San Jose's police force is losing a significant number of its female officers -- a blow to the department's reputation for diversity and adding another obstacle in its crucial recruiting efforts.
The San Jose Police Officers Association said there are currently 85 women officers in the department, about 8.5 percent of the force and the lowest of the major Bay Area cities.
"When I wrote my resignation letter I cried," SJPD Officer LeeAnn Alfonzo said. "And it's very emotional for me to talk about it right now because I don't want to leave this."
Alfonzo is leaving the department this week after nearly 18 years on the force. She said she's leaving because the pay and benefit cuts are too severe. Alfonzo, who currently works the Almaden Valley area -- which has seen a spike in burglaries -- also said she is leaving for her safety.
"It was once an eight-person staffed area to patrol," Alfonzo said. "Well, now we're down to four."
Alfonzo is one of four women officers who have resigned from SJPD in the past two months. She believes the departures will hurt recruiting.
"We do have a diverse department. We do have opportunity here," she said. "But as staffing is depleted, the opportunities become less and less."
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City officials and the union agree the impasse on labor issues is making it worse.
"Ours has a department that people want to leave," said James Gonzalez, union vice president. "And other departments are taking advantage of that."
Mayor Sam Liccardo said the city needs more women officers.
"We need more men officers, too," Liccardo added.
But the need has not brought the city and union any closer to reaching a deal. So Alfonzo, born and raised in San Jose, is leaving.
"When I took this job 17-and-a-half years ago, I was both honored and humbled to be coming to San Jose PD," Alfonzo said. "And I almost feel cheated in a sense because I anticipated retiring here after 30 years."
