Calexico city council approves agreement with Calexico Police Department

The Calexico Police Department is here to stay. After months of negotiations, the city finally came to an agreement with the department. Under the new agreement, the officers agreed to take a pay cut of 8% that they’ll make up for with health benefits. The agreement between both parties ends any consideration of outsourcing their law enforcement to the Imperial County sheriff’s office. Talks of Imperial County taking over had been circulating the city for at least a year.

One official from the Calexico Police Association says morale among officers is now higher than ever.
“We’ll obviously before the agreement it was pretty low. I mean anytime you have to work with the idea that another agency can come take over your department,it’s a pretty daunting experience. But now that we’ve signed our contract, morale has boosted up. We’re looking to hire more people and we’re on the rise,” said Sean Acuna, Calexico Police Association President.

Imperial County Supervisor John Renison says the sheriff’s office taking over would’ve been difficult. “They have a floating population of 60 thousand people. They’re crossing each and every day. With a population of Calexico with 45 thousand. You’re never going to have enough bodies on the street. Because of the dynamic and because it’s a border town.”

Acuna believes locals played an important role in the council’s decision. “It was ultimately the residents, educators, and business people that wanted to save the police department. They spoke out at the council meetings in favor of keeping the home town police department.”

With the give and take between both the city and Calexico Police Association, the city will finally able to balance the budget.