Primary Department: Fire Marshal
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Laurie L. Christensen, Fire Marshal
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Position
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request for approval to update and reclassify a position effective January 10, 2026.
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Background and Discussion:
Our current staffing structure relies on only one canine handler, creating a significant operational and personal burden as this individual is consistently on call to provide canine services. This approach is not sustainable and does not support an appropriate balance between workload, readiness, and employee well-being.
A second full-time canine handler will enhance our ability to meet mission requirements by expanding deployment capacity, improving response reliability, and increasing availability for mutual aid and investigative support throughout Harris County. While part-time positions were previously intended to supplement investigative needs, their utilization has been limited due to variable personal schedules and inconsistent availability, resulting in diminished operational value.
Consolidating one part-time role into a full-time position ensures a more efficient and impactful use of allocated resources. This conversion supports improved service delivery, strengthens our investigative capability, and provides a more effective staffing model for the benefit of the county and the communities we serve.
The funding for this request is derived from consol...
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