 28%
(A) Includes uniform allowance, hazard pay and shift differential for working night shift.
(B) Includes department operating expenses such as supplies, materials, repairs, etc.DPS' budget increased 28 percent over the past three years. This increase is primarily because the department hired 26 additional officers between 2000-01 and 2002-03.
FINDING
ACCD's police chief formed a rapid response team in November 2001 to address crime and safety issues throughout ACCD. The response team meets monthly and consists of the four college presidents, directors, vice presidents, campus nurses and the safety officer. Each response team member provides contact information for other team members that consist of cell phone numbers, pager numbers and home telephone numbers. In addition to meeting with the emergency response team, the police chief meets monthly with each of the college presidents to address safety and security concerns at their respective college campuses.
Since the response team was formed, it has responded to a variety of incidents including the following:
- San Antonio College Mail Room - In fall 2001, DPS received a call that a suspicious envelope had arrived with no return address and excess postage. The response team notified the appropriate college administrators and called the safety officer, who called DPS to conduct the investigation. The safety officer transported the envelope to the Health Department where it tested negative for anthrax.
- St. Philip's College Bomb Threats - Several threats were called in to the college in December 2001 and the response team immediately notified the president. The director of Facilities, safety officer and DPS responded. DPS used a dog-sniffing unit to assist with locating explosives, but none were found. Additionally, the communications manager authorized traces on St. Philip's' telephone lines and determined the calls were placed from pay phones at different locations within the city of San Antonio.
- San Antonio College Parking Lot - Students found a quantity of white powder on the parking lot surface, alleged to be anthrax. The response team immediately contacted the San Antonio Fire Department Hazardous Materials Division, which responded immediately, along with the security officer, DPS and Facilities Department personnel. The Fire Department transported the powder to the Health Department laboratory where it tested negative for anthrax.
In each of the incidents cited above, the response team immediately had one of its members at the scene to address the potential safety concerns caused by the incident.
COMMENDATION
ACCD's police chief formed a rapid response team consisting of college presidents, key district administrators, campus nurses and safety officers to address potential crime and safety issues throughout ACCD.
FINDING
ACCD's DPS tracks criminal incidents at each campus and reports incident statistics by college on the department's Web site at www.accd.edu/district/dps/Stats.htm. DPS reports incidents such as kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, hate crimes, robberies, burglaries, auto thefts, weapons and drugs possession and liquor law violations. The general public has access to these statistics, which the department continuously updates. For example, as of February 2003, the Web site contained incident statistics updated through the calendar year ended December 31, 2002.
COMMENDATION
ACCD's Department of Public Safety tracks criminal incidents at each campus and continuously updates and reports incident statistics by college on the department's Web site.
FINDING
DPS has a structured training program, complete with a training officer and field training officers who provide both mandatory training for TCLEOSE certification and additional training in other areas of interest for the officers. For example, during the month of October 2002, the training officer coordinated 20 training sessions offered on various dates during the month. A sample of training sessions offered during October 2002 include Emergency Vehicle Operation, Use of Force, Criminal case Management, Firearms Qualifications, Tactical Training, Search and Seizure - Advanced and Public Works: Preparing for and Responding to Terrorism. Training sessions are conducted by both ACCD and external providers including the San Antonio College Law Enforcement Training Academy, Alamo Area Council of Governments, ACCD DPS shift supervisors and the Public Agency Training Council.
COMMENDATION
ACCD provides officers within its Department of Public Safety a structured training program through San Antonio College's Law Enforcement Training Academy and a variety of external training providers within the San Antonio area.
FINDING
ACCD does not have effective security systems and controls to reduce the incidences of theft and personal injury on college campus throughout the district. ACCD facilities at college campuses do not have external video surveillance systems or perimeter control systems. Northwest Vista, St. Philip's College and San Antonio College have internal video surveillance systems in computer labs and fire alarm systems, but no alarm systems tied to external monitoring entities such as alarm companies or the city and county law enforcement agencies. As a result, ACCD colleges averaged a collective 209 thefts per year during 2000, 2001 and 2002. As of March 6, 2003, colleges throughout ACCD had reported 69 thefts, which when annualized, will approximate 408 thefts (69 thefts ÷ 2 months = 34 thefts per month x 12 months).
