BOARD OF ANIMAL SERVICES COMMISSIONERS

LISA MCCURDY President

KATHLEEN RIORDAN VIce President

JIM JENSVOLD

TARIQ A. KHERO

ALANA YANEZ

September 19, 2012

City of Los Angeles CALIFORNIA

ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA MAYOR

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES

221 North Figueroa Street 51hFioor

Los Angeles, CA 90012 (888) 452-7381

FAX (213) 482-9511

BRENDA F. BARNETTE GENERAL MANAGER

JOHN D. CHAVEZ ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

DR. JEREMY PRUPAS CHIEF VETERINARIAN

Council File: 12-0443 Council Districts: All Contact person and phone: John Chavez (213) 482-9507

The Honorable Antonio R. Villaraigosa Mayor, City of Los Angeles Room 303, City Hall

Attention: Mandy Morales, Legislative Coordinator

Los Angeles City Council c/o City Clerk Room 395, City Hall

TRANSMITTAL: REPORT ON RESERVE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS (RACOs)

RECOMMENDATION:

The General Manager of the Department of Animal Services respectfully requests that the Mayor and City Council:

NOTE AND FILE this report.

SUMMARY

On March 23, 2012, a motion (C.F. 12-0443) was introduced in City Council instructing the Department of Animal Services to report on the Reserve Animal Control Officer program, or RACO. Information was requested relative to the following:

• Status of the program; • Number of volunteers that have participated; • Description of the outreach program to potential volunteer participants; areas of services

they would be most productive; • Enumeration of the Department's goals for the program; and • Legal limitations concerning City employees' participation in the RACO program.

This report addresses each of those items.

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AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Visit our website at www. LAAnimaiServlces.com

Reserve Anima! Control ufficers Page 2

BACKGROUND

The Department of Animal Services is the only agency in the City assigned to animal-related public safety and health issues - we promote and protect the health, safety and welfare of 4,000,000 residents and their pets by enforcing animal ordinances and modeling humane values through high-quality animal care programs.

The Field Enforcement Division is currently functioning with a 4% vacancy rate. Factoring in long-term leaves due to disability or other problems, the rate is 9%. To gain efficiency without sacrificing services, the Department consolidated special programs, such as the Small Animal Rescue Team (SmART), Department Air Rescue Team (DART), Wildlife, Animal Cruelty Task Force and Permits into the Special Operation Unit. The team is able to share equipment and staff resources to provide more effective services for large or small animals whether they are domestic or wild.

The Department created the volunteer Reserve Animal Control Officers (RACO) program in 1985 to support its Animal Control Officers much !ike reserve police officers help supplement law enforcement activities. For some, the RACO program is an entree into City employment.

For example, in 1988, a resident walked into an animal shelter, saw an Animal Control Officer, and inquired about that person's duties. When informed that ACOs enforce laws pertaining to animals, safeguard the public from nuisance animals, and rescue animals, the resident wanted to sign-up immediately, but the City had a hiring freeze. To gain experience as an Animal Control Officer, the resident volunteered as a RACO. After enrolling in the program and doing the required training, this person was eventually hired as an ACO in 1997. He now heads the Special Operations Unit.

The Department has one RACO volunteer who has served since 1989. ln addition, Animal Services has two current Animal Control Officers who began as RACOs. Thirteen RACOs graduated on April 13, 2011, the most recent class. One has resigned and 12 are still volunteering.

WHAT IS THE RACO PROGRAM?

The RACO program allows volunteers to become Reserve Animal Control Officers serving in the same capacity as Animal Control Officers. The program requires a commitment of 18 hours of volunteer service each month at any one of six animal shelters for three months prior to the first class. This commitment provides a great opportunity for volunteers to serve and observe. Prospective candidates learn about the care and handling of a variety of animals, interface with shelter staff, and work with supervisors and become familiar with day-to-day operations. ·

During this three-month commitment, there is an application process. An applicant must be a minimum of 21 years of age, a high school graduate or equivalent, and must have a current driver's license. A background check, and drug and alcohol screening is performed as a part of the process. Candidates need to be prepared for a physical requirement check because RACOs must be able to lift at least 70 pounds and sometimes more. Other physical agility requirements, such as stooping, crawling, and bending, are tested.

The training program runs for approximately six months with a schedule of four hours over two evenings, with classroom and field training during the program, Uniforms, equipment and

Reserve Animal Control ufficers Page 3

training are provided by the Department (at no cost to the RACO). The Department requires a one~year commitment of '18 hours per month after graduating from the class. The RACO recruitment bulletin, which is posted on the City's internal transfer opportunities page, provides more detail and is attached.

