Abstract
ABSTRACTPurpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of consolidating the seven municipal police departments on California’s Monterey Peninsula into a single policing service. The cities included in this study were Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Monterey, Marina, Pacific Grove, Sand City, and Seaside. This study evaluated whether consolidation was more efficient and financially responsible. It examined how this consolidation of regionally connected communities would improve overall service to the peninsula with a single unified approach to emergency response, aid in the recruitment and retention of officers, standardize training and response, and build a career department.
Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework of this study was based on the theory of governmental consolidation with a focus on municipal law enforcement agencies.
Methodology: This study utilized a quantitative approach. The methodology employed to answer the research questions was a single case study with a sample size of seven cities. Secondary data collection used public archival records and direct observations of the researcher.
Findings: Analysis of secondary data collected after the 2021/2022 approved city budgets from indicated consolidating these agencies would result in substantial cost savings to fund additional resources and broaden the scope of police services. The data revealed a cost saving in payroll alone, eliminating the excess command staff positions to be approximately $4 million.
Conclusions and Recommendations: The data from this study support the theory that consolidating the resources of the seven municipal police agencies on California’s Monterey Peninsula into a single law enforcement service would result in substantial cost savings. The findings suggest that restructuring the disproportionate number of executive staff positions and eliminating redundant and overlapping services would provide significant monetary savings that could be used for expanded services. These savings would allow for increasing the scope of services a single police service could deliver to the entire peninsula community. A unified agency would promote consistency in policy and procedures, comprehensive preparedness, prevention and response plans, and standardization of training in addition to building a career department that would aid in recruitment and retention and enable continuity in leadership.