VALLEJO, Calif. (KCBS) -- A Vallejo city council member said Monday that the bankrupt city may consider merging its police force with the Solano County Sheriff's Department as a money-saving measure.
KCBS’ Dave Padilla Reports
The city of 120,000 may soon have only 100 Vallejo police officers on patrol thanks to budget problems. The lack of personnel has helped to prompt a rising crime rate, which now stands higher than that of Richmond.
"If we're going to get this city out of bankruptcy and on the road to a more prosperous future, we have to do something differently," said Vallejo City Council Member Stephanie Gomes, who planned to introduce the measure at Tuesday night's council meeting.
Mayor Osby Davis, however, cautioned against moving too fast on combining law enforcement agencies, saying that while the city council should't take any possibility off the table, it's too soon to consider such a proposal.
The Solano County Sheriff's Department could also use some financial help; it faces $9 million in budget reductions.
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