TSRA President Dan Walker and I met with the new DPS Col. Steve McGraw and the man he just hired to take over the CHL Bureau. We had the opportunity to discuss CHL processing procedures, the long-standing backlog and suggestions to greatly improve the system. The meeting with Col. was about 30 minutes and the meeting with Mr. Jones was about 1 1/2 hrs during which we went over the system in detail.
I am happy to report that DPS has already made significant changes to the application processing procedures and more are to come in the next few months. Mr. Jones candidly showed us his written plan to modernize and streamline the process, including deadlines for each of the five phases. The first phase is already in place and that item alone will have a huge impact on processing time.
The other phases deal with truly automating the entire process. When Phase 5 is complete, an applicant (new or renewal) will be able to complete their application online and the process will include data verification meaning the computer will verify that all of the necessary information has been provided by the applicant, including a full five years of residence and employment history. This will mean people will not be getting letters telling them they left out certain information. DPS' CHL Bureau will be able to accept digital fingerprints and photographs in electronic form, something they cannot do currently. This means an applicant can go to FAST and get their fingerprints and photos done and they will be transmitted immediately to DPS. Less than 1% of digitized prints are rejected by the FBI, while "rolled" prints are being rejected at a rate of 25%. The automated application process coupled with digital prints and photos will greatly reduce internal processing time. (Currently, even when you apply online, DPS has to reenter all of your information when the application is sent in. All the online process does is take payment and generate a printed application.) With changes in the way background checks are processed are added to the program, it should be possible to process applications in less than 60 days, even if the applications continue to arrive in the numbers we are currently seeing.
During this meeting, President Walker and I were asked to offer suggestions and insight we have on the CHL processing procedures. Some of our suggestions had already been adopted and Mr. Jones agreed to implement the others. At least one of the suggestions to help both instructors and applicants is to implemented today, while others will be made part of Phases 2 through 5. (Instructors, you folks are going to really like the changes coming.)
I'm sure some people are going to want details, but I cannot disclose that information. During our meeting, both Col. McGraw and Mr. Jones were very candid about the problem and equally candid in their program to "fix the system." Far more can be accomplished by building trusting relationships and working together to address issues, so as much as I would like to go into detail about changes, to do so would destroy our future working relationship with new people who truly want the system to work and work timely. I have permission to let our folks know about the meeting and the general overview of what has been done and what is ongoing.
Now for a little background on Mr. Jones. He was on active duty for 15 years as a Navy Seal (Seal Team 5) and he is still in the Reserves. He also has training and experience in establishing procedures for companies, with an emphasis on automation. As one would expect with a Seal, his attitude is to accomplish his "mission" and he has been tasked with fixing the CHL processing debacle. Based upon his personality, the full disclosure we were provided, the strategic plan he has prepared and that has already been implemented in part, I truly believe we are going to see meaningful change. I say this in spite of past history with some who claimed a change was coming, only to get us off their backs. The fact is we are now seeing new people with new ideas and no historical/institutional bias toward a failing system running the program. They deserve our support. If our trust is misplaced, I'll be the first to admit it; but I don't think Mr. Jones will let any of us down.
I want to express my sincere thanks to Dan Walker for making this meeting possible. President Walker retired from DPS as a Lieutenant with 23 years of service. When the CHL statute passed in 1995, Dan was in charge of the DPS range and he set up the CHL training program. Back then, things worked much more efficiently and the delays we now see have caused him no small amount of heartburn. Dan's reputation with DPS is what made this meeting possible; yet another example of the importance of developing and nurturing lasting relationships.
I also want to say thanks to Col. McGraw and Mr. Jones for meeting with us, for their candor and for Mr. Jones' dedication to making the process work as the Legislature intends.
Chas.
