“MICHAEL KEMPS
”As Councilmember, I will be for complete and total transparency. Residents deserve to understand and provide input on options associated with spending large amounts of their money. I acknowledge that a plurality of voters that cast ballots in 2017 supported Measure E and are as a majority in support of our private Police Department. Their expectation is that this tax resolved the issue. Unfortunately, the opposite is true.

As a comparison to our current situation and costs, a Sheriff’s Feasibility Study makes absolute sense, and I would be for authorizing it. Regardless of whether or not we decide as a City to actually consider this change, simply conducting the study will enhance the City’s negotiating position with validation. There is no down-side to approving a study and doing so does not mean we would be forced to choose to hire the Sheriff’s Department. We could easily also request bids from other private police departments as part of our analysis. What do we have to lose by providing good financial stewardship and transparency?””

“JENNIFER KING (incumbent)
”There are a number of costs and benefits associated with maintaining our own police department, an issue which our community vigorously debated in advance of both the 2017 and 2018 parcel tax measures. Our residents have overwhelmingly expressed their support for the PVPED, a decision I supported and continue to support. With that issue settled, I do not believe it would be a prudent use of City funds and other resources to engage in in a feasibility study. Rather, it is important to focus on supporting our PVPED in a fiscally responsible manner, which includes a regular assessment of staffing and related cost structure issues.””

“VICTORIA LOZZI
”Residents need to be informed by their elected leaders about the scope of services provided, the personnel required (both sworn and non-sworn, each of which have different cost structures) to provide those services, and the full cost today and projected cost into the future. As a point of comparison, I have always felt that it made sense for the City to have a proposal from the Sheriff, if nothing else but to determine the relative value of the premium we pay for having our own police department. It would be good to have a benchmark to evaluate the cost and level of services provided by our own police force.””

“KEVIN MCCARTHY
”Although the citizens have spoken regarding their desire to have their own police department, I would be open to considering a Sheriff’s Feasibility Study if it is determined that the City is unable to sustain the PVEPD with current funding.””

“DAVID MCGOWAN
”As a council member, my responsibility would be to represent the community’s interests. The community has indicated in votes and polls that the majority favors having its own police force. I would work to minimize policing costs while retaining an acceptable level of services. If it is found that those costs cannot be held to an acceptable level, then alternatives including contracting with the Los Angeles County Sheriff should be explored to determine “then-prevailing” costs and service levels.””

“BETTY LIN PETERSON (incumbent)
”I think there are some questions we need to ask ourselves before obtaining any Sheriff’s Feasibility Study, such as:

● What would the numbers actually provide?

● Since our Police Budget is readily available, what prevents the Sheriffs from giving the City a low ball
bid with numerous change orders?

● Sheriff’s Department has a Liability Trust Fund which all cities contracted with them pay into. This
Trust Fund pays for litigations arising from various cities throughout the County. There will be no local control of assignment, training, community outreach, etc...and we will be sharing the liability risks with other cities. Is this acceptable?

● Lastly, since our voters decided to continue funding our Police Department and its current service level, if the Feasibility Study is to help determine the efficiency of our Police Department, wouldn’t comparing us to similar Police Departments be more useful?””