Although supervisors took a step in the right direction by
shelving any notion of building a new sheriff’s office, they and
city officials have another big hurdle to pass if they truly
believe in giving taxpayers the most for their dollar when it comes
to law enforcement.
It is time to seriously examine a merger of the San Benito
County Sheriff’s Office and the Hollister Police Department.
Although supervisors took a step in the right direction by shelving any notion of building a new sheriff’s office, they and city officials have another big hurdle to pass if they truly believe in giving taxpayers the most for their dollar when it comes to law enforcement.
It is time to seriously examine a merger of the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office and the Hollister Police Department.
County board members at last week’s meeting directed staff officials to look at alternatives to the previous intention of constructing a new sheriff’s office headquarters from the ground up. Officials for years had planned to build a 40,000-square-foot headquarters on a 20-acre site owned by the county next to the jail.
Now, that plan looks unrealistic and irresponsible, due to the down economy and declining county revenues, while supervisors talked about taking another route such as renting or renovating space. Staying at the current spot makes no sense because it is inadequate for the office’s space needs and would demand about $4 million if officials would choose to upgrade the downtown site.
At the same meeting, there was no discussion of merging with the Hollister Police Department, which should be a top priority for both the county and the city because it could save untold dollars and streamline law enforcement practices locally. The timing is right for both the county and the city.
It is appropriate for San Benito County – aside from the prospect for structured cost savings – due to the search for a new administration site along with the election later this year of a new sheriff.
For Hollister officials, studying the idea is especially a no-brainer in light of a dwindling general fund reserve and annual deficits pointing the city toward bankruptcy within three years. Bold, creative ideas are the only way out of this mess, and a law enforcement merger could be one step toward fixing the city’s finances. It makes sense from a logistical perspective as well, considering the relatively small size of the county, in how it would help to avoid the overlap of services that inevitably comes with the current arrangement.
Both governments’ officials have largely ignored the issue for many years despite the suggestion from some in the community, including this editorial board, to get the process initiated for consolidation of these departments. With the fiscal crisis failing to lose steam, they must examine the potential cost savings and, at some point, move ahead with a merger of the two agencies. Plus, they don’t have to jump off the cliff first anymore, either, because some cities in the region have done it already and others are looking at the possibility.
Morgan Hill’s police officers union, incidentally, recently backed an idea to contract with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, which already does the same with three other cities – Cupertino, Saratoga and Los Altos Hills. The union’s leaders believe it could save about $1.8 million for the city while maintaining current levels of law enforcement. The main difference would be the elimination of the police chief and two commanding officers, while the 32 sworn officers in the union would make about the same pay. The current Morgan Hill police headquarters then could be used as a substation.
If and when Hollister and San Benito County officials get talks going on a prospective merger, a logical consideration would be the use of the city’s police department on Apollo Way – either as a new sheriff’s headquarters or as a substation to an operational center elsewhere.
The merger topic came up briefly at an intergovernmental meeting two months ago involving officials from the area governments, and committee members asked that staff members bring back more information.
If and when they take the discussion to the next step – we believe it should happen as soon as possible – the consideration should demand an independent study of the cost savings and perhaps alternatives for logistical changes needed with a transition.
With an outside perspective – and with numbers to strengthen the argument – it would be hard to reason against a merger’s fruition and the long-term benefits it could provide for taxpayers’ wallets and the safety of the community.
