Cost of Policing : Proposal Seeks to Charge 5 Cities More for Services of the Sheriff’s Department

Cities that contract with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department will have to pay more for law enforcement services under a proposal to be considered today by the County Board of Supervisors.

Department officials are asking the board to raise contract fees for Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Camarillo, Fillmore and Ojai by a total of $695,289, or an average of 4.15% per city, this fiscal year. The move would push the total amount that the five cities pay for services to $17 million annually.

Undersheriff Richard S. Bryce, who drafted the proposal, said the increase is needed to offset higher operating expenses.

“It’s just the cost of providing service,” Bryce said. “Law enforcement is a pretty good bargain when you compare it with other issues. On the other hand, I wouldn’t say it’s cheap.”

While the Sheriff’s Department’s request is expected to win the board’s approval, the proposed fee increase has come under criticism from some city officials.

“We were just able to balance our budget during this year,” said Moorpark Mayor Paul Lawrason, whose city pays $2.1 million for law enforcement services. “Passing along something like this really hurts.”

Camarillo City Councilwoman Charlotte Craven criticized the increase because it would be retroactive for the 1993-94 fiscal year, which started July 1.

“They should have known these rates were going to be higher and they should have told us earlier,” Craven said. “We often hear that local governments need to start acting more like businesses. . . . Well, businesses don’t act this way.”

But Bryce said the Sheriff’s Department traditionally reviews its rates in February, adding that the annual contracts with the cities allow for midyear increases.

While he said he understands the cities’ concerns, sheriff’s officials have kept costs down as much as possible by reorganizing the department.

“The bottom line is we are trying to provide services at the most economical rate possible,” Bryce said. “I can understand the frustrations, especially when (city) revenues are decreasing at a rapid rate. We are doing the best we can and the price is right.”

Supervisor John K. Flynn said he believes that the cities are receiving a “sweetheart deal.”

“I’ve always felt the contracts needed to be a little stiffer,” he said.

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While Craven and Lawrason criticized the proposal, Thousand Oaks City Councilman Frank Schillo said he supports the Sheriff’s Department’s request.

“We need to have a safe county,” said Schillo, whose city pays $9 million annually for the services. “It’s the price of public safety.”

Under the proposal, fees for a variety of services would increase.

For example, the annual cost of staffing a one-officer patrol car around-the-clock would increase from $446,325 annually to $468,922 in Thousand Oaks. In Moorpark, the cost of a one-officer car would increase from $446,325 to $479,000. And in Camarillo, the cost would be set at $481,290, up from $444,457.

The proposal also calls for the county to start charging $100 per four hours when officers from other departments use the sheriff’s pistol range, located at Camarillo Airport. That fee would become effective July 1. Presently, there is no charge.

“We are obligated to charge for full cost recovery,” Bryce said. “We are watching after the county’s interest.”