* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] EVERYONE, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. [Civil Service on August 12, 2025.] WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM CHRIS AND, AND BEEN TEXAS. WE MAY JOIN UP LATER. UM, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. UH, THIS IS THE, UH, CIVIL SERVICE BOARD MEETING. TODAY IS, UH, TUESDAY, AUGUST 12TH, UH, 2025. I'M GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. AND OUR AGENDA TODAY IS OUR FIRST ITEM IS, UH, LET ME ASK, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS? NO ONE'S REGISTERED, SO WE'RE GOOD TO GO THERE. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 3RD, 2025 CIVIL SERVICE COORDINATION. THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN A PACKET. HAVE PEOPLE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THOSE? YES. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES? YES. I'M SORRY. OKAY. UH, IF THERE ARE NO CHANGES, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE TUESDAY, JUNE 3RD, 2025 MEETING. HAVE A, HAVE A MOTION BY PAM GERBER. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? SECOND. SECOND BY BRIDGET MITCHELL. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF TUESDAY, JUNE 3RD, 2025, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND OR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OKAY, THEN WITH THAT MOTION CARRIES MORE TO NOTHING. OUR NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE, UH, IS THE, UH, TO HEAR THE REHIRE ELIGIBILITY APPEAL OF MR. MICHAEL TRACY, A FORMER EMPLOYEE IN THE DALLAS FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND MR. TRACY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. UM, LET ME, LEMME TELL YOU JUST BRIEFLY HOW, HOW THIS WILL WORK. IT, IT IS PRETTY, UH, PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO US ABOUT WHY YOU'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BEING REHIRED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS. UH, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SAY ANYTHING YOU WISH ABOUT, THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE DOCUMENTATION YOU HAVE, YOU PROVIDED THAT, INCLUDING YOUR PACKET, YOUR LETTER, AND OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CURRENT EMPLOYMENT. BUT OF COURSE, WE WANT YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD. UM, ALSO DURING THAT, DURING YOUR PRESENTATION OR AFTER YOUR PRESENTATION, UH, ANY MEMBER OF THE BOARD CAN ASK YOU QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE ABOUT ANYTHING YOU SAID ABOUT ANYTHING CONTAINED IN THE DOCUMENTATION. SO, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO YOU, MR. TRACY. I'M LET YOU, UH, FEEL FREE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND TELL US LIKE WHY YOU'D LIKE TO BE REHIRED, UH, BY THE DALLAS FIRE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, FIRST OFF, THANK EVERYONE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. YES. MM-HMM . THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR, FOR BEING HERE TODAY. AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS. UM, I'M VERY, VERY THANKFUL TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU AND 2018, THAT WAS, UM, ACTUALLY JANUARY OF 2019 WAS MY TERMINATION DATE. UH, THAT TERMINATION WAS A SETBACK FOR ME PROFESSIONALLY. IT NOT ONLY WAS THAT, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A HUGE LIFE EVENT FOR ME. UM, PRIOR TO, UH, VERY MUCH DELIBERATED THROUGH PRAYER, AND I, I DELIBERATED THROUGH THOUGHT AND THROUGH REASON AS TO WHAT I WANTED TO, TO DO WITH MY LIFE. I HAD PLAYED PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IN EUROPE, AND THEN I PLAYED, UH, I'M SORRY, I WAS A, A COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER AT HARIM UNIVERSITY. AND THEN I PLAYED PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IN EUROPE FOR A YEAR. I BROKE MY ANKLE. THAT WAS A CAREER HINDER FOR MY FOOTBALL CAREER. AND I STARTED LOOKING AT WHAT I WAS GONNA DO NEXT. AND THROUGH THE PRAYER, THROUGH THE DELIBERATION, I FELT LIKE THE BEST PLACE THAT I COULD SERVE IS THE CITY OF DALLAS. AND THE REASON WHY I CHOSE THE CITY OF DALLAS TO PURSUE EMPLOYMENT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS BECAUSE IT, IN MY OPINION, IT TRULY IS A WORLD CLASS FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE JOB, THEY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS. AND I WAS ATTRACTED TO THE FIRE SERVICE BECAUSE THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED HELP, THEY ARE TRULY IN NEED. AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN ONE TO STAND BY AND WATCH SOMEBODY STRUGGLE. ANYBODY IN MY LIFE THAT I'VE COME ACROSS HAS IN STRUGGLE. I DO ANYTHING, EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY CAN [00:05:01] TO HELP THEM. AND I KNEW THAT DALLAS, THERE