On 10/17/23 the council approved the existing twelve (12) month MSICA with consultant Frank Ruggiero effective on November 1, 2023, to provide police accreditation consulting services.
Prior to the council approving the existing agreement with the accreditation consultant, the city (to select a highly qualified accreditation consultant) conducted a Request for Proposal (RFP) bid. After a thorough RFP bid selection process, we selected a police accreditation consultant who has extensive experience with the accreditation process through the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA). Frank Ruggiero was the sole bidder and submitted a comprehensive bid for these services that fully satisfied the requirements listed in the RFP bid.
Currently the city has an agreement with the CFA for our police department to meet the requirements of CFA accreditation by December 1, 2025. Our accreditation consultant has been instrumental in guiding the New Port Richey Police Department though this arduous process, and we have made much progress. It is essential that we continue to utilize the services of the accreditation consultant by extending the existing contract for twelve (12) months so we can fulfil our goal of becoming a fully accredited police agency prior to December 1, 2025. Moreover, the council approved the funding for these consulting services in the police department’s F.Y. 24/25 budget.
This consultant has a proven track record of successfully guiding police departments through the accreditation process in the State of Florida. In 2020, this consultant was named by the State of Florida as Accreditation Assessment Team Leader of the year, he is a certified CFA accreditation professional and sits on the CFA's Standards and Interpretation Committee. Frank Ruggiero has conducted hundreds of police agency accreditation assessments throughout the State of Florida over the last ten years and has led the Tarpon Springs Police Department (as accreditation manager) through its initial accreditation award, and three very successful re-accreditations which occur every three years. The consultant currently serves as a Deputy Chief of Police with the Tarpon Springs Police Department and oversees their accreditation program. He has lived in the New Port Richey area for many years and is in close driving proximity to the police department.
Our City Attorney vetted the twelve (12) month contract extension before you and approved it as to form. The contract has a provision that the city will not pay the consultant over $5,416.00 per month with the total contract amount not exceeding $65,000.00. The contract has an early termination clause for both parties. The terms of the contract and the early termination clause are outlined in section V and VI of the agreement.