LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council has approved a contract that will allow the city’s police department to offer assistance to the understaffed Lakeport Police Department.
The council’s action at its meeting on Thursday, July 21, approved Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White entering into an agreement with Lakeport for supplemental law enforcement services.
White’s written report to the council noted that the Lakeport Police Department requested assistance from the Clearlake Police Department to cover patrol shifts due to temporary staffing challenges.
“The Clearlake Police Department has sufficient staffing to provide this coverage on an overtime basis without negatively impacting coverage in Clearlake,” White wrote.
He also noted, “While agencies routinely provide day-to-day mutual aid without compensation, in the proposed situation, it is appropriate for the receiving entity to compensate the entity providing the services.”
White said that rather than suggesting a one-way agreement, the agreement presented to the council permits either police to provide supplemental law enforcement services to the other. “This alleviates re-negotiating and approving in agreement should circumstances necessitate Lakeport providing law enforcement services to Clearlake.”
Chief White and Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen presented the proposed contract to the council at its Thursday meeting.
Rasmussen said law enforcement hiring is very difficult, with a drastic decrease in people who want to go into the profession. He said that’s the case not just in Lake County but elsewhere.
“I’m currently in a situation where we're down numerous positions,” said Rasmussen.
Lakeport Police has 13 sworn positions, compared to Clearlake Police’s 25.
He said the week before the meeting he had hired three new people, but they won’t be ready for some time due to needing to go through recertification or police academies.
The Lakeport Police Department doesn’t intend to have Clearlake Police officers be the primary leads on investigations, especially major ones, in an effort to limit time they would have to be in court on those cases, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen asked for help beginning in August.
He said the two agencies have a long relationship of cooperation and joint training and they’re comfortable working together.
Det. Trevor Franklin, president of the Clearlake Police Officers Association, said the overwhelming response from his members was that they wanted to help Lakeport.
In response to concerns about burnout and overworking officers, Franklin emphasized that taking shifts in Lakeport will be voluntary for Clearlake’s officers.
City Attorney Ryan Jones said Clearlake’s officers will be covered by the city of Clearlake if they sustain any injuries.
Councilman David Claffey asked if Clearlake’s officers would use their own equipment.
White said they can use their own equipment or Lakeport’s. He said there is a reimbursement if Clearlake uses its cars.
However, he added that Lakeport has different police cars and Clearlake’s officers are interested in driving them.
City Manager Alan Flora said that if Clearlake starts purchasing Dodge Chargers and Chevy Tahoes — the types of vehicles the Lakeport Police Department has — they’ll know what happened.
Councilman Russe Cremer moved to approve the agreement. Vice Mayor Russ Perdock — who praised the two chiefs for their innovation during the discussion — seconded. The council approved the contract unanimously.
After the vote, Claffey asked if they could break out costs and expenses for the work of Clearlake’s officers. White said yes.
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