WOULD BE A HUGE DEMAND, UM, FOR SERVICE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN A BIG CITY LIKE DALLAS. THERE ARE A LOT OF EMERGENCIES. AND I FELT AS THOUGH I CHOSE THE FIRE SERVICE, THAT IT WAS ALSO GONNA BE, UM, A PROFESSION WHERE I, I MUST TAKE IT VERY, VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY. THE SERVICE ASPECT OF IT, NOT JUST FOR THE CITIZENS, BUT ALSO FOR THE GUYS THAT I WORK WITH, BECAUSE IT IS VERY DEPENDENT ON LIFE SAFETY. SO IN THAT, IN THE LIFE SAFETY ASPECT OF IT, I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT I TOOK EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT I COULD TO GET MORE EXPERIENCE. I PICKED UP AS MUCH OVERTIME AS I POSSIBLY COULD. UM, AND I PICKED UP AS MANY EXTRA SHIFTS AS POSSIBLE. I PICKED UP, UH, PURSUED THE URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE PROGRAM, WHICH THROUGH THAT I OBTAINED SPECIALTY CERTIFICATIONS THAT 99% OF THE DEPARTMENT DO NOT HAVE. I LISTED THOSE CERTIFICATIONS IN THE LETTER THAT I SENT TO YOU ALL, AND, UH, TOOK ON AN EXTRA APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS OF TRAINING THAT THE 99% OF THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT TAKE ON. SO, ALL THAT TO SAY, I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE FIRE SERVICE. I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF SERVICE, AND THAT'S WHY I CHOSE DALLAS TO BEGIN WITH AND ALL OF THAT, TO MAKE MY POINT NOW THAT, THAT IS WHY THAT HAS NEVER LEFT ME, EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE TERMINATION, THAT WAS A PROFESSIONAL SETBACK, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS VERY MUCH A HUGE LIFE EVENT FOR ME. UM, IT WAS, THAT HAS NOT CHANGED. MY CONVICTION HAS NOT CHANGED AT THE PLACE THAT I CAN BEST SERVE IN THE GREATEST CAPACITY POSSIBLE IS THE CITY OF DALLAS. UM, I'M A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS. UH, THIS IS HOME FOR ME. UH, I'M INVESTED IN THE CITY, NOT JUST BEING A PROFESSIONAL, NOT JUST LIVING HERE, BUT ALSO, UM, IN THE INDIVIDUALS THAT SURROUND ME. SO THIS IS VERY MUCH HOME FOR ME. UH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CONVICTION FOR ME REMAINS THAT IT IS WHERE I CAN BEST SERVE. THAT'S WHY I WANT TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS. AND THAT'S WHY, UM, BEFORE YOU TODAY, IT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN VERY MUCH A, A HUMBLING PROCESS FOR ME. FROM JANUARY OF 2019, MY TERMINATION DATE TO NOW, I HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT. IT'S BEEN A REFINING PROCESS. AND I KNOW THAT THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE THAT, UM, I HAVE ADAPTED THIS, THIS WAS A NEGATIVE THING IN MY LIFE, AND SOME WOULD CONSIDER IT A STEP BACK. I CALL IT A SETBACK. IF, IF, IF WE ARE TO CALL IT A STEP BACK. I DO BELIEVE THAT IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE, I HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT I PROGRESS AND THAT I MOVE FORWARD, AND THAT I DO NOT, THAT I DID NOT REMAIN WHERE I WAS AND THAT I DID NOT DIGRESS. I WAS VERY INTENTIONAL IN MAKING SURE THAT I PROGRESSED AND I DID. SO, UM, I CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT MY EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, BUT I WOULD, I DON'T WANT TO GO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED ME, MR. TRACY. I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. YES, SIR. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT SINCE, SINCE THE DATE OF TERMINATION, WHAT HAS CHANGED THAT YOU THINK YOU, THAT MADE YOU ELIGIBLE TO BE THE FIREFIGHTER IN PACIFIC COUNTY? SINCE MY DATE OF TERMINATION IN JANUARY, 2000? YES. SO JANUARY, 2019 WAS A TERMINATION. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE, THE EVENT THAT LED TO MY TERMINATION WAS A RESULT OF ME REPORTING TO THE STATION IN THE MORNING. AND I HAD A RANDOM BREATHALYZER TEST, WHICH IS PART OF THE ALCOHOL REHABILITATIVE PROGRAM WITH DALLAS. I HAD THE RANDOM BREATHALYZER TEST UPON REPORTING TO WORK IN THE MORNING, AND THAT READING WAS A 0.039. SO JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR, WITH A 0.039 BLOOD ALCOHOL READING REPORTING TO WORK, IT BECAME VERY CLEAR TO ME IN, IN A VERY TANGIBLE WAY, THAT I ALLOWED MYSELF IN THAT INSTANCE TO BE, I PRESENTED MYSELF TO BE A LIABILITY. IN THAT INSTANCE, I VERY MUCH THAT I, I WAS [00:10:01] A LIABILITY. AND THAT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE REASON OF WHY I SIGNED UP. THE REASON WHY I SIGNED UP, THE REASON WHY I PURSUED THE CITY OF DALLAS WAS TO SERVE NOT TO BE A LIABILITY. I HAD WORKED HARD UP TO THAT POINT TO BECOME AN ASSET, BUT IN THAT INSTANCE, I WAS A LIABILITY. SO FROM THAT POINT, I WENT TO TREATMENT, UH, IN THE, TO THE, AN INPATIENT REHAB, THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS MENTAL HEALTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE, POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS TREATMENT CENTER. I WENT THROUGH SIX WEEKS OF TREATMENT THERE, THAT'S IN MARYLAND. UM, GOING THROUGH SIX WEEKS OF TREATMENT THERE, UH, THEY DEFINED A TREATMENT PLAN FOR ME OUTPATIENT TO TRANSITION TO, ONCE I WAS FINISHED WITH THE INPATIENT TREATMENT, I WENT TO THE OUTPATIENT PATIENT TREATMENT OF 12 MONTHS. 