Local & Community
Desert Hot Springs Council to Vote on Growing Police Force
Desert Hot Springs City Council could vote to grow the police department tonight, adding 12 officers over the next five years.
Council members meet tonight at 6 p.m. at Desert Hot Springs City Hall to consider a resolution that would raise the police department's staffing level from 33 sworn officers to 45. If approved, the city would hire two new officers a year for the next five years.
The department's officer count has stayed at 33 for more than 20 years, even as the city has grown around it, according to the staff report. City staff say the flat staffing level has led to slower patrol response times, limits on investigations, high overtime costs, and a negative effect on officer morale and wellness.
The push follows an independent review the department requested from the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, known as POST, which trains and certifies police officers statewide. POST looked at the department's organization, staffing, workload and community expectations, and found gaps in staffing, shift coverage and overtime spending. One of its recommendations was to fill police positions on a more permanent, reliable basis, which is part of what's driving tonight's proposal.
Growing the department would cost the city more than $370,000 a year for the next five years, roughly what it costs to add two officers annually at an average salary of about $185,000 each.
The resolution also sets up a plan for adding officers beyond 45. Once the department hits that staffing level, the city plans to hire an additional officer for roughly every $500,000 increase in revenue from the Public Safety Parcel Tax.
Council members are expected to vote on the resolution during tonight's regular session, which starts at 6 p.m.
By: Harrison Bluto
September 1, 2026
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