Police chief outlines $27M department budget; council presses on explorers, overtime and mutual aid

The Huntington Park Police Department presented a condensed overview of its proposed FY 2025–26 budget, which department leaders said totals just under $27 million and is heavily driven by personnel costs and retirement liabilities.

The department told the council that salaries and benefits make up roughly 82% of the proposed budget and that retirement obligations and a pension‑related bond have been important cost drivers. The chief said the department used grant funding to buy equipment when possible and highlighted a recent effort to reduce overtime by about $300,000 in the coming year through management classification changes and improved record systems.

Why it matters: Public safety accounts for the largest share of the city’s staffing cost; the department’s ability to maintain patrol minimums and respond to critical incidents depends on staffing, overtime and interagency mutual aid.

Explorer program and recruitment Police leadership told the council the Explorer youth program — dormant during COVID — has been reengaged and currently includes close to 20 participants. The chief described the program as a recruitment pipeline: "a lot of those explorers transition to a paid position like our police cadet program," and historically many local recruits have progressed into sworn roles, the chief said.

Overtime and pension costs The department reported roughly $1.2M‑$1.4M in recurring overtime historically and noted a nearly $1.4M line item for overtime in the proposed budget; staff said some overtime is driven by minimum staffing obligations in patrol, jailer coverage and dispatch. The presentation showed an anticipated reduction in overtime tied to technology upgrades (CAD/RMS improvements) and converting certain management staff to salaried status.

Mutual aid and regional incidents Council members asked whether the city is reimbursed when neighboring agencies respond to large incidents. The chief explained Huntington Park participates in regional mutual‑aid agreements; such responses are reciprocal and generally not billed back to the requesting city, though some large disasters can be eligible for reimbursement under state or federal grant programs. The chief added that reimbursable natural‑disaster responses have occurred in the past.

Bike patrols and downtown security pilot Council members and the chief discussed bike patrols, especially in the Pacific Boulevard commercial corridor; the chief said staffing shortages limit standing bike teams but confirmed officers and PSOs are deployed on bikes for major events. The council heard that the city is piloting a private security contract (Southwest Patrol) on weekend nights to address downtown parking lots and alleyway safety; the police chief said the pilot had produced useful observations about overnight activity.

Animal services Police staff and the chief described Huntington Park’s animal care and safety function (historically called animal enforcement), which partners with LA County shelter services for impounds and with nonprofits for vaccination and rescue services. Staff said the city pays for shelter care when animals are impounded and that the county’s fees have risen in recent years.

Next steps Council members asked for more detail on Explorer program outcomes (how many participants become officers), patrol staffing timelines and grant pursuit for violence‑prevention funding. The department said it will continue recruitment and provide updates as trainees finish academy and field training.