The SAPD has hired 50 new police officers in the past year

The Santa Ana Police Department has reached record police staffing levels following the hiring of 50 new police officers in calendar year 2019, which has not occurred in over 20 years. Public safety and the hiring of all authorized police officer vacancies has been the single highest policing priority for the City Council, the community and the Department. This historic outcome furthers the City’s commitment to public safety. We welcome these new officers as they join the ranks of one of the nation’s premier police departments. This increase is a key part of the Police Department’s commitment to ensure the safety and security of all those who live, work and do business in the city.

In 2017, Police Chief David Valentin inherited 67 police officer vacancies. In 2018, the department assembled a recruitment team supported by a comprehensive strategic plan with the department’s goal to build a highly skilled, highly diverse department whose m embers are trained to handle the ongoing policing issues and are equally equipped to deal with the city’s changing policing priorities. In 2019, Chief Valentin challenged the recruitment team with the goal of hiring 50 new officers in one calendar year, which again has not been done in over 20 years; while at the same time actually raising the standards of qualified candidates. All this was accomplished while the department continued to hire several other critical support professional staff positions.

In 2020, the department will continue its recruitment work and focus on lowering response times for calls for police service, proactively impact violent crime and address quality of life issues across the City, as made possible by this hiring mission. As we end 2019 and transition into 2020, the following staffing initiatives have been directly supported by these hiring accomplishments:

1) Enhanced Patrol staffing
2) Additional Quality Of Life Team and home lessness response staffing
3) Additional Vice Unit staffing
4) Establishment of a NEW Metropolitan Division and Major Enforcement Team – MET* (similar to the original 2005
Strike Force; a full-time proactive SWAT element)

The MET Team will deploy effective January 2020 with a hybrid, flexible mission of supporting the Department’s Community Policing philosophy to proactively address violent crime across the City.

On Tuesday, December 17th , the City Council approved additional funding of $2.7 million a year for the remaining police officer positions that were needed to meet the 50-officer hiring goal.

“The unanimous decision by the City Council on Tuesday night to provide funding for 18 new police officers demonstrates the City’s firm commitment to maintaining and improving public safety throughout Santa Ana,” Mayor Miguel Pulido said. “I applaud Chief Valentin and his staff for their hard work in ensuring we mainta in a rob ust and talented police force.”

“With the addition of these officers we took a major step forward fulfilling our primary obligation, which is a safe community for the residents of Santa Ana,” Mayor Pro Tem Juan Villegas said. “Chief Valentin has and will continue to ensure these officers further enhance community trust.”

Chief Valentin added, “With the continued support of the City Council and City Manager, our Department has focused on hiring the much needed officers to address the policing priorities of our community. The staffing of the department needed to accomplish the service levels our community deserves and focus areas of our Department moving forward, are outlined in our Department’s 2019 – 2024 Strategic Plan. I am very proud of the work the men and women of the Department do on a daily basis; with focus on responsive and defensible police actions. The hiring of these positions, will continue to support our Community Oriented and Traditional Policing strategies.”