Police Chief Jeff Miller’s first year on the job accosted him
with a massive budget shortfall, staffing levels that are less than
half the national standard and a citywide layoff that took four
positions away from the already depleted department.
Hollister – Police Chief Jeff Miller’s first year on the job accosted him with a massive budget shortfall, staffing levels that are less than half the national standard and a citywide layoff that took four positions away from the already depleted department.
And although he didn’t realize the magnitude of the situation when he took the job, he has no regrets about taking the helm at the Hollister Police Department and plans to steer the department through the difficult times, he said.
Soon after Miller accepted the job the city was faced with laying off city employees, including four police department positions. A lean budget made it impossible for Miller to implement many programs and expand services like he would have liked, and he was dismayed when he learned he was actually going to have to cut programs and services.
“It hasn’t been a tasteful chore, and I wish we didn’t have to go through it by the skin of our teeth,” Miller said. “But we’re not the only city experiencing these problems – it’s not that Hollister is the most terrible place on earth.”
One of the hardest challenges he’s faced over the past year has been dealing with decreasing morale throughout the department because of the lean budget and staffing levels, he said.
“The greatest effect has been on the officers themselves – the overtime they’re having to work and a lack of resources,” he said. “My greatest frustration is their frustration. They want to do more, but they don’t have the time to do it.”
While the picture may appear bleak right now, Miller said he’s committed to adapting to the difficult situation and making things better.
“There’s always a sense of pride to know you worked in those tough situations, and I don’t think it’s going to last forever. I’ve been doing this job for 25 years and I’ve seen good times and I’ve seen bad times,” he said. “What I want to do is look to the future and prepare for the time when we can expand resource-wise.”
Miller accepted the job as chief in September of 2003 after originally turning down the job two months earlier because of negative publicity about his past position as police chief in Rohnert Park. After only 18 months, he resigned from the Rohnert Park department in October of 2001 because the local police union there publicly expressed discontent with his leadership.
Miller accepted the position after the Hollister Police Officer’s Association publicly supported his hiring.
The POA still supports Miller, but POA President Ray Wood said many improvements need to be made. While the ultimate responsibility falls on Miller to make them, the ability to do so is out of Miller’s control because the city’s budget problems provide him little resources to work with, he said.
“Those changes need the support of the community and the City Council. The budget has been cut so severely that the administration can’t staff positions,” Wood said. “We believe the chief is doing the best he can with what resources we have.”
Wood said the department should have a gang enforcement team, a full-time traffic unit and be able to form specialized units such as a SWAT team, but has been unable to implement them because of a lack of money.
Councilman Robert Scattini also believes the department needs improving, especially concerning traffic and speed enforcement, but said Miller has done a good job given what he’s got.
“He’s in a heck of a predicament if he doesn’t have the tools to do the job,” Scattini said. “He’s handled it to the best of his ability with the short staffing. He could come to us (the City Council) and ask for more people, but I don’t think he’ll get it. We don’t have the money.”
Miller’s main focal points are gangs and traffic, and he said he is proud of the department’s acquisition of new radar equipment, the implementation of a gang task force and Volunteers in Policing program, among others, he said.
The Volunteers in Policing are able to assist officers with duties such as filing records and paperwork, which gives officers more time to concentrate on patrol and investigations.
But it’s the dedicated group of police officers under Miller’s command who keep him going through the frustration and make the job fun, he said.
“I’m in awe of some of the things they’re able to do,” he said. “I like the people I work with, I like the community. I just wish we could do more. I have no regrets.”
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or em*******@fr***********.com