These newly graduated RACO volunteers will be paired with ACOs to assist with services such as promoting and selling dog licenses either door-to-door or at public events, roundups of stray dogs, wildlife calls that could use extra assistance and some may join our special Specialize Mobile Animal Rescue Team (SMART).

lEGAL ISSUES RElATED TO CITY EMPLOYEES

While the RACO program is open to both City and non-City employees, it was an especially attractive program for two Department-specific classifications: Animal Care Technicians (ACTs) and Animal Care Technician Supervisors (ACT Supervisors). The reasons were professional development and potential promotions.

An Animal Care Technician's top pay is $49,235. The Animal Care Technician Supervisor has a maximum salary of $56,710.

By comparison, Animal Control Officers I and II earn a maximum $56,501 and $59,633, respectively. Senior Animal Control Officers i and I! earn $63,329 and $69,864, respectively.

The RACO program appeals to ACTs and ACT Supervisors because it provides them with on­the-job training, better preparing them for promotional examinations. However, in July 2011, on the recommendation of City Personnel and the City Attorney's Office, the Department suspended the program. Animal Services had to determine whether the job duties of ACTs and ACT Supervisors were sufficiently different enough to allow those two classifications to volunteer as RACOs without incurring an overtime liability.

After consultation with the City Attorney's office (and its outside counsel) and the Personnel Department, legal counsel determined that the duties of Animal Control Officers and Animal Care Technicians are distinct and the Department can allow the ACTs and ACT Supervisors to participate in the RACO program. To ensure that there is no confusion between the duties of an ACT/ACT Supervisor and Animal Control Officers, the Department posted a clarification notice on its department-wide electronic bulletin board. ACTs were directed to not engage in any AGO-related duties while they were working as ACTs.

STATUS OF THE RACO PROGRAM

Due to the written legal opinion which allows ACTs and ACT Supervisors to volunteer as RACOs, Animal Services is currently accepting applications for the RACO program from current staff and from members of the public who are current Animal Services volunteers and who will finish their required volunteer pre-service hours within the next 30 days. A City application can be accessed at http://per.lacity.org/appiicatiol1QQ:f. Completed applications can be sent to:

Reserve Animal Control ufficers

Personnel Department- Liaison Services Bureau A TIN: RACO PROGRAM

200 N. Spring Street- Room 1805 Los Angeles, CA 90012

Page4

A class will be scheduled after the Department receives 15 qualified applicants. The next class is expected in the fall of 2012. In 2011, the year of the last RACO class, there were 13 graduates. Each class can accommodate 15 prospective RACO candidates. The Department plans to conduct at least one class each year. If there are sufficient candidates, a second class can be scheduled.

To meet that goal, the Department issued an electronic bulletin on June 7, 2012, which it re­issued in September 2012, inviting interest~d parties to apply for the fall class. Animal Services is also using social media, like FaceBook and Twitter, and is publicizing this program on the City's Internal Transfer Opportunities list.

FISCAL IMPACT

There is a fiscal impact related to the staff time, and their related salary costs, needed by 1) two Senior Animal Control Officer l's to provide four hours of training, twice weekly for six months; and, 2) a Senior An imal Control Officer II to dedicate 40 hours per year. These salary costs are $14,4801

. Uniforms and equipment are provided to RACOs through restricted donations and from funds allocated by the Board of Animal Commissioners from the Animal Welfare Trust Fund.

hUdt 7 /!:;a,~ BRENDA F. BARNETTE General Manager

BFB:JC

Attachment:

Reserve Animal Control Officer (RACO) Program bulletin

x:lbudgetsljdclracolpaw committee raco report.doc

1 It is important to note that existing staff dedication to RACO training will reduce the time they will be working in the field providing core services: animal control and enforcement.

ANIMAL SERVICES

RESERVE ANIMAL CONTROl OFFICER (RACO) PROGRAM

The Department of Animal Services is currently seeking volunteers for our Reserve Animal Control Officer (RACO) Corps. This is an exciting opportunity that will provide participants with the chance to serve alongside regular Animal Control Officers in enforcing State and City ordinances related to the care, treatment and licensing of animals.

DUTIES

A volunteer RACO impounds stray, sick, vicious and unwanted animals; conducts humane investigations, conducts permit investigations, issues citations, and makes arrests; and keeps records and prepares reports which may be used as legal evidence. RACOs may be required to humanely euthanize animals in the field using a firearm or other humane methods. RACOs may also be called upon to serve at night.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Prior to appointment, applicants must have completed 54 hours of (paid or volunteer) service performing animal care, and maintenance or control of domestic or wild animals. RACO volunteer service must be completed at the rate of not less than eighteen hours per month in an Animal Services Shelter.

