LAKEPORT, Calif. — Due to temporary staffing shortages at the Lakeport Police Department, Clearlake Police officers will begin working patrol overtime shifts in the city of Lakeport beginning Friday, Aug. 12.
The arrangement is the result of a supplemental law enforcement services agreement approved by the city councils of Clearlake and Lakeport in recent weeks.
The agreement also allows for Lakeport Police officers to work in Clearlake should that city ever need the assistance in the future. The city of Lakeport is paying the full cost for this assistance.
“We have a longstanding relationship with Clearlake and have provided each other mutual aid on many occasions,” the Lakeport Police Department said in a Thursday statement. “We have virtually the same policies, procedures and training and do not expect any differences in service provided to our community. We are also members of the same California Intergovernmental Risk Authority which simplifies the process of one agency's staff operating as agents of the other.”
Clearlake Police officers are expected to work a few shifts per week over the next few months, Lakeport officials reported.
Officers will always be wearing the Clearlake Police uniform and generally driving city of Clearlake vehicles although at times they may be in a Lakeport Police vehicle.
There will never be a time when there is not a Lakeport Police officer on duty while Clearlake Police officers are working in the city, officials said.
The arrangement supplements Lakeport’s staffing in order to provide for sufficient officer safety and continued appropriate police services to the Lakeport community, the city reported.
Should a member of the public need to request police records related to work done by Clearlake officers in Lakeport, they shall contact the Lakeport Police Department where all those records will be maintained.
“We also want the public to be aware that this arrangement will not affect the staffing at Clearlake, that is their staffing levels to the Clearlake community will not be shorted to provide coverage here. Clearlake Police officers are only working voluntary overtime when available,” the Lakeport Police Department reported.
Lakeport Police reported that it expects its current staffing to be increased to sufficient levels within the next few months. The most significant reason for the current staffing situation is that four new officers are in training and unable to staff a patrol position. As the public may be aware, for over the past 5 or more years police recruitment and retention has been a significant problem in our state and country. However, we continue to look for innovative ways to address it locally.
Clearlake Police officers to begin working in the city of Lakeport Aug. 12
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