LAKEPORT, Calif. – After several years in which its officer numbers have been cut back, the Lakeport Police Department will be able to restore an officer position thanks to a unanimous decision by the Lakeport City Council Tuesday night.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen asked the council to add back one of the positions that has been removed from the budget by attrition due to the city's financial difficulties.
He pointed out that in 2009 the department had 14 officer positions budgeted, a number that has dropped to nine in the current fiscal year.
Rasmussen asked for additional funding to increase full-time staffing in order to be ready for the busy summer months.
Adding back the position would cost the city $28,464 for the rest of this fiscal year and $55,000 in fiscal year 2013-14, according to Rasmussen. The revamping of the CalPERS retirement formulas is estimated to save the city $12,000 on the position. In addition, Rasmussen is looking at grant funding.
While Rasmussen said all city departments are working with less staff and resources, as chief of police he said he had to bring his concerns to the council.
“I don't know how you've done it. I did it with 14,” said Mayor Tom Engstrom, the city's retired police chief.
Engstrom pointed out that in the small department everyone – including Rasmussen – covers shifts.
Councilman Marc Spillman asked about overtime. Rasmussen said he's asked for an annual overtime budget of about $45,000. “We've stayed fairly well within that.”
Councilman Martin Scheel asked Rasmussen if he would specifically be hiring a school resource officer, as Rasmussen's plans included filling the school resource officer position for the Lakeport Unified School District. Rasmussen said no, that he would assign a veteran officer to the school district.
Rasmussen's proposal was called a “good proactive move” by Councilman Kenny Parlet, who said Rasmussen has been excellent with his budget and that rewarding staff includes giving them what they need. Councilmember Stacey Mattina agreed.
Lakeport Unified Superintendent Erin Hagberg told the council she was there to confirm the district's commitment to the position.
Hagberg said the district has cut $2 million out of its budget in recent years, reducing staffing and student programs, but has maintained its commitment to the school resource officer position. “I believe it's invaluable to student and staff safety.”
Hagberg added, “Our district is a microcosm of our entire city,” and when there is an increase in certain issues in Lakeport, the school district sees them as well. She said everyone needed to work together.
Engstrom said the Lakeport Police Department has had a presence in the Lakeport schools for the past 20 years.
Mattina asked if Rasmussen would have an officer in place in the schools for the rest of the year. He said it wouldn't be possible until August.
In addition to the restored officer position and another officer's job for which Rasmussen recently held a recruitment, he said one of his officers is leaving on Feb. 15, taking his sworn officer staffing down to seven.
While he said it won't be easy, Rasmussen has a plan for getting the work done. At the same time, he doesn't plan to rush. “I'm not going to make a bad decision on hiring staff by moving too quick, either.”
Scheel asked Finance Director Dan Buffalo for his prognosis for future budgets, and Buffalo said they should have money available due to the dissolution of redevelopment. Buffalo said it's also an excellent time to hire officers due to changes in the CalPERS retirement formulas.
Mattina moved to approve restoring the position, which the council approved 5-0.
“Congratulations, Chief,” said Engstrom. “Go find three people now.”
Rasmussen told Lake County News in a followup interview that he's doing just that.
Thanks to his recent recruitment, Rasmussen said he has sufficient candidates to fill all three positions within the next month or two.
Rasmussen estimated that the restored position will cost about $71,000 a year, $25,000 of which will come from Lakeport Unified.
He said the state now requires jurisdictions to adopt certain mandated retirement formulas for staff hired after Jan. 1, 2013, who are not vested in the CalPERS system or who have have a six-month break in service.
For Lakeport, that mandated formula is 2.7 percent for every year of service by age 57, Rasmussen said. Other jurisdictions have different formulas.
Those changes are resulting in his estimate of about $12,000 in annual savings per position for new officers.
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