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Council approves police staffing increases funded by Measure D, adds nine positions
Summary
Following a year-long organizational review, council approved new sworn and civilian positions and a $341,543 budget adjustment from Measure D revenues to expand patrol, traffic and forensics capacity; the full Measure D program will fund roughly 45% of the department growth.
The Downey City Council unanimously approved an organizational assessment's staffing recommendations for the Police Department, authorizing nine positions and a fiscal-year budget increase funded by Measure D revenues.
City Manager Roger Bradley summarized the consultant-led study (Matrix Consulting Group), which compared current staffing to pre-recession levels and reviewed operations, retention and recruiting. Bradley said Measure D — the newly passed quarter-cent sales tax — is expected to generate about $6.4 million in the first year and enabled the city to accelerate hiring rather than phase increases over multiple years.
Council approved adding the following positions (net increase of eight full-time staff after converting part-time roles): one traffic police officer, one traffic detective, two officer corporals, one office assistant, one full-time training coordinator, two forensic specialists and one property-room technician. The staff report estimated the annual cost for all additions would bring total Measure D-supported public-safety spending to roughly $2.9 million (about 45% of expected Measure D revenue). The council also approved a one-time fiscal-year appropriation increase of $341,543 from the Measure D operating fund to cover the initial-year costs.
Bradley and police staff said recruiting and retention efforts would continue, and that some additional administrative or school-resource adjustments might be brought later to council for consideration as the department grows. Councilmembers said they expect hires to begin after funds become available (staff indicated funding beginning April 1, 2025) and praised the study and the use of Measure D for public-safety priorities.
