What Happened?
The police department of San Anselmo, Calif., plans to merge with the Twin Cities Police Authority by the end of the year, a move estimated to save the Bay Area town more than $900,000.
So What?
Consolidation of services is an idea municipal governments ponder every year, especially during budget time. The move usually saves money in administration, management and healthcare costs but cuts employees – and that’s the case in this instance. The new department – the Central Marin Police Department – will employee 45 officers and cover a population of almost 34,000. San Anselmo will lose four of its 19 police officers in the consolidation, but there will be no cuts in the Twin Cities Police Department.
The Goals and Process
The San Anselmo Police Department had a projected budget of almost $4.7 million for 2013. With the consolidation, the cost of police protection dips to about $3.8 million to San Anselmo. Larkspur and Corte Madera -- the two Bay Area towns currently covered by the Twin Cities Police Department – both stand to save almost $54,000 in the projected 2013 police budget. The two sides currently work under a shared-services contract in effect for three years, including certain dispatching services, investigations units, community service officers and property and evidence storage. The traffic units function as one unit. In March, the two sides merged their patrol forces.
The Findings
According to a report from Town Manager Debra Stutsman, San Anselmo already had been saving money under the shared services agreement in reduced overtime costs and elimination of employees. Now, the per-resident cost of police protection falls almost $100 in San Anselmo from $375 to about $283. The three towns will equally share the cost of the department in communications, administration and investigation – about $3.5 million. The remaining $6.1 million of the budget will be paid for through a weighted funding formula consisting of calls for service, total crimes, citations and accidents.
Next Steps
The towns are in the process of finalizing the agreement and the merging services. Contact the town government of San Anselmo at 415-258-4600 or through its website or contact the Twin Cities Police Authority.