Licenciado

Highway Patrol Division Staff Notes-Southern Patrol Bureau Version

1. Aviation Administrator Rich Thacher made a presentation on a proposal to eliminate the Kingman and Flagstaff Air Rescue sitesand consolidate all Air Rescue into Phoenix and Tucson. This is not presented as a cost saving proposal, as savings would be limited to little more than the annual leases for the Kingman and Flagstafffacilities. It would however, provide 24/7 coverage out of both the Phoenix and Tucson locations with a spare helicopter on standby at both sites. This plan could be accomplished through attrition,as Air Rescue is already carrying numerous vacancies. Current staffing of the Kingman and Flagstaff sites is already handled in part by employees commuting from Phoenix. A media site already reportedthat closure of Kingman and Flagstaff Air Rescue was tied to passage of Prop 100. That is incorrect. The proposal is to improve efficiency of operations. Currently Kingman, Flagstaff and Tucson areonly available 12 hours daily. Flagstaff is sometimes incapable of takeoff due to weather. The proposal was greeted favorably and will be passed on the Executive Staff for consideration.

2. The rankchanges will be postponed until April 24.

3. Budget update-If Prop 100 passes, DPS is expected to reduce budget by $4 million next fiscal year. If it does not, DPS will take a $15 million cut.During the current fiscal year we must revert another $800K to make up for the one furlough day mandated by the Legislature in special session. DPS opted not to request an exemption to the furlough daysmandated for the coming fiscal years. We will request an exemption from the designated days. This means every employee will take 6 furlough days per fiscal year. Rather than everyone being off the sameday, which is impractical for a public safety agency, we are requesting flexibility in assigning the furlough days to allow for continued operations.

It has been projected that DPS will hire no...