12 MONTHS WITH THE PSYCHOTHERAPIST. SO I CONTINUED TO WORK THROUGH ISSUES WITH MENTAL HEALTH, UM, AND WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE. I CONTINUED TO WORK ON MYSELF THROUGHOUT THAT YEAR. AND UP TO THIS CURRENT POINT, UM, I HAVE BEEN SOBER FROM JANUARY OF 2020. I'VE GOT OVER FIVE YEARS SOBER. I HAVE CONTINUED TO, UH, PRACTICE THE MINDFULNESS THAT I LEARNED, THE MINDFULNESS OF WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ME INTERNALLY. UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, I'M A FIREFIGHTER WITH SUNNYVALE FIRE. I JUST PROMOTED TO DRIVER ENGINEER. AND IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF BEING EMPLOYED BY THEM, THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS WHERE, UH, THERE ARE ARE CERTAIN TIMES WHERE WE HANDLE VERY DIFFICULT CALLS. AND THEN WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, WE GO ON TO THE NEXT CALL, AND THEN WE GO ON TO THE NEXT CALL. AND THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I DID NOT FULLY PROCESS THINGS EMOTIONALLY. ULTIMATELY, I FAILED TO TAKE MEASURES OF SELF-CARE. BUT I, WHAT I LEARNED IN THE TREATMENT CENTER IS MINDFULNESS TO ACTUALLY PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON INTERNALLY WITHIN ME EMOTIONALLY. UM, AND THEN ALSO HOW TO MANAGE THOSE EMOTIONS. AND IN THE ADAPTIVE WAY TO GO FORWARD STRONGER. AND NOT TO LET ALL OF THOSE EMOTIONS JUST BOTTLE UP INSIDE TO THE POINT WHERE I LOSE A HOLD OF WHO I AM, WHICH I WOULD SAY IN JANUARY OF 2019, AT THAT SPECIFIC MOMENT, THAT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH WHO MICHAEL TRACY IS. THERE WAS A, AN EIGHT MONTH TIMEFRAME WHERE I WENT THROUGH STRUGGLE UP TO THAT POINT. AND THAT WAS VERY MUCH A CHANGE OF DIRECTION FOR ME. UM, THAT LED TO TREATMENT, THAT LED TO A TREATMENT PLAN GOING FORWARD, DEVELOPING MINDFULNESS, UH, DEVELOPING A GREATER SELF-AWARENESS, UH, TO DEVELOPING THE ABILITY TO ADAPT THROUGH ADVERSITY RATHER THAN TO, UM, JUST KEEP TRYING TO TOUGH IT OUT. UH, I TOTALLY CHANGED MY DEFINITION OF TOUGHNESS BEING A FOOTBALL PLAYER. I CAME IN, THERE WERE GAMES WHERE, HEY, I, I'M HURT, BUT WE NEED TO WIN THE GAME. AND I KEPT PLAYING BECAUSE I WAS HURT. I WAS A TOUGH GUY. I WOULD KEEP PLAYING. AND THEN THERE'S TIMES WHERE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, WE WORKED A CRITICAL CALL WITH AN INFANT OR, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF CRAZY CALL. AND I WOULD TOUGH IT OUT. I WOULD SAY, I, I'M TOUGH. I'M GONNA KEEP, I'M JUST GONNA KEEP GOING AND GO TO THE NEXT CALL. AND I WOULD NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE THE EMOTION THAT CAME WITH THAT. UH, AND ULTIMATELY, I FAILED TO TAKE SELF-CARE IN THAT REGARD. BUT I VERY MUCH, WHENEVER I WENT OUT TO THAT TREATMENT CENTER, AND I STARTED UNPACKING ALL OF THIS EMOTION, I VERY MUCH REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE. AND I REDEFINED MY DEFINITION OF TOUGHNESS THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE, I CALLED IT A PROCESS. MY DEFINITION OF TOUGHNESS NOW IS ACKNOWLEDGING WEAKNESS WHERE IT'S PRESENT AND TAKING IT HEAD ON, NOT DENYING WEAKNESS AND KEEPING, TRY TO GO FORWARD BY DENYING WEAKNESS. I ACKNOWLEDGE WEAKNESS WHERE IT IS, AND I TAKE IT HEAD ON. UM, SO I'M VERY MUCH THE SAME PERSON. MI MICHAEL, TRACY, I, I JUST, I'VE ADAPTED THROUGH THIS ADVERSITY. THAT'S WHAT'S CHANGED IS I HAVE ADAPTED TO BECOME STRONGER. I'VE UTILIZED THIS EXPERIENCE NOT JUST TO SAY, HEY, I, I FAILED HERE AND I NEED TO RE, I NEED TO RECOVER AND BE SUCCESSFUL. NO, I MADE SURE THAT YES, I NEED TO RECOVER PROFESSIONALLY. AND THAT'S EVIDENCED IN THE REFERENCE LETTERS THAT I SENT YOU ALL, UH, IT'S EVIDENCE IN MY PROFESSIONAL HISTORY SINCE THEN. BUT I'VE ALSO SEEN THE UNDERLYING ROOTS OF ALL OF THIS IS WHERE I WAS AS A HUMAN BEING. MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, [00:15:01] AND EMOTIONALLY. I HAVE A MUCH GREATER SELF-AWARENESS. AND I, I MAKE SURE THAT I DRESS WEAKNESS AS IT PRESENTS HEAD ON WITH THE, AND FOR ME, THERE'S A GREATER OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH THIS EXPERIENCE. I THINK IT'S A CULTURAL THING IN THE FIRE SERVICE WHERE, HEY, WE GOTTA BE TOUGH AND WE GOT GOTTA GO ONTO THE NEXT CALL AND GO ONTO THE NEXT CALL. