Costa Mesa’s thin blue line thickens, as officials approve police staffing, pay hikes
Costa Mesa’s thin blue line will get a little bit thicker, as city officials Tuesday supported staffing enhancements and salary increases for police academy cadets and reserve officers — adding another $211,000 to the department’s nearly $62-million budget.
The City Council unanimously approved increasing the hourly pay rate of new recruits in the Costa Mesa Police Department’s police academy, from $30 to $40, and paying reserve officers who help fill staffing shortages $42.50 per hour, up from $38.
Additionally, 10 part-time cadet positions will be transitioned to full time, while five reserve officers who currently work half-time schedules will become full-time employees.
CMPD Chief Ron Lawrence — who appeared in council chambers Tuesday after the department’s annual National Night Out event at Lion’s Park — explained the amendments will help grow and keep local talent in Costa Mesa at a time when recruitment and retention is a nationwide challenge.
“[This] will help us to recruit qualified candidates,” he said of both the pay increases and the transition to full time. “For example, we’ve lost applicants who would have ordinarily come to work for us, who went to work for another agency because they offered full-time positions and ours were part time.”
The newly approved budget adjustment does not represent the full cost of all the changes approved by the council, only the additional funding that will be required to transition cadets from part-time positions to full time, at a cost of $21,000 per employee.
Additional costs generated by the salary increases for police recruits and reserve officers can be assumed within the already approved 2024-25 budget, city staff reports indicate, particularly due to the fact that several positions funded in the plan remain vacant. While funded for 142 employees, the department currently has 16 vacancies.
Councilman Don Harper said while he supports Lawrence, he’d prefer to see where $211,000 might be cut from other parts of CMPD’s budget, rather than adding more funding shortly after a budget adoption.
“I like you and have a lot of faith in you. [But] I kind of default to — you’ve got $60 million, make it work, and if you need to get rid of X, Y and Z to get that extra $200,000, that would be my requirement for you.”
Staff on Tuesday shared highlights of the proposed 2024-25 budget, themed “When We All Pull Together,” balanced without drawing from the city’s reserve funds.
Residents who spoke in public comments questioned why the proposed additions and amendments were not included in the budgeting process.
“We’re 37 days into the new budget year. So much could happen over the next 11 months,” said Ralph Taboada, a member of the city’s Finance and Pension Advisory Committee, suggesting allocations could be made during a midyear budget review. “At least wait six months before taking any action on this requested increase.”
Councilman Loren Gameros made a motion to approve all the recommended changes, expressing confidence in Lawrence’s decision-making abilities.
“The chief is responsible for a retirement plan, filling vacancies and, most importantly, a successor plan,” he said. “We’re going to tie his hands if we don’t give him the tools he needs to do that for his team.”
Mayor John Stephens agreed, attesting to the fact that Lawrence is always willing to do whatever city officials may ask of him and the department.
“He asked us for this budget adjustment — it’s budget dust, $211,0000, when you think about the importance of the department, of the size of their budget and the critical nature of the work that they do,” he said. “This is an easy vote.”
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