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12.10.2 ALPR systems and data governance. The use, management, and governance of Saratoga Technology consisting of Automated License Plate Reader systems shall be subject to Department policy and applicable law, including applicable restrictions on data access, retention, sharing, auditing, and permissible use. Nothing in this Section shall require participation in any regional or national ALPR data sharing network.
12.10.3 Department operational authority and data. Los Gatos shall retain operational authority over Department access, monitoring, use, integration, audit, and data governance of Saratoga Technology used by the Department in performance of this Agreement. Approved use of Saratoga Technology shall not require continuous monitoring or expand the Department’s operational obligations beyond those otherwise provided in this Agreement. All law enforcement data, ALPR data, criminal justice information, digital evidence, and operational information accessed, generated, collected, stored, transmitted, or used by the Department shall be governed by Department policy, applicable law, and applicable federal and state criminal justice information requirements.
12.10.4 Saratoga responsibility for Saratoga Technology. Saratoga shall remain responsible for procurement, ownership, lease, license, or other contractual rights, policy adoption, legal compliance, public transparency, maintenance, vendor management, cybersecurity outside Department systems, system lifecycle management, and cost of Saratoga Technology unless otherwise agreed in writing. Department approval to access or use Saratoga Technology shall not transfer those responsibilities to Los Gatos unless expressly agreed in writing.
12.10.5 Separate technology and data sharing agreements. Los Gatos may require a separate written technology, data sharing, or operational use agreement before Department personnel access or use Saratoga Technology or before such technology is connected to Department systems or integrated with the Department’s Real Time Information Center or similar operational platform. Any such agreement may address ownership, custody and control of data, permitted uses, access rights, audit requirements, retention, public records responsibilities, cybersecurity standards, CJIS and CLETS compliance, system maintenance, vendor obligations, cost allocation, legal compliance, public transparency, governing body approvals, and termination of access.
12.10.6 Continuity of approved Saratoga Technology. Once Los Gatos has approved Department use of Saratoga Technology and any required agreement is in place, Los Gatos shall use reasonable efforts to maintain continuity of Department use of that technology and, when reasonably practicable, shall provide Saratoga with advance notice and an opportunity to meet and confer before materially restricting or discontinuing such use. Los Gatos may materially restrict or discontinue Department use when reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law; address a documented material concern involving cybersecurity, security, technical compatibility, operational feasibility, data governance, officer or public safety; implement Departmentwide technology standards, architecture, or lifecycle requirements; or avoid a material operational or administrative burden. Final authority regarding Department operational use of technology shall remain with Los Gatos consistent with Sections 3.1, 12.7, 12.8, and 12.10.3. A discretionary change in Department technology preference alone shall not constitute a sufficient basis
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to materially restrict or discontinue such use without reasonable consideration of Saratoga's interests through the meet and confer process described above.
13. RECORDS, EVIDENCE, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND PUBLIC RECORDS
13.1 Custody and control of law enforcement records. Los Gatos shall maintain police reports, dispatch recordings, investigative files, personnel files, evidence records, body worn camera records, and other law enforcement records in accordance with applicable law and Department policy. Records created or maintained by Los Gatos in performance of this Agreement shall remain under Los Gatos custody and control unless otherwise required by law or expressly provided in this Agreement.
13.2 Records assistance during transition. Upon expiration or termination of this Agreement, Los Gatos shall retain and provide such reasonable documents, records, and other information ordinarily maintained by a law enforcement agency as are reasonably necessary to allow for an orderly transition of municipal law enforcement services in Saratoga, within a reasonable time and subject to lawful retention obligations, evidentiary requirements, confidentiality restrictions, and any continuing need of Los Gatos to retain originals or copies. Los Gatos shall provide reasonable transition related records assistance in good faith and shall not unreasonably withhold such assistance, provided that Los Gatos shall not be required under this Section to create new records, prepare special summaries, perform extraordinary legal review, undertake extensive redaction beyond that otherwise required by law, migrate data into a new system or format, or provide extraordinary transition services unless the Parties otherwise agree in writing or such assistance is expressly recoverable under this Agreement. Any extraordinary transition assistance, if authorized or required under this Agreement, shall be subject to the cost allocation and reimbursement provisions of Sections 10.8.2(e) and the transition planning provisions of
16.6. 13.2.1 Operational records continuity during term. During the term of this Agreement, the Parties shall cooperate in good faith to maintain reasonable continuity of operational reporting, records access procedures, and administrative coordination necessary for Saratoga to oversee this Agreement and perform its municipal responsibilities. Nothing in this Section requires Los Gatos to provide access to confidential law enforcement systems, waive legal protections, create new records not otherwise maintained in the ordinary course, or perform extraordinary data extraction, programming, or legal review absent separate written agreement.
13.3 California Public Records Act cooperation and requests. Each Party shall be independently responsible for responding to requests under the California Public Records Act, Government Code section 7920.000 et seq., and similar legal process, for records in that Party’s possession, custody, or control. Nothing in this Agreement requires either Party to respond on behalf of the other Party, forward requests to the other Party, obtain approval from the other Party, consult with the other Party before responding, or delay a response in order to obtain input from the other Party, except as required by applicable law, court order, subpoena, or other binding legal process.
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Records maintained by Los Gatos, including Department records, police records, law enforcement records, dispatch records, investigative records, body worn camera records, evidence records, personnel records, and other records created, received, used, or maintained by Los Gatos in performance of this Agreement, shall be handled through Los Gatos’s public records process. Los Gatos shall have final authority regarding release, redaction, withholding, timing, and response format for such records.
Records maintained by Saratoga shall be handled through Saratoga’s public records process.
Saratoga shall have final authority regarding release, redaction, withholding, timing, and response format for such records. Nothing in this Section requires either Party to disclose records exempt from disclosure or to waive any privilege, investigative confidentiality, personnel protection, security protection, criminal justice information restriction, or other applicable legal protection.
13.4 Protection of confidential and criminal justice information. Each Party shall protect confidential criminal justice information, personal information, security sensitive information, and privileged communications in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law, including rules governing CLETS, CJIS, victim information, juvenile records, and peace officer personnel information.
13.5 Evidence handling. Evidence collected in matters originating in Saratoga shall be stored and managed pursuant to Department policy and applicable law. Los Gatos shall control evidentiary handling, chain of custody, retention, release, and destruction decisions, subject to lawful court orders and prosecutorial requirements.
13.6 No unilateral directives regarding records or evidence. Neither Party shall direct, control, appeal, delay, or override the other Party’s decisions regarding release, withholding, redaction, retention, or destruction of records or evidence maintained by the other Party, except through lawful process, court order, subpoena, or mutual written agreement consistent with applicable law.
14. INDEMNIFICATION
14.1 Indemnity and Hold Harmless. In lieu of and notwithstanding the pro rata risk allocation that might otherwise be imposed between the Parties pursuant to Government Code section 895.6, the Parties agree that all losses or liabilities incurred by a Party shall not be shared pro rata, but instead, pursuant to Government Code section 895.4, each Party shall fully indemnify and hold the other Party and its elected and appointed officials, officers, employees, and agents harmless from any claim, expense, cost, damage, or liability imposed for injury (as defined by Government Code section 810.8) arising out of any acts or omissions, including willful misconduct, of the indemnifying Party, its elected and appointed officials, officers, employees, or agents, under or in connection with or arising out of any work, authority, or jurisdiction delegated to such Party under this Agreement. Neither Party, nor any official, officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall be responsible for any damage or liability arising out of any acts or omissions, including willful misconduct, of the other Party, its elected and appointed officials, officers, employees, or agents, under or in connection with or arising out of any work, authority, or jurisdiction delegated to such other Party under this Agreement.
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14.2 Defense, tender, and control of defense. If indemnification is triggered under this Section or under any other defense or indemnity obligation in this Agreement, the indemnifying Party shall bear sole responsibility for the reasonable cost of defense, settlements, judgments, penalties, and related costs, subject to any allocation required by law. A Party seeking defense or indemnity shall provide prompt written notice to the other Party after learning of the claim, provided that failure to give prompt notice shall not relieve the indemnifying Party of its obligations except to the extent it is materially prejudiced. The indemnifying Party shall have the right to control the defense with counsel reasonably acceptable to the indemnified Party, except where a conflict of interest requires separate counsel, and the Parties shall cooperate in the defense of claims. The indemnified Party may participate with counsel of its own choosing at its own expense unless a conflict of interest requires otherwise.
14.3 Survival of indemnity obligations. The indemnity obligations in this Section shall survive as provided in Section 19.13.
15. INSURANCE
15.1 Insurance and coverage approach. Each Party shall maintain, through commercial insurance, pooled coverage, self-insurance, or a combination thereof, coverage sufficient to support its obligations under this Agreement.
15.1.1 Property and vehicle coverage responsibility. Each Party shall maintain coverage for any property or vehicle for which it is the owner of record, regardless of which Party uses the asset. If ownership of an asset is transferred from one Party to the other, responsibility for maintaining coverage for that asset shall transfer with ownership unless the Parties otherwise agree in writing.
15.2 Minimum insurance coverage. At a minimum, each Party shall maintain general liability coverage or self-insurance in an amount of not less than thirty million dollars ($30,000,000) per occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage, together with workers compensation coverage as required by law and automobile liability coverage for owned or operated vehicles used in connection with this Agreement.
Each Party shall also maintain, through commercial insurance, pooled coverage, self-insurance, or a combination thereof, coverage reasonably appropriate to support its obligations under this Agreement for law enforcement liability, employment practices liability, cyber liability, data breach, and technology related risks, to the extent such coverage is available through the Party’s applicable insurance, pooled coverage, or self-insurance program.
15.3 Evidence of coverage. Each Party shall provide the other Party with certificates of insurance or other evidence of coverage, together with available endorsements applicable to the coverage required by this Agreement, before October 1, 2027, if reasonably requested.
15.4 Primary and noncontributory coverage. To the extent available under the applicable program, each Party's coverage shall be primary as respects the other Party for claims arising from the indemnifying Party's obligations under this Agreement, and any insurance or selfinsurance maintained by the other Party shall be excess and noncontributory.
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15.5 Notice of lapse or reduction. Each policy or coverage arrangement required by this Section shall provide that coverage shall not be canceled, materially reduced, or allowed to lapse without at least thirty (30) days prior written notice to the other Party, except that ten (10) days’ notice may apply for nonpayment if required by the applicable policy form.
15.6 Insurance requirements are minimum requirements only. The insurance requirements in this Section establish minimum requirements only and shall not be construed to limit a Party's liability or indemnity obligations under this Agreement.
16. TERM, RENEWAL, TERMINATION, AND TRANSITION
16.1 Initial term. This initial service Term shall begin October 1, 2027, and continue through June 30, 2037, unless sooner terminated in accordance with this Agreement.
16.2 Termination restriction during initial period. Except for (a) termination arising from a Significant Matter under Section 16.8 and implemented pursuant to Section 18.5, (b) termination for a material default under Section 17 that remains uncured following the applicable notice and cure period, or (c) termination by mutual written agreement of the Parties under Section 16.4, from October 1, 2027, through June 30, 2030, neither Party may cause a termination of this Agreement to become effective.
Nothing in this Section prohibits delivery during the initial termination restriction period of a notice of termination that, in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement, results in an effective termination date after June 30, 2030.
16.3 Termination after initial introduction period. After June 30, 2030, either Party may terminate this Agreement with or without cause upon at least twelve (12) months’ prior written notice to the other Party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Saratoga elects to terminate this Agreement without cause with an effective termination date earlier than June 30, 2037, Saratoga shall, in addition to amounts otherwise due under this Agreement and amounts recoverable under Section 10.8.2(e), pay Los Gatos an early termination amount equal to the sum of: (a) the unrecovered, unamortized portion of the approved startup costs under Section 10.2.1; and (b) the documented unrecovered, unamortized cost of sworn officer hiring, training, and equipment that the Town reasonably incurred in reliance on the initial Term ending June 30, 2037 and that cannot reasonably be redeployed within Los Gatos’s ordinary operations following the effective termination date. No cost recovered as part of the early termination amount under this Section may also be recovered under Section 10.8.2(e), or any other provision of this Agreement.
16.4 Mutual amendment or termination. This Agreement may be amended or terminated at any time by mutual written agreement of the Parties following any governing body or other approvals required by law. Any amendment shall also comply with Section 19.5.
16.5 Renewal evaluation and mutual extension. Before November 1, 2036, the Parties shall meet and review the services, activities, service demands, operational impacts, and costs associated with this Agreement. This Agreement may be extended for one additional five (5) year term, beginning July 1, 2037, and ending June 30, 2042, only by mutual written agreement of both Parties following any approvals required by law. Either Party may initiate an extension discussion by written notice to the other Party no later than November 1, 2036, and to be effective an extension must be approved in writing by both Parties no later than March 1, 2037.
If the Parties do not both approve an extension by that date, this Agreement shall expire at the
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end of the initial Term as provided in Section 16.1. Neither Party is obligated to agree to an extension, and a Party's good faith decision to decline shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement or give rise to any claim, penalty, or liability, except for amounts accrued or expressly recoverable under this Agreement.
If the Parties agree to extend, then for the first year of the extension term the annual Base Rate shall be the Base Rate in effect on June 30, 2037, excluding any startup cost amortization or interest component, and adjusted effective July 1, 2037 in accordance with Section 10.7. If the Town determines that its true cost to provide the general services for the first year of the extension term exceeds the rate established under Section 10.7, the Town may submit a written request for a higher first year extension rate supported by reasonable documentation and justification. Any increase requested under this Section shall not result in a first year extension Base Rate greater than one hundred twelve percent (112%) of the Base Rate in effect during the final year of the initial term, inclusive of any adjustment otherwise calculated under Section
10.7. Saratoga shall review the Town's request in good faith and shall not unreasonably deny a supported request. Any extension shall otherwise remain subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement unless the Parties approve a written amendment.
16.6 Transition planning. If Saratoga elects to terminate or not renew this Agreement in order to establish its own police department or contract with another provider, the Parties shall cooperate in good faith in transition planning. Saratoga shall remain responsible for all amounts due through the effective termination date and for any post termination amounts expressly recoverable under this Agreement, subject to the prohibition on duplicate recovery and the survival provisions in Section 19.13.
16.7 No asset transfer obligation. Upon expiration or termination, Los Gatos shall have no obligation to transfer Department owned vehicles, weapons, radios, records systems, body worn camera systems, evidence systems, or other Department assets unless the Parties enter into a separate written transfer agreement.
16.8 Partnership Reopener for Significant Unresolved Matters. The Parties intend that ordinary operational, administrative, financial, legal, regulatory, technical, service, and other matters arising under this Agreement be addressed whenever reasonably practicable through the informal communication, consultation, coordination, and problem solving processes established throughout this Agreement. If a matter has not been adequately resolved through reasonable informal engagement between the Parties, or through a more specific process provided elsewhere in this Agreement, either Party may identify the matter as a potential Significant Matter and initiate the formal dispute resolution process in Section 18.
