Public safety departments get Measure L funds

The City of Lodi has projected $1.35 million being collected in Measure L funding from when the half-cent sales tax hike takes effect in April to June, and will use those funds to hire police officers, firefighters and purchase new equipment for both departments.

City officials say the funding is sorely needed due to a spike in crime and a high volume of calls that have challenged the understaffed police department.

The fire has also been operating on a reduced service level since 2007 and had their staffing levels reduced from 16 firefighters to 13. The reduction has caused Engine 2031 to sit idle for long stretches of time.

The Lodi City Council voted to allocate Measure L funds towards hiring new public safety officers and equipment during a meeting on Feb. 6.

City staff requested $548,200 for the Lodi Police Department and $432,520 for the Lodi Fire Department, for a total of $980,720 in Measure L funding, which is projected to bring in more than $5 million annually.

“Hiring new public safety officers eats up 30 percent of the revenue. I agree that the money should go towards public safety, but we still need to monitor that other 70 percent,” said Lodi resident Spencer Rhoads, who had an unsuccessful bid for city council in 2018 and was opposed to Measure L.

Rhoads also felt that the Measure L Oversight Committee should have been formed before any funds were allocated.

“The Measure L Oversight Committee does not determine how funds are spent, they just monitor where they go,” said Jeff Hood, a spokesman for the city.

Hood added that the initial Measure L funding will better position the city’s public safety departments and put the city on better financial footing.

The police department currently has 71 officers and is expected to hire eight new officers, which will allow officers that have been with the department to move up in ranks and fill positions internally.

Eight cadets are scheduled to attend police academy on March 9 and graduate in September, Hood said, and from there they will officially assume their roles as officers.

The police department also anticipates three officers to retire at the end of 2019.

“Some of these guys had to hold off retirement because we were short-staffed and they did not want to leave us so shortstaffed,” Lodi Police Chief Tod Patterson said.

The department has had to rely heavily on overtime to keep shifts staffed, according to Patterson.

“On one hand utilizing overtime has been the most cost-effective way to handle being short-staffed, but on the other hand you have people who have just worked a fifteen-hour shift being called back into work, and it gets exhausting,” Patterson said.

Although he welcomes the new officers, Patterson feels that the department would need a force comprised of 90 officers to be at full staff, due to the city’s population growth.

The police department also requested a motorcycle to have another traffic officer on patrol, as well as four new police vehicles.

“Having another traffic cop is crucial because having an officer on the street slows people down because they can see the officer,” Patterson said.

Patterson said new vehicles are necessary because patrols cars are in use 22 hours a day, which puts a lot of wear on the cars.

As funds come in, the fire department will hire three new firefighters and a battalion chief. With the prospect of three new firefighters, the fire department will be able to keep Engine 2031 from being browned out.