San Clemente Meeting on Police Turns Raucous : Government: Mayor repeatedly calls for order in hearing to discuss disbanding department and using sheriff’s deputies to save money.

Strong emotions punctuated a public hearing Wednesday night over whether the city should eliminate its Police Department and contract with the County Sheriff’s Department.

“Why are other departments so precious and our Police Department so dispensable?” resident Larry Melvin asked the City Council.

The question of whether to keep the police force has deeply divided this seaside community of 43,000, which has held three hearings in the past five days. The divisiveness continued Wednesday night as a sometimes raucous audience was hushed repeatedly by the mayor, and flyers were distributed outside.

In past weeks, residents have seen a barrage of bumper stickers, local cable programs and mailers from both sides. A strong, pro-police sentiment has emerged, leading to threats of a City Council recall if the department is disbanded.

City officials warn that San Clemente is in deep financial trouble. A poor retail tax base has kept the city chronically underfunded in recent years. Many capital projects, such as street maintenance and storm drains, have been put off for years as city officials struggled to balance the budget.

The past 12 months have seen even more bad news. Last summer, Gov. Pete Wilson slashed state funding for California cities, reducing San Clemente’s annual take by $800,000.

“I don’t see how the city has much choice” but to disband the Police Department to stay financially afloat, resident Sam Hill told the council Wednesday. “If you put this to a vote, you will get an emotional vote. I elected you to make these decisions.”

The City Council must decide whether to disband the department or put the question to a vote of the residents. City Clerk Myrna Erway estimated Wednesday that an election would cost the city between $31,000 and $53,000.

The recent storms have proved to be the proverbial last straw for the city’s finances, officials say. Damage estimates keep skyrocketing and although an exact figure isn’t known yet, it is believed the city will pay several million dollars to repair streets, storm drains and badly eroded slopes.

A gloomy, 300-page financial report released by city officials last weekend said San Clemente is looking at a potential budget shortfall of $700,000 this year and $2.5 million annually within the next five years, even if the economy recovers.

All of which gives added weight to the sheriff’s offer to take over police services and save the city about $2 million annually, say city officials.

In addition, nearly all local police would be rehired and receive raises. The Sheriff’s Department also promises to increase manpower on key day and night shifts.

There are few alternatives to disbanding the police force. Police Chief Michael Sorg, a former city assistant manager, recently compiled a 27-page report that could only scrape up about $477,000 in cuts from the police budget, which he said was already at a bare-bones level.

One way to save the Police Department would to impose a tax increase, which is supported by the San Clemente Police Assn. and some residents. Any tax hike would likely require a special election.