For purposes of this Agreement, a "Significant Matter" means a matter that has, or is reasonably expected to have, a demonstrable material impact on a Party's financial obligations or interests, compliance with applicable law, ability to provide or receive material services under this Agreement, operational responsibilities, regulatory obligations, technology or security responsibilities, material risk exposure, or another substantial interest arising from this Agreement. A minor, technical, temporary, de minimis, or otherwise immaterial disagreement does not constitute a Significant Matter. Significant Matters may include circumstances that were not reasonably anticipated when this Agreement was executed, circumstances for which the Agreement does not provide an adequate resolution, or circumstances in which application of an existing provision produces a material legal, financial, operational, or service consequence requiring further consideration by the Parties. Without limiting the foregoing, a condition in which the amounts payable to Los Gatos under this Agreement become materially insufficient to
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recover costs that applicable law requires Los Gatos to charge to Saratoga may constitute a Significant Matter.
Information and data provided to Los Gatos through Saratoga, including information originating from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, was incomplete in certain respects and contained material gaps that could materially affect the staffing and other operational projections relied upon by Los Gatos in establishing the integrated service model and Base Rate. Should a sustained material difference in activity occur that materially impacts Department staffing, dispatch, investigative, records, evidence, technology, or other resource requirements beyond those reasonably contemplated in establishing the Base Rate, such circumstance may constitute a Significant Matter. Ordinary fluctuations in service demand shall not by themselves constitute a Significant Matter.
Nothing in this Agreement, including any rate, adjustment, reimbursement, or payment limitation, shall be interpreted to require either Party to act in violation of applicable law. If a Party reasonably determines that compliance with applicable law requires a financial, operational, service, or other adjustment that is not adequately addressed through another provision of this Agreement, the matter may be treated as a Significant Matter and addressed through Section 18.
Initiation of the process under this Section does not itself amend this Agreement, change the Base Rate, modify an applicable cap, alter the services required under Section 4, or suspend either Party's existing obligations. Unless continued performance would violate applicable law or the Parties otherwise agree in writing, the Parties shall continue performing under the then current terms of this Agreement while the matter is being addressed. Any mutually acceptable resolution that requires an amendment to this Agreement or another approval required by law shall become effective only after completion of the applicable approval process.
17. DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
17.1 Material default standard. A material failure by either Party to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall constitute a default if the failure continues after the notice and cure period provided in this Agreement or, if no specific cure period is stated, after thirty (30) days written notice and failure to commence and diligently pursue cure within that period.
17.2 Remedies for delinquent payment. If Saratoga fails to make payment when due and the delinquency is not cured within sixty (60) days after written notice from Los Gatos, Los Gatos may pursue all lawful remedies, including collection of the delinquent amount, suspension of Saratoga-Requested Discretionary Services under Section 5.3 not necessary for immediate public safety, and termination for cause where permitted by Section 16.
17.3 Excused nonperformance for events beyond control. Except as to a duty to pay money, if either Party is prevented from performing by strikes, work stoppages, natural disaster, failure of communications systems, cyber incident, court order, changes in law, regional mutual aid deployment, or other causes beyond that Party's reasonable control, the affected Party shall not be deemed in default for the duration of the condition, provided that the affected Party uses reasonable efforts to mitigate the impact and resume performance.
17.4 Cumulative remedies. The remedies stated in this Agreement are cumulative except where this Agreement expressly provides an exclusive remedy.
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18. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
18.1 Formal Request to Meet and Confer. Except where the Parties have already completed a substantially equivalent written meet and confer process expressly required elsewhere in this Agreement, formal dispute resolution under this Section shall begin with a written request to meet and confer delivered by either Party to the other Party. Before submitting a formal request, the Parties shall have made reasonable efforts to address the matter through informal communication or other applicable consultation processes under this Agreement. The written request shall identify in reasonable detail:
(a) the matter in dispute;
(b) the material facts and circumstances giving rise to the matter; (c) any provision of this Agreement or applicable legal requirement materially implicated by the matter;
(d) the financial, legal, operational, service, regulatory, technical, risk, or other material impact asserted by the requesting Party;
(e) the resolution requested or the principal alternatives the requesting Party believes should be considered; and
(f) the reasonably available documentation, data, analysis, or other evidence supporting the requesting Party’s position.
The receiving Party shall be provided a reasonable opportunity to review the request and supporting information and to provide responsive information before the meet and confer. At least five (5) business days before the meeting, each Party shall provide the other Party with reasonably available, nonprivileged information that it intends to materially rely upon during the meet and confer and that may lawfully be disclosed. Nothing in this Section requires disclosure of attorney client privileged information, attorney work product, peace officer personnel information, protected criminal justice information, confidential investigative information, security information, or other information protected from disclosure by law.
The Town Manager and City Manager shall meet and confer within twenty (20) business days after receipt of the written request unless the Parties mutually agree to another date. The Chief, legal counsel, finance personnel, technical personnel, or other appropriate representatives may participate depending upon the nature of the matter. The Parties shall consider the matter in good faith based upon the Agreement, applicable law, reasonably available evidence, the interests of both Parties, and the long-term sustainability of the partnership.
18.2 Resolution or Impasse Following Meet and Confer. If the Parties reach a mutually acceptable resolution through the meet and confer process, the resolution shall be documented in writing. Any resolution requiring an amendment to this Agreement, an appropriation, governing body approval, or another approval required by law shall be subject to that approval before becoming effective. If the Parties do not reach a mutually acceptable resolution after completing the meet and confer process, either Party may declare an impasse in writing and submit the matter to mediation under Section 18.3.
A written meet and confer process completed under another provision of this Agreement may satisfy Section 18.1 if the Parties exchanged reasonably sufficient information concerning the disputed matter and had a meaningful opportunity to consider and respond to each other’s
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position. In that circumstance, either Party may proceed directly to mediation without repeating the meet and confer process.
18.3 Mediation. Following an impasse, either Party may submit the dispute to nonbinding mediation by written notice to the other Party. The Parties shall attempt to mutually select a mediator experienced in California municipal, public agency, or comparable governmental matters. If the Parties do not agree upon a mediator within fifteen (15) business days after the mediation request, the mediator shall be selected through JAMS or another mutually acceptable dispute resolution provider with services available in or near Santa Clara County.
The mediation shall occur as soon as reasonably practicable. Each Party shall participate in good faith and shall provide the mediator and the other Party with information reasonably necessary to permit meaningful consideration of the dispute, subject to applicable privileges, confidentiality requirements, personnel protections, criminal justice information restrictions, and other protections required by law. The mediator’s fees and administrative costs shall be shared equally by the Parties. Each Party shall bear its own attorney fees, staff costs, consultant costs, and other expenses associated with mediation unless otherwise mutually agreed.
A settlement reached through mediation shall be documented in writing and shall be subject to any governing body or other approval required by law. If mediation concludes without a mutually acceptable written resolution, either Party may submit the matter to nonbinding advisory arbitration under Section 18.4.
18.4 Nonbinding Advisory Arbitration. If mediation does not resolve the dispute, either Party may request nonbinding advisory arbitration by written notice to the other Party.
The dispute shall be presented to a single neutral arbitrator experienced in California municipal, public agency, governmental contract, or comparable matters. The Parties shall attempt to mutually select the arbitrator. If they do not agree upon an arbitrator within fifteen (15) business days after the arbitration request, the arbitrator shall be selected through JAMS or another mutually acceptable dispute resolution provider.
The Parties shall have a reasonable and substantially equal opportunity to present written submissions, documentary evidence, relevant testimony, and legal argument. The arbitrator may establish reasonable procedural requirements appropriate to the nature and complexity of the dispute. The arbitrator shall decide the matter on its merits based upon this Agreement, applicable law, and the evidence presented by the Parties. The determination shall not be based merely upon compromise between the Parties’ respective positions. The arbitrator shall issue a written advisory decision that:
(a) identifies the material issues presented;
(b) states the arbitrator’s determination of the merits of those issues and the principal reasons supporting that determination;
(c) describes the resolution recommended by the arbitrator; (d) determines whether the disputed matter constitutes a Significant Matter as defined in Section 16.8; and
(e) if the arbitrator determines that the matter is a Significant Matter, identifies whether the position of either Party has been substantially sustained on the merits.
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The arbitrator’s decision is advisory and nonbinding. For clarity, the recommended resolution is advisory and nonbinding; however, the determinations required by subsections (d) and (e) above are operative solely for purposes of determining whether the limited termination right in Section
18.5 arises.
The arbitrator shall have no authority to amend this Agreement, appropriate public funds, bind a governing body, establish a binding financial obligation not otherwise authorized by law or this Agreement, direct Department personnel or law enforcement operations, or otherwise exercise authority reserved by law or this Agreement to either Party or its governing body. The Parties expressly intend the arbitration process under this Section to result in a nonbinding advisory determination only. Neither Party shall seek confirmation of the advisory decision as a binding arbitration award or judgment. The arbitrator’s fees and administrative costs shall be shared equally by the Parties. Each Party shall bear its own attorney fees, staff costs, consultant costs, expert costs, and other expenses unless otherwise mutually agreed.
18.5 Consideration of Advisory Decision and Limited Termination Right. Within ten (10) business days after receipt of the arbitrator’s written advisory decision, each Party shall notify the other Party in writing whether it accepts the recommended resolution, subject to any governing body or other approval required by law. If both Parties accept the recommended resolution, they shall promptly take such actions as are reasonably necessary to document and implement the resolution, including obtaining any approval required by law.
If the arbitrator determines that the disputed matter constitutes a Significant Matter under Section
16.8 and substantially sustains the position of one Party on the merits, but the other Party rejects the recommended resolution or fails within the ten (10) business day period to agree to proceed with its implementation, the Party whose position was substantially sustained shall be considered the “Aggrieved Party” solely for purposes of this Section. The Aggrieved Party may initiate termination of this Agreement by providing written notice of termination within fifteen (15) business days after:
(a) receiving the other Party’s written rejection of the recommended resolution; or (b) expiration of the ten (10) business day response period if the other Party has not agreed to proceed with implementation.
Notwithstanding the termination restrictions in Sections 16.2 and 16.3, a termination right arising under this Section from a Significant Matter under Section 16.8 may be exercised during the initial termination restriction period described in Section 16.2. The effective date of termination shall be the later of:
(i) one hundred eighty (180) calendar days after delivery of the termination notice; or (ii) the last day of the contract year in which the termination notice is delivered.
The Parties may mutually agree to a different termination date if necessary to protect continuity of law enforcement services or facilitate an orderly transition. If the Aggrieved Party does not provide the termination notice within the fifteen (15) business day period, the special termination right arising from that advisory decision is waived and the dispute shall be considered closed for purposes of the dispute escalation and termination process established by this Section.
No special termination right arises under this Section if the arbitrator determines that the matter is not a Significant Matter or does not substantially sustain the position of either Party. Closure of a dispute under this Section does not require either Party to violate applicable law, waive a
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nonwaivable legal obligation, or waive an accrued payment, indemnity, defense, confidentiality of records, or other obligation that otherwise survives under this Agreement.
18.6 Continuation of Performance. During the dispute resolution process, each Party shall continue to perform its obligations under the then current terms of this Agreement unless:
(a) continued performance of a particular obligation would violate applicable law; (b) performance is excused under another provision of this Agreement; or (c) the Parties mutually agree in writing to a temporary alternative arrangement.
Initiation of dispute resolution does not itself suspend payment obligations, alter the Base Rate or an applicable cap, modify the services required under Section 4, or authorize either Party to unilaterally change an operative provision of this Agreement.
19. MISCELLANEOUS
19.1 Independent contractor. In performing services under this Agreement, Los Gatos and its employees act as an independent contractor and not as employees or agents of Saratoga, except for any limited status as a Saratoga city officer that applicable law requires under Government Code for the statutory appointment or designation necessary to perform the law enforcement functions in Saratoga. Any such limited statutory officer status shall not create an employment relationship between Saratoga and the Chief or any other Los Gatos employee.
19.2 No assignment. This Agreement is not assignable without the prior written consent of both Parties.
19.3 Notice of claims and lawsuits. The Parties agree to provide one another with prompt notice of any claims or lawsuits arising from or relating to this Agreement.
19.4 Notices. Any notice required under this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered electronically, by certified mail, or by nationally recognized overnight delivery service to the following addresses, or to such other address as a Party later designates in writing:
Town of Los Gatos, 110 East Main Street, Los Gatos, California 95030, Attention: Town Manager and Town Clerk; and
City of Saratoga, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, California 95070, Attention: City Manager and City Clerk.
19.5 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument that expressly identifies this Agreement and is executed by both Parties after any approvals required by law.
19.6 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect to the fullest extent permitted by law.
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19.7 Interpretation. This Agreement has been reviewed by both Parties and their counsel. No rule of construction shall apply that resolves ambiguities against the drafting party. The provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted to give effect to the Parties’ intent to establish a cooperative, sustainable, and integrated regional public safety partnership, while preserving the operational, fiscal, legal, and risk allocation provisions expressly set forth in this Agreement.
19.8 Waiver. A waiver of any breach shall not be deemed a waiver of any other or subsequent breach.
19.9 Entire agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties concerning the subject matter addressed herein and supersedes all prior negotiations, discussions, and agreements on the same subject, whether oral or written.
19.10 Counterparts and electronic signatures. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and a scanned or electronic signature shall be treated as an original.
19.11 Governing law and venue. This Agreement shall be governed by California law. Venue for any action arising from this Agreement shall lie in Santa Clara County, California, except as otherwise required by law.
19.12 Authority. Each person executing this Agreement represents and warrants that he or she is duly authorized to do so on behalf of the entity for which the signature is made.
19.13 Survival. Any provision that by its nature is intended to apply after expiration or termination shall survive, including provisions governing accrued payment obligations, refunds, credits, invoice disputes, transition and wind down costs, notice of claims and lawsuits, records, evidence, confidentiality, indemnity, defense, insurance obligations applicable to claims or liabilities arising from acts, omissions, occurrences, or obligations during the Term, dispute resolution, governing law, venue, interpretation, and no asset transfer.
Without limiting the foregoing, Sections 7.5, 7.7, 10.2.1, 10.5, 10.6, 10.8.1, 10.8.2(e), 10.9,
10.10, 11, 12.1, 13, and 14; Section 15 solely to the extent necessary to support claims or liabilities arising from acts, omissions, occurrences, or obligations during the Term; and Sections
16.3, 16.6, 16.7, 16.8, 17, 18, 19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 19.7, 19.8, 19.10, 19.11, 19.12, and 19.13 shall survive expiration or termination, including any obligations relating to disaster response cost documentation, reimbursement requests, reimbursement cooperation, receipt and allocation of reimbursement funds, payment or credit of recovered funds, audit support, and prevention of duplicate recovery.
The enumeration of specific Sections in this Section 19.13 is illustrative and not exhaustive, and the omission of any provision from that enumeration shall not give rise to any inference that the provision does not survive if it otherwise survives by its nature or by the express terms of this Agreement.
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SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the dates written below.
TOWN OF LOS GATOS CITY OF SARATOGA
By: ______________________________ By: ______________________________ Chris Constantin, Town Manager Leslie Arroyo, City Manager Date: ______________________________ Date: ______________________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM
By: ______________________________ By: ______________________________ Gabrielle Whelan, Town Attorney Richard Taylor, City Attorney Date: ______________________________ Date: ______________________________ ATTEST
By: ______________________________ By: ______________________________ Wendy Wood, Town Clerk Britt Avrit, City Clerk
Date: ______________________________ Date: ______________________________
ITEM NO. 12.
