S.J. mayor wants to hire 25 new cops despite deficit, but police union not satisfied SJPD UNION NOT SATISFIED BUT REED CITES DEFICIT Friday, June 6, 2008 By John Woolfolk, San Jose Mercury News With killings and graffiti rising in what was until recently dubbed America's Safest Big City, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed on Thursday proposed adding 25 more officers in next year's budget despite a deficit of more than $22 million. Reed in March proposed adding 15 more cops to the force of about 1,400. Although San Jose is still among the safest major cities in the country, with murders at a 10-year high, Reed is under pressure to do more. He said the 25 new officers should be a down payment on a goal of increasing the force by 100 over the next four years. "We're trying to get back some of the ground we've lost under public safety and make sure we stay a safe city," Reed said. "Public safety is our No. 1 priority. We need to make room in the budget for the officers." Reed's proposal in his June budget message being released today will be debated at a public hearing June 16 before the council votes on it the next day. The $914 million 2008-2009 operating budget is scheduled to be approved June 24. Reed is trying to confront criticism of his public safety commitment while making headway on his vow of bringing spending in line with revenues to eliminate chronic deficits that have plagued the city for seven years. Councilwoman Nora Campos called the mayor's earlier proposal to add 15 more officers anemic, and said raising it to 25 is still a token gesture. She noted Police Chief Rob Davis in 2006 urged adding 478 officers over five years to keep crime in check. "We can't reduce homicides and battle gangs with a layaway plan," Campos said. "Big-city mayors in Los Angeles and San Francisco are hiring hundreds of officers right now. We can do more and we should do more." The police officers union has also taken swipes at Reed as tensions mount over unresolved contract negotiations. In an online posting Thursday, San Jose Police Officers Association President Bobby Lopez mocked Reed's efforts as "an incrementalist's approach to big problems." But Reed said until the city makes major structural changes to reduce expenses and increase revenues, it cannot afford the $120 million price tag for nearly 500 more officers, an amount he said equals combined spending on parks, libraries, streets and community centers. The city manager is expected to propose structural changes to eliminate chronic deficits in the fall. Reed said money for the additional policing he proposed will come from a number of sources, including not filling open jobs elsewhere in the city. In addition to the new officers, Reed's latest proposal still calls for an additional $1 million for the Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force, and maintaining funding for several other police programs that the manager proposed cutting. That includes $191,000 for crossing guards at 18 currently unstaffed intersections, and $185,000 for four civilian crime-prevention specialists who staff "Challenges and Choices" anti-violence school programs. The mayor also called for $75,000 to be spent on more aggressive police and firefighter recruitment. Other council members backed Reed's recommendation. "I think it's a step in the right direction," said Councilman Pete Constant, a retired policeman. "In a perfect world, we'd all like to do more. It's such a delicate balancing act to provide all the services throughout the city." Councilwoman Madison Nguyen, who sits on the Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force, agreed. "No one can disagree we need more police officers," Nguyen said. "But if we hire more officers we have to cut more programs. We have a responsibility to balance the budget." Contact John Woolfolk at jwoolfolk@mercurynews.com or (408) 975-9346.