Downey hiring firm to assess police department operations

DOWNEY – The Downey City Council on Tuesday will consider hiring a firm to conduct an organizational assessment of its police department.

“Specifically, the Department is looking to find ways to maximize efficiencies with current resources and have a detailed plan regarding staffing growth in both sworn and nonsworn positions in order to continue to provide high quality services to the Downey community,” city manager Roger Bradley wrote in a report to council members.

The proposal by Matrix Consulting Group calls for a 22-week process in which they would evaluate the police department’s organizational leadership, administration and staffing, patrol services, technology, community engagement, investigations, operational policies, recruitment and retention, dispatch, and more.

Matrix was one of seven firms to bid for the work and is charging $135,000.