[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6631433,"mediaKeyId","2679823-4b375f3e2d3994b169377a464ff80820","parentId",2679823,"title","Police chief cites multi‑year reductions, falling violent‑crime metrics and staffing gaps as budget choices loom","audioSeconds",767,"startMs",2586000,"endMs",3353000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2679823-4b375f3e2d3994b169377a464ff80820&start=2586&end=3353","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2679823-4b375f3e2d3994b169377a464ff80820/thumbnail_2586000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6631433/Sacramento/Sacramento-County/California/Police-chief-cites-multiyear-reductions-falling-violentcrime-metrics-and-staffing-gaps-as-budget-choices-loom","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631433-ab5b7ee8b3ad6a348b26e9261068684b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448442&Signature=AXGk90fsHtAADz4nIASIc79c6AgTR6g0rZt0ogj-gpT~PdWm45~II8L6Cr8YNHFLj58q8cyM3XLc~9tllU0Fa-MfJXBpl1ZAaZBsKyelvjDvV-UsCGhS0aZ2~-XY~4xOsm4TJZWVKT9y24ieonlyAAAdy5Jrwj8kz6gGbHJiab2M3U8a-~z5OGOeJL1XFkq4hHm85xpaGs9gpAmYyYjKsa31WAXnJdNM6NrVQHEpDsctEzYI6ZWPjNkHDWGkgDFckYhQ2MX9rhAlePyuakD4~qO0iBEs-QJaxjjN9PeDu-1pHTiDBzCfdZYok7filZ2halGEvPA8ivlvGSmI5DRppw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Sacramento","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","Police Chief Kathy Lester presented the department's five‑year crime trends, staffing levels and initiatives to the Sacramento City Council on Tuesday, saying violent‑crime indicators have decreased since 2022 even as the department carries substantial vacancies and faces possible reductions.

Lede and key point

Chief Lester said the police department received more than 600,000 incoming calls to the communications center last year that produced almost 160,000 dispatches, and that officers initiated nearly 60,000 additional contacts. She reported reductions compared with recent peak years: for example, ShotSpotter activations declined by about 45% and reported shooting victims fell from 256 in 2021 to 33 in 2024 in the area metrics she presented.

Why it matters: Lester told council that despite measurable crime reductions, the department has 87 sworn and 95 professional‑staff vacancies as of mid‑March and that continued staffing shortfalls affect overtime, specialty units and investigative capacity. She mapped the department's priorities — operational readiness, crime reduction, employee investment, quality of service and strategic governance — and described initiatives such as a Department of Justice organizational assessment, a public safety camera network and drone pilots.

Supporting detail and context

Lester said the department was awarded a federal Public Safety Partnership grant that helped with investigations and that the city saw large narcotics and weapon seizures in 2024 through federal cooperation: she cited approximately 2,000 pounds of narcotics and about 200 firearms seized with federal partners in the year, and reported more than 827 illegally possessed firearms removed in 2024. The department reported hiring 28 sworn officers in 2024 and said the communications center handled about 640,000 incoming calls in the year.

She described prior staffing reductions dating to the 2008 recession that removed units such as narcotics, financial crimes and vice; the department has partly restored some capabilities but still lacks certain specialty teams. Lester said the department would face significant program and personnel losses under deep cuts, and she identified potential impacts including losing community service representatives, training staff, records personnel, traffic enforcement teams and specialized investigative units.

Council questions and next steps

Council members asked for clarity on vacancies, pipeline programs and how many academy graduates are expected. Lester said academy class size varies but noted Sacramento typically graduates 32–35 sworn officers per year in earlier years, while the current academy cohort was smaller. City staff told the council vacancy dollars remain in the budget but that the administration assumes a vacancy factor in year budgeting.

Attribution

\"Based on the 5 year average, we are down in every category, that we report to the FBI,\" Chief Kathy Lester said, summarizing trends. She and the council discussed the budget timeline; staff told the council the proposed budget will be released the week of April 28 and that department reduction lists are public and will be reviewed at the Budget and Audit Committee on March 25.

