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Manhattan Beach council authorizes temporary overhire of police captain amid recruitment challenges
Summary
After a public hearing on staffing under AB 2561, the council voted 4–1 to authorize an ongoing overhire for one police captain as a temporary measure to ease management strain while hiring continues. Officials said the change will not reduce patrol staffing and will be funded from salary savings or future budget adjustments.
The Manhattan Beach City Council voted 4–1 on May 12 to receive an informational report on citywide vacancies and to authorize an ongoing overhire for one police captain, a measure staff said would ease management burdens while police recruitment continues.
Human resources director Lisa Jenkins presented the statutorily required annual report under AB 2561, saying the city’s overall vacancy rate is 8.6% and the police sworn vacancy rate is 8.3%. Jenkins said the city has accelerated hiring and maintained continuous testing for police candidates, but that retirements and separations keep staffing a moving target. “We are moving full steam ahead with police officer hiring,” Jenkins told council.
Police Chief Rachel Johnson urged the council to approve the overhire as a short-term operational fix while the department continues an aggressive recruitment effort. Johnson said rotating lieutenants into acting captain roles has stretched the command staff and the overhire would restore managerial capacity without removing officers from patrol. “Overhiring a captain will change nothing in terms of our hiring of police officers,” she said.
Council members pressed staff on how the overhire would be funded and whether it could result in fewer patrol officers. Jenkins said staff expects to fund near-term costs from salary savings (for example from long-term leaves) and, if needed, to return to council to request budget adjustments. Mayor Pro Tem Tim Franklin cast the lone no vote, expressing concern about the cost of higher-ranking positions and emphasizing the importance of keeping "boots on the ground.” The motion reported in the record was made by Council member Tarna and seconded by Council member Hworth.
The council’s action directs staff to track impacts and to report back if additional funding is required. Council members and staff emphasized that the overhire is intended as a temporary administrative measure rather than a permanent increase in the executive staffing complement; staff said it will be revisited as hiring and budget conditions change.
What’s next: Staff will continue police recruitment, monitor whether additional budget authority is needed to sustain the overhire, and return to council with updates as part of regular budget and staffing reports.
