Sac PD Fear Layoffs Amid Talks Over $40M Deficit
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- Nearly 100 police officers could lose their jobs in Sacramento, and the cuts could come as the city tackles a $40 million deficit.
"We've cut as much as we can, outside of bodies," says Sgt. Norm Leong, Sacramento Police Department.
A total of 98 police officers, plus 69 staff members could lose their jobs if the city council approves the proposed cuts to the Sacramento Police Department, which is ranked nationally as one of the most understaffed agencies among larger metropolitan cities.
For every 1000 citizens, there are one and half officers. Putting it in perspective, the Sacramento Police Department says there are eight parolees for every 1000 Sacramento residents and ten gang members.
"We're working on very low numbers per ration of population," says Sgt. Leong.
And those low numbers impact response time, according to the department: which averages 8 minutes and 16 seconds responding to emergencies, 9 minutes and 39 seconds for a disturbance call and an hour and six minutes responding to burglaries.
"We're not gonna stand for it, we don't think the public will either," says Mark Tyndale, Sacramento Police Officers Association.
The police union is already arming itself to fight proposed budget cuts, but a spokesperson says officers are refusing to make any more concessions on their end. Mark Tyndale says officers stepped up two years ago, making concessions to save the city $13 million.
"They took the money they saved from us, instead of preparing for this crisis, they used it. They gave themselves some raises. They funded some other projects they wanted," explains Tyndale.
City council members will make the final decision on layoffs by the end of June. The proposed budget cuts also call for 49 layoffs in the Sacramento Fire Department.
