Layoffs are official at Palm Springs Police Department

On April 27, 2010 at approximately 10:00 AM, City Manager David Ready, Palm Springs Police Department Chief David Dominguez and Human Resource representatives met with classified, non-sworn police department employees.  It was at this meeting that the layoffs that had been previously discussed during the April 21, 2010 City Council meeting were made official.  With the closing of the Palm Springs Jail also made official and effective May 2, 2010, 22 classified, non-sworn positions have been eliminated from the  Police Department budget.  Five sworn Police Officers will be receiving layoff notice this week, although Chief Dominguez is optimistic that federal stimulus funding from the Department of Justice COPS office will eliminate the need for these police officer layoffs.  In the event that the federal funding is granted, these notices given to the police officers will be rescinded. 

Those classified, non-sworn employees that received notice of layoff include Custody Officers, Community Service Officers, Records personnel, Animal Control employees, and the Assistant Community Policing Officer.  Chief Dominguez stated that, while these dedicated personnel have been "instrumental in providing an extraordinary level of service to the residents and visitors of Palm Springs", the layoffs are necessary to offset a 2.5 million dollar deficit. 

Chief Dominguez acknowledged there will be a reduction in services provided as a result of these layoffs, the full extent of which will be determined over the course of the next few weeks.  Effective Friday, April 30, 2010, the Records Division will be closed to the public Friday, Saturday and Sunday.