DEPARTMENT: Sheriff
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
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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.
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