POA MOU

The POA president and HBPD patrol sergeant said the department is understaffed at about 188 officers and urged the council to stop delaying the contract.

The recruitment sergeant detailed how hard it is to hire officers and said the city just lost an experienced officer to Ontario over pay and commute.

A personnel officer said the department is about 30 officers short and asked for contract support to attract lateral hires.

A detective argued the contract is a strategic investment that reduces burnout and keeps veteran officers in Huntington Beach.

A 24-year detective described forced overtime, officers leaving, and burnout, asking leadership to back the contract.

A lateral officer warned he's seeing the same decline spiral he watched destroy his previous department.

An officer argued the contract stabilizes staffing and reduces overtime costs in the long run.

A downtown patrol officer described watching his previous department collapse after delaying action, urging the council not to repeat it.

An officer who transferred in said he's worried the city is heading down a path that will cost it experienced officers.

Thanked the Finance Commission for its analysis but warned of past fiscal missteps and suggested councilmembers who take union campaign contributions recuse themselves.

An officer who lateraled in said competitive pay is what brought him here and asked the council to ratify the contract.

A 30-year homeowner supports police but says the city can't afford a 17% raise given a $15 million deficit and warned of bankruptcy risk.

Said the police budget is already over $100 million a year and called the 17% raise insane, criticizing pensions and staffing.

A five-year officer said staffing is tight and urged support to retain experienced officers.

A nine-year detective tied competitive pay to the city's economic health and public safety.

An officer argued the cost of not competing for quality officers is far higher than the contract.