Additionally, ACCD shows a 13 percent decrease in incidents between 2000 and 2002. The decrease is primarily attributable to the 43 percent reduction in auto theft incidents as shown in Exhibit 10-20.
Exhibit 10-20 Source: ACCD, Web site.
ACCD Department of Public Safety Incident Statistics
2000, 2001 and 2002
Incident 2000 2001 2002 Percent
Increase/(Decrease)
2000 through 2002Kidnapping 0 0 0 0% Murder 0 0 0 0% Sexual Assault 1 0 1 0% Hate Crime 0 0 0 0% Robbery 1 2 0 (100%) Burglary 2 6 4 100% Auto Theft 14 15 8 (43%) Weapons Possession 1 0 1 0% Drug Possession 3 2 5 67% Liquor Law Violation 1 0 1 0% Total Districtwide Incidents 23 25 20 (13%)
Note: Summarized from individual college incident statistics for San Antonio College, St. Philip's College, Palo Alto College and Northwest Vista College.ACCD has an ineffective key control system throughout the district, which contributes to theft of faculty, students' and administrators' property. For example, the district does not have documented procedures for issuing and replacing keys. One locksmith at San Antonio College and another at St. Philip's College are responsible for keying campuses assigned to them. These individuals follow the district's key control policy, but they cannot control the transfer or unauthorized use of keys. For example, there are faculty members who loan master keys to work study students who are not authorized to have keys to college facilities.
Best practices related to security systems include a combination of external and internal video surveillance systems monitored from a central location and alarm systems that notify law enforcement agencies or security monitoring companies of intrusions. Best practices related to key control systems begin with formally documented procedures for issuing and replacing keys, which include positions authorized to have keys and procedures for issuing, transferring, replacing and collecting keys from employees who separate from the district.
Recommendation 118:
Include security upgrades and alarm systems in the facilities master plan, purchase video surveillance cameras and implement a key control system.
Including security upgrades and alarm systems in the facilities master plan and purchasing video surveillance cameras will assist the district in increasing districtwide safety and security. The district should also include alarm systems to its facilities master plan.
The first step to implementing an effective key control system is to develop formal procedures that include strict accountability for issuing, transferring, replacing and collecting keys. In addition to the procedures, the accountability measures should outline consequences for the issuance or transfer of keys to unauthorized parties.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The director of Facilities surveys the district's facilities to determine the extent to which each facility needs internal or external surveillance systems and alarm systems. October - November 2003 2. The director of Facilities directs the assistant director of Operations to develop formal key control procedures that apply to all district campuses and facilities. October 2003 3. The director of Facilities receives permission from the chancellor and the board to purchase video surveillance cameras. October 2003 4. The director of Facilities works with Purchasing Department staff to obtain appropriate quotes and bids for video surveillance cameras. November 2003 5. The director of Facilities determines the estimated cost of security equipment upgrades and alarm systems to include in the facility master plan. December 2003 6. The assistant director of Operations completes an initial draft of the key control procedures. December 2003 7. The director of Facilities reviews and approves the draft of the key control procedures. January 2004 8. The chancellor approves the key control procedures. January 2004 9. The director of Facilities implements the new key control procedures. February 2004 10. The director of Facilities presents the facilities master plan to the chancellor and the board for review and approval. February 2004 11. The director of Facilities purchases and oversees installment of video cameras. February - June 2004 FISCAL IMPACT
This fiscal impact assumes that ACCD will purchase four computer-based digital surveillance systems for each college and two systems for each satellite campus at an estimated cost of $6,390 per system. Each system includes six color dome cameras, 10 weatherproof color bullet cameras, hardware and software. Twenty systems (4 systems x 4 colleges + 2 systems x 2 satellite campuses = 20 total systems) equal $127,800. The fiscal impact also assumes that ACCD will budget $20,000 for training and installation costs and $2,200 for wiring and shipping costs for a total first year investment of $150,000.
