Austin Public Safety Agencies Incorporate Electronic Payroll System

Effort to Increase Efficiency amid Staff Shortages

On Thursday, March 7, 2024, Austin’s public safety agencies – including the Austin Fire Department, the Austin Police Department, and Austin-Travis County EMS – announced the citywide introduction of an electronic payroll system. Aimed at streamlining scheduling and other logistical tasks, the initiative also aims to boost transparency concerning how public safety personnel allocate their time.

Focus on Transparency

During Monday’s commission’s meeting, Chair Nelly Paulina Ramírez underlined the necessity for better data on how public safety personnel go about their daily tasks. “We hear a lot about overtime and being short-staffed, but we would like to see more data about how a firefighter spends his day, how a … paramedic is spending their day, how a police officer is spending their day,” said Ramírez.

According to the Chair, the commission aimed to understand the disparity between 911 response times, report writing, community engagement, and response to non-emergency situations.

Rolling Out the System amid Staffing Shortages

Last year, amidst long-standing staffing shortages and spiralling costs of overtime within the three public safety agencies, the implementation of the payroll system was set in motion. Senior leadership from ATCEMS confirmed their respective department had completed the system overhaul.

On the other hand, the Austin Fire Department, under AFD Assistant Chief Andre de la Reza, declared it is in the final stages of testing new scheduling and time-keeping systems, with a planned go-live date in early April.

Impact on APD

The Austin Police Department intends to start the testing phase of their end by the later part of the month, with full-blown implementation planned for June. The police department’s complex system of shift durations has additionally complicated the transition. However, amidst the growing volume of overtime sheets and increasing strain on payroll staff, the shift was deemed critical.

As APD Assistant Chief Scott Perry pointed out, “APD historically has a very confusing and difficult time-keeping system due to officers’ scheduling.”

With the payroll system’s imminent deployment and concurrent usage of the department’s new online dashboard, the commission expects to glean beneficial insights into how officers allocate their time.

As stated by Commissioner Timothy Ruttan, all these efforts aim to enhance understanding without necessarily burdening everyone involved. “I think the goal of knowing what folks are doing is important, but we have to be cautious about what we’re asking from systems and from individuals on the front lines,” he said.

As efforts are underway to bring these important changes to fruition, the public safety agencies look forward to greater efficiency, transparency, and accountability in their operations. These improvements are destined to have a positive impact on public safety in Austin.