Ending

The police chief urged the council to weigh the operational impacts of staffing and program cuts and said the department will provide more granular vacancy and overtime data to the Budget and Audit Committee and in the forthcoming proposed budget documents.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Sacramento - 2:00 PM City Council (Special Meeting) - Mar 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Police Chief Kathy Lester told council that Sacramento has seen significant declines in several violent‑crime indicators since 2022 while also carrying dozens of sworn and civilian vacancies; she described federal partnerships, technology pilots and potential program cuts tied to a 15% reduction scenario.","taxTitle","Sacramento , Sacramento County, California","taxId",2896,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6631437,"Fire chief warns 15% budget cut could shutter companies; city grapples with aging stations and rising equipment costs",1135,1371000,2506000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2679823-4b375f3e2d3994b169377a464ff80820&start=1371&end=2506","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2679823-4b375f3e2d3994b169377a464ff80820/thumbnail_1371000.jpg","/articles/6631437/Sacramento/Sacramento-County/California/Fire-chief-warns-15-budget-cut-could-shutter-companies-city-grapples-with-aging-stations-and-rising-equipment-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631437-bfefd79651604fd76a1e013e7bd6cdd6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448442&Signature=WLN8eK775gbdf5d1Eum8GPNB4jGZEw-WHrdj2dvfqdPAXp-zwMoEKQF0k~aiYAJBExWnFFbFNYOjl~ufxFB4g7OA9cLPweka3fOni2OmaHWGboLQjnPWHcjJO9tv1gWtkUdaP3Vn1MsIZLM9E69j3NvGetQJPN4KDAESCJTircde6zO~TRJsc-bxKOXKea9amQbkaAk0AdBeYnej7~yJCEbtjpZxe4T3iAFt7VgPNv5KgZhG~3hn1Gh~Z5N7vPx0sLEKMsovCjCE2r5O1ayGg1fanXpdjDpwQPH47kVpkiVb5ZKG4uAFvoXpDj6MEPf6cn9Vt-nGMdb1mEwMP6gjXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fire Chief Chris Costamania told the Sacramento City Council on Tuesday that the fire department has expanded demands amid retirements and city growth and that proposed large budget reductions would threaten companies, stations and response times.

Costamania said the department has about 178 firefighters and 24 stations serving the city and contract areas, and that the agency handled roughly 79,000 medical calls and about 5,700 fire calls in the most recent year presented. He warned that a 15% budget reduction for the department — which he described in budget scenarios as roughly $23.4 million — could result in the closure of up to eight companies.

Why it matters: Costamania said Sacramento's geography and recent vertical and infill development — including future growth in the railyards — mean the department needs modernized facilities and more companies to keep up with demand. He told council members that some stations date to 1933 and that the department has not added a fire company since 2016.

Supporting details and context

The chief outlined operational pressures including large call volumes per company: he said 17 of the department's companies exceed the national suggested average of 3,500 calls per year, 11 run over 4,000 calls and five run over 5,000 calls. He described the department's three priorities: continued investment in personnel and wellness; volume‑reduction strategies and interagency coordination; and modernization of facilities and technology.

Costamania also described equipment and procurement challenges: apparatus costs have risen substantially (he estimated engine prices have roughly doubled in recent years) and current lead times to build new apparatus can be as long as 41 months. He cited capital needs in the city's 10‑year capital improvement program, noting the city identified hundreds of millions of dollars in station replacement and modernization needs.

Council follow‑up and options

Council members asked whether planned infill projects such as the railyards would trigger additional station needs; Costamania said he disagreed with an earlier staff view that existing River District coverage would suffice and urged that planning account for geographic barriers and vertical density. He proposed ramping up hiring cadence (two academies per year) to reduce mandatory overtime and stabilize staffing.

Costamania presented three broad options: full investment with a detailed study to guide staffing and facilities; partial improvements that accept manageable risk; and minimal investment leading to slower responses and greater risk to life and property.

Attribution

\"If we were faced with a full 15%, it would look like closing or shuttering 8 companies in the Sacramento Fire Department,\" Chief Chris Costamania said at the meeting. Council members asked staff to consider updating the city's 2016 standards of response coverage report to reflect current population and development patterns.

Ending

Council members requested more data and an updated station/standards assessment; staff said they would provide additional information to council and to the EIFD and Budget and Audit committees as the budget process continues.","Fire Chief Chris Costamania told Sacramento City Council the department faces retirements, supply delays and rising prices for apparatus, and that a potential 15% budget cut would force closures of fire companies and affect response capacity.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6631443,"Sacramento outlines homelessness response as budget cuts loom; department warns most funding is short‑term",1080,239000,1319000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2679823-4b375f3e2d3994b169377a464ff80820&start=239&end=1319","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2679823-4b375f3e2d3994b169377a464ff80820/thumbnail_239000.jpg","/articles/6631443/Sacramento/Sacramento-County/California/Sacramento-outlines-homelessness-response-as-budget-cuts-loom-department-warns-most-funding-is-shortterm","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6631443-af09efa3aded55db0bb00e106cd4d942/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448442&Signature=FLzP6afVhmNrXuK5kMAClaQqXKr2qJjD741jUriFrNd5lnS3cLDSrX3dAfb5zs~qoLbxjcbrXAgfFfXafUl9n8YyD7LorB4gGMtK2LSORKhTGYfqB43F1wFDMhf9oSdeZVxkETjoev--ZKHn0sDXi5nMEOg9ZOX7V4dpfbDJQ9cEmVIgniupp74itUGXI45qo3Map1M5mkv7VqNouDO8fdmIVza6E90MF5YD0robkuCBWwYi~PiC8u8NDOhwBtA9MNRv1BrolJWB-LaCf8cysdYPSzk7KVc26Eh6yOyNjU-1kfxRa5~J2ZN4~YzH4yKe-s0p3bpBzOFAn6OwackFwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sacramento Department of Community Response on Tuesday told the City Council it has reduced outreach response times, increased placements into shelter and housing, and integrated alternative responses into public safety — but officials warned most of the department's budget depends on short‑term grants.

