Clovis forms committee to help city address police shortage woes, despite some skeptics
Clovis City Council appointed on Monday a 25-member citizens oversight committee charged with studying the police department administration’s claim that the city lacks officers.
The Clovis Police Department is funded for 109 cops but is in need of at least 138, according to an analysis the elected officials heard in November from a consultation company that specializes in law enforcement agencies.
Department leaders have said they can’t fund enough patrol units to meet the city’s needs so the City Council has decided to ask the oversight committee to study the issue and potential solutions.
Councilmember Vong Mouanoutoua broke down what the council should be looking for into: “We want to be the safest city in the Valley. How are get going to get there?” he said. “Citizen committee, come and tell us.”
Some on the council has expressed skepticism about the lack of officers, as the amount the city puts into public safety spending has continuously grown.
Those skeptics have wondered if the money being spent on police has been used efficiently in the $40 million police budget.
Councilmember Bob Whalen said the city needs to know what the department may be doing wrong before considering giving it more money or pursuing a public safety tax.
The city’s public safety spending has increased by 78% to $62 million in the past decade, Whalen noted. That number includes spending on police and the Clovis Fire Department.
“Maybe what we’re learning is it’s not always going to be about patrol officers,” he said.
The solution may come down to the level of income of the Clovis resident, economic development, quality of life or other factors, he said.
Though the department has fewer officers than it did in 2006, elected officials maintain the city is as safe as it has been for decades.
Officials have clashed over the number of officers compared to the increasing department budget, and over which is more important. The committee has been asked to look into a wide-ranging number of issues, which Whalen argued should have been left up to the council.
Ultimately, the council voted 4-1 to set up the committee on Monday with Councilmember Lynne Ashbeck voting “no.”
She said the council had lost its way from the initial concept of the committee to what it has become.
“I thought it was a super great idea. I am a big fan,” she said. “But, right now, I think the chances of this group being successful are really small.”
The council decided that each member should have an interest in the city, but not necessarily be a resident. Each member of the council appointed five members to the board:
Mayor Jose Flores: Stephanie Babb, an administrator at Clovis Community College; Adriana Boyajian; Chris Casado, former Clovis Unified School Board trustee; Elba Gomez; and Thomas Klose, retired police chief of Sanger.
Mayor Pro-Tem Lynne Ashbeck: Karen Bak, member of the Clovis Community Foundation; Lauren Butler, a university professor; Greg Newman, executive director of the Clovis Chamber of Commerce; David Samarco, an attorney; and Blake Zante, press secretary for state Sen Andreas Borgeas.
Councilmember Drew Bessinger: Enrique Avila; Karen Chisum, owner of The Foundry; Kilabi Kintutu; LaDonna Snow, owner of Snowflake Designs; and Jim Verros, political consultant and business owner.
Councilmember Vong Mouanoutoua: Noha Elbaz, a college administrator; Eulalio Gomez, retired correctional officer; Chris Milton, real estate agent and coach; Woua Vang; and Jay Virk, developer with Bottom Line.
Councilmember Bob Whalen: Stacey Brinkley, Sierra Vista Elementary employee; Drew Mosher, Clovis police officer; Diane Pearce, president of the Fresno County and City Republican Women Federated; Jacob Ulam; and Rachel Youdelman, retired art professor.
This story was originally published January 11, 2022 at 9:59 AM.