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF GUYS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT. AND GIVEN MY EXPERIENCE, I KNOW THAT, YES, I'VE GRANTED GREATER SELF-AWARENESS, BUT I ALSO KNOW WHAT GUYS ARE GOING THROUGH. AND I ALSO KNOW THE SIGNS OF WHENEVER GUYS ARE TRULY STARTING TO STRUGGLE. AND THAT HAS OPENED UP ANOTHER AVENUE FOR ME TO SERVE. AND I HAVE ACTIVELY DONE THAT WITHIN THE PROFESSIONS THAT I'VE BEEN IN SINCE WORKING FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS OVER THE COVID OPERATION, WORKING VERY LONG HOURS THERE, BUT ALSO WORKING AS A FIREFIGHTER. UH, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HELP OTHERS WITH, UM, WITH STRUGGLE AS WELL. UH, WHICH IS MY PURPOSE IS, IS TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED. SO, UM, I'D SAY I, I VERY MUCH TOOK FULL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE THINGS THAT LED TO MY TERMINATION. AND I, I TOOK THOSE HEAD ON AND IT WASN'T EASY, AND IT WAS A PROCESS. AND I'M NOT HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY TELLING YOU THAT I'M A PERFECT HUMAN BEING, BUT I'M MUCH STRONGER AND I'VE ADAPTED. AND I KNOW THAT WHERE I PRESENTED MYSELF AS A LIABILITY IN THAT INSTANCE, I KNOW THAT I CAN BE AN ASSET IN SERVICE FOR THE CITY AND IN SERVICE FOR THE GUYS THAT I SERVE NEXT TO. AND I HAVE DONE THAT IN MY ACTIONS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT I'M PART OF NOW. UM, SO I KNOW THAT I CAN DO THAT FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS AS WELL. MR. TRACY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT. UH, BOARD, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE? MR. TRACY? I HAVE ONE. MR. TRACY? YES, SIR. YOUR RANDOM TEST WAS PROMPTED BY YOU HAD BEEN, UH, FOUND IN VIOLATION, WHAT PRIOR TO THAT? YES, SIR. HOW MANY TIMES? ONE TIME. OKAY. AND SO THE DEPARTMENT GAVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, CORRECT YOUR ERRORS? YES, SIR. THEY DID. AND THEN THAT RANDOM TEST PUT YOU IN THAT SITUATION? THAT IS, THAT IS CORRECT. AND, AND TO BE CLEAR, THE, THE, UM, THE PREVIOUS OFFENSE WAS A, I WAS ARRESTED FOR UNDER SUSPICION OF DWI. OKAY. IT, IT WAS NOT A POSITIVE BREATHALYZER TEST. UPON REPORTING TO WORK, I WAS ARRESTED UNDER SUSPICION OF DWI, AND THAT'S WHENEVER I WAS PLACED INTO THE ALCOHOL REHABILITATIVE ALCOHOL REHABILITATIVE PROGRAM. UM, AND SINCE, SINCE, UM, AFTER MY TERMINATION, THE DISPOSITION OF THAT DWI CASE, UM, CAME OUT, AND THE DISPOSITION OF THAT DWI CASE IS DISMISSED. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTION? UH, I HAVE A, I HAVE A COMMENT, AND THAT IS, UH, MR. TRACY, I WAS ON, I WAS THE CHAIR OF YOUR TRIAL BOARD IN, UH, DECEMBER OF 2009. YES, SIR. AND, UM, AND I REMEMBER THE, THE DETAILS OF THAT PRETTY WELL, THAT, THAT STUCK WITH ME IN THE INCIDENT. AND, UH, SO I AM VERY, VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THE STEPS YOU'VE TAKEN SINCE THAT TIME. AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. I THINK THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL TO WORK WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH SIMILAR THINGS. THINGS HAVE GONE THROUGH. AND SO, I, I RESPECT THAT VERY MUCH. I THINK THAT, UH, UH, I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS AND THAT GIVES YOU A BENEFIT TO THE DALLAS FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING FURTHER, I'D MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ALLOW MR. UH, UH, TRACY TO, UH, UH, FILE OF DALLAS AND GO AND GO FORWARD WITH THE PROCESS. AND YOU, AS YOU UNDERSTAND THIS, IS THIS, THE MOTION IS TO ALLOW YOU TO GO FORWARD WITH THE PROCESS. DOESN'T, DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN HIRED, BUT TO START THE PROCESS BEING CO REAPPLY. YES, SIR. OKAY. SO I, I MADE THE MOTION, MR. SECOND. IT, IS THERE ANY FURTHER? I SECOND. I, I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER? I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMENT THAT, UH, I BELIEVE FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART THAT YOU DESERVE THIS SECOND CHANCE. I, THE, YOUR REVIEWS FROM YOUR [00:20:01] CHIEF. IT'S GLOWING. I MEAN, IT ALMOST JUMPED OUT OF THE PAGE. I'VE, I, THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPASSIONED LETTERS OF SUPPORT THAT I'VE SEEN, SO THANK YOU FOR PERSEVERING. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. WE HAVE SECOND WITH ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, ABILITY FOR MR. UH, TRACY TO FILE MS. DALLAS IN FAVOR OF THAT FOR, IN FAVOR, AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING NONE OPPOSED. OKAY. MR. TRACY, UH, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD TODAY. WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST DURING THIS APPLICATION, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. AND AGAIN, YOU'VE, UH, YOU'VE MADE GREAT STRIDE. AND FOR I, I'M ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, SIR. MAY I ASK, THIS IS TERRENCE WELCH, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. AND THEN MAY I ASK, UM, WHO THE LADY IS THAT, THAT SAID THE WORDS ABOUT, UH, THE REVIEWS? MS. GERBER, MS. MS. THE BOARD MEMBER GERBER. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE KIND WORDS. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. OKAY. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM ON OUR EVENT. AND MR. GRACIE, IF WE YEAH. FEEL FREE TO GET GOOD TO GO. UM, THAT TAKES US TO A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ITEM TODAY. UH, FIRST ONE IS THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES REVISION UPDATE, AND THAT OVER TO GARY DAVIS. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. UM, GLAD TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. REALLY BRIEFLY, I WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE. WE HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN OUR FINAL RULE REVISION THROUGH CITY COUNCIL, UH, . SO WE'RE, WE HAVE, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE ADEQUATELY ADDED THE ADDITIONAL PATHWAY THAT WILL FACILITATE THE ADDITIONAL HIRING. THANKS SO MUCH, UM, TO YOU BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND INSTRUCTIVE IN HELPING US FRAME THAT UP IN THE RIGHT WAY AND, AND, AND GET THAT OVER THE FINISH LINE. SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE FINALLY GOT THE, THE, THE STAMPED VERSION BACK FROM THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE. SO WE'RE RIGHT NOW COMPILING NEW BOOKS. AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE EACH OF YOU GET A NEW SPIRAL, UH, NOTEBOOK WITH ALL OF THE UPDATED CIVIL SERVICE RULES. AND WE'LL ALSO MAKE SURE WE TRANSMIT THEM TO YOU ELECTRONICALLY WHEN THOSE COME IN. I'M GOING TO ADD ONE THING. I WATCHED PRESENTATION BEFORE . WELL, WE, WE FIRST WENT TO, UH, YES. WE, WE BEFORE, UM, GOVERN, UH, NO, IT WAS PUBLIC SAFETY. PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I WATCHED OUT ONLINE, AND THEN IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, YOU WERE ON COUNCIL . YEAH. I BELIEVE IT WAS IN JUNE. IT'S ALL A BLUR. YEAH. A BLUR NOW. YEAH. BUT YEAH, IT HAD TO BE LATE JUNE, SINCE WE'RE JUST COMING BACK FROM RECESS. YES. BUT, UH, JARED AND BOTH FIRE DEPARTMENTS, EXCELLENT JOB, ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS. WELL, I'VE GOT, I BELIEVE, UNANIMOUS FOR I BELIEVE SO. I BELIEVE, IF I RECALL CORRECT. SO, AND THERE'S A PRESENTATION THAT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE THROUGH THE ON THROUGH THE, UH, WEBSITE THAT TALKS ABOUT THIS, THE, THE, THE PROCESS, WHAT THE, WHAT DEPARTMENT DID CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT CALLED, UH, PATHWAY. YEAH. SO WITH, WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE NAMED IT AN ADDITIONAL PATHWAY, UM, INTO THE, IN THE, INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND I'M GONNA BE HAPPY TO COME BACK TO THIS BOARD AND SHARE SOME ADDITIONAL PATHWAY OPPORTUNITIES AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OTHER CAREER SERIES WHERE WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY RECRUITING AND CREATING ADDITIONAL PATHWAYS TO GET, TO GET FOLK INTO JOBS THAT PROVIDE THOSE CRITICAL SERVICES, SUCH AS PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE OTHERS. SO WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE THAT, THAT RULE REVISION, UM, UM, DONE. AND I'M SURE WE'LL BE BACK WITH OTHERS IN DUE COURSE, BUT WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON, ON THAT. LET'S HOPE IT'S A LITTLE LONGER THIS TIME, , THAT IS, THAT, THAT IS, THAT IS IN FACT MY HOPE AND DESIRE. SO, SO THANK YOU. BUT JARED, YOU DID A GREAT JOB AND PROUD OF YOU AND ALL THE WORK, THE HARD WORK YOU PUT INTO THAT AND, AND FOR CHIEF AND OTHER FIRE DEPART. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UM, THE, THE NEXT ITEM IN I UPDATE IS THE Q3 DEPARTMENTAL SCORECARD. IT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR, IN YOUR MATERIAL, AND I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT, AND WE'LL GET TO SOME OF THIS IN THE DEPARTMENT UPDATES. WE HAVE BEEN REALLY, REALLY, REALLY VERY BUSY WITH PLANNING AND TRYING TO PREPARE FOR DALLAS FIRE OPERATIONS, UM, UPCOMING FIRE EXAMS. AND SO THAT'S BEEN A MAJOR LIFT FOR US. WE ARE UNDER SOME TREMENDOUS SPACE CONSTRAINTS. