Staff recommends that City Council approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Billings and the Downtown Billings Business Improvement District, Inc. 

In an effort to work closely with the City of Billings and downtown businesses to reduce crime and improve the safety of employees, clientele, residents and visitors, the Billings Business Improvement District (BID) will fund three uniformed patrol officers to work as downtown resource officers.  Officers will be stationed at the offices of the BID and perform the services of Dedicated Center Beat Officer (DCBO).  DCBO officers will be provided on a full time basis to the BID.  Designated officers, when available, will be primary officers dispatched to calls in the center beat area.  DCBO officers are not designed to replace existing normal downtown patrol officers, but to only enhance what is already being provided by the Billings Police Department.  The Center Beat is the primary area of responsibility, but, it is understood that the DCBO will be dispatched to calls outside the Center Beat in emergency situations.  

City Council may:

• Approve the MOU's between the City of Billings and the Downtown Billings Business Improvement District; or,
• Not Approve the MOU's between the City of Billings and the Downtown Billings Business Improvement District and absorb the cost of three entry level officers in the amount of $84,817 and/or modify or eliminate the program.  

The cost of an entry level officer salary and benefits is $84,817.  The BID will be invoiced quarterly for three officers making the annual total $254,451.