Transition Study for Police Services in
City of Saratoga
August 28, 2026
Assessment Completed By
www.MelioraPSC.com
ATTACHMENT 3
ITEM NO. 12.
1 www.MelioraPSC.com
Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................. 4 MELIORA PUBLIC SAFETY CONSULTING ASSESSMENT TEAM ..............................................................................4 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 4 Overview and Findings..................................................................................................................... 6 FOUR MAIN ELEMENTS:.......................................................................................................................................6 Element 1: Increase Staffing & Update Organizational Chart.........................................................................6 Element 2: Update Patrol Beat Plan................................................................................................................7 Element 3: Address Infrastructure Needs.......................................................................................................7 Element 4: Implementation Plan.....................................................................................................................7 TRANSITION STUDY FOR POLICE SERVICES............................................................................... 8 CITY OF SARATOGA.......................................................................................................................... 8 CHART 1: City of Saratoga Boundaries and Roadways....................................................................................9 Crime Information ........................................................................................................................... 9 REPORTED CRIME.................................................................................................................................................9 TABLE 1: Saratoga 10-Year Part 1 Reported Crimes, 2015-2024...................................................................10 TABLE 2: Indexed Crimes Rates for City of Saratoga, California, Nation, 2015-2024....................................10 CHART 2: 10-Year Part 1 Crime Trends, City of Saratoga, State and Nation 2015 – 2024 ............................11 CHART 3: Regional Crime Trends, Town of Los Gatos, Cities of Monte Sereno and Saratoga, 2015-2024...12 TABLE 3: Crimes Rate Comparisons with City of Saratoga and Other Local Agencies, 2024.........................12 LOS GATOS-MONTE SERENO POLICE DEPARTMENT........................................................................ 13 Organizational Structure and Responsibility................................................................................... 13 CHART 4: Current Organizational Chart ........................................................................................................14 I. STAFFING CONSIDERATIONS .......................................................................................... 15 Department Staffing ...................................................................................................................... 15 TABLE 4: Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department Staffing FY 2026-27.................................................16 CHART 5: Proposed Organizational Chart .....................................................................................................18 Operations Bureau......................................................................................................................... 19 OVERVIEW..........................................................................................................................................................19 EXISTING SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL .................................................................................................................20 SARATOGA WORKLOAD ANALYSIS.....................................................................................................................21 Data Limitations ............................................................................................................................................21 CHART 6: Plot Map of All 2025 Community-Initiated Calls in Saratoga as Reported by SCCSO....................22 Workload Data ..............................................................................................................................................22 TABLE 5: Total Count of Incident Types Reported in Saratoga, 2025............................................................23 CHART 7: Saratoga Incidents by Originator, 2025.........................................................................................24 CHART 8: Saratoga Total Incidents by Season, 2025.....................................................................................26 CHART 9: Saratoga Total Incidents by Month, 2025 .....................................................................................27 CHART 10: Saratoga Total Incidents by Month by Initiator, 2025.................................................................27 CHART 11: Saratoga Incidents by Day of Week, 2025...................................................................................28 CHART 12: Saratoga Incidents by Hour of Day, 2025 ....................................................................................29 Impact on LGMSPD Operations.....................................................................................................................29 What is the Rule of 60? .................................................................................................................................30 TABLE 6: LGMSPD Current Workload and Staffing by Hour, 2025 ................................................................31 CHART 13: LGMSPD Rule of 60 Workload Utilization, 2025..........................................................................32
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CHART 14: LGMSPD Utilization Rates Based on Workload Types, 2025 .......................................................34 CHART 15: Saratoga Call Types with LGMSPD Labor Hours, 2025 ................................................................35 CHART 16: Projected Workload LGMSPD + Saratoga (Current Staffing vs 1 additional FTE) ........................36 CHART 17: Projected Workload with a 5/6 Optimal Staffing Profile.............................................................38 Relief Factor ..................................................................................................................................................40 Support Services Bureau ................................................................................................................ 42 Investigations Division................................................................................................................... 42 TABLE 7: Current LGMSPD Investigations Division Sworn Staffing, July 2026...............................................43 Current Workload..........................................................................................................................................43 New Cases Assigned January 1-June 30, 2026: ............................................................................................43 Saratoga Caseload Impact.............................................................................................................................43 School Resource Officer ................................................................................................................................45 Additional Detective Position........................................................................................................................45 Community Relations Unit............................................................................................................. 46 LGMSPD Real Time Information Center (RTIC)..............................................................................................46 Administrative Bureau (Proposed)................................................................................................. 48 Communications Division............................................................................................................... 48 TABLE 8: Communications Division Staffing, July 2026.................................................................................49 WORKLOAD DEMAND/CALL VOLUME ...............................................................................................................49 TABLE 9: LGMSPD Telephone Call Load, 2025...............................................................................................49 TABLE 10: LGMSPD Average Hourly Telephone Call Load, 2025...................................................................50 TEXT TO 9-1-1.....................................................................................................................................................50 TABLE 11: LGMSPD Text to 9-1-1 Messages Received, 2024-2025 ...............................................................51 EMERGENCY CALL TRACKING SYSTEM (ECaTS)..................................................................................................51 TABLE 13: LGMSPD Staffing Forecast, 2025 ..................................................................................................51 ANCILLARY WORKLOAD DEMANDS....................................................................................................................51 CALL FOR SERVICE WORKLOAD PROJECTION.....................................................................................................52 CHART 18: LGMSPD Total Incident Workload and Saratoga Community-Initiated Workload, 2025 ............53 ADEQUATE STAFFING LEVELS.............................................................................................................................53 Records Division ............................................................................................................................ 55 TABLE 14: Records Division Staffing, July 2026 .............................................................................................55 WORKLOAD DEMAND........................................................................................................................................55 TABLE 15: Records Workload, 2025 ..............................................................................................................56 PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS/DISCOVERY REQUESTS .................................................................................57 TABLE 16: PRA & Discovery Activity, 2025 ....................................................................................................57 RECORDS RETENTION.........................................................................................................................................58 RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.....................................................................................................................58 Report Review...............................................................................................................................................58 FBI UCR/NIBRS CRIME REPORTING ....................................................................................................................58 Personnel & Training Unit.............................................................................................................. 59 II. PATROL BEAT PLAN........................................................................................................ 60 CHART 19: LGMSPD Existing 3-Beat Map......................................................................................................60 CHART 20: LGMSPD-Saratoga Initial 4-Beat Model.......................................................................................62 CHART 21: Revised LGMSPD-Saratoga 4-Beat Model ...................................................................................63 III. INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ........................................................................................... 65 Technology .................................................................................................................................... 65
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Infrastructure ................................................................................................................................ 66 FACILITY..............................................................................................................................................................66 EQUIPMENT .......................................................................................................................................................66 TOWNWIDE ORGANIZATIONAL & SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE ........................................................................67 Parks And Public Works – Fleet & Facilities...................................................................................................67 Information Technology And GIS ..................................................................................................................67 Human Resources..........................................................................................................................................67 Town Clerk.....................................................................................................................................................67 Town Attorney...............................................................................................................................................67 Finance ..........................................................................................................................................................68 IV. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN............................................................................................ 69 Project Manager............................................................................................................................................69 Action Items ..................................................................................................................................................69 TABLE 17: Implementation Action Items.......................................................................................................69 Timeline......................................................................................................................................... 70 CHART 22: Operational Launch of Police Services in Saratoga Timeline.......................................................70 October 2026.................................................................................................................................................71 November 2026.............................................................................................................................................71 December 2026.............................................................................................................................................71 February 2027 ...............................................................................................................................................72 March 2027 ...................................................................................................................................................72 April-May 2027..............................................................................................................................................72 June 2027 ......................................................................................................................................................72 July 2027........................................................................................................................................................72 September 2027............................................................................................................................................72 October-December 2027...............................................................................................................................72
ITEM NO. 12.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
MELIORA PUBLIC SAFETY CONSULTING ASSESSMENT TEAM
Jackie Gomez-Whiteley, Principal and Founder / Project Manager Jarrod Burguan, Senior Associate
David Makin, PhD, Data Scientist
Dale Willits, PhD, Data Scientist
Methodology
Meliora Public Safety Consulting, LLC (Meliora PSC) was commissioned by Town of Los Gatos Manager Chris Constantin to conduct a Transition Study for Police Services in the City of Saratoga. In today’s ever-changing public safety environment, public safety leaders must be adept at leading the organization through change, collaborating with Town and City leaders in providing police services in the region, and being ever-present and willing to adapt to issues impacting the industry.
The scope of the study included analyzing Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) data, crime information, and workload data from Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga to establish the impact of adding police services in the City of Saratoga. The following areas were considered as part of the Transition Study:
▪ Determine any additional staffing needs in patrol, traffic, investigations, dispatch, records, and community outreach;
▪ Recommend an updated patrol beat plan for Los Gatos, Monte-Sereno, and Saratoga; ▪ Identify infrastructure needs such as receiving calls in dispatch and handling records workload; and
▪ Provide an Implementation Plan with timing and phases to incorporate police services in Saratoga.
The first area of focus was gaining an understanding of patrol-related activity in incorporated Saratoga through calls from the community. Within the normal framework of an organizational workload analysis, Meliora PSC would work directly with the involved agency to obtain the necessary data for a comprehensive workload evaluation traditionally captured in the department’s Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) platform. However, in this project the requested workload data came from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office (SCCSO), the current provider of Saratoga police services, rather than directly from Meliora PSC’s client, LGMSPD.
The data request process and reconciliation of agency data can be labor-intensive at times, as we routinely question what we see in the raw data and work to fully understand how the agency captures and presents information. Because our client was not SCCSO, we did not have
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the same level of ongoing dialogue typically available during these projects to reconcile anomalies or clarify questions that arose during the review process. At the request of SCCSO, the raw data request, including the specific parameters of that raw data, was referred to go through the public records request process. Meliora PSC data specifications requested were provided to the City of Saratoga, which in turn requested the data through the SCCSO.
It should be noted that local SCCSO leadership was gracious throughout this project and met with our consultants during a site visit to the Saratoga community. That meeting was invaluable in helping us better understand certain service delivery dynamics within the community; however, it occurred prior to the collection and delivery of the requested data, and therefore, the actual datasets were not discussed at that time. Additionally, the Santa Clara County team that provided the data to the City of Saratoga on our behalf was not the same SCCSO team that participated in the project meeting with our consultants. This information is presented as important context for the background regarding the data analysis.
Meliora PSC was provided SCCSO Communications CAD data for 2023-2025 along with Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department (LGMSPD) CAD data for the same timeframe. Using the data originating in Saratoga, we then applied the data from LGMSPD regarding amount of time and workload the same nature of calls for service would take when handled by LGMSPD.
Examination of SCCSO CAD data revealed a number of limitations with the data. For instance, there were significant gaps in data for several months in 2023 and 2024. The only complete year containing data was 2025. Further details regarding the data analysis methodology are included in the Patrol Workload Analysis portion of the report. Based on these challenges, the patrol staffing analysis focused on 2025 data. We also used FBI crime data and crime trends to contrast and compare policing needs in Saratoga and Los Gatos-Monte Sereno.
The staffing study is based on 2025 CAD information that examined workload, deployment, workload by hour, LGMSPD response time, and patrol staffing utilization. We also examined staffing in other areas of the police department compared to the workload and responsibilities of these key functions in order to make projections on the increased workload created by providing policing services to Saratoga. The 2025 patrol workload comparison established the framework for determining staffing needs in patrol, traffic, investigations, dispatch, records, and community outreach. It also assisted in updating the patrol beat plan.
In addition to collecting and reviewing information related to the LGMSPD’s operational and support services functions, we met with personnel at all levels of the department to gain insight and knowledge about their ability to provide services to the community.
Next, we examined key infrastructure needs of any police organization to serve their community. Dispatch and records functions are the underpinnings for patrol work. Dispatch serves as the first point of contact for most community-policing needs as community members contact the police through 9-1-1 or the business phone line for assistance. Records is a crucial component for not only connectivity to state and federal agencies for criminal justice
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information, but also tasked with a reliable system to store, retrieve, and as prescribed by law and municipal codes, appropriate purging of outdated records.
Finally, Meliora PSC provided an Implementation Plan to assist the agency in the transitioning services from the SCCSO to LGMSPD. Due to the significant task of migrating police services to LGMSPD, a full-time Project Manager is strongly recommended to handle oversight of the transition, coordinate decision making, and collaborating with key personnel in Operations, Dispatch, Records, IT, and Recruitment.
Overview and Findings
The information derived from the independent review of internal documents and data along with internal staff interviews was used to assess the fundamental question of what impact a policing contract with the City of Saratoga would have on the LGMSPD. In order to address this comprehensively, we identified four key elements for providing effective services and management of department operations for all communities. Although presented briefly in the Executive Summary, each element is reported in detail as a section in the Transition Study.
FOUR MAIN ELEMENTS:
Element 1: Increase Staffing & Update Organizational Chart Adding another city to the existing police services model is a major project that will require a full-time Project Manager to oversee the Implementation Plan. The position, recommended immediately with the projected goal of going live in 2027, would be needed for the preparation, implementation, and one year post go-live date to address unexpected challenges associated with an organizational change of this nature.
Transitioning to a three-city police services model will add calls for service resulting in the need for six additional police officers: four Police Officers (one per shift), one Motor Officer, and one School Resource Officer. Support staff is a critical component that needs to be expanded, especially in light of LGMSPD’s evolving Real Time Information Center (RTIC). Eight additional professional staff will be needed in the following areas: two and one-half Dispatchers, one Records Specialist, one Senior Administrative Analyst, one Administrative Technician and two Community Service Officers. An Administrative Bureau Captain is also recommended to oversee Dispatch, Records, and Professional Standards.
Having an organizational structure that aligns with the department’s three communities’ goals and objectives is critical. LGMSPD would benefit from realigning and restructuring the police department organizational chart to enhance efficiencies. Part of the Transition Study identified projected staffing needs with the addition of police services for Saratoga, which is included in the updated Organizational Chart. It will be important to re-evaluate workload and staffing
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once LGMSPD is fully engaged in providing police services for the City of Saratoga since only one year of call for service data was usable for workload analysis.
Element 2: Update Patrol Beat Plan
The addition of Saratoga requires the need for an updated patrol beat plan. Based on the calls for service analysis for all three jurisdictions, the current three-beat patrol plan is inadequate to provide the high level of services to all communities. Thus, revising the plan to four beats will more evenly disperse the workload and maintain the service levels LGMSPD is known for and all communities expect.
Element 3: Address Infrastructure Needs
The process of transitioning into and maintaining services for another community will require infrastructure needs to include services agreements, security infrastructure with state and federal partners, updated vendor agreements, and the updating and maintenance of the IT framework for supporting police services. Additional infrastructure needs including equipment and patrol resources are explained in further detail in the Transition Study.
Element 4: Implementation Plan
The Implementation Plan is designed to set milestones to ensure a smooth transition when adding police services in Saratoga. The Implementation Plan is the framework, which will require a full-time Project Manager, to ensure all of the agency representatives, regional partners, and vendors remain focused and committed to the various milestones. Additionally, it will be important that regular communication is shared with community members in all three jurisdictions to address any concerns that may arise during the transition process. The Implementation Plan is the roadmap for the Project Manager throughout the transition process as well as the ensuing year.
