HomeMy WebLinkAbout5/7/2019 Item 13, Delmartini
Purrington, Teresa
From:Steve Delmartini <del@fix.net>
Sent:Monday, May 6, 2019 2:06 PM
To:E-mail Council Website
Subject:Council meeting May 7th Police Dept. update item #13
Madam Mayor and City Council members
Just a comment after reading the 2017/2018 comparison update for the police department.
I find it interesting why and where crime increases and decreases and the probable reasons for it to fluctuate the way it
does. I believe we have most of the usual reasons other areas have plus a college town influence.
Full disclosure, I am currently the Chair of the SLOPD Roundtable Advisory Committee so I probably have more contact
with the department and Chief Cantrell than others do. I know you all recognize the difficulty the department faces just
running the department in a community that expects good policing and community engagement. I for one, truly believe
with the constraints the SLOPD has to work with they certainly deliver what is expected on a daily basis.
My concern in reviewing the detailed report, is the inability to recruit and retain. That is not only a problem with the
SLOPD but many other business/companies in town. Staffing all levels department is critical. Some areas in our County
are able to offer incentives to join their departments such as a hiring bonus. It is amazing to me what just a few more
bodies can accomplish and help reduce the stress and strain on the rest of the staff.
I'm writing to you for your consideration that, at anytime in the future you have the ability to help the SLOPD in some
way whether that be, financially, overall support, a new officer/staff person or the funding for the ultimate goal of a new
station, etc... that you remember what this department goes through to keep this community safe with a less than
adequate amount of staff to do so and keep the crime levels no matter what kind of crime, at the lowest levels possible.
I believe that Chief Cantrell and all of her staff, officers, detectives and the like do a remarkable job with what they have
to work with.
Thank you as always for reading this.
Steve Delmartini
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