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE VERY LARGE RANKS THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT AND ACCOMMODATE IN THAT PROMOTIONAL TESTING AND ASSESSMENT CENTER. AND WITH THE, WITH THE RENOVATIONS AND FIFA AND OTHER THINGS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER. WE'RE HAVING TO GO AND SCOUT [00:25:01] SPACE AND DO SOME DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CONTAIN COST AND EXPLORE COST SAVING, UH, EFFORTS AND MEASURES WHILE WE'RE, UM, IN THIS STATE. AND SO MORE, MORE TO COME ON THAT, BUT REALLY WANTED TO SHARE YOU WITH THAT. AND WE'RE RAMPING DOWN THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR RIGHT NOW, THIS MORNING JUST BELOW US, UH, CITY COUNCIL IS, UH, WE'RE IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP SEASON. AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S HAPPENING JUST BELOW US. AND SO YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THESE NUMBERS ON THE SCORECARD ROUND OUT AS WE, AS WE HEAD INTO THE LAST QUARTER AND PREPARE TO GO INTO THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, UH, OCTOBER, OCTOBER 1ST. UM, I ALSO INCLUDED IN YOUR MATERIAL TODAY AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE ABLE TO COVER, I'M HAVING TO MAKE SURE I'M GOING IN ORDER. SO OUR TRIAL BOARD HEARING SCHEDULE, YOU HAVE INCLUDED IN YOUR PRESENTATION, UM, THIS MORNING. UM, OUR, OUR HEARING REQUEST. I'M PLEASED TO SAY WHEN I LOOK AT THIS CHAIRMAN WELCH, THIS LOOKS NOTHING LIKE OUR BACKLOG FROM COVID. YES, EVERYTHING IS, EVERYTHING IS CURRENT OR WITHIN A STONE'S THROW, UM, OF BEING SCHEDULED. WE, UM, WE, WE'VE BROKEN THIS OUT THANKS TO EMMANUEL. WE CAN REALLY HAVE A BETTER VISUAL OF THIS. SO OUR REHIRE ELIGIBILITY, APPEAL HEARINGS, AND OUR GRIEVANCE HEARINGS. IF YOU NOTICE, WE, WE HAVE ONE WITH THE DPD SCHEDULED FOR, AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I BROUGHT THIS TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION ON SEPTEMBER 9TH IS OUR NEXT, IT WILL BE OUR SPECIAL CALL MEETING, GIVEN THAT THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING IS RIGHT AFTER LABOR DAY. SO WE WENT AHEAD AND SCHEDULED US OUT FOR SEPTEMBER 9TH. WE HAVE A DPD, UM, UH, GRIEVANCE HEARING, AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER GRIEVANCE HEARING SCHEDULED, UM, ON OCTOBER 7TH, UM, OF, OF 2025. AS YOU SEE, ALL OF OUR TRIAL BOARDS ARE PRETTY MUCH UP TO DATE. WE'RE STILL TRYING TO CONFIRM, UM, ONE CHAIR, UM, IN THAT TRIAL BOARD SCENARIO. THANK YOU, UH, MR. WELCH FOR TAKING OVER THE HESS, UM, TRIAL BOARD HEARING THAT'S COMING UP. AND THEN OUR AJS, UM, WE'RE PENDING AN ASSIGNMENT ON ONE, AND THEN ONE HAS, ONE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED. AND THAT SEGUES ME INTO, WHILE YOU ALL SERVED AS CHAIRS OF THE TRIAL BOARD AND SOME MEMBERS AS ADJUNCTS, UH, PRIOR TO TO THIS SERVICE, I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO, EMPLOYEES HAVE TWO OPTIONS. THEY CAN CHOOSE WHEN THEY'RE CHOOSING TO APPEAL A A A A, AN ACTION, THEY CAN EITHER CHOOSE TO GO TO THE TRIAL BOARD OR THEY CAN CHOOSE TO GO BEFORE AN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE. AND SO WE DO THOSE THROUGH, THROUGH THE PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE, UM, OF THE, THE JNC OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. AND SO IN THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT IN JUNE, THE PUBLIC, THE THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE SELECTED FIVE COUNT FIVE, FIVE FINALISTS. IT WAS ACTUALLY THE JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMITTEE. I, I BELIEVE NOT NECESSARILY THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UM, SELECTED FIVE CANDIDATES. AND THOSE CANDIDATES, UM, ARE LISTED HERE. THEIR FINALISTS WERE LISTED HERE, AND WE HAVE GOTTEN EVERYTHING WE'RE ON TRACK TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL TO GET THOSE RESOLUTIONS APPROVED FOR THOSE TO YOUR CONTRACTS IN AUGUST. HOPEFULLY THE CONTRACTS WILL BE PREPARED AND FINALIZED AND HOPEFULLY EXECUTED IN SEPTEMBER. AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE OUR NEWLY APPOINTED ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES INTO THE ROTATION FOR ANY EMPLOYEES, UM, WHO HAVE CHOSEN THAT. AND JUST AS AN ASIDE, ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE HAD AN AUDIT, UH, COUPLE YEARS AGO INTO OUR GRIEVANCE AND APPEAL MATTERS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME BACK WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPAND ACCESS TO EMPLOYEES, TO, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES JUST AS A RECOURSE FOR GRIEVANCE. UM, BECAUSE IN THE OLD MODEL, THE EMPLOYEE SHARED HALF THE COST OF THAT ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE HEARING. THEY, YOU, THEY'VE SPLIT THAT IN HALF. IT COULD BE COST PROHIBITED FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES. AND SO WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS TIER OUT THE AMOUNTS, THE PERCENTAGE THAT THE EMPLOYEE BASED ON ANNUAL SALARY. AND SO WE, SO WE, WE, WE ARE WORKING THROUGH COUNCIL RESOLUTION AND TO BRIEF, UM, A, A COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL ON THAT CHANGE. IT WAS CHANGED IN THE CHARTER. UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S FOLLOWING THAT CHARTER ACTION, BUT ALSO IT WOULD, THEY'LL TELL NICELY INTO WHAT WE FOUND IN THE AUDIT. SO WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY DO SOME, SOME GOOD WORK THERE. AND SO I WANTED TO JUST SHARE THAT WITH YOU SINCE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES. AND THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. CAN I ASK YOU ONE QUICK QUESTION? YES, SIR. THERE ARE FIVE FINALISTS. ARE ALL FIVE MOVING FORWARD? ALL FIVE ARE ALL FIVE ARE MOVING FORWARD. THE CHARTER ALLOWS US UP TO FIVE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES. AND SO WE HAD A VERY HEALTHY POOL, UM, OF, OF, OF INTEREST AND IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE ADEQUATE ROTATION, UM, AND, AND THE DIVERSITY AND WHO'S HEARING CASES AND, AND THE OBJECTIVITY THERE IN, UM, WE'RE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO SLOT ALL FIVE IN ORDER TO [00:30:01] KEEP THAT ROTATION HEALTHY. