Palm Springs police union not buzzing over city budget

The newly approved 2017-2018 Palm Springs city budget adds police officers to the Palm Springs International Airport, but does not put more officers on the street.

The police officer’s union doesn’t agree with that.

See Complete Palm Springs city budget

The Palm Springs City Council approved next year’s budget at the last meeting. At this time, no cash is being set aside for new police officers to work the streets, but there will be four new officers working at the airport.

“Just with what is occurring in our country and around the world, attacks on airports and things of that nature, it was a model that we thought we should beef up our security at the airport,” said Dr. David Ready, Palm Springs city manager.

Those four officers will be paid for by the airport and not by city funds.

The Palm Springs Police Officers Association wants to see more police on patrol, especially since the new downtown development could bring in thousands more people once complete.

The union contends that spending money of something like the Buzz Trolley is not as important as adding new cops.

“I just wanted to make the public and anyone who follows us on social media aware that there is money available but the City Council and city government chooses to spend it differently,” said Joe Cook, president of the Palm Springs POA.

“The Buzz is paid for out of the Measure J funds so that does not effect the general fund and any other operational areas that we have,” Ready said.

PSPD Arrest Armed Robbery Suspect

Ready said the idea of hiring new officers isn’t off the table, it’s just not in the budget just yet.

At this point the city and the department is focusing on filling currently empty positions and making sure there is enough cash set aside for retiring city employees.

“Our retirement costs are going to be increasing potentially to over $10 million over the next four years those are things we have to look at for cutting and focusing on services and priorities to make sure we can cover those expenses as well,” Ready said.

“The city is growing fast and we need help and we need changes to be made now,” Cook said.

Cathedral City passes $111 Million biennial budget

The 2017-2018 city budget goes into effect on July 1.

Ready said it’s very likely the budget will change over the next several months and those changes include the possibility of adding hire new police officers and firefighters.

JOE GALLI IS ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER @JOEGALLINEWS