Garden Grove announces it will use new sales tax to beef up police staff by 16
Almost two-thirds of Garden Grove voters opted in the November elections to pay a higher sales tax in return for enhanced public safety.
City officials recently announced how they are keeping their promise to dedicate the bulk of that new “Measure O” revenue to police and fire services.
Even before the 1 cent local sales tax goes into effect on April 1, Garden Grove will begin recruiting 16 additional police officers and support personnel, City Manager Scott Stiles said.
“We wanted to say thank you to the community and let residents know that we absolutely will make public safety our highest priority,” he said.
Four Orange County cities were successful requesting a local sales tax on the November ballot – citing public safety funding as a need – and join five cities that added local taxes in the last few elections.
Garden Grove plans to hire 10 full-time police officers, one full-time police sergeant and five police support personnel including dispatchers, records specialists and community service officers.
Measure O is projected to add about $19 million annually to the city’s general fund – which covers a wide range of expenses from salaries and employee pensions to community projects and parks upkeep.
About 70 percent of the city’s operating budget already goes to public safety, and will continue to do so, Stiles said.
The remaining 30 percent of new sales tax revenue will fund such necessities as street repairs, median maintenance and parks and recreation programs, Stiles said.
Garden Grove, which has a population of 174,000, has 168 police officers – seven fewer than its peak in 1998. For its size, Stiles said, “We are one of the lower-staffed police agencies in Orange County.”
Once the 16 positions are filled over the next two years, salaries will cost about $3 million annually, Stiles said.
The City Council is expected to approve the allocation of funds early in the new year, he added. Then, recruitment efforts will begin immediately.
“Otherwise, we would not move as fast as public wants us to move,” Stiles said. “It takes about six to nine months to get a police officer ready to work, so we want to get started.”
Entry-level police officers must undergo extensive screening and training, he said.
The city also plans to earmark Measure O funds for adding a full-time police officer to its homeless task force, Stiles said. And, it will create a long-term plan to upgrade police facilities.