COVID Outbreak Among San Jose Police Force Creates Issues For Patrolling

THE JUDGE COULD DECIDE ON SETTING BAIL AT HEARING NEXT MONTH. >>> DOZENS OF SAN JOSE POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN SIDELINED WITH COVID-19. THE OUTBREAK RAISING CONCERNS FOR A DEPARTMENT THAT IS UNDERSTAFFED EVEN UNDER THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES. KPIX 5'S DEVIN FEHELY TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PLAN TO KEEP OFFICERS ON THE STREET, EVEN IF THE OUTBREAK WORSENS. >> Reporter: THE PLAN INVOLVES SHIFTING OFFICERS FROM OTHER AREAS LIKE DETECTIVES AND PUTTING THEM OUT ON PATROL AT LEAST PART-TIME. THE DEPARTMENT ISN'T THERE JUST YET, BUT THEY ARE GETTING PERILOUSLY CLOSE. THERE IS GROWING CONCERN WITHIN THE RANKS OF THE SAN JOSE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT A WORSENING OMICRON OUTBREAK COULD CRIPPLE A DEPARTMENT THAT STRUGGLED WITH SEVERE STAFFING SHORTAGES FOR YEARS. >> WE DON'T WORK IN A BUBBLE. WE INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC EVERY DAY. IT IS HARDER FOR US TO ABSORB THE TYPE OF HIT. >> Reporter: THERE IS MONEY IN THE CITY'S BUDGET FOR A TOTAL OF 1150 OFFICERS. THE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 1000 ON THE PAYROLL, BUT SUBTRACT OFFICERS WHO ARE SICK OR INJURED OR ON LEAVE, AND THE NUMBER SHRINKS TO 900. FEWER THAN 500 HIT THE STREETS ON PATROL EVERY DAY. >> ARE PATROL DIVISION, WE ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 450. THAT IS 450 OFFICERS FOR 1 MILLION PEOPLE, 7 DAYS PER WEEK, 24 HOURS PER DAY. >> Reporter: THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THERE ARE CURRENTLY 45 OFFICERS ON LEAVE BECAUSE OF COVID, 10% OF A DIVISION THAT HAS BEEN CHRONICALLY UNDERSTAFFED. >> WE DON'T WANT TO BURN OUT OUR PATROL PEOPLE. >> Reporter: THE DEPARTMENT HAS A CREATIVE IF CONTROVERSIAL PLAN . >> WE WOULD USE NON-PATROL FOLKS, LIKE DETECTIVES, MEMBERS OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS, TO MAYBE WORK ONE OF THEIR SHIPS ONCE PER WEEK AND PATROL. >> Reporter: THE POLICE UNION WARNS THERE IS A COST TO HAVING HIGHLY SKILLED DETECTIVES OUT OF THEIR REGULAR ROLES. >> THEY ARE JUST LOOKING TO ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL. THEY'RE LOOKING TO REASSIGN DETECTIVES. WHAT WE TELL THE CRIME VICTIM? >> Reporter: THE UNION WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE VACANCIES THAT WITH VOLUNTARY OVERTIME, OFFICERS WORKING EXTRA SHIFTS UNTIL THE LATEST COVID CRISIS HAS PASSED. THE ULTIMATE ANSWER IS HIRING AND TRAINING

Channel: KPIX CBS SF Bay Area

Views: 4,226

Keywords: coronavirus video reports, San Jose, COVID-19, coronavirus, Sgt. Christian Camarillo, San Jose Police Officers' Association, San Jose Police

Id: Kbe8m6KIin0

Length: 2min 24sec (144 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 18 2022