We would like to thank Los Gatos Town Manager Chris Constantin, Police Chief Jamie Field and staff for the cooperation and assistance in gathering the details and research needed to complete this project.
ITEM NO. 12.
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Transition Study for Police Services
TRANSITION STUDY FOR POLICE SERVICES
CITY OF SARATOGA
The City of Saratoga is located in Santa Clara County that was incorporated in 1956. The community covers approximately 12.8 square miles and has an estimated population of 31,045 (July 2025 U.S. Census); a 0.02% decrease from 31,051 based on the April 2020 U.S. Census data. By all accounts, Saratoga is an affluent and educated community, ranking above state and national averages in metrics such as housing values, education, and income.
Located as a highly desirable suburb to California’s Silicon Valley, Saratoga’s neighbors include the City of Cupertino located to the north, the City of San Jose located to the north and the east, the City of Campbell located to the southwest, and the unincorporated foothills located to the west. The Town of Los Gatos and the City of Monte Sereno border the City of Saratoga to the east and southeast.
The shared border between Saratoga and Los Gatos-Monte Sereno is just over three miles in length. However, the physical roadway connectors between the communities are minimal.
Primary transit between the communities is Saratoga-Los Gatos Road (Highway 9). This roadway extends from the populated downtown area patrolled by LGMSPD into the residential suburbs of Saratoga, then continues several miles into Saratoga's downtown area. For patrol operations between the two communities, Saratoga-Los Gatos Road will be the primary transit route. Interstate 85 is an optional route as well, but it will briefly pass outside both communities during that transit. Supervisory oversight and beat integrity with the unit assigned to the Saratoga beat are key to timely response times. The map below highlights the borders and major roadways within Saratoga.
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CHART 1: City of Saratoga Boundaries and Roadways
Crime Information
REPORTED CRIME
As part of the transition study, Meliora PSC reviewed reported crime over the past 10 years as reported to the FBI through the Uniformed Crime Reporting (UCR) program. The FBI UCR program has been providing crime statistics to the public since 1930. Agencies participate voluntarily and submit their crime data either through a state UCR program (CA Department of Justice) or directly to the FBI’s UCR program.
After several years of working to enhance the level of detail, the FBI changed the manner in which crime statistics can be reported. Effective January 1, 2021, the FBI transitioned to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to improve the overall quality of crime data collected by law enforcement. NIBRS captures details on each single crime incident – as well as on separate offenses within the same incident. Agencies can either submit crime data through NIBRS or the Summary Reporting System (SRS) that preceded NIBRS crime reporting. The FBI provides legacy UCR SRS data through 2019, and also provides an annual report of Part 1 crimes each year.
Currently, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for reporting crime information for the City of Saratoga. Table 1 below reflects the actual number of Part 1 crimes reported by
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the community to the SCCSO. As noted, violent crime is low and there are significantly more property crimes reported.
TABLE 1: Saratoga 10-Year Part 1 Reported Crimes, 2015-2024 TYPE 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Homicide 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Rape 6 4 3 7 4 2 4 3 6 4
Robbery 2 6 6 6 2 2 6 5 7 7
Assault 9 18 22 9 10 13 15 4 5 15
Total Violent 18 28 33 22 16 18 25 12 18 26
Burglary 155 159 94 97 104 67 76 109 70 56
Larceny 170 120 81 127 122 124 104 123 102 103
Motor Veh Theft 11 7 17 13 14 25 11 7 9 16
Total Property 336 286 192 237 240 216 191 239 181 175
Source: FBI Crime Data updated as of August 5, 2025; crime data for 2025 not yet available on the FBI website.
In order to compare communities with varying sizes, geography, and community factors, crime rates are expressed (indexed) as the number of incidents per 100,000 population to allow for comparison. Thus, the crime rate may reflect a number greater than the actual crime numbers reported in a category (Table 1 above). In Table 2, indexed crime rates for the City of Saratoga, State of California and Nation were examined over a 10-year period between 2015-2024. Crime trend data includes data pre and post-pandemic.
TABLE 2: Indexed Crimes Rates for City of Saratoga, California, Nation, 2015-2024
YEAR CITY OF SARATOGA CALIFORNIA NATION
Violent Property Total Violent Property Total Violent Property Total 2015 58 1,076 1,134 426 2,618 3,044 383 2,474 2,857
2016 90 918 1,008 445 2,553 2,998 398 2,450 2,848
2017 107 622 729 449 2,497 2,946 389 2,351 2,740
2018 71 764 835 447 2,380 2,827 380 2,220 2,600
2019 52 783 835 441 2,331 2,772 376 2,120 2,496
2020 60 716 776 442 2,139 2,581 392 1,947 2,339
2021 80 612 692 481 2,165 2,646 370 1,788 2,158
2022 41 816 857 500 2,343 2,843 390 1,977 2,367
2023 61 616 677 508 2,326 2,834 380 1,934 2,314
2024 89 600 689 486 2,078 2,564 359 1,760 2,119
Source: FBI Crime Data updated as of August 5, 2025; crime data for 2025 not yet available on the FBI website.
To more easily view the various types of indexed crime trends, Chart 2 below is intended to show the fluctuations and trends of total Part 1 crimes. The line graphs are intended to
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graphically reflect how the City of Saratoga follows or differs from the indexed, overall crime trends across the state and country.
CHART 2: 10-Year Part 1 Crime Trends, City of Saratoga, State and Nation 2015 – 2024
Source: FBI Crime Data updated as of August 5, 2025; crime data for 2025 not yet available on the FBI website.
As reflected in the chart above, the overall indexed (as explained in the previous page) total Part 1 crime rate in the City of Saratoga is significantly less than overall indexed crime rate in California and the Nation. From 2015 through 2024, there has been a steady decline in overall crime. The highest total crime occurred in 2015 with 1,134 indexed crimes, and the lowest overall crime was in 2023 with 677 indexed crimes.
In order to further explore the indexed crime trends in the City of Saratoga, the next chart will provide a visual representation of the separate types of Part 1 indexed crime: violent crime and property crime. Violent crime includes homicide, rape, robbery, and assault. Property crime includes burglary, larceny (theft), and motor vehicle theft. The last four years includes a representation of violent and property crimes post-pandemic. In order to provide context on violent and property crimes for all three agencies, indexed crimes for the Town of Los Gatos and City of Monte Sereno are included for a snapshot of the crime trends in the immediate region.
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CHART 3: Regional Crime Trends, Town of Los Gatos, Cities of Monte Sereno and Saratoga, 2015-2024
Source: FBI Crime Data updated as of August 5, 2025 used to create the infographic via NotebookLM.
TABLE 3: Crimes Rate Comparisons with City of Saratoga and Other Local Agencies, 2024
Town State Population Crime Rates
Violent Property Total
Campbell CA 41,029 490 2,849 3,339
Capitola CA 9,459 243 2,876 3,119
Cupertino CA 56,375 112 1,550 1,662
Gilroy CA 57,877 461 2,115 2,576
Morgan Hill CA 44,083 195 1,495 1,690
Scotts Valley CA 11,765 306 1,581 1,887
Watsonville CA 50,340 399 1,174 1,573
Los Gatos CA 31,828 148 1,420 1,568
Monte Sereno CA 3,455 87 724 811
Saratoga CA 29,185 89 600 689
California 32,001,915 486 2,078 2,564
National 340,110,988 359 1,760 2,119
Source: FBI Crime Data updated as of August 5, 2025.
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Table 3 is for informational purposes only to provide the backdrop for crime in the region. As reflected in the table above, the City of Saratoga is significantly below the violent, property and overall crime rates compared to most agencies in the local region, State, and Nation.
LOS GATOS-MONTE SERENO POLICE
DEPARTMENT
The Town of Los Gatos’ first law officer was a Town Marshall in 1887, the same year the Town was incorporated. The first Chief of Police was named in 1926. Police headquarters were established in 1965 at 110 East Main Street when the Town Civic Center was built. In 1995, Los Gatos PD assumed police services with the City of Monte Sereno and Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department (LGMSPD) was formed.
In 2009, the Police Operations Building (POB) was opened at 15900 Los Gatos Boulevard in Los Gatos to serve the growing needs of the organization. Administration and the Support Services Bureau are housed at Headquarters on Main Street and the Operations Bureau is housed at the POB location. The department is broken into two main functions: Support Services Bureau and Operations Bureau, each bureau overseen by a captain.
Organizational Structure and Responsibility
Per LGMSPD Policy § 200, Organizational Structure and Responsibility, “The organizational structure of this department is designed to create an efficient means to accomplish our mission and goals and to provide for the best possible service to the public.” The LGMSPD chain of command starts with the Chief of Police leading the department followed by Captains, sergeants/professional staff supervisors, corporals, and line level staff. Per Policy § 200.2, the “Chief of Police is responsible for administering and managing the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.” As reflected in the current organizational chart in Chart 4, there are two bureaus: Support Services and Operations. The policy further describes each bureau and that each bureau is commanded by the Captain.
An organizational chart is typically a graphical representation of roles, responsibilities, and correlations between individuals within an organization. The main purpose is to illustrate the reporting structure and chain of command within the organization. LGMSPD provided a current organization chart.
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CHART 4: Current Organizational Chart
CHIEF OF POLICE
Support Services Bureau
Captain
Communications Division
Dispatch Lead
Sr. Dispatchers (2)
Dispatchers (5)
Records Division
Records Specialist Lead
Sr. Records
Specialist
Records Specialist (2)
Part-Time
CSO Intern
Traffic Admin
Sergeant
Sr Admin Analyst
Parking Unit
Parking Control
Officers (2)
Community
Outreach Unit
Community Outreach
Coordinator
Admin Sergeant
Sr Admin Analyst
Personnel &
Training Unit
PD IT
Operations Bureau
Captain
Patrol Division
Sergeants (4)
Patrol Sergeant
Team 1
Corporal
Officers (4)
Motor Officer
K9 Officer
Patrol Sergeant
Team 2
Corporal
Officers (4)
Patrol Sergeant
Team 3
Corporal
Officers (4)
Motor Officer
Part-Time
CSO Intern
Patrol Sergeant
Team 4
Corporal
Officers (4)
Investigations Division
Sergeant
Detective Unit
Detectives (4)
Task Force
Detective
School Resource
Officer
Property &
Evidence Unit
Admin Tech
Executive
Assistant
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I. STAFFING CONSIDERATIONS
Transitioning police services is a significant task and in order to complete it in a timely fashion, Meliora PSC recommends a Project Manager be hired to oversee this project. The Project Manager would immediately be involved in overseeing the overall coordination of providing police services to the City of Saratoga including, but not limited to, ensuring Los Gatos Human Resources and LGMSPD Personnel Unit are working together to recruit and hire recommended staff; overseeing the updating of agreements, contracts, and MOUs with other local, state and federal agencies, vendors, and regional partners; and coordinating purchases for equipment, IT and infrastructure.
Department Staffing
For fiscal year 2026-27, the LGMSPD is comprised of 60 full-time members: 39 full-time sworn and 21 full-time professional staff members. As of July 2026, nearly all positions within the department are filled, an indication of positive police culture and community support.
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TABLE 4: Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department Staffing FY 2026-27
POSITION BUDGETED CURRENT VACANT MPSC PROPOSED
SWORN, FULL-TIME
Chief of Police 1 1 0
Captain 2 2 0 1
Sergeant 7 6 1
Police Officer 29 26 3 6
Sworn Total 39 35 4 7
PROFESSIONAL STAFF, FULL-TIME
Executive Assistant 1 1 0
Senior Administrative Analyst 2 2 0 1
Administrative Technician 1 1 0 1
Community Outreach Coordinator 1 1 0
Senior Communications Dispatcher 2 2 0
Communications Dispatcher Lead 1 1 0
Communications Dispatcher 5 5 0 2.5
Senior Records Specialist 1 1 0
Records Specialist Lead 1 1 0
Records Specialist 2 2 0 1
Community Service Officer 1 0 1 2
Senior Parking Control Officer 1 1 0
Parking Control Officer 1 1 0
IT Systems Coordinator 1 0 1
Professional Staff Total 21 19 2 7.5
TOTAL FULL-TIME POSITIONS 60 54 6 14.5
Source: Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department, as of July 2026. Staffing numbers typically fluctuate throughout the year and may differ from staffing numbers when the report is published.
As mentioned in the Executive Summary, providing police services to the City of Saratoga will require additional staffing in patrol and investigations, as well as dispatch, records, and community outreach. In light of LGMSPD providing public safety needs to three communities, an updated organizational chart adding one bureau, the Administrative Bureau, would clearly delineate roles and responsibilities for all divisions and units. Ultimately, the three bureaus would consist of the Operations Bureau (Patrol and Traffic/Parking), Support Services Bureau (Investigations, Property and Evidence, and Community Relations), and Administrative Bureau (Communications, Records, and Professional Standards). We have included a proposed organizational chart in Chart 5 to better represent department-wide operations, more clearly identify the department’s main functions, and is intended to provide clarity and continuity in the organizational structure, personnel roles and responsibilities, and supervision and management. This has been achieved by developing a command structure where under the
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Transition Study for Police Services
Chief with management and guidance by the Captains, and units made up of line level staff supervised by a sergeant or professional staff supervisor. This new structure would also better serve the Town of Los Gatos and Cities of Monte Sereno and Saratoga by aiding in strategic foresight and succession planning. For purposes of staffing considerations, we will report on the staffing additions based on the respective three bureaus.
Should police services be provided to Saratoga, the organizational chart should be updated with the proposed command structure and revised organization chart and Policy § 200 – Organizational Structure and Responsibilities be updated as well. The existing Operations and Support Services Bureaus remain in-tact with slight assignment realignment for more efficient police services for all three communities.
As illustrated in the proposed organizational chart (Chart 5), staffing would be increased, restructured, and/or reassigned as follows:
▪ Add a third Captain for the Administrative Bureau.
▪ Add two and one-half FTE Dispatchers to the Communications Division and reassign one Senior Dispatcher position to Dispatcher.
▪ Add one FTE Records Specialist and one FTE Administrative Technician to the Records Division.
▪ Reassign the Community Outreach Unit to Community Relations Unit under the proposed Support Services Bureau.
▪ Reclassify the Community Outreach Coordinator position to Senior Administrative Analyst assign the position to Community Relations Unit. Assign the Real-Time Information Center to the Community Relations Unit and add one FTE Senior Administrative Analyst.
▪ Restructure the Investigations Division from the Operations Bureau to the Support Services Bureau.
▪ Add one FTE SRO to the Support Services Bureau for Saratoga schools. ▪ Add four FTE Police Officer positions and one FTE Motor Officer to the Operations Bureau – Patrol Division.
▪ Add two FTE Community Service Officers to the Operations Bureau assigned to the Traffic Unit.
▪ Add one FTE Project Manager for the next two years to oversee the transition of providing police services to Saratoga.
ITEM NO. 12.
