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Public commenter urges staffing rationale rather than target headcount
Summary
At the May 27 advisory committee meeting resident Peter Zalai urged the city to tie any police staffing targets to response needs and asked that four frozen positions be considered for traffic enforcement rather than relying on an unexplained target number.
During general public comment, resident Peter Zalai asked the police department and committee to avoid choosing a target police headcount without a clear operational rationale. Zalai said the mayor had referenced a maximum force of about 200 officers while the city currently employs roughly 161 and asked for metrics—such as response times or documented service needs—tying staffing increases to public‑safety outcomes.
Zalai also asked the department to consider restoring four previously frozen positions to traffic enforcement, noting that motorcycle staffing has fallen from a historical high (the sergeant later said motorcycle staffing peaked in the early 2000s) and that stronger traffic enforcement could address speeding, sideshows and related harms.
The comment drew follow-up clarifying questions from committee members; the meeting did not include a departmental staffing justification or a formal vote on reassigning frozen positions. The department’s later presentation focused on current traffic‑unit staffing and grant‑funded activities rather than an overall headcount policy.