2. High school graduation or equivalent. 3. A valid California driver's license. Applicants must have a driving record free of accidents and/or

moving violations within the last year. Individuals who have three or more moving violations or at-fault accidents, or any combination of moving violations or at-fault accidents totaling three or more within the last five years are not eligible for participation in this program.

4. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment 5. Current Department of Animal Services employees will only be permitted to perform RACO duties for a

different shelter than their assigned work location. No exceptions. 6. Moreover, Animal Services employees volunteering as RACOs are not entitled to overtime for RACO

duties. No exceptions.

HOWTOAPPLY

Interested individuals should complete and submit a regular City application and the attached Reserve Animal Control Officer Supplemental Questionnaire to:

Personnel Department - Liaison Services Bureau 200 North Spring Street, Room 1805 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Attn: Erika Hillard

Applications can be downloaded at http://Qe[,.!acity.org/application.pdf

Revised 09/07/2012, Page 1 of3

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process will consist of three parts: 1) an oral interview, 2) a writing exercise, and 3) a qualifying (pass/fail) Physical Assessment Test (PAT). In the interview and written exercise, applicants may be assessed for written communication skills; reading comprehension; knowledge of animal care, feeding, and handling; the ability to deal tactfully and effectively with the public and others; arithmetic; the ability to read street maps; the ability to follow instructions; and other necessary knowledge and abilities.

The PAT consists of four parts: one to measure flexibility, one to measure upper body strength, one to measure lower body strength and one to measure gross body coordination. Only those applicants that pass the interview and writing exercise may take the PAT.

RACO VOLUNTEER APPOINTMENT IS SUBJECT TO:

1. Passing a PAT. 2. Passing a thorough and comprehensive medical and psychological examination, including a

personality inventory evaluation, administered by the Personnel Department. 3. Passing a thorough and comprehensive Peace Officer status background investigation conducted by

the Personnel Department (AB 2194 ). 4. Completion of a six-month (a minimum of 280 hours) training program encompassing all fields of

animal control and activity.

Notes:

1. RACOs must be able to perform duties that frequently include lifting up to 70 pounds and occasionally up to 100.

2. Current City employees will be subject to the same background investigation as other candidates for RACO. Any unfavorable information obtained from the current background investigation could adversely impact current City employment

CONDITIONS FOR CONTINUED VOlUNTEER RACO PARTICIPATION

1. After completing the six-month training program, RACOs must provide eighteen hours of volunteer service each calendar month to qualify for continued participation in this program (Administrative Code Section 22.10.1 ). A one-year commitment to this program is highly desired.

2. RACOs must maintain a valid California driver's license.

3. RACOs must successfully complete PC 832 modules!, II, and lll as a part of their required training.

4. On a semi-annual basis, RACOs must successfully qualify with all approved department firearms at the firing range.

Revised 09/07/2012, Page 2 of3

RESERVE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER (RACO) VOLUNTEER SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

This supplemental Questionnaire is designed to help you understand the nature of work you would be performing as a volunteer Reserve Animal Control Officer (RACO). Many aspects of the work are unpleasant and present RACOs with physically and emotionally challenging activities. Writing your initials following each statement below is an acknowledgement of your understanding of the given working conditions. If you cannot work with the given conditions, you may wish to reconsider applying for this type of volunteer opportunity.

1. I understand that a RACO is required to successfully complete P.C. 832 modules I, II, and Ill as a part of the required training, and on a semi~annual basis a RACO is required to successfully qualify with all approved Department firearms at the firing range. Initial

2. l understand that this position may require me to deal frequently with people who are upset, angry, and/or hostile. Initial

3. I understand that I may be required to work outdoors in extreme weather conditions. Initial __

4. I understand that I may be required to pick up or capture animals that may be sick, injured, or vicious and/or may weight up to 1 00 pounds. Initial

5. I understand that I may be required to lift and carry badly injured, mutilated, and bleeding animals. Initial

6. I understand that I may be required to humanely euthanize animals in the field using a firearm or other appropriate method. Initial

7. I understand that RACOs are required to communicate over a radio, through the telephone, and in person. Initial

8. I understand that I may be required to capture and transport wild animals such as snakes and skunks. Initial

9. I understand that I may be required to find and humanely euthanize or capture and transport a rabid wild or domestic animaL Initial

10. I understand that there may be times when I will be required to take action to humanely euthanize a family pet or remove such a pet from a home where there are children who do not understand the necessity of my actions. Initial

11 " I understand that, if I am a City employee, RACO will provide me with professional development. However, I also understand that there is no guarantee that this professional development will lead to a promotion. Initial

Name (printed) Signature

Date

Revised 09/07/2012, Page 3 of3