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Stakeholders committee approves funding package for two community service officers
Summary
Baldwin Park stakeholders approved a Measure BP-funded package to create two community service officer positions, including an upfront purchase of vehicles; the revised total request is $607,372 with recurring salary and benefit costs to follow.
The Baldwin Park Stakeholders Oversight Committee on Tuesday approved a Measure BP funding package to create two community service officer (CSO) positions and to purchase the vehicles and equipment for the program.
The committee voted to approve the CSO package after staff presented a revised cost estimate. Staff said the total request, reflecting corrected benefit calculations and a 10% contingency, is $607,372. The revision separates costs for the CSO positions from other items previously grouped in the staff report.
City staff described the CSOs as non‑sworn members of the police department who will be assigned to parks and to take non‑emergency reports so sworn officers can focus on proactive policing and higher‑priority calls. The police chief said the CSOs "will be assigned to the parks" and would receive arrest‑ and use‑of‑force training so they can book arrests and handle nonemergency incidents within department policy.
Staff told the committee that purchasing vehicles outright now is more cost‑effective than leasing under current market conditions; an earlier staff estimate on leasing was updated in a revision posted the morning of the meeting. The report included an initial purchase subtotal of $492,250 (including a 10% contingency in earlier drafts) and the corrected benefits line for the two CSO positions that raised the overall total to $607,372.
Committee members pressed staff for clarifications about unit costs, benefit calculations and how recurring salary and benefit costs will be handled in future budgets. Staff said initial costs are larger because of the one‑time vehicle purchase, and ongoing annual costs for salaries and benefits will recur and be subject to future cost‑of‑living adjustments. Staff also agreed to return with baseline calls‑for‑service data for parks so the program’s impact can be measured after deployment.
The motion to approve the CSO package passed in a roll call vote with all committee members present voting yes. The committee directed staff to present status reports on the program in the future and to provide baseline statistics that can be used to evaluate program outcomes.
