“The reason staff recommended continuing paying reserves, as well as full time personnel, was due to the fact that that the city was reimbursed” by the filming agencies, Grisales noted. The practice continues today, with all uniformed personnel compensated with double time while working special filming details.With the Santa Paula Fire Department switching from a paid-call volunteer system to the new Reserve program, the city wants to ensure that they are compensated at the same double time rate of pay, “as long as the city is reimbursed for this service.” Grisales reported that staff also wants to memorialize the salary schedule that is paid to fire and police reserves.Grisales added that since police and fire reserves are not represented by any bargaining unit, the city made the “proposal on their behalf.” Since fire and police reserves are paid a stipend on a monthly basis, the city set their new film detail salary tied to the hourly salary of, respectively, fulltime firefighters and police officers.
Hooray for Hollywood! Fire, PD reserves get boo$t for film duty
June 17, 2005
Santa Paula News
After the City Council approved a pay boost for special duty by Santa Paula Fire and Police reserves, the lowest paid public safety workers can say Hooray for Hollywood!
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesAfter the City Council approved a pay boost for special duty by Santa Paula Fire and Police reserves, the lowest paid public safety workers can say Hooray for Hollywood! As filming grows in popularity throughout the city, the council approved a move to modify the compensation for police and fire department reserves that work set duty.By law, filming companies must have fire personnel on scene, while police officers must be on hand for street and crowd control. According to the report by Assistant to the City Manager Melissa Grisales, early in 2001 the council approved modifying the compensation of Reserve police officers while working special contract detail, such as movie, television or commercial filming. At that time, fire and police reserves were compensated at the rate of double time, twice their hourly pay.
