DEPARTMENT: Sheriff
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
title
Authorization To Add 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent Senior Program Services Assistant To Support Gun Permit Duties And Amend Sheriff’s Office 2024 Budget
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize the Sheriff to add 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) to serve as a Senior Program Services Assistant to support gun permits duties and amend the Sheriff’s Office 2024 budget.
SUMMARY
Dakota County Sheriff’s Office requests an additional 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Senior Program Services Assistant for gun permit processing. In 2020-2021, the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office processed 8,000-10,000 new gun permits annually. This was approximately double the amount of gun permit applications received before COVID. These permit holders are now due for their 5-year renewal and will result in a significant workload increase for the Sheriff’s Office. In anticipation of nearly doubling our annual permit renewal work, and to reduce the current backlog of 10,000 annual renewals, the additional FTE is required to meet existing permit application mandates and timelines. Annual background checks must be completed on each Dakota County permit-to-carry holder. As the total number of permit holders increases, so does the time needed to complete these checks.
Minnesota State Statute mandates that our Office process all applications and notify the applicant of the results within 30 days for permits to carry and seven days for permits to purchase. There are currently 5.0 full-time Program Services Assistants (PSAs) assigned to processing gun permit Applications at the Western Service Center and Hastings Law Enforcement Center Sheriff’s Office. This request of adding a 1.0 FTE will bring the total FTE’s to 6.0. These positions are entirely funded through gun permit revenue.
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting a 2024 budget amendment for five months in the amount of $42,764 to be covered through gun permit revenue.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
The Sheriff recommends authorizing the addition of 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) to serve as a Senior Program Services Assistant to support gun permits duties and amend the Sheriff’s Office 2024 budget.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
The Sheriff’s Office requests a 2024 budget amendment to account for adding a 1.0 FTE to the current Sheriff’s staffing level. Salary and benefit costs to fund that position for five months, from August 1st, 2024, through December 31, 2024, total approximately $42,764. The position will be entirely funded by gun permit revenue and no additional levy County dollars are requested. The continued funding of this position through gun permit revenue will be included in the County Manager’s 2025 recommended budget.
☐ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☒ Amendment Requested ☒ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, the Sheriff is mandated by State Statute to process permit to carry for the entire County and to either issue the permit or deny it based on available evidence within a 30-day time frame; and
WHEREAS, during the years of 2020-2021 gun permit application numbers approximately doubled, resulting in the five-year renewal process of these applications to begin in 2024; and
WHEREAS, the Sheriff has an existing backlog of approximately 10,000 annual renewal applications; and annual background checks must also be conducted on all active permit holders; and
WHEREAS, the Sheriff’s Office is requesting the addition of 1.0. Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) to support the increasing of gun permit applications and process the existing backlog of annual renewal permits; and
WHEREAS, the funding needed to add the 1.0 FTE Program Services Assistant is entirely funded from existing revenue in the gun permit account.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby increases the Sheriff’s Full-Time Equivalent complement by 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent for a Program Services Assistant effective August 1, 2024; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the 2024 Sheriff’s Office budget is amended as follows:
Expense
1.0 FTE Program Services Assistant, Grade 105 (5 Months) $42,764
Total Expense $42,764
Revenue
Gun Permit Revenue $42,764
Total Revenue $42,764
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
None.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: None.
BOARD GOALS
☐ A Great Place to Live ☐ A Healthy Environment
☒ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACT
Department Head: Joe Leko
Author: Nina Langer