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Measure P committee backs fire and police staffing and equipment requests, approves SAFER match
Summary
The committee recommended a package of public-safety spending to the City Council: SAFER grant match for six firefighters (three-year match ~$2.62M) approved 4–1; defibrillator lease, PPE and recruit academies were recommended (some votes 4–1); PD computer upgrades and background-investigation funding were also recommended.
At its May 4 meeting the Measure P Oversight Committee recommended several public-safety expenditures to the Vallejo City Council, approving most requests while recording dissent on a few staffing-related items.
Fire department requests - SAFER grant match: The committee voted 4–1 to recommend Measure P funding to cover the city’s matching portion of a FEMA SAFER grant that would fund six firefighters from March 2026 through March 2029. Staff said the grant is front-loaded and that the city’s match obligation applies only during the three-year grant term; if the match is not provided the city risks losing the federal award. Fire officials said fully staffed engines and reduced overtime are expected outcomes if hiring targets are met. - ZOLL defibrillator lease: The committee recommended Measure P support for annual lease payments covering 10 ZOLL monitors under a 10-year lease that includes a midterm upgrade at year five; staff said the lease avoids repeated one-off purchases and helps manage long-term replacement costs. - PPE and gear: The committee recommended a one-time $250,000 allocation for turnout gear, helmets, wildland and water-rescue equipment and hazmat gear to replace aged equipment and support specialized teams. - Recruit academies: The committee recommended $750,000 for two recruit academies (Sept. 2026 and Feb. 2027) to hire and train up to 17 firefighters to address imminent retirements and attrition; the vote passed 4–1.
Police requests - Computer equipment: The committee recommended $120,000 for public-safety computer replacements (including ~15 in patrol cars) to complete a Windows 11 upgrade and replace unsupported hardware; staff said the request would close an identified gap in the equipment lifecycle plan. - Background investigations: The committee recommended $120,000 for pre-employment background investigations to support accelerated hiring amid a staffing crunch; staff said the average background cost per police applicant is roughly $2,200 and that the department churns large applicant pools to produce a small number of hires.
Several presenters stressed that some items are grant-funded or one-time asks and that Measure P is being requested to fill specific gaps; the committee emphasized the difference between one-time and ongoing obligations and asked staff to clarify future funding implications. The recommendations will now go to the City Council for final action.