18 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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CHART 5: Proposed Organizational Chart
CHIEF OF POLICE
Operations
Bureau Captain
Patrol Division
Patrol Sergeant
Team 1
Corporal
Officers (4)
Motor Officer
Proposed Officer
Patrol Sergeant
Team 2
Corporal
Officers (4)
K9 Officer
Proposed Officer
Patrol Sergeant
Team 3
Corporal
Officers (4)
Motor Officer
Proposed Officer
Patrol Sergeant
Team 4
Corporal
Officers (4)
Proposed
Motor Officer
Proposed Officer
Traffic Unit
Sergeant
Parking Control
Officer (2)
Part-time
CSO Intern
Proposed
CSOs (2)
Support Services
Bureau Captain
Investigations Division
Sergeant
Detective Unit
Detectives (4)
Task Force
Detective
School Resource
Officer
Proposed
School Resource Officer
Property &
Evidence Unit
Admin tech
Community Relations
Unit
Proposed Sr. Administrative Analyst -
former Community Outreach
Coordinator
Proposed Sr. Administrative
Analyst
Propsoed Administrative Bureau
Captain former Admin Sergeant
Administrative Services
Division
Communications Division
Lead Dispatcher
Sr. Dispatcher
Dispatchers (6)
Proposed
Dispatchers (2.5)
Records Division
Lead Records Specialist
Sr. Records
Specialist
Records Specialst (2)
Part-time
CSO Intern
Proposed
Records Specialist
Proposed
Admin Tech
Professional
Standards Unit
Sr. Administrative
Analyst
Budget
Sr. Administrative
Analyst
Executive
Assistant
Proposed Temporary Project Manager
ITEM NO. 12.
19 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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Operations Bureau
The Operations Bureau is comprised of uniformed patrol, traffic and parking control. The Patrol Division is responsible for responding to emergencies such as life-saving calls and in progress crimes, as well as working proactively in the community to address quality of life issues.
OVERVIEW
In order to answer the fundamental question regarding the impact of providing police services to the City of Saratoga, we must begin with an understanding of Saratoga services and workload.
Meliora PSC’s approach to this project was to gain a better understanding of the existing workload within the City of Saratoga, currently experienced by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office (SCCSO), and then apply that workload to the existing and proposed structure and capacity of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department (LGMSPD). Our goal is to assess what impact a policing contract with the City of Saratoga would have on the LGMSPD.
As mentioned earlier, Meliora PSC would typically work directly with the involved agency to obtain the necessary data for a comprehensive workload evaluation, traditionally captured in the department’s Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) platform. However, the requested workload data came from SCCSO rather than directly from Meliora PSC’s client, LGMSPD. Because our client was not SCCSO, we did not have the same level of ongoing dialogue normally available during these projects to reconcile anomalies, clarify questions that arose during the review process, or fully understand how the agency captures and presents information. Meliora PSC data specifications requested were provided to the City of Saratoga, which in turn requested the data through the SCCSO.
It should be noted that local SCCSO leadership was gracious throughout this project and met with our consultants during a site visit to the Saratoga community. That meeting was invaluable in helping us better understand certain service delivery dynamics within the community; however, it occurred prior to the collection and delivery of the requested data, and therefore, the actual datasets were not discussed at that time. Additionally, the Santa Clara County team that provided the data to the City of Saratoga on our behalf was not the same SCCSO team that participated in the project meeting with our consultants.
This information is presented as important context for the data discussed in this section of the report. We will identify data points that do not appear fully consistent with other factors learned during the assessment process. Nonetheless, we offer this information as a starting point for the broader question central to this study: How will the absorption of policing responsibilities within the City of Saratoga impact the LGMSPD?
ITEM NO. 12.
20 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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EXISTING SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL
Current law enforcement services for the City of Saratoga are delivered through a contract with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. Personnel assigned to serve Saratoga operate out of the Sheriff’s West Valley Patrol Division substation, located near the border of the cities of Cupertino and Saratoga. The West Valley Patrol Division provides contract patrol services to the cities of Saratoga, Cupertino, and Los Altos Hills, as well as county-funded patrol services to the western unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County. Services provided through the West Valley Patrol Substation include patrol operations, traffic enforcement, investigative services, school resource officers, neighborhood resource officers, K-9 services, and special enforcement assignments.
Staffing for the West Valley Patrol Substation, as indicated on the SCCSO website, consists of 83 sworn positions and 7 professional staff positions. Information provided directly to Meliora PSC by SCCSO indicated that the current staffing level is approximately 70 sworn personnel serving the entire patrol area assigned to the West Valley Patrol Substation.
SCCSO also provided the following daily staffing allocations specifically associated with service delivery to the City of Saratoga:
▪ Tuesday–Friday (10-hour shifts)
o 2 motor/traffic deputies
o 3 deputies assigned from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
o 3 deputies assigned from 2:00 p.m. to midnight
o 3 deputies assigned from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
▪ Saturday–Monday (12.5-hour shifts)
o 1 motor deputy
o 3 deputies assigned from 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
o 3 deputies assigned from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
▪ Additional staffing/resources
o 2 K-9 units are assigned to the West Valley Division and may be available to assist with calls for service in Saratoga.
o 4 detectives assigned to the West Valley Substation conduct property crime investigations. These detectives share investigative responsibilities across the entire patrol area, including Saratoga and the surrounding contract communities.
SCCSO also informed Meliora PSC that the West Valley Substation provides limited patrol services to West Valley College in Saratoga under an MOU agreement. Those services include limited off-hours patrol coverage on campus. Deputies assigned to the area also provide special event patrol services for the college on a fee basis and provide limited support services to the SCCSO Transit Bureau for calls associated with the college transit depot.
ITEM NO. 12.
21 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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SARATOGA WORKLOAD ANALYSIS
Data Limitations
As highlighted earlier in this report, the data from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office was not collected in the traditional manner used in an organizational assessment process. Because there was no opportunity for back-and-forth dialogue to reconcile any data anomalies or areas that we would normally question, we are left to accept the data as presented. The following points should be emphasized and/or highlighted concerning the data:
▪ Meliora PSC requested three years of data (2023-2025). We do this to provide a broader average of workload metrics. When the data was returned, 2023 had 93 incidents, 2024 had 2,882, and 2025 had 12,206. Given this disparity, it was determined that the data provided for 2023 and 2024 were unreliable and therefore not used for the report. ▪ Although we are presenting SCCSO data as provided, we conducted a data cleanup process that eliminated any call duplication.
▪ There are select areas within data sets that do not appear to align with the reported crime statistics in the community. We will highlight those areas in the report.
There were columns of data purported to be in Saratoga but listing other communities (some outside Santa Clara County). To reconcile this, we mapped all service calls on a GIS platform using Lat/Long coordinates to ensure we were analyzing only call data from the City of Saratoga. The map below shows the final GPS coordinates of all calls provided by SCCSO and used by Meliora PSC for this analysis.
ITEM NO. 12.
22 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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CHART 6: Plot Map of All 2025 Community-Initiated Calls in Saratoga as Reported by SCCSO
Workload Data
Of the original 12,206 calls reported by the Santa Clara County Sheriff, we determined that 9,344 met the threshold of reportable incidents in Saratoga in 2025. Of those 9,344 incidents, the following was the reported breakdown of how those calls originated:
▪ 2,165 calls in the SCCSO CAD system were deputy-initiated. ▪ 7,179 calls originated from the community and were received through the SCCSO dispatch center.
The following table breaks down the type of call associated with those 9,344 incidents.
ITEM NO. 12.
23 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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TABLE 5: Total Count of Incident Types Reported in Saratoga, 2025 Incident Type Total Incidents
Crime - Property 2,429*
Traffic Enforcement 1,178
Alarm 920
Admin 792
Check - Area 475
Miscellaneous 435
Disturbance 381
Suspicious 348
Traffic Accident 339
Crime - Person 273
Suspicious Activity 271
Parking 225
Welfare Check 224
Traffic 212
Miscellaneous Investigation 135
Special Assignment 108
Crime - Public 106
Agency Assist 103
Pedestrian Contact/Invest. 102
Animal 72
Suicide/Suicidal Person 43
Missing Person 42
Medical 40
Special Assignment (Estimate) 29
Citizen Contact 26
Property 14
Fire 8
Deceased Person 7
Extra Patrol 5
Investigation 1
Medical/Agency Assist 1
Total 9,344
NOTE: * Excluding Flock activations, the actual number of crime-property are approximately 478.
The same data presented above in raw numbers is presented below in graphical form; the dark color represents community-initiated calls, while the lighter color represents deputy/officerinitiated calls.
ITEM NO. 12.
24 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
CHART 7: Saratoga Incidents by Originator, 2025
As noted previously, Meliora PSC has concerns about the reliability of the data received from SCCSO. Although it would not be surprising to see property-related crimes as the single highest category of crime calls in a community like Saratoga, the property crime count of 2,429 is in question. Upon further analysis, we discovered that 1,951 of those “property theft” calls were categorized as Flock Camera notifications (80% of all theft calls). Additionally, the ratio of property crime calls to all other types of calls in the community does not appear consistent with what we learned about Saratoga during this project. We compared that ratio to both the LGMSPD ratio and the number of theft-related crimes reported by SCCSO to the FBI through its annual UCR/NIBRS reporting requirements. Those comparisons support our suspicion that the raw numbers in that category, as reported, may be misrepresented.
In 2025, LGMSPD reported 24,531 total calls for service within its CAD system; 8,768 community-initiated calls for service and 15,763 field-initiated activity. Of 24,531 total calls for service, 1,153 or five percent were reported as property crime related. Furthermore, LGMSPD
ITEM NO. 12.
25 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
reported 729 property crimes to the FBI as part of its annual reporting requirements. In contrast, the SCCSO ratio of 2,429 property crime calls is 26 percent of its total of 9,344 incidents in CAD. SCCSO reported 190 property crimes to the FBI during its annual reporting period.
We believe that a majority of those calls classified as property crime-related incidents are simply notifications that a FLOCK ALPR camera in Saratoga automatically generated an incident based on a license plate alert. When that occurs, officers/deputies are traditionally notified by a warning that appears on the in-car computers or cell phones. If the officer/deputy is nearby, her/she may investigate further, but these incidents do not result in an actual call for service in most cases. We also understand that an anomaly may exist in the raw CAD data, and that other legitimate calls may be mislabeled as property crime calls. Regardless, we will accept the data as presented by SCCSO and continue our analysis.
Aside from the property theft category of calls, the next highest activity category reported in Saratoga is traffic enforcement-related, of which 97 percent is deputy-initiated. This type of workload would normally be split between dedicated traffic enforcement officers (i.e., motorcycle officers/deputies) and patrol officers, suggesting that the corresponding workload experience at LGMSPD may differ from what is presented here by SCCSO.
Alarm-related calls are the third-largest driver of deputy workload by the number of calls. In 2025, 920 alarms were reported in the SCCSO CAD system, averaging about 2.5 calls per day.
Police industry experience suggests that most alarm calls are false, due to user error or faulty equipment that malfunctions or is triggered by weather events. Alarm programs are best managed through a city ordinance program designed to minimize the number of false alarm calls. Our research suggests that Saratoga has such a program and manages that program through its city government structure. It is unknown whether that program is effectively mitigating alarms, but there is potential for LGMSPD to further reduce those numbers through a collaborative partnership with Saratoga.
The next chart examines reported incidents in Saratoga by season. Many jurisdictions across the United States see significantly different workload profiles during different times of the year.
For instance, colder climate cities that see significant spikes in tourism only in the summer or only in the winter may see higher calls for service during those times. In Saratoga, we see an overall increase in call volume during the winter months. However, that increase only accounts for approximately 6 additional calls per day on average.
ITEM NO. 12.
26 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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CHART 8: Saratoga Total Incidents by Season, 2025
NOTE: Winter includes January, November, and December; Spring is characterized by February, March, and April; Summer comprises May, June, and July; and Fall includes August, September, and October.
Looking at the seasonal call data further as we examine calls by month below, we see that October has the highest increase in reported incidents, with almost 1,100 separate incidents, about 35 per day, compared to April, with 655 incidents, approximately 22 per day.
ITEM NO. 12.
27 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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CHART 9: Saratoga Total Incidents by Month, 2025
We further examined the nature of calls during the last quarter compared with earlier seasons and found that the ratio of deputy-initiated to community-initiated activity rose dramatically.
For instance, from January through September, community-initiated calls averaged 574 per month while deputy-initiated calls averaged 167 per month. In October alone, communityinitiated calls were 728 (27% increase) while deputy-initiated calls rose to 371 (122% increase).
CHART 10: Saratoga Total Incidents by Month by Initiator, 2025
ITEM NO. 12.
28 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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Finally, we look at data related to the days of the week. Saratoga sees its lightest call activity on the weekends. Midweek, Wednesday and Thursday, see significantly higher numbers of calls than on the weekend. It should be noted that proactive calls are shown in these datasets and SCCSO has higher staffing numbers during the week than on the weekend (two traffic deputies during the week versus one on the weekend, and an additional cover shift of two-three deputies during the week). If those additional resources are working proactively, then incident counts will be heavier while they are deployed.
CHART 11: Saratoga Incidents by Day of Week, 2025
The chart below adds additional detail on when during a 24-hour cycle Saratoga sees the most police incident activity. As expected, overnight deputies see the lowest overall activity between the hours of midnight and 7:00 a.m. After 7:00 a.m., incident activity climbs throughout the day, then levels off quickly and starts to decline after 4:00 p.m. This is a common workload profile often seen in communities without significant evening business activity (e.g., nightclubs, malls, entertainment districts).
ITEM NO. 12.
29 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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CHART 12: Saratoga Incidents by Hour of Day, 2025
Impact on LGMSPD Operations
The above data is presented as a snapshot of workload volume in Saratoga, as reported to Meliora PSC by SCCSO. By design, those metrics do not include data on SCCSO's performance in handling those incidents (response times, call times, number of deputies per call, etc.). The scope of this project is to provide an estimate (projection) of how the Saratoga workload will impact LGMSPD if it were to assume operations of patrolling all three communities (Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga). To accurately project that impact, we need to apply LGMSPD’s known performance to the types of calls we observed in the Saratoga data.
In 2024, Meliora PSC performed an organizational assessment of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department, which included a workload profile for patrol operations. The datasets used in that analysis covered the 2019-2023 calendar years and showed that LGMSPD was appropriately staffed and had additional capacity before significant workload saturation issues arose. We did highlight that LGMSPD needed to make additional efforts to capture the administrative workload that was not observed to the level we would expect in the data.
Additionally, the analysis highlighted a cultural shortcoming of the department wherein patrol officers often did not notify dispatch of certain administrative and personal workload metrics (i.e., breaks, report writing time, etc.). The report contained recommendations to improve the data capture efforts at the patrol level. We were confident that the actual workload was higher than what was observed in the data, but also confident that important workload saturation thresholds would remain below the recommended levels, as accurately captured. We also highlighted an overreporting of extra patrol activity as LGMSPD used this CAD code to measure patrol time in Monte Sereno to meet contractual obligations.
Since that initial report, LGMSPD has changed its collection of extra patrol activity in Monte Sereno and moved to improve collection of administrative activity performed by patrol personnel.
ITEM NO. 12.
30 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
What is the Rule of 60?
The “Rule of 60”1 was designed to provide communities and police departments with a workload-based metric that provides insight into appropriate patrol staffing levels. It stems from a law enforcement study of numerous agencies and is comprised of two primary parts/rules:
▪ Rule of 60 Part 1 – Agencies should allocate at least 60 percent of its sworn workforce to the patrol function.
