Hermosa Beach police and fire unions sound alarm on cuts [UPDATE]
The Hermosa Beach police officer and firefighters’ unions issued a joint statement last week criticizing the city for seeking to make a “crippling” 27 percent cut to the employee salary and benefits package. The police union is claiming that the proposed cuts will have a detrimental effect on public safety. If the city imposes its proposed cuts this year, Hermosa Beach would have the lowest overall compensation for police officers, union officials said. That might mean veteran officers would apply elsewhere, leaving inexperienced officers as the main applicants for jobs. As a result, union leaders believe Los Angeles County would eventually have to take over emergency services in the city. “We have managed up to this point to do more with less, but another 27 percent cut will force most of us out of our jobs, making a county takeover likely,” said Jaime Ramirez, president of the Hermosa Beach Police Officer Association. City council members were reluctant to comment on the specifics of the unions’ statement. “The city of Hermosa Beach values its employees and their views,” Mayor Jeff Duclos said. “But the intent of this document is to provoke rather than be fair and factual. I can…
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