San Clemente May Jettison Police Dept. : Enforcement: Chief calls meeting to warn staff that costs of recent storms increase likelihood of Sheriff’s Dept. taking over duties in city.

Police Chief Michael Sorg called an emergency meeting of the Police Department staff Thursday to inform employees of the increasing likelihood that the city will dismantle the department and hire the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to take over.

Sorg, whose unexpected comments shocked the department’s rank and file, said he told his officers that property damage caused by the recent rainstorms has plunged the financially strapped city into further debt. That extra burden, the chief said, will probably tip the scale in favor of having the Sheriff’s Department provide police service to a city that is desperately seeking ways to save money.

Council members had been expected to make public next Wednesday a proposal to award a contract for police services to the Sheriff’s Department, which according to City Manager Michael W. Parness could save the city “in the range of $2 million.”

But Sorg’s impromptu staff meeting has apparently hastened the unveiling of the long-awaited and still very secret proposal. Parness arranged for a previously unscheduled meeting late Thursday with Sorg and sheriff’s officials to discuss the possibility of releasing the proposal as early as 8 a.m. today.

The city manager declined to reveal details of the proposal and would only say: “There’s no doubt that the sheriff’s proposal is comprehensive and attractive and offers substantial savings during a time in which the city faces heavy financial problems.”

During the meeting with his force, Sorg’s words were met with disbelief, outrage and bewilderment among officers who were present. Said one officer who asked not to be identified: “I walked into the room expecting a (routine) meeting and I got what until now was the unspoken fear: that we could lose the department.”

While the chief and Parness emphasized that the decision has not been made and that only the City Council can make it, officers interviewed after the meeting said they were left with the impression that the dismantling of the Police Department is all but inevitable.

Sorg himself said the chances are slim that his department will survive.

In a brief interview before he left to meet with Parness and sheriff’s officials, the chief declined to repeat all that he told his officers during the morning meeting.

“There’s so much turmoil going on around here, and I don’t want to add to anything right now,” Sorg said. However, he confirmed that Parness told him that recent storm-related damage in San Clemente “is one more huge expense on the part of the city that was going to make it much more difficult to keep our department.”

A memo prepared by Parness’ office estimated the damage caused by the storm at $500,000 to $1 million, according to Councilman Thomas Lorch.

At the request of the City Council, the Sheriff’s Department recently submitted a proposal to assume law enforcement duties from the 65-year-old police force, which costs the city $6.3 million annually, or about 30% of its general fund. While the proposal estimates that a switch to the Sheriff’s Department would save the city about $2 million each year for the first two years, officials said it did not forecast long-range savings.

The sheriff’s proposal also promises to hire San Clemente officers as well as significantly increase the number of patrol officers available.

A final vote by the council could come as early as mid-February, although members of the city’s Peace Officers Assn. have said they will seek a public referendum on the issue.

Times correspondent Anna Cekola contributed to this story.