Do you care about your city? Come to City Hall Thursday

You can complain all you want about the traffic, the endless home building and the vacant lot known as the Menifee Town Center. But really, what should be the primary concern of the people of Menifee?

Public safety, that's what. For once, the Menifee 24/7 staff would like to go a week without receiving a string of messages about stolen cars, home burglaries and other crimes in local neighborhoods. According to city statistics, there were 1,367 reported incidents of theft in Menifee between May 2017 and May 2018, plus 354 reports of burglary and 282 motor vehicle thefts.

Some would say that's the price you pay for the growth of a city nearing 100,000 residents. But there's really a different way of looking at that statement.

The question is, what price should we pay to fight crime in our city? And where can we get the best bang for our buck in police protection?

A City Council workshop scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. at City Hall could be considered one of the most important public meetings ever held in Menifee. Why? Because city officials will take their first serious look at creating the city's own police department.

The rising costs of coverage through a contract with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department is not sustainable, says Menifee city manager Armando Villa. Since last winter, Villa has been adapting a feasibility study first introduced by a third party a year ago, and he says it's time to present a viable alternative.

That option will be considered by the City Council members, but keep in mind that they represent your interests. You have a right to know what city officials are considering about the safety of you and your family. You deserve to know what they're doing to keep your car from being broken into or your home being stalked by thieves.

That's why Villa urges you to come to City Hall, 29714 Haun Road, Thursday night to hear the details for yourself and state your opinions. It's a public meeting. As you listen to the presentation, you will have the opportunity during a public comments period to express your concerns and ask questions.

If you choose not to take that opportunity, don't come complaining to the City when someone pulls a smash and grab from your vehicle.

City Council meetings are notoriously under-attended. The audience usually is made up of the same few residents, many of them seniors from the Sun City community. It's great that they care enough to be there, but what about the rest of you?

Many of you work out of town and simply want family time when you get home in the evening. I get it. But if you can spare one evening at City Hall all year, this is the one.

Much of the presentation is included in the agenda packet for the Thursday meeting, which can be found on the City website. The numbers are startling, but you won't fully appreciate them without attending the meeting to hear the details.

According to the City presentation, the cost of police personnel and operations through the Sheriff's Department has increased 77 percent since 2013-14. And because of recent cost increases approved by the County Board of Supervisors, that cost will increase 6-8 percent in each of the next several years.

The City of Menifee will spend about $17 million for police coverage from the Sheriff's Department this year. Factoring in the increase, that amount is expected to be close to $19 million in 2019-20. By contrast, the City estimates that start-up costs for creating a true Menifee Police Department would be $12.7 million that year.

Of course, it's not that simple. Additional funding would have to be spent to supplement with Sheriff's Department coverage during the transition. But the numbers are certainly worth a closer look. According to the study, the cost of continuing Sheriff's Department coverage over the next six years would be at least $131 million. The estimated cost of a Menifee Police Department over that same period is $77.8 million. Who wouldn't at least consider such savings?

By using civilian employees in more administrative and investigative positions, a Menifee Police Department could put more officers on the streets for less money, Villa says. Currently, the Sheriff's Department patrols Menifee with one sergeant and five deputies per shift for a city of 46 square miles. The Menifee PD proposal designates a sergeant, corporal and seven officers per shift, spread out more evenly over 10 "beats" or reporting sections of the city.

This should not be interpreted as a negative reflection on the Sheriff's Department, Villa is quick to point out. It simply is a matter of cost. As Villa says, he's looking at this strictly from a mathematics standpoint. Now it's time to factor in your viewpoint as well.

So come on out to City Hall on Thursday and hear it for yourself. Show your family you care. Show your City Council you care. Let's do our part to help city officials figure out the best way to fight crime in Menifee.

See you then.