In light of talk among officials over the idea of merging local
law enforcement agencies, Mayor Victor Gomez suggested a concept
that takes a different tack than the more traditional route
– having the Hollister Police Department absorb the larger San
Benito County Sheriff’s Office.
In light of talk among officials over the idea of merging local law enforcement agencies, Mayor Victor Gomez suggested a concept that takes a different tack than the more traditional route – having the Hollister Police Department absorb the larger San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.
Gomez said he has been researching the law enforcement merger subject for the past three or four months. Other officials say it has been broached at various levels of talks over the past year or two and the intergovernmental committee had initial discussions on the topic at a meeting a couple of months ago. Other cities in the region also have considered, or have executed, the idea of merging with a county sheriff’s office.
Gomez said all possible avenues of a potential partnership should be on the table and he noted the prospect of the county sheriff’s office contracting with the city police department as one example. His interest in the prospect comes as Hollister officials face annual deficits and a general-fund reserve that is going broke. The county has experienced needed cuts as well, but does not face as dire of an immediate future as the city.
“I think everything needs to be taken into consideration,” Gomez said.
He also mentioned that, perhaps, an arrangement between the city and county could result in more solidified partnerships in some areas of law enforcement while leaving others separate – such as having the police department oversee patrol operations and keeping the sheriff’s office in charge of corrections.
The sheriff’s office has also overseen the county’s jail operations, coroner’s office and communications center – which already involves a partnership among law enforcement agencies – with a total budget of $11.4 million, according to Rich Inman, the county’s assistant administrative officer.
The Hollister Police Department has a budget of $5.6 million but also oversees animal control at a cost of $529,500 – for which the county contracts with the city for services.
Hollister police, meanwhile, has 27 full-time officers along with four full-time animal control officers and six clerical staff, for a total of 37, said Sgt. David Westrick with the police department. The sheriff’s office has 33 sworn, full-time officers and about 100 total full-time employees including the jail and other operations, said sheriff’s Lt. Roy Iler.
Gomez said the intergovernmental committee, made up of leaders from the city and county, is an ideal place to start the official discussion.
“That’s the perfect committee for those talks to be happening,” Gomez said. “That’s the committee to get it started if they want to get it started. Someone might not think it’s a good idea.”
He said the intergovernmental committee then could come back to each agency whose members can decide whether to progress.
If they do?
“I want to make sure that whatever study is done, it’s done by an independent firm.”
