The city of Hollister is set to respond to findings by the Civil
Grand Jury about a possible consolidation of law enforcement
services in the area.
The city of Hollister is set to respond to findings by the Civil Grand Jury about a possible consolidation of law enforcement services in the area.
In the response presented to council members for consideration, it states that the city doesn’t agree with some of the findings from the Grand Jury report, including how the consolidation of police services would bring an increased physical presence of officers. But the city did agree to look at possible consolidation – as an approval to allow a consulting firm to survey the county was included, along with the response, in the council agenda for Monday’s meeting.
The agenda item comes after the Inter-Governmental Committee, which includes members of the Hollister City Council and San Benito County Board, agreed to allow an “unbiased” firm evaluate the possibilities, according to the report. That separate resolution on the agenda was considered to approve the payment of $9,152 – half of the firm’s total cost. In the Inter-Governmental Committee’s agreement, the county would pay the other half.
If approved, a four-person team from Municipal Resource Group will look for possible cost savings if the police services are consolidated. The group will meet with administration from both the police department and the sheriff’s office to review information regarding their services and activities.
The group will determine the possible savings by investigating both departments, including the command staff, supervisory staff and equipment.
The findings will be put into a report that will be completed by Dec. 31, according to a staff report.
At the same time, the city is responding to the Civil Grand Jury’s recommendation that consolidating the police department and the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office would be beneficial to the community. The Grand Jury Report stated that consolidation could save the government nearly $200,000 in salaries and $5 million in building savings.
In the response, signed by City Manager Clint Quilter, it states that the city couldn’t determine if those findings were accurate because there is no study done yet by the city.
In the recommendation section of the Grand Jury report, it asks for the city to investigate the possibilities further, establish guidelines for future consolidation and set up a ballot measure so the city and county’s citizens could vote on the possibilities.
The city would commit only to further investigating the possibility of consolidation but would not go further until the report is done.
“This recommendation will not be implemented as it assumes there will be a consolidation while the feasibility of such a consolidation has not been determined,” according to the report.
Also included is the city’s response to the possibility of merging the Hollister Fire Department with San Benito County Fire and Calfire. The report recommended that the city’s fire department enter in a joint powers agreement with the county to provide the “same opportunities as consolidation, yet allows the cities and county to go back on their own if they are not content.”
In the response the city, the city noted how it will not implement the recommendation but will continue to pursue the consolidation of fire service “at some level.”
Look back for more on Monday’s meeting. It is set for 6:30 p.m. at Hollister City Hall.
