Oakland budget covers rehiring 22 police officers
Matthai Kuruvila, Chronicle Staff Writer
San Francisco Chronicle July 2, 2011 04:00 AM
This article appeared on page C - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Oakland will rehire 22 police officers laid off last year as part of a budget plan approved late Thursday night.
The move, which was supported by all council members and Mayor Jean Quan, will bring the Police Department up to 660 officers. Quan said that she would also stabilize the size of the force by continuing to rehire laid-off officers as others retire or leave.
Since she took office in January, the mayor has tried to keep the department at around 660 officers, but attrition has complicated that effort. Last summer, the department had a force of 796 before 80 officers and 22 cadets were laid off.
Half of the council - Pat Kernighan, Libby Schaaf, Nancy Nadel and Rebecca Kaplan - wanted to rehire an additional 22 officers immediately, but they were rebuffed by the other half of the council and Quan. It was a central difference between the two budget plans considered Thursday night.
Kernighan's group argued it would be less expensive to hire the extra 22 officers, who were trained by the department, than to train new ones. The cost of a four- to six-month training academy for 40 cadets is about $4 million, according to Police Chief Anthony Batts. Officers from other departments still require training in Oakland's practices and policies. Experienced officers need less-expensive training, but their salaries are higher.
"It's a rare opportunity to hire police without spending several million dollars in a year and a half to get them," said Kernighan in arguing to rehire the extra 22 laid off officers. Batts, whose office has been in contact with the laid-off cadets and officers, said 46 of them are willing to come back immediately.
"I'm glad they're coming back," Kernighan said. "I was hoping to bring more."
Otherwise, all eight council members agreed to preserve libraries, senior and recreation centers, arts funding, fire stations, the city's film office and almost all neighborhood service coordinators, who organize neighborhood crime-prevention councils and watches.
The council also voted to add 269 parking meters under the Interstate 580 underpass and in the Eastlake area. And the budget will reduce funding to the Public Ethics Commission as well as to the city cable channel, KTOP, which will cut back its broadcasting of government meetings.
On Tuesday, the council will consider a proposal from Quan to pay new City Administrator Deanna Santana a $273,000 salary. She will also get a $10,000 relocation allowance, four weeks of "executive leave," 2 1/2 weeks of sick leave and three weeks of vacation.
Council President Larry Reid said that the amount seemed appropriate. He said other city managers in the region make roughly the same or more.
"It's a reasonable salary," he said. "I think all of my colleagues will vote to support the contract."
The move, which was supported by all council members and Mayor Jean Quan, will bring the Police Department up to 660 officers. Quan said that she would also stabilize the size of the force by continuing to rehire laid-off officers as others retire or leave.
Since she took office in January, the mayor has tried to keep the department at around 660 officers, but attrition has complicated that effort. Last summer, the department had a force of 796 before 80 officers and 22 cadets were laid off.
Half of the council - Pat Kernighan, Libby Schaaf, Nancy Nadel and Rebecca Kaplan - wanted to rehire an additional 22 officers immediately, but they were rebuffed by the other half of the council and Quan. It was a central difference between the two budget plans considered Thursday night.
Kernighan's group argued it would be less expensive to hire the extra 22 officers, who were trained by the department, than to train new ones. The cost of a four- to six-month training academy for 40 cadets is about $4 million, according to Police Chief Anthony Batts. Officers from other departments still require training in Oakland's practices and policies. Experienced officers need less-expensive training, but their salaries are higher.
"It's a rare opportunity to hire police without spending several million dollars in a year and a half to get them," said Kernighan in arguing to rehire the extra 22 laid off officers. Batts, whose office has been in contact with the laid-off cadets and officers, said 46 of them are willing to come back immediately.
"I'm glad they're coming back," Kernighan said. "I was hoping to bring more."
Otherwise, all eight council members agreed to preserve libraries, senior and recreation centers, arts funding, fire stations, the city's film office and almost all neighborhood service coordinators, who organize neighborhood crime-prevention councils and watches.
The council also voted to add 269 parking meters under the Interstate 580 underpass and in the Eastlake area. And the budget will reduce funding to the Public Ethics Commission as well as to the city cable channel, KTOP, which will cut back its broadcasting of government meetings.
On Tuesday, the council will consider a proposal from Quan to pay new City Administrator Deanna Santana a $273,000 salary. She will also get a $10,000 relocation allowance, four weeks of "executive leave," 2 1/2 weeks of sick leave and three weeks of vacation.
Council President Larry Reid said that the amount seemed appropriate. He said other city managers in the region make roughly the same or more.
"It's a reasonable salary," he said. "I think all of my colleagues will vote to support the contract."
No comments:
Post a Comment