Recommendation 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Include security upgrades and alarm systems in the facilities master plan, purchase video surveillance cameras and implement a key control system. ($150,000) $0 $0 $0 $0 FINDING
DPS has a difficult time retaining certified police officers because they are the lowest paid in the San Antonio area. According to DPS staff, once the officers get trained, they tend to move to higher paying jobs with governmental agencies in the San Antonio area such as the City of San Antonio, Bexar County Sheriff's Department and local school districts. Six officers left DPS in 2001-02 for higher paying positions in area governmental agencies. The compensation for ACCD patrol officers ranges between $20,080 and $24,000. The salaries for officers at San Antonio area governmental agencies range between $32,000 and $38,000.
Salary.com, an Internet-based salary calculator, provides up-to-date national, regional and local salary surveys for a number of job categories, including sergeants, patrol officers, security guards and dispatchers. The salary calculator adjusts salaries calculated based on national averages to the local San Antonio Market based on a cost of living index. Given that the 2003 San Antonio Wage and Benefit Survey only has market data for Security Guard - Commissioned job titles, it is more appropriate to use Salary.com to compare salaries paid to patrol officers in the San Antonio area and to use the 2003 San Antonio Wage and Benefit Survey to compare security guard job titles.
Exhibit 10-21 compares the salaries of DPS' patrol officers to the minimum, median and maximum salary ranges for the same or similar job categories in the San Antonio area. Salary.com reports the minimum salary range is in the 25th percentile of salaries in the San Antonio area, the median salary range in the 50th percentile and the maximum range in the 75th percentile.
Exhibit 10-21 Source: Department of Public Safety Budget, 2002-03 and Salary.com, March 2003 and San Antonio Wage and Benefit Survey, 2003.
Selected Department of Public Safety Salaries Compared
to Salaries for Similar Job Categories in the San Antonio Area
Job Classification ACCD
Salary (A)San Antonio
Area MinimumSan Antonio
Area MedianSan Antonio
Area MaximumPatrol Officer $23,927 $32,042 (B) $38,449 (B) $45,361 (B)
(A) Represents the average salary budgeted in 2002-03 for each job classification.
(B) Obtained from Salary.com, government classifications.Exhibit 10-20 also shows that the average salaries paid to ACCD patrol officers are below the minimum salaries paid to similar job categories in the San Antonio area. Median salaries paid to a patrol officer in the San Antonio area exceed average salaries paid to comparable ACCD patrol officers by nearly 60 percent. DPS management has made the decision to replace all security guards with certified police officers through attrition beginning in 2002-03.
Recommendation 119:
Increase the patrol officers' average salary to be competitive with the local market.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The director of Human Resources works with the ACCD chief of Police to conduct a salary survey of patrol officer positions in the San Antonio area to verify minimum salaries. September - October 2003 2. The director of Human Resources works with the chief of Police to prepare the justification to implement a salary increase for patrol officers. October - November 2003 3. The director of Human Resources presents the proposed salary increases to the chancellor and board for approval. November 2003 4. The chancellor and board approve the salary increase. December 2003 5. The chancellor directs the director of Human Resources and the chief of Police to implement the salary increases. January 2004 FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact is calculated by instituting a 60 percent raise for the 36 patrol officers. To be conservative, the raise should be phased in at 12 percent per year from 2003-04 through 2007-08. All salary increases are based on the current average salary for patrol officers at $23,927. The cost of this salary action would be $1,696,215 [($23,927 x 1.12 percent first year raise x 1.094 percent benefits) + ($23,927 x 1.24 percent second year raise x 1.094 percent benefits) + ($23,927 x 1.36 percent third year raise x 1.094 percent benefits) + ($23,927 x 1.48 percent fourth year raise x 1.094 percent benefits) + ($23,927 x 1.60 percent fifth year raise x 1.094 percent benefits)].
Recommendation 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Increase the patrol officers' average salary to be competitive with the local market. ($113,081) ($226,162) ($339,243) ($452,324) ($565,405)