▪ Rule of 60 Part 2 – The workload index of patrol resources should remain at or below 60 percent most of the time.
The second rule will be the focus of this report. In the 2024 report, LGMSPD was positioned as an agency whose patrol resources were operating below the 60 percent threshold. The 60 percent threshold is important for a number of reasons:
▪ Agencies should have a balanced workload approach to patrol activity (communityinitiated calls, officer-initiated activity, balanced administrative duties) so 60 percent is designed to maintain this balance.
▪ If officers regularly exceed the 60 percent saturation index, the analysis shows that proactive work, including traffic safety and crime control, begins to suffer. Officer may intentionally avoid proactive work to ensure that the “next call” has resources available. ▪ Availability and busyness of officers on duty directly impacts overall response times.
It is important to note that the remaining 40 percent or more of capacity is not “downtime.” This 40 percent is the minimum desired time for patrol personnel to be available for emergency calls and be proactive in patrol efforts for crime reduction and crime control.
LGMSPD has enjoyed being positioned as an agency with the sufficient resources for many years. The goal of this study is to determine whether absorbing the Saratoga workload will create severe imbalances in the workload structure of the agency. Since the original workload assessment of LGMSPD was conducted in 2024, Meliora PSC has continued to work with the agency to track workload. The table below is the workload data from LGMSPD that shows average hourly staffing in 2025.
1 An Analysis of Police Department Staffing: How many officers do you really need? McCabe, James, 2013, International Town Manager’s Association White Paper.
ITEM NO. 12.
31 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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TABLE 6: LGMSPD Current Workload and Staffing by Hour, 2025 Hour
Avg
available
officers
Utilization
(%)
0 4.34 21.0
1 4.23 34.3
2 4.15 38.8
3 4.10 41.7
4 4.07 45.6
5 4.02 52.2
6 4.69 55.4
7 4.68 69.9
8 4.37 53.1
9 4.37 52.8
10 4.40 51.7
11 4.43 44.5
12 4.44 41.2
13 4.43 47.5
14 4.40 49.6
15 4.51 51.0
16 4.52 52.3
17 4.56 51.8
18 5.25 48.5
19 5.27 43.6
20 4.64 30.9
21 4.52 22.6
22 4.47 17.8
23 4.38 17.1
Table 6 above shows the average number of patrol personnel available per hour (from patrol officers through patrol sergeants) and the corresponding workload percentage (utilization %).
The average number of officers observed per hour in this table is important. It provides the staffing baseline that we will measure against the impact of adding the Saratoga workload.
Using the established and observed staffing levels noted above, we have generated an updated graphic of LGMSPD workload using the Rule of 60 in the chart below.
ITEM NO. 12.
32 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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www.MelioraPSC.com
CHART 13: LGMSPD Rule of 60 Workload Utilization, 2025
ITEM NO. 12.
33 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
The reader will see in the figure above that community-initiated and field-initiated officer activity remains well below the saturation index highlighted in the Rule of 60. LGMSPD has made great strides in capturing administrative activity (metrics that were not observed in the 2019-2023 data). Administrative activity includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:
▪ Briefing
▪ Breaks / Meal Breaks
▪ Report Writing
▪ Equipment Maintenance
▪ Court
▪ Training
▪ Yard
▪ RIPA
▪ Other Duties as Assigned
When those workload metrics are added to the LGMSPD workload, we see that during the 7:00 a.m. hour, the 60 percent threshold is exceeded. This hour corresponds with the morning shift change time, when most employees are consumed with administrative responsibilities associated with those processes. We will also point out that police departments have great latitude in allowing/determining when administrative duties will impact workload. For instance, although briefings are fixed times, the other administrative tasks allotted (meal breaks, report writing, equipment maintenance) can be done when other workload drops.
In the chart below, we can see the distribution of work types throughout the average 24-hour cycle. Community-initiated work rises around 5:00 a.m. (about 20%) and remains at that level until 3:00 p.m. when that workload category slows, illustrating that LGMSPD’s day-shift patrol teams have a higher focus on regular police calls from the public. In contrast, field-initiated work is lower during that same time period and tends to pick around 2:00 p.m. when community calls slow. Finally, administrative time is largely recorded from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
ITEM NO. 12.
34 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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CHART 14: LGMSPD Utilization Rates Based on Workload Types, 2025
ITEM NO. 12.
35 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
Although all three workload types are managed and balanced in the LGMSPD patrol workload profile, we believe that LGMSPD may need to more aggressively manage these workload types if adding the Saratoga workload in the future.
As noted earlier, we did not assess SCCSO's performance in handling the Saratoga workload.
The datasets that show average call durations in select SCCSO categories are not helpful for this analysis. What we need to ascertain is how those calls will impact LGMSPD based on their own historical data in managing similar calls in Los Gatos-Monte Sereno. To accomplish this, we aggregated call types from both communities into broader categories so that call types align.
We then applied the average response and call handling time (call labor hours) that is documented in the LGMSPD CAD platform to the Saratoga incidents, and aligned those labor hours to when the Saratoga incidents occur throughout an average day. The chart below shows the call categories and the corresponding work hours for each call type. Note – the miscellaneous category is very broad, but in this case, a vast majority of the call types categorized there are the alarm calls in Saratoga. This highlights how managing the response to alarm calls in any police agency can yield significant results.
CHART 15: Saratoga Call Types with LGMSPD Labor Hours, 2025 To assess how those work hours will impact LGMSPD’s current operations, we added the additional workload to the agency's existing workload profiles. We first measured it based on existing staffing levels (assuming no additional labor was added to the agency). Then, based on LGMSPD’s proposed plans to add one FTE 24/7 to the patrol staffing profile, we added one additional officer to the workload distribution. The estimated resulting workload is captured in the chart below.
ITEM NO. 12.
36 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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CHART 16: Projected Workload LGMSPD + Saratoga (Current Staffing vs 1 additional FTE)
ITEM NO. 12.
37 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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Under the workload profiles observed above, the existing staffing levels would be overstressed based on the Rule of 60 when adding the Saratoga workload (top bar graph) that is with the existing observed staffing levels noted in Table 4 earlier in this report. Those staffing numbers represented an average of daily staffing, meaning that daily staffing equaled a fraction of the last officer being accounted for (ex, 4.31 officers). The reality is that whole officers are represented on a daily and hourly basis. Common sense would dictate that we round off the added 24/7 officer under LGMSPD’s proposed staffing plan to either 5 officers (including corporals and sergeants) or 6 officers on duty. Based on the observed workload profile, rounding would be best served by calculating the 5 officer profile during the 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. shift and staffing the 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with 6 officers.
As the chart below shows, establishing those optimal staffing numbers for LGMSPD’s shift configuration aligns the projected workload of the three jurisdictions within the parameters of the Rule of 60.
ITEM NO. 12.
38 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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CHART 17: Projected Workload with a 5/6 Optimal Staffing Profile
ITEM NO. 12.
39 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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Chart 17 above shows that LGMSPD’s plan to add one additional 24/7 FTE officer will suffice to handle the average daily workload for Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga. Meliora PSC will still caution that their workload numbers are based on the 2025 data provided to our data analysis team by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. We have highlighted some concerns about the accuracy of the data, although we are confident in our analysis, provided the raw incident counts are correct. There are some areas of concern that cannot be fully mitigated through just a data analysis:
▪ The overall geography of the three communities will add some travel challenges to LGMSPD. Currently, the community of Monte Sereno is very small and shares a significant border with Los Gatos, making the response into the community very fluid and sensible. Saratoga also shares a border, but it is smaller relative to the community's overall size; it effectively connects the outer residential area of Saratoga to LGMSPD’s current jurisdictional boundaries. There are limited travel routes between the core downtowns of each community, which adds challenges to surge LGMSPD dedicated units into Saratoga when/if necessary. An LGMSPD police officer on a call in downtown Saratoga may wait longer for a backup officer than current LGMSPD operations are accustomed to.
o To mitigate this, LGMSPD will have to be very deliberate in ensuring that resources are dispersed based on where calls and current officers are deployed.
If the Saratoga beat officer is out of service for any length of time, LGMSPD supervision will likely need to proactively move other available patrol resources closer to the Saratoga downtown to ensure coverage.
The LGMSPD deployment plan to absorb Saratoga workload is based on adding patrol resources and contributing existing LGMSPD resources/excess capacity into a shared model with Saratoga. This is a very sensible and thoughtful solution to address efficiency for police service delivery in both communities. Los Gatos should be mindful that the “high-touch” level of policing enjoyed by Los Gatos and Monte Sereno may be impacted to accommodate the additional workload, moving existing resources closer to the saturation point highlighted by the Rule of 60.
Aside from the concerns highlighted above, there are additional mitigating factors that will address some of the concerns we have highlighted.
▪ LGMSPD has a Community Service Officer program and intends to add two additional CSOs to accommodate increased workload. All workload data in this report is based on sworn officers'/corporals'/sergeants' responses to reported incidents and administrative responsibilities. Any labor input from a more efficient labor source, such as a CSO, becomes a force multiplier, reducing sworn officer workload. We remind LGMSPD that keeping workload at or below 60 percent applies only to sworn assets to ensure emergency response capacity and problem-solving remains efficient. CSOs can and should be utilized above 60 percent saturation.
ITEM NO. 12.
40 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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▪ The data also includes all traffic-related activity, such as accident investigations and enforcement. Yet the labor analyzed does not include dedicated traffic units (i.e. motor officers). LGMSPD currently has one motor officer and intends to add one more if the Saratoga contract comes to fruition. Anywhere that LGMSPD traffic units offset calls for service related to traffic concerns will offset patrol workload. By design, dedicated traffic units are not typically counted as labor in a Rule of 60 calculation. If they handled a call or made a traffic stop, that activity is excluded from an analysis because patrol did not handle it. In the case of the Saratoga data, those calls are included in the totals.
Adding traffic officers to the LGMSPD response model should reduce calls for LGMSPD patrol officers.
o It should be noted that regular parking violations are included in the SCCSO data provided handled by deputies, and these types of calls are also handled in Los Gatos and Monte Sereno by LGMSPD officers. However, this is outside a dedicated parking enforcement officer that some communities would have in a downtown area for timed parking which is not present in Saratoga. ▪ LGMSPD is committed to utilizing emerging technology that has promise to increase efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. We learned LGMSPD is in the process of implementing a Real Time Information Center (RTIC); a specialized hub to integrate data from incoming calls for service, Automated License Plate Readers, drones, and other criminal databases to provide officers with real-time situational awareness during incidents and enhancing public safety services to the community. o Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) technology is present in both communities and acts as a force multiplier in solving crimes within communities. o LGMSPD has also implemented and expanded its Drone as First Responder (DFR) program as technology continues to evolve. LGMSPD hopes to expand the program into a response model that might reduce officer response time to some calls. As this technology evolves, there is a strong possibility it will further reduce the impact of calls on sworn officers.
Relief Factor
One final area to consider in the patrol workload and staffing component of this project is ensuring that LGMSPD accounts for the proper relief factor. Based on our calculations, LGMSPD’s optimal staffing for patrol coverage in all three jurisdictions is 5 officers/corporals/sergeants on the 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. shifts and 6 officers/corporals/sergeants on the 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. shifts. To make this happen, staffing requires that at least 22 sworn employees will be working every week. A proper relief factor ensures that an adequate number of employees are assigned to that function to account for employee time off, injuries, FMLA leave, and training time. The industry standard for this metric is 25 percent and sometimes approaching 30 percent.
We encourage LGMSPD to calculate its actual relief factor to ensure its experience falls within industry parameters. If their own calculation is higher, management practices should be reviewed to understand why. Based on our recommended optimal staffing and the normal
ITEM NO. 12.
41 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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industry relief factor, the proper staffing for the patrol function would be 28 sworn employees.
This is the total sworn (police officer, corporal and patrol sergeant) patrol staffing that should normally be in place.
If LGMSPD were to assume a contract to provide police services to the City of Saratoga, the department plan includes patrol teams staffed at 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, and 5 officers each.
When multiplied across 4 teams, full staffing would be 28 sworn employees in the patrol function.
This shows that LGMSPD would be appropriately staffed for patrol, assuming that the department's actual relief factors fall within observed industry norms. Failure to maintain that staffing profile will result in higher overtime usage and potential employee burnout.
Overall, Meliora PSC concludes that LGMSPD possesses the operational framework, organizational maturity, and staffing model necessary to successfully absorb the City of Saratoga's police patrol services. Based on the presented workload analysis, leveraging existing LGMSPD capacity with the addition of one 24-hour patrol position (four officers), coupled with the proposed deployment model and planned investments in Community Service Officers, traffic enforcement, and emerging technologies should enable the department to maintain patrol workload within accepted industry standards. While operational challenges related to geography, response times, and workload distribution will require deliberate supervisory management, none appear insurmountable. Continued monitoring of workload metrics following implementation will be essential to validate staffing assumptions and ensure the department maintains the service levels expected by all three communities.
ITEM NO. 12.
42 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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Support Services Bureau
Investigations Division
Unlike patrol operations, where a considerable body of research supports data-driven staffing analyses, assessing investigative staffing is less clear-cut. While this report provides substantial workload data that allows for an assessment of patrol operations, investigative staffing is influenced by several variables that are not easily measured through workload alone.
Moreover, the amount of time a detective is occupied conducting a criminal investigation varies by the severity of the crime. For instance, a homicide investigation could take several months to investigate whereas a number of theft cases could be handled during a similar time frame.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) suggests that an equitable and manageable workload for assigned investigators is between 120-180 cases per investigator annually, or approximately 10-15 new cases per month. Another metric suggests at least one investigator for every 300 Part 1 crimes reported to the agency per year.
There are a number of ways to manage a police department’s investigative function. For instance, some agencies expect a patrol officer to conduct extensive investigative follow-up and only bring assigned detectives into a case when patrol has exhausted available leads. Other departments assign a patrol officer to conduct the initial investigation (case triage), and assign detectives to handle investigative responsibilities. Most agencies fall somewhere within that spectrum based on organizational philosophy, available resources, and managerial expectations. Therefore, any evaluation of investigative staffing must also consider how the investigative responsibilities are shared between patrol and detectives.
Once a case is assigned to the investigative unit, effective case management becomes of paramount importance. Supervisors must ensure investigators actively pursue leads, manage caseload efficiently, and close investigations when all reasonable investigative avenues have been exhausted based upon the seriousness of the offense. Investigators must be efficient in managing their caseload and clear cases from their queue once leads have been exhausted.
Even when incoming case assignments fall within accepted workload benchmarks, investigators who retain excessive numbers of inactive or aging cases will eventually become overwhelmed.
Effective supervision and disciplined case management are therefore essential components of an efficient investigative function.
When Meliora PSC conducted the LGMSPD Organizational Assessment in 2024, the department lacked sufficient data to assess whether investigator workload was appropriate and/or efficient.
At that time, several suggestions and recommendations were made to improve the internal investigative processes, tracking and supervision of case management. During the course of this project, we learned LGMSPD has made significant improvements in case management practices.
ITEM NO. 12.
