Gardena Budget Provides for 13 More Police Officers

The Gardena City Council has approved an increase of about $700,000 to the Gardena Police Department’s 1989-90 budget, enabling the department to hire 13 officers during the next two years to increase the force to 100 officers.

The increase, part of a $34.7-million city budget approved by the council Tuesday night, will enable police to add a roving patrol car, which is not assigned to a specific area, to the five that cruise sections of the city, said Chief Richard K. Propster.

The increase brings the annual Police Department budget to $8.5 million.

Despite a 30% decrease in violent crimes in the city so far this year from 1988, and an overall decrease in crime of about 9%, the additional patrol car is needed to enable officers “to respond to those areas of the city where there’s a demonstrated need for a high visibility patrol,” Propster said.

The additional patrol car would be available in about two years, the estimated time it will take to hire and train the 13 new officers needed to staff it round-the-clock, officials said.

New Emergency Vehicle

The Fire Department budget increased by about $250,000, including funding for a specially equipped paramedic-fire truck. Funding for the vehicle was approved by the city in the wake of recent emergency room closures in the South Bay, officials said.

The total city budget has increased by 12.5% over last year’s budget of $30.9 million, and no new taxes or fee increases are anticipated, said City Manager Kenneth Landau.

The council also approved a proposal Tuesday to adopt the budget every two years, with a one year council review, rather than on an annual basis. The two-year budget cycle will assist the city in formulating long-range financial plans and will cut down on time and money needed to prepare a budget on a yearly basis, city officials said.