Morro Bay City Council Public Hearing on Police Department Future

The Morro Bay City Council will hold a public hearing next Tuesday night on the possibility of shutting down the City Police Department and contracting out law enforcement services to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department.

Its one of dozens of suggestions from a consultant the City hired two years ago to look at how to cut costs while improving city services and revenues.

Morro Bay city leaders stress no final decision has been made on the future of the Police Department.

Morro Bay resident Irel Urreztieta is delievering fresh-baked biscotti to the roughly three dozen men and women who work at the Morro Bay Police Department.

Like many Morro Bay residents, Urreztieta feels a special bond with the Morro Bay Police Department.

“When you have your own you have more of an interest in the community”, Urreztieta says, “I think when you start spreading things out, and I have nothing to say about other agencies, but I think its nice to keep it local.”

Morro Bay City Councilman John Headding says he wants to hear from city residents next Tuesday night how they feel about the idea of contracting out law enforcement services to the County Sheriff’s Department.

“Its not a decision that we are making on Tuesday night whether to outsource or not”, Headding says, “its just whether to consider moving it up as a goal, or eliminating it as a goal or actually considering it for a full on study.”

The public hearing on the future of the Morro Bay Police Department will be at the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, August 9.