Proposal to reduce Costa Mesa police force puts city at risk, chief warns

Restructuring the Costa Mesa Police Department to reduce costs could put the city at risk for more crime and mean fewer officers dedicated to traffic enforcement, narcotics operations and other specialties, the police chief warned.

But some city officials — trying to shore up the budget — said there may be little choice but to follow at least some of a consultant’s recommendations to restructure the force. Such reorganization, the consultant says, would save $1.3 million the first year and $1.8 million annually afterward.

The changes, suggested by Management Partners Inc., include eliminating three officers, removing a lieutenant position — dropping the number of lieutenants to five, from eight — and keeping a police captain position vacant until Sept. 30 to save on wages.

The City Council plans to discuss the changes at Tuesday’s meeting as it considers approving the city’s fiscal 2011-12 budget.

Also at issue is a proposal to reduce the Police Department from 139 active sworn officers to 131. But a force that size, interim Police Chief Steve Staveley said, may mean as few as 120 officers are available at a time because of illness, injuries and vacations.

In addition, five positions would be funded by a three-year federal grant.

Staveley said the reductions would mean more officers doing generalized police work and having less time for specialist work in traffic, gangs and narcotics.

City Chief Executive Tom Hatch acknowledged that changes to the police force would affect services, but he said he feels the city has done what it can to maintain service levels.

“The reality is when you’re changing sworn to non-sworn, there is a decline,” Hatch said.

Staveley said replacing sworn officers with non-sworn professionals is a common trend in law enforcement across the country.

An International Assn. of Chiefs of Police report — presented Tuesday by Jason Chamness, president of the Costa Mesa Police Assn. — gave an average ratio of 1.9 officers for every 1,000 people in American cities about the size of Costa Mesa. The city’s current 1.3-1,000 ratio would be reduced to 1.2 to 1,000 if the suggested cuts are implemented.

Chamness said the changes are “not based on logic or any expertise I’ve found.” He continued: “This is based on politics — not public safety, not people.”

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer said that politics are irrelevant and that balancing the city budget is of utmost importance.

“All the studies in the world don’t put more cash in our bank account,” he said.

lauren.williams@latimes.com