FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 31, 1998

Contact: Sharon Adams, (713) 247-3152

CITY CONTROLLER IDENTIFIES MILLIONS IN COST SAVINGS

Houston City Controller Sylvia R. Garcia says a recent performance review of the Houston Police Department has identified possible cost reductions and savings of almost 4-million dollars over the next five years.

The City Controller’s Office, along with the accounting firm of KPMG Peat Marwick, L.L.P., has recently completed its review of various support services in the Houston Police Department.

The review indicates that in many cases the department is functioning according to city and department standards.

However, KPMG Peat Marwick, L.L.P., along with the City Controller’s Office and the Houston Police Department, have identified opportunities for improvement in various support functions including information technology services, procurement services, fleet management, fixed asset, and property room functions.

Recommendations for improvements include hiring private firms to manage the inventory of vehicle parts and vehicle towing services. This outsourcing would result in savings of approximately 2 million dollars over the next five years.

Streamlining the procedures for purchasing goods and supplies, as well as avoiding duplication in tracking fixed assets, could save as much as $900,000 during the same time period.

This performance review represents an independent effort to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the department’s services. It was conducted in cooperation with the police department to increase cost saving measures that will save taxpayers more than a half a million dollars a year.

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