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. THANK YOU. TO DEPARTMENT UPDATES IN AND OUT. YES, SIR. UM, UM, WE PARTICIPATED IN THE MAYORS BACK TO SCHOOL, UH, FAIR PROVIDING, UM, JOB INFORMATION, THAT KIND OF THING. WE ALWAYS DO THAT EVERY YEAR. ALSO, WE ARE FINALLY FINISHED, I THINK I'M CORRECT, UH, FIRE PREVENTION, UH, PROMOTIONS. WE HAD, UH, FIRE PREVENTION, FIRE OPERATIONS. WE'RE GETTING READY TO LAUNCH THAT. AND I WILL MAKE SURE I SEND THIS. I DON'T HAVE MY ACTUAL HARD COPY AND IT'S MAKING MORE DIFFICULT TO READ THE SLIDE OKAY. THAN I HAD ANTICIPATED, BUT I'LL MAKE SURE I GET THIS OUT. THIS IS JUST SUMMARIZING SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENT ACTIVITY OVER THE LAST, UH, MONTH. UM, WHILE, WHILE YOU ALL IN, IN RECESS, I REALLY DID WANNA UNDERSCORE THANK YOU, MANUEL. I DID REALLY WANNA UNDERSCORE THAT THE FIRE PREVENTION PROMOTIONS, UM, THIS PROMOTION CYCLE AND FIRE PREVENTION, UM, THIS PAST MONTH SUPPORTED 69 CANDIDATES COVER COVERING ALL RANKS. UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S A LARGE UNDERTAKING. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE FIRE PREVENTION WITH THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE. SO FIRE, FIRE OPERATIONS PROMOTIONS, BATTALION SECTION CHIEF ANNOUNCEMENT, UM, A PROMOTIONAL EXAM IS GONNA BE HELD, I BELIEVE ON UH, NOVEMBER 6TH. WE ANNOUNCED THAT THIS AUGUST. AND WE'RE EXPECTED TO SUPPORT MORE THAN 135 CANDIDATES WITH BATTALION CHIEF POLICE PROMOTIONS. THE POLICE LIEUTENANT AND SERGEANT PROMOTION EXAMS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED AND WILL BE CONDUCTED OVER THE NEXT 60 DAYS OR WITHIN THE NEXT 60 DAYS. AND THOSE EXAMS ARE EXPECTED TO SUPPORT MORE THAN 200 OFFICERS, UM, IN EACH OF THOSE RANKS AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND WE'RE PLEASED THAT WE HAVE THREE NEW, UM, TEAM MEMBERS, UM, WHO HAVE JOINED US AS CIVIL SERVICE RECRUITMENT ANALYSTS. AND THEN WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL, MANNY CLARK, WHO'S HAS JOINED US AS A TEST AND RECRUITMENT VALIDATION SPECIALIST. TWO, THAT DOES A LOT OF THE HEAVY LIFTING COORDINATION AROUND THOSE PROMOTIONAL TESTS. UM, WHICH ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO, UH, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, UM, OF OUR SWORN OF OUR SWORN MEMBERS. SO THOSE ARE OUR DEPARTMENT UPDATES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS MONTH. AND I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. IT'S ENCOURAGING, VERY ENCOURAGING, AND JUST SEEING THE NUMBER, THE HIGHER POLICE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS VERY ENCOURAGING. THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE A, YOU ALL ARE PART OF THAT PROCESS. YEAH. THANK YOU. I'LL BE HERE ALL WEEK. UM, JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, A COUPLE THINGS. ONE IS HOW IS THIS MEMBER UP TO YEAR OVER YEAR MM-HMM . WHERE WE WERE AT, AND ALSO HOW ARE WE DECIDING WHERE WE'RE GONNA SHOW UP TO, YOU KNOW, RECRUIT PEOPLE FOR APPLY? AND ARE WE EXPECT IT TO BE THE SAME NUMBER OR MORE, MORE OF THEM THIS YEAR? ALSO, IT'S NOTTER. WE HAVE ANY NEW MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD, . OKAY. UH, SO I'LL, I'LL TRY TO TAKE EACH ONE, UM, AND THEN COMBINE THEM. SO OUR PROMOTIONAL, UM, BOARD MEMBER GERBER, I, I'M GONNA PROVIDE FOR YOU ALL A SWORN OVERVIEW. ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE CAN DO A LOOK BACK AND LOOK YEAR OVER YEAR IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE OUR HOTSPOTS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE, WHAT HAS BEEN OUR LIFT AS WE LOOK AT POLICE, FIRE AND FIRE PREVENTION IN TERMS OF PROMOTION TO THAT, THAT QUESTION. SO WE'VE NOT YET DONE THAT ANALYSIS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, BUT EVERY YEAR WE DO A YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON. UM, BUT THE OTHER NUANCE I WANT TO JUST BRING UP THAT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF SWORN PROMOTION IS THAT EVERY YEAR YOU MAY NOT DO A PROMOTION WITHIN THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A CERTAIN RANK OR WITHIN RANKS WITHIN A CERTAIN SWORN