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Hemet keeps two full‑time animal control officers for now; council to revisit staffing in January
Summary
City council voted 4‑0 to continue with two dedicated animal control officers and to readdress possible expansion to three officers in January after staff and Riverside County Animal Services provide additional data and outreach plans.
The Hemet City Council on June 24 voted to keep two animal control officers in the city’s contract with Riverside County Animal Services and to revisit the staffing level in January. The motion passed 4‑0.
What the council decided: Staff reported that Riverside County can provide seven‑day coverage only by adding a third dedicated animal control officer; two officers working a standard 40‑hour schedule cannot provide continuous seven‑day coverage without overtime or schedule changes. After discussion the council approved keeping two officers for now and asked staff to return with data and outreach plans in January.
Why it matters: Council members stressed public safety and the emotional nature of weekend calls about animals. Staff and county representatives told the council Hemet’s call volume is high — about 5,000 activity calls per year — and that adding a third dedicated officer would cost roughly $250,000 per year.
Details from the discussion
- Service level tradeoffs: Riverside County field supervisors said the two officers assigned full time to Hemet work five days each and do not provide a guaranteed two‑officer presence on weekends without an additional hire. A third officer would be required for consistent seven‑day coverage.
- Costs and workload: Staff estimated the incremental cost for a third dedicated officer at about $250,000 annually. County representatives said Hemet’s volume and incident mix drive the staffing recommendation.
- Shelter and prevention work: County staff said the San Jacinto shelter is open Tuesday through Sunday and that outreach measures — free microchip and vaccination clinics, spay/neuter clinics — can reduce impound and reunification workload. A spay/neuter clinic costs about $3,500 and performs roughly 30 surgeries per session; vaccine/microchip-only events can serve many more animals (up to about 150 in a day).
- Near‑term action: Council directed staff to continue with the current two‑officer contract, expand public education/outreach and coordinate clinics and microchipping events; council asked staff to present call‑volume and program data in January to reconsider whether to add a third officer.
Public notice: County life‑saving supervisor Damien Cruz announced a free microchip and vaccine event at all county campuses the coming Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; staff offered to share a flyer for the council to distribute.
Ending
The council’s motion to maintain two dedicated animal control officers carried 4‑0; staff will return in January with usage data and implementation plans for additional outreach and service adjustments.
