Supporters Serve to Protect Their Police Department : Port Hueneme: A barbecue benefits campaign for tax measure to pay for an independent force.

Port Hueneme residents peddled hot dogs and potato salad Saturday afternoon as part of a grass-roots effort to save the city’s financially strapped Police Department.

While police officers and locals gobbled hamburgers and baked beans, organizers netted about $350 to add to the $15,000 campaign purse to support a June ballot measure that would raise taxes to keep the department.

“It’s not the food we’re here for,” homeowner Rick Boscarino said while devouring a burger at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post. “We don’t want to lose our Police Department.”

If two-thirds of the city’s voters approve the $500,000 property-tax measure, homeowners would pay an extra $56 a year in property taxes, apartment owners $47 per unit and commercial property owners 2.5 cents per square foot.

Boscarino, who owns two condominiums in Port Hueneme, said he would gladly accept a tax increase to keep local policing.

“It’s definitely worth it,” he said. “There’s too much crime.”

If the measure fails, Port Hueneme could be forced to contract with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department or Oxnard police, said Mayor Pro Tem Jim Daniels.

“We probably won’t have any choice,” he said.

Last fall, the Oxnard Police Department offered to help the financially burdened city by hiring most of its officers and providing law enforcement for the Port Hueneme area.

But residents fear that an outside department can’t provide the same services their 19-member law enforcement agency does.

Supporters of the tax measure say Port Hueneme officers are quick to respond to medical emergencies and are familiar with the people in their community.

“Nothing against the county, but they can’t cover (the community) the same way,” said resident Jim Taylor.

Brenda Klopfstein, who was raised in Port Hueneme, said she’s fighting to save the department after officers helped save her husband’s life.

“My husband at 43 had a heart attack,” she said. “It was massive. My first response was from Hueneme police. He absolutely would not be alive right now if it weren’t for them.”

Port Hueneme ran into financial troubles when the state began squeezing tax dollars from counties and cities, Daniels said. Over the past two years, the city has been forced to lay off a dozen employees and close its cultural center due to budget cutbacks.

“The state is strapped for money, so they steal from the cities and counties, and we have to scramble,” said Sgt. Ted Snyder, one of many local officers attending the barbecue.

Snyder said he was grateful to the citizens for pulling together to try to save the department.

“It’s really gratifying that they support the work we’ve been putting in,” he said.

Hueneme Police Chief John Hopkins agreed.

“These people came on right away, as soon as there was a threat of leaving,” he said. “It’s been incredible.”

Supporters of the tax measure hope to raise about $20,000 for posters, mailers, T-shirts, postage and other advertising costs associated with their election campaign.

Next week, organizers plan to mail about 5,000 flyers to Port Hueneme residents urging their support.

“They have to convince two out of every three voters that it is in their interest to have a local police department,” City Manager John R. (Dick) Velthoen said.

Residents who came to Saturday’s barbecue were optimistic that they can rally enough backing to pass the proposal.

“I haven’t seen any letter yet that’s been against it,” Daniels said. “We have one of the best police departments there is.”