The mission, as Director Brian Pedro told the council, is \"to provide compassionate individualized support to people experiencing homelessness with the goal of aiding them on their path toward recovery, wellness, and self sufficiency.\" He said the department now operates with 37 full‑time equivalent staff, manages about 30 contracts and has an overall budget the department presented as roughly $51.9 million, of which about $5.9 million was operating and the remainder was other or one‑time funds.

Pedro said the department's incident management team now takes many calls routed through 311, reducing calls that previously went to 911. He said the office received roughly 39,000 311 calls that resulted in IMT activity and closed about 39,000 incident management calls during 2024, performed more than 14,000 outreach contacts and removed large quantities of debris during responses. He also described a string of program outcomes including 56 unsheltered veterans contacted during a VA surge, 17 veterans obtaining same‑day housing and 15 offered VASH vouchers, and 1,100 rapid placements over the year.

Why it matters: Pedro told council members that about 75% of DCR funding is \"one‑time or short term,\" meaning reductions in state or grant programs can have immediate operational effects. He said Sacramento's lower homelessness counts in the city's point‑in‑time count reduced state funding that had been tied to the higher count, creating a new shortfall. Council members pressed staff on which contracts are funded by which sources and on the department's plan to find sustainable models.

Supporting details and context

Pedro described several tools and partnerships the department uses, including a homeless management information system (HMIS) to track contacts and services by name and location, referrals to the Roseville Road Center, the Outreach and Engagement Center (OEC), and WellSpace's scribe receiving center. The department operates congregate and non‑congregate shelters, motel programs and transitional‑age youth facilities; Pedro said in 2024 the city listed 18 shelter sites with approximately 1,375 beds and that the department sheltered about 4,769 people with roughly 47% of exits recorded as \"to improved circumstances.\" He said the IMT responds to roughly 120 calls per day at current levels and that outreach response times for priority calls have dropped from 16–20 days down to 24–48 hours.

Pedro and several council members noted specific grant streams and timelines: the department applied to bill under CalAIM and expects the earliest billing and reimbursement window in the summer (June–July), and the city received an encampment resolution grant of about $18 million for the current year. Pedro said the department has trimmed contracts and achieved roughly $5 million in savings during recent renegotiations but that roughly $11 million in prior HAP funding was lost, creating a gap.

Public comments during the meeting included both support for core public safety services and criticism of DCR. Some speakers urged protecting police and fire budgets and questioned whether DCR contracts deliver results; others described harms from encampment sweeps and urged more humane notice and property protections for people living outdoors.

Next steps and council direction

Staff published lists of proposed reductions and impact tiers on the city's finance website, and city managers told the council those lists will be discussed with the Budget and Audit Committee on March 25. The administration will deliver a proposed balanced budget the week of April 28 and return with more detailed, department‑level impact descriptions in late April; Council also scheduled a DCR‑focused follow‑up on April 29 to discuss models and outcomes in more depth.

Attribution

\"The mission of the Department Community Response is to provide compassionate individualized support to people experiencing homelessness,\" Director Brian Pedro said during his presentation. Public commenters included residents and advocates who raised concerns about the effect of sweeps on possessions and about program accountability.

Ending

Council members and department staff agreed that DCR's alternate‑response work has reduced some 911 demand, but they also said the city needs more clarity on long‑term funding to decide how to protect core services in the face of a structural budget deficit.","City Department of Community Response officials told the City Council they reduced response times and sheltered thousands in 2024 but said 75% of the department's funding is one‑time or short‑term, leaving programs vulnerable as state grant levels shift.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Police chief cites multi‑year reductions, falling violent‑crime metrics and staffing gaps as budget choices loom

Fire chief warns 15% budget cut could shutter companies; city grapples with aging stations and rising equipment costs

Sacramento outlines homelessness response as budget cuts loom; department warns most funding is short‑term