43 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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TABLE 7: Current LGMSPD Investigations Division Sworn Staffing, July 2026 Position Authorized Actual Vacant
Sergeant 1 1 0
Officer/Detective 6 4 2
Total 7 5 2
Note: There are additional civilian positions assigned to this function – this portion of the assessment focuses on the sworn workload.
Of the six authorized officers/detectives, one is a designated Task Force Officer (TFO) and one is a designated School Resource Officer (SRO). This leaves four positions for the traditional investigative function. Of the two vacancies noted above, one is the Task Force position and the other is a traditional investigator position. This leaves the traditional function with three investigators and a supervisor.
Current Workload
The improvements made to LGMSPD’s case management system are commendable and now provide reliable workload information with improved case tracking. Significant management improvements started in 2025, and by 2026, existing records are believed to accurately reflect investigator workload. Those records provide the following workload metrics:
New Cases Assigned January 1-June 30, 2026:
Investigator A – 17 new cases / 2.8 cases per month
Investigator B – 22 new cases / 3.6 cases per month
Investigator C – 11 new cases / 1.8 cases per month
In our efforts to clarify the workload and workflow of the assigned investigators, we verified the cases represented above were the primary workload of each investigator. Other workload examples in police departments that may not appear on the list include residual work from patrol-managed cases (e.g., case packaging and preparation for the District Attorney). In LGMSPD, a Records Specialist assigned to investigations handles this task therefore not significantly impacting an investigator's workload. Of course, every LGMSPD detective is impacted by additional responsibilities such as training and ancillary assignments. For instance, most Unmanned Aerial Vehicle/Drone operations in the agency are managed by the investigators who are in the police station when those calls occur in the field. Nonetheless, the existing caseload documented in the LGMSPD case management platform is well within the parameters for investigators in policing.
Saratoga Caseload Impact
The data obtained by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office does not clearly identify the number of Saratoga cases assigned to investigators. SCCSO utilizes a pool of detectives assigned to the West Valley Substation who investigate cases originating throughout the contract service
ITEM NO. 12.
44 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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area (all communities). In addition, major or specialized investigations—including homicide, sexual assault, and child abuse cases—are routinely assigned to specialized investigative units operating from Sheriff’s Headquarters.
LGMSPD does not have this type of structure. Instead, all cases are spread among the few investigators assigned to the Investigations Division; there is no specialized unit to handle more complex and/or high-profile cases. LGMSPD differs from SCCSO in how workflow is managed as described in the previous discussion regarding the balance of investigative work between patrol and investigative services.
Most cases referred to the Investigations Division originate from community-initiated calls (i.e., someone reporting a crime). As discussed previously, inconsistencies in Saratoga call for service data regarding Flock camera alerts and property-related offenses were noted. Based on the 2025 community-initiated call totals from both communities, including the anomalies in the Saratoga data (7,179 community-initiated calls in Saratoga compared to 8,768 communityinitiated calls in Los Gatos-Monte Sereno), community-initiated calls will increase for LGMSPD by 82 percent if police services in Saratoga are assumed.
Based on LGMSPD’s existing investigative workflow, 50 new cases were assigned to detectives during the first six months of 2026. For the purposes of analyzing the detective workload, we will extrapolate the 50 new cases for the first six months in 2026 to 100 cases for the year.
Applying the projected 82 percent increase results in an estimated 182 detective case assignments during a 12-month period, or approximately 15 new cases per month. If that were distributed among the existing three detectives, it would be 5 cases per month. If the Investigations Division were fully staffed with four investigators, the monthly distribution would be 3.75 cases per investigator.
Another potential workload metric that may shed light on the proposed workload from Saratoga would be the aggregate total of Part 1 crimes from each jurisdiction. In 2025, LGMSPD reported 912 total Part 1 crimes to the FBI as part of its UCR/NIBRS reporting requirements.
Based on the January 2026 SCCSO City of Saratoga Public Safety Report, SCCSO reported a total of 253 total Part 1 crimes for Saratoga in 2025. The additional cases reported in Saratoga result in a 28 percent increase in workload to the LGMSPD Investigations Division. Applying the 28 percent increase to the detective workload would then increase the projected new case assignments to 128 cases per year or 11 total cases per month. Based on three detectives, the workload would be 3.6 cases per month per investigator and with four detectives the workload would be 2.75 per month per investigator.
Next, if we were to apply the other detective staffing methodology mentioned earlier of one detective for every 300 reported Part 1 crimes, the 2025 reported crimes for LGMSPD (912) and Saratoga (253) would total 1,165 reported Part 1 crimes. At 300 cases per detective the suggested staffing would be 3.9 or four detectives.
ITEM NO. 12.
45 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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The LGMSPD staffing proposal to assume services in Saratoga included two additional officers/detectives for the agency's Investigations Division. One position is designated as a School Resource Officer, while the second position is designated as a fifth detective. Our assessment of that proposal is as follows:
School Resource Officer
School Resource Officers serve a unique role in police agencies. They provide a dedicated police presence on school campuses, develop specialized knowledge of school operations, strengthen relationships between students and school staff, and often serve as valuable resources for school safety planning, problem solving, and as first responders. Properly managed SRO programs can also reduce patrol workload by proactively addressing issues before they require traditional police responses.
When deployed properly, they are a shared resource between a local agency and the school district yet managed by the police department. Decisions concerning which schools are assigned an SRO and how many schools receive an SRO are discussed between the municipality and school district. Meliora PSC believes the proposed School Resource Officer position is both reasonable and appropriate.
Additional Detective Position
Based on the documented workload for existing LGMSPD operations and the anticipated impact of Saratoga caseloads, Meliora PSC does not believe there is currently adequate data to justify a fifth detective position. The anticipated total of 15 cases per month would normally be shared among no more than two detectives in a high-workload police agency. This would imply that the budgeted positions in LGMSPD would be adequate to manage the increased workload. We also understand that not all detective activity and work is captured in a “cases assigned” metric.
And, there would be a degree of unfairness to ask existing detectives, who will already point out that they are one detective short of full staffing, to then increase their caseload.
Based upon the current data collection process and available workload, we cannot substantiate the additional detective at this time. However, Meliora PSC believes there is merit to LGMSPD’s position that workload is probably higher than recorded. Meliora PSC believes that a more prudent approach would be to fill the one detective position that is currently vacant and further assess the shared workload among the four detectives in the first 12-18 months of operations if LGMSPD were to assume Saratoga patrol operations. Alternatively, the department can fill the vacancy and hire an additional detective in anticipation and then further assess in 12 to 18 months.
ITEM NO. 12.
46 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
Community Relations Unit
With the addition of policing services in the City of Saratoga, LGMSPD is prepared to transition the Community Outreach Unit to a Community Relations Unit that would encompass additional responsibilities. As such, the Community Outreach Coordinator position would fund a Senior Administrative Analyst overseeing the Real-Time Information Center (RTIC) responsible for project implementation and management to include adding cameras in Saratoga, audits of data searches, vendor relations, and ensuring training parameters are established and provided, as well as crime prevention, Neighborhood Watch, and the Volunteer Program.
LGMSPD Real Time Information Center (RTIC)
Real-Time Information Centers (RTICs) and similar concepts are gaining popularity and widespread use across the policing landscape. As technology evolves and provides tools to improve police response to crime and new tools for crime solving, agencies are grappling with how best to leverage that technology within local agencies. The LGMSPD recently launched its version of an RTIC. LGMSPD’s vision is a central office staffed with personnel who are experts in the use of the technology and have the skills to address problems as they arise, ensure policy and public concerns are addressed, and maintain working relationships with technology vendors to ensure system expectations are met. This office will not only handle the technology in the office but also manage community relations and departmental volunteer efforts.
In its current configuration, LGMSPD has various staff throughout the agency working within the RTIC concept to bring operations to a sustainable level. The department intends to reclassify one Senior Administrative Analyst from other departmental functions into the RTIC office for full-time responsibilities and, under the plan to assume operations from Saratoga, add one additional Senior Administrative Analyst position by upgrading the Community Outreach Coordinator for RTIC operations.
Los Gatos currently has 19 Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) and 21 crime cameras deployed throughout the community. Monte Sereno has 22 ALPRs. Saratoga has 74 ALPRs in use. This network of technology requires human expertise to extract the type of information necessary to make patrol and investigative efforts more effective and efficient. For instance, if a criminal case involves a known vehicle type with a partial or full license plate, an ALPR system can aid investigators in gathering information on the exact make/model and full license plate to improve investigative efforts and enhance case solvability chances. But these systems require human involvement to extract the most accurate information. It is also true that community concerns have been raised over law enforcement’s use of this technology, and privacy concerns have been discussed in many communities. The ability of an agency to provide open and clear information to its community is an important element in maintaining trust through transparency.
ITEM NO. 12.
47 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
LGMSPD intends to use the technology and the FTE employees assigned to the RTIC to enhance and support crime-fighting efforts. We agree with LGMSPD’s concerns that adding the 74 ALPR cameras from Saratoga will impact both analysts’ workload as well as public relations efforts.
Therefore, enhanced staffing in the unit in accordance with LGMSPD’s plan is a sensible approach to meet the needs of the three communities.
ITEM NO. 12.
48 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
Administrative Bureau (Proposed)
The proposed Administrative Bureau is responsible for the business portion of the LGMSPD and overall administrative functions. The bureau is comprised of Communications, Records, Personnel & Training, and budget. Community members interact with personnel in the Administrative Bureau at the front counter, over the phone, and through a variety of community programs, events, and incidents. Personnel assigned to the Administrative Bureau work from Headquarters, located at the Los Gatos Town Civic Center.
As part of the Transition Study, Meliora PSC examined the workload in these key areas that support frontline police services. Equally important is the infrastructure required to handle the police operations. In each of the divisions or units discussed in this section, we will address workload and any additional staffing needs as well as infrastructure considerations.
Communications Division
The dispatch center is a critical component of an effective public safety organization.
Communications plays a considerable role in police-community relationships since they are frequently the first person to speak with a community member seeking assistance. The efficiency in listening to the caller, gathering pertinent information, and relaying critical details to first responders significantly impacts the safety and well-being of community members and LGMSPD officers. This is especially critical for in-progress crimes as the efficacy of dispatch is integral in apprehending criminals and saving lives. The dispatch center handles 9-1-1 calls for emergency services, community calls for assistance, and inter-agency requests through the CAD system.
LGMSPD Communications Division currently serves 32,576 in Los Gatos (based on US Census Bureau population estimates as of July 1, 2025) and approximately 4,000 in Monte Sereno per the city’s website. The population served grows to 66,994 when adding Saratoga’s population of 30,418 (based on US Census Bureau population estimates as of July 1, 2025). Dispatchers are the public safety answering point (PSAP) for all 9-1-1 calls and are responsible for business calls (also referred to as administrative calls) that come into the police department during business and non-business hours. Dispatchers also provide services for all police personnel and volunteers that are in the field.
ITEM NO. 12.
49 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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TABLE 8: Communications Division Staffing, July 2026
Position Authorized Actual Vacant
Support Services Captain 1 1 0
Lead Dispatcher 1 1 0
Senior Dispatcher 2 2 0
Dispatcher 5 5 0
Total 9 9 0
Source: Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.
WORKLOAD DEMAND/CALL VOLUME
Each dispatcher is responsible for answering emergency and non-emergency calls from the public and dispatching on the radio to officers and other field personnel, as well as assisting with field requests and routing business calls.
TABLE 9: LGMSPD Telephone Call Load, 2025
2025
Total - 911 Calls
911 Calls 8,815
Abandoned 911 Calls 474
% of 911 Abandoned Calls 5.10%
Total 911 Calls 9,289
Total – 10-Digit Emergency Calls
10-Digit Emergency Calls 20,336
Abandoned 10-Digit Emergency Calls 122
Outbound 10-Digit Emergency Calls 735
% of 911 Abandoned Calls 0.60%
Total 10-Digit Emergency Calls 21,193
Total – Administrative/Non-Emergency Calls
Administrative/Non-Emergency Calls 8,370
Abandoned Administrative/Non-Emergency Calls 49
Outbound Administrative Calls 11,886
Total Administrative/Non-Emergency Calls 20,305
Total of All Calls 50,787
Source: Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department – ECaTS report.
To determine the busiest hours for LGMSPD, we examined telephone call data by hour that showed between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. represent the busiest hours for the dispatch center.
ITEM NO. 12.
50 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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The following table shows call activity by hour of day for 2025. It should be noted this does not include radio traffic workload or ancillary duties.
TABLE 10: LGMSPD Average Hourly Telephone Call Load, 2025 Hour of Day Call Volume Daily Average
Midnight 716 60
1:00 a.m. 565 47
2:00 a.m. 458 38
3:00 a.m. 411 34
4:00 a.m. 368 31
5:00 a.m. 396 33
6:00 a.m. 688 57
7:00 a.m. 1,201 100
8:00 a.m. 1,818 152
9:00 a.m. 2,345 195
10:00 a.m. 2,583 215
11:00 a.m. 2,615 218
Noon 2,565 214
1:00 p.m. 2,812 234
2:00 p.m. 2,659 222
3:00 p.m. 2,760 230
4:00 p.m. 2,617 218
5:00 p.m. 2,067 172
6:00 p.m. 1,837 153
7:00 p.m. 1,759 147
8:00 p.m. 1,520 127
9:00 p.m. 1,319 110
10:00 p.m. 1,169 97
11:00 p.m. 918 77
Source: Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department – ECaTS report.
TEXT TO 9-1-1
Text to 9-1-1 is a service that allows community members to send a text message to 9-1-1 emergency services instead of making a phone call. At LGMSPD, text messages are received via a web-based interface, which is independent from the department’s 9-1-1 phone system. Each dispatcher logs into the Text to 9-1-1 at each shift change. LGMSPD’s Dispatch Training Manual covers Text to 9-1-1 procedures. Each Text to 9-1-1 is recorded in an event and notes are added to the event.
ITEM NO. 12.
51 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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As noted in the next table, there has been a significant increase in the text messages between dispatchers and community members over the past two years.
TABLE 11: LGMSPD Text to 9-1-1 Messages Received, 2024-2025 2024 2025
129 246
Source: Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department – ECaTS report.
EMERGENCY CALL TRACKING SYSTEM (ECaTS)
According to the ECaTS generated report from LGMSPD for 2025 call workload, the recommended staffing level for call takers is two for the dispatch center between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. coinciding with the heaviest call volume almost every day of the week (see report below).
TABLE 13: LGMSPD Staffing Forecast, 2025
Source: Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department – ECaTS report.
ANCILLARY WORKLOAD DEMANDS
LGMSPD dispatchers are also responsible for answering the outside HQ phone when Records is closed to the public. This task can be distracting when the dispatcher is on the phone handling a call for service, assisting a community member, or dispatching/monitoring a call for service on the police radio. During normal business hours, Records personnel manage the lobby, greet the public, and answer the HQ outside phone.
ITEM NO. 12.
52 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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Dispatchers are also responsible for, but not limited to, the following:
▪ Answer and triage all phone calls that come in on the non-emergency business line. ▪ Enter most of the data into the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS), which includes but is not limited to, missing persons, all vehicle-related entries, warrant entry/confirmation, emergency protective orders. Data entry into CLETS can be time-consuming depending on what the entry entails.
▪ Handling Operation CARE, where dispatchers call elderly residents at their requested time.
▪ Monitor HQ and POB cameras.
