California town suffers safety crunch after voting to shrink police force 20% by end of year

A tiny Northern California town is facing fresh fears over public safety after officials voted to slash its already stretched police force, leaving residents worried about who will respond when trouble strikes.

The Alturas City Council voted 3-2 Thursday morning to eliminate one of the five positions in the city’s police department, with the officer set to be laid off by Dec. 31.

Discussions about axing two additional officers have been temporarily put on hold, but the decision has already sparked outrage among residents and law enforcement officials.

“The Alturas Police Officers Association would like to thank everyone for showing up today… We are saddened by this decision and believe that more could be done to rectify the situation,” the police association said on Thursday.

The cuts follow a Sept. 30 budget proposal from City Manager Warren Farnam that initially threatened to eliminate three positions from the department.

For a city of roughly 2,500 residents, the proposed cuts raised alarm bells. Alturas currently has just five officers, including its police chief, while a dispatcher handles emergency 911 calls.

Police previously warned that eliminating three positions could leave the department dangerously short-handed, raising questions about how officers would handle emergencies, simultaneous calls and situations requiring backup.

“The elimination of three officer positions would leave the department with only two sworn officers and the Chief. Such a reduction raises serious concerns about how APD could maintain coverage, respond to simultaneous calls for service, and safely handle emergencies requiring multiple officers,” the city’s police said in response to the proposal back in October 18.

Residents also blasted the possibility of further cuts, urging city leaders to find another way to balance the books without sacrificing public safety.

“Every effort needs to be taken to keep the police department operational… The City Council needs to look into other options. That is their job to help keep our town safe,” one person named Sandy Sphar commented under the post.

Alturas sits in northeastern California, near the Oregon and Nevada borders, and is the only incorporated city in Modoc County.

The small city covers roughly 2.9 square miles, making its police department a critical resource for the surrounding community.

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