Compton council shelves plans to create new city police department

After floundering for several months, plans to create a new Compton Police Department officially died Tuesday night.

Faced with a massive budget deficit and the prospect of layoffs, the Compton City Council rescinded last June’s vote to end its contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and form a local police force again.

Councilwoman Barbara Calhoun, one of the three who voted in favor of bringing the city's police department back, switched her vote Tuesday night, rendering the venture officially dead for the time being. Calhoun also announced her intention to place a measure on the ballot that would allow voters to mandate that the city keep the sheriff's contract.

Former City Clerk Charles Davis, with backing from the sheriff's deputies' union, has been circulating a petition that would place an initiative posing that question on the ballot. Calhoun is up for reelection April 19 and faces a field of six challengers. She said the revelation of "cash-flow problems,” not the impending election, led her to change her mind.

“In 2009, there was money. In 2011, there's no money. We're talking about layoffs," she said after the meeting.

The plans had been on shaky ground for several months, despite the $1.7 million the city has spent on preparations to set up the new department. The hiring of staff, including a police chief, was stymied in December, when a budget amendment failed to get the four votes necessary to go forward.

The council had reallocated $19.5 million in lease revenue bonds originally slated to build a senior center and transit center parking structure to the project. Because the bonds were tax-exempt, the funds could be used only for capital costs and not for staffing. As of January, Compton was facing a $33-million budget shortfall for the fiscal year, having already begun the year with a $20-million general fund deficit.

Mayor Eric Perrodin, a former Compton police officer and leading proponent of reviving the municipal department, said he believes the city would be better able to control costs if it had its own police department. But he said he will not continue to press the issue.

"I'm a realist, and I can see right now, the majority of the council doesn't believe that's the case, so I'm not going to expend any more energy on that," he said.

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-- Abby Sewell at Compton City Hall

Comments

[primo]

many things in compton never change regardlees of who is in office. Have they considered de-incorporating or going bankrupt-that may be best once and for all. Transfer all that mis guided power out

[primo]

why are you not posting my comment ???

[Sheba]

The people have spoken. How many times were the residents of Compton going to have to sign the petition in Compton to keep the Sheriffs dept in Compton. the residents want the Sheriffs Dept. here. We have seen a major change since they have come to our city.

[Russell Stephan]

Have you ever tryed to pull a building permit in compton,what a joke,every person working behind the counter finds ways to waste your time,the city is broke because of the incompentent people it has hired,

[Concern citizen]

The citizens have spoken NO COMPTON POLICE! The Mayor should go to jail along with his sunday school teacher with her daughter who has been out for 7 weeks and still got paid, working a full time job for LA County and making big bucks in Compton just for who she is THIS IS A WASTE OF TAX PAYERS MONEY! Perrodin you are robbing the city and you should be ashame of yourself. The time is coming and you Perrodin and the rest of your gang will fall. And I will be there to watch.

[The Voice of Reason]

It's time to shed the light on many practices in the city of Compton, including the ridiculous fulltime pay the council members receive for what is a part-time job.

[Smarty Pants]

I have a Barbara Calhoun sign on my front yard that I'm about to take down right now! The ONE thing that I asked the person that wanted to put it in my yard was, "Does she support bringing the Compton Police back or keeping the Sheriffs?" I was told that she suports the sheriffs so I allowed the sign to bw put in my yard...now I read this..she just changed her mind on the issue on Tuesday? That was AFTER the sign was placed in my yard and AFTER she realized she wasn't going to win. Anyone in their right mind who EVER thought would have been a good idea is an IDIOT and will NEVER get my vote!!!!!