Long Beach could lose 20 police officers in budget cuts

At least 15 to 20 police officers who patrol the streets of Long Beach could be laid off if negotiations between the city and the police union continue at a stalemate, city officials said Tuesday.

Payroll cuts to the Police Department are among the most contentious of the $18.5 million in budget reductions the City Council will be ironing out in hearings Tuesday afternoon.

The proposed cuts touch on nearly every department in Los Angeles County’s second-largest city, including libraries, parks, the health agency -- even the municipal band. The budget also calls for reining in administrative costs and contracting out positions like painters, locksmiths, carpenters and crossing guards.

About $11.3 million, the bulk of the deficit, would be slashed by asking city employees in many departments, including police and fire, to forgo scheduled pay raises or face more severe job cuts.

The police union has opposed giving up its scheduled pay raise, and if negotiations do not resolve the impasse by Sept. 15 -- the city deadline for working out a budget plan -- the more severe of two plans would go into effect, eliminating 76 police officer positions through attrition, retirement and layoffs.

The number of sworn officers in the department would drop to 867, which police administrators believe may require 15 to 20 layoffs, said Braden Phillips, the department’s administrative bureau chief.

That would be be a significant reduction from two years ago, when the city funded 1,020 officers, he said.

If the police union were to agree to forfeit pay raises, fewer positions would be eliminated and layoffs would be unnecessary.

Long Beach Police Officers Assn. President Steve James did not immediately return calls or an e-mail.

Mayor Bob Foster said reducing public safety budgets is necessary because cuts would be debilitating if they fell entirely on city services such as parks, libraries and street repair.

"The Police Department is nearly 50% of the budget, so if we have to make reductions, they have to bear their share of it," he said.

City Councilman Gary DeLong said city officials advised him the figure could be higher, with at least 27 officers facing layoffs.

“At this point, it appears that the police union leadership is out of touch with most of their members and the current economy,” DeLong said.

-- Tony Barboza and Richard Winton

Comments

[Dazzle]

good. layoff all of these overpaid lazy tax leeches. they're all worthless. i hope these layoffs of cops, firemen and other public service fat cats spread throughout california, they're sending us down the same miserable state Greece is currently spiraling into.

[UR PAPI !]

legalize weed in California n That won't happen the city would have a lot of money..

[Common sense]

LB police officer salaries are egregiously high, and out-of-touch with market reality. In the current economic environment, every department should bear some burden for cutting the budget. I say cut the salaries of every officer 5%. If individual officers complain, they should resign. There are enough people with barely high school diplomas who line up for these jobs.

[Virginia Smith]

Good they are a bunch of a holes! Put the money toward fixing the HUGE pot holes! You know you have the money!

[homelessgdog]

They need to keep these guys on payroll. First they are going to have a shortage. Then guys are going to have to work overtime. Then you'll have officers making 150k with O.T. The city will justify it because they will not have to pay into a pension.
I don't know what the answers are but we need to keep these guys on payroll. Let's get rid of a few lawsuits and maybe it will make up for the salaries.

[MeanerMina]

Raising corporate taxes to where they were in the 70s or 80s would work. Why can't we even talk about it?
The Republicans keep telling us that lowering taxes will save jobs but it isn't true. It's not working, it never worked and it's killing our nation.
Bring back corporate taxes and save our state!