Merced’s public safety need outpaces money to pay for it

If Monday’s City Council study session is any measurement, Merced has more public safety needs than it can address in the next fiscal year.

The police and fire chiefs got their chance during the session to make an appeal to the council to add officers and firefighters. But between those appeals and the city’s other needs, the council has to figure out its priorities.

According to early estimates, the city may have about $750,000 in the coming year’s discretionary funds that could be used for new staff or programs.

There has been an outcry from residents to add police in Merced, where the number of homicides reached an all-time high of 15 last year. According to city staff, each additional officer costs $115,000, which includes benefits.

Police Chief Norm Andrade provided a list of some of his department’s needs, including the one at the top. “Right off the bat, I’d get a traffic unit going,” he told the council.

The department receives many calls, he said, related to speeding and other traffic problems. Traffic units are versatile and can act as backup for other officers, he said, and traffic stops often find drugs, guns and unlicensed drivers, among other illegal activity.

A traffic unit would be made up of three officers and a sergeant. The unit would ride the department’s motorcycles, he said, which may need to be replaced soon at $25,000 each.

The department has a budget for 88 officers – though a few of those spots are empty – for a city with a population of roughly 81,100. The number of officers peaked in 2007 at 111, but budget shortfalls in the city led to layoffs.

Merced City Fire Department also had some wishes for funding. Chief Shawn Henry wants to end brownouts, which leaves an engine unstaffed.

The city has five fire engines and a firetruck, which carries specialty tools and equipment. A brownout occurs when three firefighters are sick or out from work for any reason.

Rather than pay overtime to firefighters to cover the shift for those who are out, the department leaves one engine at the 16th Street station unstaffed.

The cost to pay more overtime or hire more firefighters, or do a combination of the two, would range from $594,000 to $800,000, according to city staff.

Chad Englert, president of the Merced City Firefighters Union Local 1479, said the combination of increasing the overtime budget and adding firefighters is probably the best option. “We’d be hesitant to support adding a ton of staffing,” he said.

The council has expressed the desire for a number of other programs or new staff. A new member of the city’s Economic Development Department team would cost about $79,000, according to Director Frank Quintero.

Councilman Michael Belluomini said he wanted to see some money go back into the Parks and Recreation Department, which had the largest percentage of its budget slashed during the Great Recession.

Then there’s the estimated $182 million in street repairs the city needs.

The final decision on what will go into the budget will be decided in the coming months.

This story was originally published February 23, 2015 at 8:37 PM with the headline "Merced’s public safety need outpaces money to pay for it."