More changes are coming to the San Jose Police Department.
Police Chief Larry Esquivel released a memo to his command staff announcing additional shuffling of his officers to get more cops out on patrol to help bolster a dwindling police force. The news comes days after the department decided its elite metro unit will be reassigned to patrol for six weeks.
The latest change will require one sergeant of SJPD's homicide unit to transfer over to street patrol.
"We're reducing certain units, officers that are rotating back to patrol," Esquivel said. "We're just not going to backfill those positions until our staffing levels get to the point where we have some stability and can reinstate those officers back in those positions."
Esquivel said nearly everything is on the table at this point, including perhaps one day outsourcing the department's recruiting unit.
"It's a reality for us, and it's troubling for us to do this," Esquivel said. "It really is painful for us because we want our officers to be out there, like the metro unit, seeking out criminal activity."
Crime victims said the chaos at SJPD has already tarnished what once was a prestigious brand.
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"I feel disappointed because we don't feel the support from the police," said Ana Castaneda, a recent burglary victim.
Esquivel is urging the union and city to get back to the negotiating table immediately to solve the pension funding differences that led to the exodus of officers.
"We need to get them together," the chief said, "and really if they need to sit down in an office for a week -- however long it takes to come up with some type of direction." Anything, Esquivel said, to stop the bleeding.
