Mayor Wants County to Police Compton

The mayor of Compton is seeking voter approval to hire Los Angeles County to provide law enforcement and fire protection services because he said the city can no longer afford its own departments.

Mayor Walter Tucker said the city is caught in a budget crunch and must cut corners. By contracting with the county, the city could reduce law enforcement and fire expenditures, which exceed $19 million annually, by about 50%, Tucker said.

Already Tucker’s proposal has drawn sharp criticism and the threat of a recall from residents and city officials who claim that fire and police protection will suffer if the county takes over.

Tucker said he will seek to place the question before the voters during the general election next June. He must gather about 10,000 signatures--25% of the registered voters in the city--to put the issue on the ballot.