Palm Springs Police Layoffs Made Official

Watching her co-workers enter the conference room made custody officer Jeanne Abriel upset.

“This is kind of heart-wrenching,” she said, “because we’re not just employees. There’s a lot of camaraderie.”

Behind the closed door, twenty-two workers learned their fate: They were being laid off.

“I feel sad,” said police chief David Dominguez. “In thirty-two years, I’ve never had to experience this. These people have families. They’re dedicated. It’s been a very tough week.”

The meeting lasted no more than 30 minutes. Some of the workers left the meeting too distraught to talk on camera. But Erlinda Blas, a community services officer for the past six years, said she is willing to accept the fact that the department has fallen on hard times.

“The city still functioning with the P.D. [police department] around? That’s good,” said Blas. “If it takes us to make it function — by all means to make it safe — then that’s good.”

Among those laid off were community service officers, custody officers, records personnel and animal control staff members.

Their last day is May 31. According to their severance package, they will receive two more months of pay and six months of health benefits.

Chief Dominguez says five police officers may be laid off this week still. But, the city is waiting on a federal grant that may help pay for the officers’ salaries.

“My goal? We need to keep our police officers out there in the community, making our neighors and our neighborhoods and our businesses safe,” the chief said.

The Palm Springs jail will close May 2.