DATE: October 15, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Police Department
TITLE: APPROVE THE NEW JOB CLASSIFICATION/DESCRIPTION AND ACCOMPANYING SALARY RANGE AND RECLASSIFY AN EXISTING AUTHORIZED CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALIST POSITION TO SENIOR CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALIST
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council approve the new Job Description and accompanying salary range for the proposed Job Classification and approve reclassifying an existing authorized full-time benefited Crime Prevention Specialist position to a full-time benefited Senior Crime Prevention Specialist.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Police Department currently has one full-time benefited Crime Prevention Specialist budgeted and allocated to the Department. The Crime Prevention Specialist position supports the Department’s crime prevention and community outreach efforts by providing public safety education, coordinating programs such as Neighborhood Watch and Crime Free Multi-Housing, and assisting with clerical and administrative functions. Historically, this position has been assigned to the Neighborhood Policing Team within the Community Services Division.
Based on the current operations of the Division, the Department has determined that there is an immediate need to modify the existing position to a Senior Crime Prevention Specialist. Creation of a new Senior Crime Prevention Specialist position will allow for expanded job duties as described below. While the Crime Prevention Specialist and Senior Crime Prevention Specialist would share core responsibilities in delivering community safety seminars, conducting inspections, and providing crime prevention outreach, the Senior role would incorporate a higher level of responsibility, program coordination, and analytical work. Key differences include:
Program Coordination
• Crime Prevention Specialist: Coordinates Neighborhood Watch, Crime Free Multi-Housing, and Volunteer/Intern programs.
• Senior Crime Prevention Specialist: Coordinates Neighborhood Watch, Crime Free Multi-Housing, and the more advanced Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program, which requires technical expertise in crime prevention strategies tied to building and environmental design.
Community Engagement
• Crime Prevention Specialist: Participates in special events, conducts station tours, and engages the public primarily through presentations and traditional media (newspapers, radio, television).
• Senior Crime Prevention Specialist: Expands outreach to include preparing materials for social media platforms, prepares professional presentations for schools, law enforcement personnel, and community organizations, and plays a more visible role through public speaking and television appearances.
Analytical Duties
• Crime Prevention Specialist: Reviews DUI reports, computes cost breakdowns, determines blood alcohol levels, maintains subpoenas, and processes red-light violations.
• Senior Crime Prevention Specialist: Collects and analyzes statistical data to identify crime trends, prepares detailed reports to support crime prevention strategies, and conducts higher-level data analysis related to DUI incidents and other crime prevention efforts.
Administrative Focus
• Crime Prevention Specialist: Performs a wide range of clerical and administrative functions, including logging subpoenas, processing violations, and supporting volunteer coordination.
• Senior Crime Prevention Specialist: Performs basic clerical functions but emphasizes preparation of professional-level materials (flyers, brochures, visual displays, and reports) and supports Department-wide crime prevention initiatives.
The proposed Senior classification emphasizes program coordination at a higher technical level, expanded community engagement through modern communication platforms, and advanced analytical responsibilities, while reducing clerical and administrative functions.
Approval of this reclassification will ensure that the position accurately reflects the Department’s current operational requirements and needs.
The proposed salary range for the position is:
|
Senior Crime Prevention Specialist Proposed Salary Range |
|
|
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
|
Hourly |
$29.11 |
$30.52 |
$32.05 |
$33.65 |
$35.35 |
$37.14 |
$39.02 |
|
Monthly |
$5,046 |
$5,290 |
$5,555 |
$5,833 |
$6,127 |
$6,438 |
$6,763 |
|
Annual |
$60,549 |
$63,482 |
$66,655 |
$69,992 |
$73,528 |
$77,252 |
$81,154 |
In supporting the justification for this requested change in classification, the Human Resources Department conducted an analysis of the Crime Prevention Specialist job classification and the proposed Senior Crime Prevention Specialist job classification. Through this review, staff found that the original Crime Prevention Specialist position series, created in the early 2000’s, was intended to function as a continuum classification - a series designed to provide a structured progression from entry-level to advanced responsibilities as knowledge, skills, and experience are gained. However, the Senior position was never developed or implemented. Staff has, therefore, determined that merit exists to restructure the Crime Prevention Specialist position as a true continuum classification, allowing for progression and advancement as incumbents grow within the series. This restructuring provides meaningful career development and advancement opportunities for this non-sworn position.
This restructuring and reclassification plan does not seek additional funding for implementation. The current Crime Prevention Specialist position control number is PO09PO03 and will not change with the modification.
FISCAL IMPACT
|
Modification of Existing Position |
|
|
Crime Prevention Specialist |
Senior Crime Prevention Specialist |
|
Budget FY2025-26 |
$136,290 |
$142,100 |
The total budget allocation for the Crime Prevention Specialist position in Fiscal Year 2025-26 is $136,290. The projected cost for the Senior Crime Prevention Specialist is $142,100, representing an increase of $5,810 for FY 2025-26. This additional cost will be absorbed through salary savings within the OPD General Fund during FY 2025-26, ensuring that sufficient funds are available without placing any additional burden on the General Fund. While there is no budget impact in FY 2025-26, the approximate ongoing annual increase in General Fund salary costs of $9,000 will be incorporated into future budgets through the normal budget development process.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Police and Fire Commission will be informed of this action at its regularly scheduled meeting on October 14, 2025.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The City Attorney has reviewed the referenced documents and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Gricel Beltran-Taj, Principal Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Taurino Valdovinos, Chief of Police
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. Senior Crime Prevention Specialist Job Description