Mayor Ashley Swearengin joined top city officials to highlight features of the public safety proposals included in her proposed budget.
Fresno will see substantial increases in public safety funding, as the mayor strives to get the force back to pre-recession levels.
43 police officers will be added to the police force this year, including four just to support our FAX buses especially in the Manchester and Blackstone corridor. – Mayor Ashley Swearengin.
Three more police officers will focus on issues with recycling and scavenging, and two will work on school related problems.
The 15 cadets added in 2015 will free up other officers for patrolling duties.
On the replacement list: 50 police cars, 14 motorcycles, and more funding for Chief Jerry Dyer’s Skywatch program.
When that helicopter’s not in the air, it’s not providing that visible deterrence for crime to occur, it’s not providing the back-up that officers need on the ground, and certainly not being able to take over vehicle pursuits and foot chases, etcetera. – Chief Jerry Dyer.
Chief Jerry Dyer will see money for body camera storage, emergency operations equipment, laptops, radios and prisoner cages.
This is a good budget for policing – Chief Dyer
