Local officials on the Hollister City Council and San Benito
County Board of Supervisors say they are open to examining the idea
of merging the police department and sheriff’s office as a way to
save money.
Local officials on the Hollister City Council and San Benito County Board of Supervisors say they are open to examining the idea of merging the police department and sheriff’s office as a way to save money.
The law enforcement merger issue has been broached in other area communities, including Morgan Hill where the police officers union has supported such a contractual partnership.
County supervisors recently also shelved long-held plans to build a new sheriff’s office because the cost would be too high. Instead, they are looking into leasing options for a replacement to the antiquated downtown administration building.
Supervisor Anthony Botelho was relatively adamant among local officials interviewed by the Pinnacle in favor of seriously looking into a law enforcement merger. He said it especially makes sense to look at “some sort of joint arrangement” with a central administration building.
“It makes a lot of sense to me,” Botelho said. “My understanding is there is future capacity at the Hollister administration office.”
Botelho also said, however, that the city would not “quite have as much control with law enforcement.”
But he called it a “great way to save resources” and he noted how “it worked” for the City of San Juan Bautista, which contracts with the sheriff’s office for law enforcement.
“There hasn’t been, to date, a whole lot of focus (on the issue) from the elected officials,” he said. “I like the idea of consolidation and partnerships.”
There has been some talk among officials, though. The intergovernmental committee broached the topic at a recent meeting, but Police Chief Jeff Miller had not been in attendance so the panel asked that staff members bring back more information about it, said Supervisor Pat Loe.
Supervisor Reb Monaco, meanwhile, said the topic has come up at various levels for about the past year and a half.
Monaco said he believes the only way such a merger could work is through a contractual agreement between the city and county.
“This has not been discussed out in the open,” Monaco said. “Certainly, I’m not opposed to having that happen, if and when it’s necessary.”
Rising costs, a down economy and severely declining revenue streams are at the heart of debates over where local officials can cut costs in the short and long term during rough financial times.
Hollister has had a more difficult go than the county, while the city, despite the 1 percent sales tax approved by voters as Measure T more than two years ago, has almost no general fund reserve left and it operates a deficit that would bankrupt the savings account within three years, according to city estimates.
Loe pointed out how such talks would have to be initiated by Hollister officials.
“The city needs to understand what the responsibility is of the sheriff,” she said. “It would be different from having a chief of police.”
She mentioned how under such a scenario, many factors would have to be weighed, such as progress with the joint gang coordinator office, against any potential cost savings. She said she is not leaning one way or another.
“I need to have all the facts and the information,” Loe said.
On the city side, Councilman Ray Friend said if such merger talks progressed, it would “probably” require an outside analyst to make sure any examination comes with objectivity.
“Obviously, it’s going to involve jobs and people’s lives and stuff, so it probably has to be an independent person at some time,” he said.
Look for the full story in the Pinnacle on Friday.
