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Police chief urges staffing and wage changes as call loads rise; vehicle purchase and SWAT costs discussed
Summary
Sunset's police chief described heavy call loads, competition from neighboring agencies and sought funding for an additional officer and vehicle; council and staff discussed wage competitiveness, overtime, and a SWAT memorandum that affects local costs.
Sunset’s police chief told the council the department is handling heavy call volumes per officer and faces competition from neighboring jurisdictions for personnel. The chief said the department is currently short of its previously planned staffing target and that turnover is likely unless pay and staffing are addressed.
The department requested funding for an additional sworn officer and for replacement of an aging vehicle. Staff clarified the previous decision had been to replace one vehicle each year so that fleet vehicles do not age unevenly; the current budget shows a purchase (not a lease) for a patrol vehicle intended to replace a 2016 vehicle. Council members asked whether the line represented a lease or purchase; staff confirmed it is a purchase this year.
The council also discussed the City’s participation in a multi-agency SWAT arrangement. Staff said Sunset’s share without assigning one of the city’s officers to the SWAT team comes to about $1,300 annually; if the city assigns an officer to SWAT, the cost would rise to approximately $3,500 per year based on the MOU. The chief said an officer has expressed interest in participating, and that local deployments in recent years have incurred significant operational cost and property damage at single incidents.
No formal vote took place on hiring or purchases at the workshop. Council directed staff to continue detailing personnel and equipment options for the next budget session.
Ending — Staff will return with refined wage, hiring and vehicle procurement options so the council can weigh retention versus recruitment strategies.
