San Jose Cops Fleeing, City Looks to Add Officers

http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2013/09/04/san-jose-city-council-police/

The San Jose City Council on Tuesday approved a funding strategy that backers claim would add 141 new police officer positions and restore other city services but would require tens of millions in revenue the city does not yet have.

The council voted 10 to 1, with Councilman Ash Kalra opposed, for a proposal by Mayor Chuck Reed and Councilman Sam Liccardo that they said would raise the number of San Jose police officers from 1,109 in the current budget to 1,250 in four years.

The proposal seeks to investigate options to return city services to January 2011 levels, including restoring 10 percent pay cuts given to city employees, with police staffing the highest priority.

Reed and Liccardo also proposed to restore funding levels for fire, library, and community center services.