10:32 AM
By Connor Ramey
Soon, the Hollister Police Department and the San Benito County Sheriff's Office might find themselves under the same title and building - at least the San Benito County Grand Jury hopes so.
To help save both the county and city money but still provide residents the most resources available, the grand jury recommended that the city council and board of supervisors look at the consolidation of the sheriff's office and the police department as well as the fire departments in the area partnering up and contracting out with Calfire.
"I think the reason we took this on was because the budgets are so tight right now and we thought it was the responsible thing to do," Grand Jury Foreman Patrick McKenzie said. "It is a no-brainer issue when you have two separate departments doing the same thing."
The grand jury decided to spend time researching the issue because of the county's money troubles and the possible savings a consolidated police service could bring. The issue was raised earlier this year when the intergovernmental committee, consisting of two board of supervisor members, two city council members, the city manager and the county administrative officer, met and listened to a presentation from Mike Oliver of the benefits consolidation could bring. It also has been brought up quite a bit in the sheriff's race on the November ballot.
The belief is that it would save money and possibly provide more police service.
"Properly deployed, a regional police force could provide the two communities and outlying county areas with more service and protection than they presently enjoy," according to the Grand Jury's report.
Also, McKenzie thinks that it would prevent duplication in enforcement from the two agencies.
But there are still questions that the county and city would need to answer, according to the report. Most important, who would head the new organization and what would be cut? The sheriff is an elected official and the police chief is an appointed one, and both departments employ a total of more than 40 officers or deputies.
The report states that the public should vote for consolidation of the departments. The sheriff's office could move into the current Hollister police building because of its size - saving the county millions of dollars that it plans to use in construction of a new facility.
But Sheriff Curtis Hill doesn't see consolidation coming anytime soon because getting rid of the police department is not in the city council's "heart," he said.
"I've been in this business for a long time and personally, I don't think it will happen," Hill said. 'It's a tough decision for the city."
There is no benefit to the city or the county and it would only cause more issues for the understaffed sheriff's office, he said.
"As for the sheriff's office we have so many other responsibilities (than the police department)," Hill said. "There is a different need."
Hill noted that the police department deals with city enforcement and the sheriff's office handles the unincorporated areas.
"I'm just too seasoned and I have been around too long to get excited about it," Hill said.
The police department wouldn't make a statement until it issues its official response to the Grand Jury, spokesman Sgt. David Westrick said. After the Grand Jury Report was released on July 1, the police department must issue a response within 90 days.
Police service was not the only consolidation issue handled by the grand jury Report.
The grand jury also recommended that the fire departments within the county, including Hollister Fire Department and San Benito Fire, enter into a Joint Powers Agreement with Calfire because the fire departments are minimally staffed.
http://www.freelancenews.com/news/268484-civil-grand-jury-sees-benefits-in-public-safety-mergers
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