AGENDA ITEM
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: CARLO TOMAINO
CITY MANAGER
BY: BRAD KENNEALLY
CHIEF OF POLICE
SUBJECT:
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SECOND AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH RCS INVESTIGATION & CONSULTING, LLC FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT BACKGROUND AND PERSONNEL INVESTIGATIONS
summary
Summary:
In December 2024, The City approved a new service agreement with RCS investigations & consulting, LLC (RCS), for a two-year term beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2026, with an annual not-to-exceed amount of $50,000. The services agreement also allows for three one-year extensions. On July 8, 2025, the City approved an increase of the annual not-to-exceed amount of $100,000 for each contract year due to on-going recruitment and hiring needs, along with personnel investigations. The Police Department relies on and maintains a working relationship with RCS for applicant backgrounds. The RCS team collaborates closely with the Police Department’s hiring manager, providing regular updates on background investigations. RCS also conducts internal affairs investigations, which is an important component of any law enforcement agency. These investigations are necessary to review incidents for conformance with the Police Department’s policies and practices to ensure it continues to operate at the highest professional and ethical standard. Due to continued recruitment needs and hiring activity, staff is requesting to extend the current contract with RCS Investigations to include all remaining three-year term options.
Strategic Plan Goal(s):
Goal No.2 Community Safety: Maintain community safety by supporting public safety services and increasing emergency preparedness.
Goal No. 5 High Functioning Government: Strengthen internal communication, recruitment, retention, systems, and processes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of City services.
recommendation
Recommendation:
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute the Second Amendment to the RCS Investigations & Consulting, LLC Contract Services Agreement to extend the contract term for an additional three years and update the revised fee schedule.
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Fiscal Impact:
Although recruitment efforts for the Police Department have been successful, there is an ongoing need to use RCS to conduct background investigations for new recruits and internal affairs investigations, which are inherently unpredictable. Staff reviewed the anticipated service fee increases and departmental needs and recommends lowering the not-to-exceed amount from $300,000 to $275,000 for the additional three-year extension. This new NTE reflects the Department’s immediate average annual need of about $100,000 and predicts that future staffing and investigative needs will return to typical levels. Staff is leveraging this opportunity to extend the agreement from one additional year to three more years, locking in current rates and providing cost certainty for the City.
Background:
The City and the Police Department remain jointly committed in their efforts to hire and retain staff. The Department has worked to streamline the recruitment and onboarding process by collaborating with the City’s Human Resources Division to increase the volume of testing and recently extended online testing options with the National Testing Network (NTN). The Department works very closely with RCS to determine optimal timelines for background investigations. RCS investigators also proactively inform the hiring manager when they determine whether a candidate does not align with the Department’s high standards and requirements.
Analysis:
The Police Department relies on outside services to assist with matters related to background checks and internal investigations and has contracted with RCS to provide these services. As the Police Department continues to prioritize recruitment and hiring, it will require RCS to provide more of its services.
Background Investigations:
RCS is directly responsible for conducting background investigations for all Police Department applicants to determine whether candidates meet the necessary requirements. RCS works closely with the Police Department Hiring Manager throughout the background investigations. RCS assigns an investigator to each candidate to contact references, previous and current employers, co-workers, supervisors, and relatives. RCS will also obtain, evaluate, and certify any required documents for the position. Additionally, RCS coordinates field visits to the applicant’s previous employers and a home visit for each candidate. This rigorous background investigation is vital to ensure the Police Department is hiring the most qualified and exceptional employees. There are several layers to a State mandated background investigation, RCS provides an organized methodical approach to ensure all areas are handled and subsequently provides the agency with the opportunity to focus on recruitment efforts. At the conclusion of the investigation, RCS provides the Hiring Manager with a binder containing all documents, interview, and a comprehensive report. This investigation meets State standards and provides the Police Department, and Police Chief, with the necessary information to determine if the candidate is the most suitable for the position,
Internal Affairs Investigations
The Police Department also relies on RCS for Police Internal Affairs investigations. The RCS team is comprised of retired law enforcement professionals and industry experts; the company’s collective training and experience ensure thorough and reliable investigations, even in the most complex of situations. RCS works with the Operations Lieutenant to ensure that it conducts investigations with the required due process and in line with Police Department policies and procedures. Internal Affairs is a vital part of any law enforcement agency and works to ensure the Police Department continues operating at the highest professional and ethical standards.
Recommendations:
To maintain the continuity of services for the necessary recruitment efforts, and any potential Internal Affairs investigations, staff recommends amending the current contract to include three additional years and approve the updated compensation schedule. The compensation schedule reflects the standard service fee increase for the first two years, and a final increase to year three. Staff worked with the City Attorney’s office to prepare the proposed Second Amendment with RCS.
Reviewed for Fiscal Impact:
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Siamlu Cox
Attachment(s):
A. Second Amendment to RCS Agreement
B. RCS Investigations & Consulting, LLC- Contract Services Agreement