SERVICE. UM, THOSE ELIGIBILITY LISTS CAN LAST UP TO, THEY'RE NOT PRESCRIBED TO LAST 18 MONTHS, BUT THEY CAN LAST UP TO 18 MONTHS. AND SO THAT WILL SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YEAR OVER YEAR SKEW YEAR NUMBERS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THE OTHER NUANCE I THINK YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER, EVEN WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA AND THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF YEAR OVER YEAR AND WHAT'S MAKING SENSE IS THE PROMOTIONAL RULES ARE SET BY YEARS OF SERVICE. AND SO AS INDIVIDUALS GO THROUGH AND UP THE RANK, THOSE, THOSE GROUPS CONTRACT AND EXPAND, YOU KNOW, JUST BASED ON HOW PEOPLE ARE MOVING THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION AND HOW MANY YEARS OF SERVICE THEY HAVE, THAT WILL QUALIFY FOR THEM FOR A PARTICULAR EXAMPLE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING BACK TO YOU, UM, PROBABLY IN NOVEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER A A YEAR LOOK BACK AROUND OUR SWORN HIRING BECAUSE THAT'S GOING GUIDE US INTO, WE'RE GONNA USE THAT DATA TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE NEED TO BE, WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING AS WE LOOK AT THE NEW, AT THE NEW FISCAL YEAR. AND I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION ON TOP OF THAT. MM-HMM. THINK WE ALWAYS BE [00:35:02] EXPLICIT, FULL ANSWERS. REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THE OTHER THING I WAS WONDERING, AND THIS COULD BE CONTROVERSIAL QUESTION, COULD BE BENIGN, BUT IS THIS THE IMPACT THAT THE DE I, UH, BE ACQUIRING THE NEW RULES? UM, IS THAT GONNA HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE PROMOTIONS? NO. WE HAVE OUR, WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD IN, UM, TO OUR SYSTEM IS REALLY AROUND, UH, TO, TO YOUR QUESTION, PERFORMANCE MEASURES, SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS IN TERMS OF WHAT DOES OUR RECRUITMENT SUPPORT OPERATION LOOK LIKE AND CONTINUING THOSE TO HAPPEN. YOU, YOU CAN'T HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT OR A FIRE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITY. THAT'S HOW THEY ADVANCE, THAT'S HOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS ADVANCE. THAT'S THE RETENTION PIECE. THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A LARGE, THAT'S A LARGE PIECE. SO NO, WE, WE FULLY PLAN TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THOSE. EVEN ANY CHANGES IN THE, IN THE CITY POLICY OR STANCE REALLY DOESN'T I IMPACT US DIRECTLY BECAUSE OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES ARE AROUND HOW QUICKLY WE'RE RESPONDING TO THE HIRING NEEDS, HOW WELL AND HEALTHY OUR POOLS ARE. AND SO AS WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO MEET THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS, I THINK THAT WE PUT OURSELVES IN THE BEST SPOT TO, TO ADEQUATELY AND, UH, EFFICIENTLY SERVE OUR HIRING NEEDS AND, AND GET THE RESULTS THAT WE NEED TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. SO MY QUESTION ABOUT THAT IS DID WE EVER INCLUDE DEI POLICY AND THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING? WE, UM, AT THE TIME THAT THE CITY ADOPTED THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN, WE HAD, UH, A COUPLE MEASURES THAT WERE IN THE RACIAL EQUITY PLAN. UM, BUT WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT OUR TIMELINE OF INTRODUCTION OF THOSE, MANY OF THOSE THINGS HAVE BECOME A PART OF OTHER WORK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID EARLY ON AS A CITY, I, WE, UM, I WANT TO SAY BACK IN NOVEMBER WHEN A LOT OF THIS WAS FIRST COMING DOWN AND WE WERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE WERE. UM, I BRIEFED THE, UM, WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND EQUITY COMMITTEES ON HOW THESE WERE NATURAL ATTACHMENTS. AND WE WERE DOING A LOT OF THAT WORK IN OTHER SPACES, UH, JUST, JUST LABELED DIFFERENTLY. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. ? GARRETT? UH, LET ME REMIND YOU, OUR NEXT MEETING IS 10 SCHEDULED FOR THE DAY AFTER LABOR DAY, THE TUESDAY AFTER LABOR DAY. AND WE'RE CHANGING THAT TO THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE NINTH. THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER. UH, SO RATHER THAN HAVE A MEETING, UH, YOU KNOW, AN HOUR AND A HALF AFTER THE WORKDAY BEGIN, AFTER A HOLIDAY WE MAKE, SO THEY WORK LONGER OR BEFORE THE HOLIDAY. SO WE WILL SEE, I'LL SEE EVERYBODY ON THE NINTH. SO HEARING NOTHING, NOTHING ELSE FOR THE, FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER, UH, WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED AT 10:12 AM THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT, GREAT LABOR DAY. THANK YOU, SARAH. THANK YOU. BYE-BYE. BYE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.