▪ Release vehicles when Records is closed with approval of the on-duty sergeant. ▪ Re-route 911 misrouted calls.
▪ Provide residents with Town information after Town offices are closed when the nonemergency call is received.
CALL FOR SERVICE WORKLOAD PROJECTION
Based on 2025 SCCSO CAD data, there will be an addition of 7,179 community-initiated calls for service in Saratoga. As mentioned in the Investigations Division portion of the report, this represents an 82 percent increase from 8,768 LGMSPD community-initiated calls for service that directly impacts dispatch workload. However, other than the ECaTS report agent forecast for call takers (part of the dispatcher’s role) based on existing calls for service, there is no readily available workload metric for determining dispatch staffing. The increased dispatch workload will be noteworthy and LGMSPD should anticipate needing one additional dispatcher during the peak daytime hours throughout the week to handle the additional calls for service.
If we layer the LGMSPD workload profile with the known times Saratoga calls from the community occur, the chart below reflects the busiest times are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and then for a few hours between 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
ITEM NO. 12.
53 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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CHART 18: LGMSPD Total Incident Workload and Saratoga Community-Initiated Workload, 2025
ADEQUATE STAFFING LEVELS
One of the primary challenges facing dispatch centers is ensuring there is adequate coverage.
Absences due to illness, scheduled leave including vacations and FMLA leave can significantly impact the dispatch center. As mentioned earlier, we refer to this as the relief factor. Back filling the last-minute call outs can take its toll on the dispatchers who are called upon to fill the void. This can lead to dispatcher burn out and causes current employees to want or need to take more time off. The Lead Dispatcher covers some absences resulting in less time to manage the unit for other job duties such as updating the Dispatch Center manual, conducting quality assurance audits, and providing closer supervision.
In order to address the number of dispatchers needed to ensure proper staffing levels are met, we must first calculate the actual hours a dispatcher is scheduled. A standard 28-day pay period is 160 hours (four weeks x 40 hours per week), which equates to 2,080 hours per year (160 hours x 13 pay periods per year). A 3/12-hour work schedule typically includes on 8-hour payback day every other week for a total of 14 shifts in order to meet the 160-hours worked every 28 days. In LGMSPD’s case, currently the fourth day worked every other week is actually a 12-hour shift, which equates to eight hours of overtime every 28-day pay period.
The 12-hour dispatch schedule results in a dispatcher being scheduled to work 14 shifts in a 28- day pay period or 168 hours (14 shifts x 12 hours) or 2,184 hours per year (168 hours x 13 pay periods per year). From a scheduling perspective, 2,184 hours per year equals 182 shifts per
ITEM NO. 12.
54 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
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year a dispatcher is scheduled (2,184÷12=182). However, this does not factor in the relief factor for leave time for vacation, sick leave, FMLA, worker’s compensation, military time, or training courses, which in our experience for dispatchers can average approximately 20 percent time off per year. Consequently, with a 20 percent leave factor, a dispatcher works approximately 146 shifts per year (182 x 20%=36 shifts leave time; 182-36=146 shifts worked).
Thus, it would take 2.5 dispatchers to cover one 12-hour shift for one year (365 days ÷ 146=2.5). In light of the one additional dayshift dispatcher LGMSPD should anticipate with the increase Saratoga workload, Meliora PSC recommends two and one-half dispatchers be added.
We encourage LGMSPD to calculate its actual relief factor to ensure its experience falls within the noted relief factor. If their own calculation is significantly different, staffing may increase or decrease based on the aforementioned calculations.
It is important to note that the based on the dispatch workload analysis above, the Saratoga community-initiated workload will add to the busier times already experienced by LGMSPD. As such, it will be important to re-evaluate staffing in dispatch during the first year and make adjustments accordingly.
ITEM NO. 12.
55 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
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Records Division
Records is responsible for maintaining document control over all original reports, including all crime, arrest, and traffic accident reports that are received by the department. At LGMSPD, the Lead Records Specialist (LRS) manages the day-to-day operations of the Records Division including directing, managing, and supervision. The LRS has their own office to conduct supervisory responsibilities in a confidential manner.
TABLE 14: Records Division Staffing, July 2026
Rank Authorized Actual Vacant
Support Services Captain 1 1 0
Lead Records Specialist 1 1 0
Senior Records Specialist* 1 1 0
Records Specialist 2 2 0
Records Specialist – Per Diem 0.5 0.5 0
Part-time CSO 0.5 0.5 0
Total 6 6 0
Source: Los Gatos-Monte-Sereno Police Department. *The Senior Records Specialist was previously temporarily assigned to the Investigations Division and has returned to the Records Division in 2026.
WORKLOAD DEMAND
Most functions performed by Records Divisions across the nation are much more than the common perception of simple tasks such as filing reports and providing copies as needed. Many of these duties are tightly regulated by federal and state laws to protect the privacy of individuals and to ensure compliance with mandated functions. The following is a list of many of the duties performed by Records staff at LGMSPD, most of which are daily tasks:
▪ Cash open and close Register – Run two reports, prepare deposit and deliver to Finance. ▪ Run property by serial number and report in RMS
▪ Run Bookings Report from county system
▪ Answer phone calls transferred from dispatch and address questions from the public ▪ Review Briefing Log
▪ Run Warrant Report in county database twice daily
▪ Mail from POB or US Postal – open & distribute twice daily ▪ Lexis Nexis transfers – collision reports
▪ Vehicle and vehicle property releases
▪ Citizen report and incident requests
▪ Citation processing and signoff
▪ Parking Permits – Questions and Payments
▪ Visitor log
▪ Background Checks
ITEM NO. 12.
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▪ Insurance Requests – Received via email or mail. Fax return with reply ▪ Received Package Deliveries
▪ Retrieve and process paperwork from Dispatch twice daily which may consist of CHP 180’S, Emergency Protective Order, and Property Sheets
▪ Case Processing
▪ Processing of Warrants including entry and purging
▪ PC 290 and Arson Registration
▪ DA/Court Run
▪ Process and log subpoenas. Notify officer and send response to DA. ▪ Pre-Booking Appointments
▪ Administrator for CJIC, Mugshot, CSAR, LEADS, DOJ, RMS, Crossroads, and JIMS ▪ NIBRS/CIBRS monthly entry for Cases, DV, LEOKA, Use of Force. Run CIBRS reports ▪ Run Error Case reports for both Los Gatos and Monte Sereno – Review and clear all errors.
▪ Review and process PRA and subpoenas received from at PD and Town Clerk’s Office. ▪ New officer training/Records review.
▪ Train/oversee light duty officers when assigned to Records ▪ Massage Therapy Permit review and approval.
▪ Manage and comply with report requests.
▪ Attend monthly meeting
▪ Case Sealings
▪ Calls for Service Requests
▪ Serna Packets – prepare packet and return to DA by specified date.
With the assistance of other personnel in the department, the workload associated with Records in 2025 is reflected in the table below:
TABLE 15: Records Workload, 2025
2025
Police Reports Reviewed/Approved *Includes online reports 2,093 Supplementals Approved 883
Arrests Processed 527
DA Filings 556
Citations Processed 1,436
Documents Scanned 16,724
Documents Released 832
Warrant Entry 314
Warrant Follow-Ups 1,417
Total 24,782
Source: Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department.
ITEM NO. 12.
57 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
Staff indicated there was a personnel shortage of one person in 2025 impacting the ability to handle workload such as scanning documents and processing reports. As of July 2026, Records is fully staffed with the Senior Records Specialist returning to the Records Division.
As mentioned earlier in the Investigations Division portion of the report, the 2025 reported crimes for LGMSPD (912) and Saratoga (253) would total 1,165 reported Part 1 crimes that Records staff would be required to process. The additional workload is a 28 percent increase required to process and also report to the FBI through NIBRS.
PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS/DISCOVERY REQUESTS
As society has become more reliant upon technology in their daily lives, there is an expectation that information be shared and police agencies have become more transparent. Balancing the public’s right to information and transparency with an individual’s privacy is a challenging task particularly in the policing realm that is also guided by federal and state laws as well as agency policies. The police industry mainly relies on the Records Division to review, redact, and process requests that are related to the Public Records Act (PRA). As more digital media equipment is used, including software apps, body worn cameras, and the recent Real-Time Information Center, there has been a noted corresponding increase in the workload to those who are required to process these requests. These demands, often complex, result in significant increases in staff time to review, redact, and process demands for information, documents, and recordings.
Absent adequate staffing and planning, these demands can overwhelm police department units charged with fulfilling requests. Both Records and the Town Clerk in Los Gatos receive Public Records Act (PRA) requests and Records and Property and Evidence also receive Discovery requests. These requests can eventually place a demand on staff to evaluate, research, audit, collect, and prepare department material to answer PRA/Discovery requests with assistance from the Town Attorney’s Office.
TABLE 16: PRA & Discovery Activity, 2025
2025
Total PRA and Discovery Requests 998
Source: Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department and Town Clerk.
Staff indicated a new process of capturing PRA requests more accurately was implemented in 2025. With the addition of police services in Saratoga, the PRA and discovery requests will undoubtedly continue to increase the workload in Records. We do not have data regarding the PRA requests handled by SCCSO for Saratoga in 2025 to compare.
ITEM NO. 12.
58 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
RECORDS RETENTION
The Town of Los Gatos has an established records retention schedule to include purging records in accordance with the Town’s policy. With the addition of Saratoga, the records retention policies of both agencies will need to be reviewed and if they differ, conversations with Saratoga city management may need to occur to assist in making the retention and purging practices consistent to avoid unintended miscues. The retention and purging of records associated with Saratoga will increase the existing tracking, retention and purging workload.
Currently, the LGMSPD is backlogged in records needing to be purged. The additional workload will only increase the backlog unless additional personnel are assigned this task and/or staffing is increased in the division such as adding one FTE Administrative Technician.
RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
LGMSPD uses RIMS for the records management system (RMS) by SunRidge Systems. RIMS has different modules and is used for Patrol, Traffic, Dispatch, Detectives and Property and Evidence. Should LGMSPD provide police services to Saratoga, RIMS would be an example of CA DOJ CJIS and CLETS agreements that would need to be updated with the addition of Saratoga.
Report Review
The review of reports and approval is an industry practice to ensure completeness and accuracy of details, elements of a crime and in some cases, probable cause for arrest. LGMSPD’s report review consists of the report being electronically submitted to a supervisor for approval. If approved, the report is sent to records for entry into RIMS. If the supervisor does not approve the report, it is sent back to the report writer to correct.
With the potential addition of reports associated with Saratoga police services, the report review function indicates additional staff are needed in Records to tend to all of the duties and responsibilities currently resting on the Lead Records Specialist, two Records Specialists, parttime/per diem Records Specialist, and part-time CSO. The addition of one FTE Records Specialist would assist with the additional report review as well as the additional data entry for reports and other activities in Saratoga.
FBI UCR/NIBRS CRIME REPORTING
Each month the LRS is tasked with the responsibility of reporting crime data to the State of California, Department of Justice (DOJ), for inclusion in the UCR/NIBRS. The report is prepared based upon report data entered into RMS. The LRS reviews all reports submitted by patrol officers and detectives to ensure the accuracy of the coding prior to finalizing the report for the DOJ.
The FBI transitioned from the Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR) reporting to a more
ITEM NO. 12.
59 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
comprehensive model referred to as the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS). The UCR model calls for the reporting of the most serious crime recorded when multiple crimes occur during a specific incident. For instance, in a home invasion robbery, where an assault occurs during the robbery, the robbery would be reported rather than the assault in the prior UCR process. Under NIBRS, the same event will result in every crime committed by each suspect as a separate crime; therefore, increasing the crime from one felony under the UCR data system to the two felonies that occurred. In addition, NIBRS will also track relationships between victims and offenders, arrestees, and property involved in crime.
LGMSPD began submitting National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data to the FBI on January 1, 2022. Agencies that have fully implemented NIBRS report time-consuming reconciliation issues with NIBRS, and additional issues related to the RMS during the report validation process, requiring time-consuming attention to detail. The processing time can be significantly impacted by the complexity of the case. As indicated earlier in the Part 1 crime reporting for Saratoga over the past three years, there would be an average of 215 additional Part 1 crimes to report through NIBRS annually.
Based on the additional workload with providing police services to Saratoga, Meliora PSC recommends one FTE Records Specialists and one FTE Administrative Technician be added to the Records Division.
Personnel & Training Unit
Should LGMSPD provide police services to Saratoga, the immediate need for additional staffing will be one of the main priorities. We learned LGMSPD has already accelerated the hiring process to fill existing vacancies in order maximize operational capacity in anticipation of taking on police services in Saratoga. The Personnel and Training Unit in conjunction with the Town’s Human Resources Department should anticipate and be prepared to launch an aggressive recruitment campaign for both sworn and professional staff opportunities. Through collaboration and empowering the Personnel and Training Unit to assist with application reviews and testing will help expedite the hiring process.
Once qualified candidates are selected, the next critical step in the process is an expeditious, yet thorough, background investigation. LGMSPD uses an outside, qualified vendor to conduct background investigations of personnel. Meliora PSC commends LGMSPD for already using this approach that allows staff to focus on other tasks and responsibilities. It may be helpful to ensure the vendor is capable of taking on the immediate workload. Otherwise, it may be necessary to use additional vendors to ensure the timely hiring of staff.
Ultimately, successful candidates will then be trained in their respective assignments. LGMSPD will need to ensure trainers are up-to-date on trainer certifications. The Patrol Division will be impacted by a larger group of new officers. Therefore, being prepared with active Field Training Officers is essential.
ITEM NO. 12.
60 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
II. PATROL BEAT PLAN
LGMSPD requested that Meliora PSC develop a conceptual patrol beat configuration for consideration should police services for the City of Saratoga be added. Our objective was not to prescribe permanent beat boundaries, but rather to provide a practical framework that balances patrol workload, respects logical geographic features, and builds upon the department’s existing three-beat patrol structure.
CHART 19: LGMSPD Existing 3-Beat Map
ITEM NO. 12.
61 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
As discussed in the Patrol Operations section of this report, Meliora PSC recommends an optimal patrol staffing level of five sworn personnel (officers, corporals, and sergeants) on duty during most periods. Because one of those positions functions as the field supervisor, the remaining four officers are available for geographic beat assignments. This staffing model naturally supports a four-beat patrol configuration across the combined Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga service area.
Our recommended workload based, patrol staffing plan also identifies periods when six sworn personnel should be deployed. During these higher-demand periods, the sixth officer would be best utilized in a rover assignment, consistent with LGMSPD’s current operational philosophy.
The rover would remain unassigned to a specific geographic beat and provide proactive patrol, rapid backup, and workload balancing as service demands fluctuate throughout the shift.
Simply designating Saratoga as a standalone fourth beat would not provide an effective deployment model. Saratoga’s geographic size and call distribution would create a significant imbalance in both workload and travel distances, reducing operational efficiency and limiting the department’s ability to provide consistent service across all three communities.
To develop a more balanced configuration, Meliora PSC mapped all community-initiated calls for service within Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and Saratoga. Community-generated calls were selected because they represent citizen demand for police services and are not influenced by officer field-initiated activity. Using this workload analysis as the foundation, we developed preliminary beat boundaries that retained much of LGMSPD’s existing three-beat structure while redistributing patrol responsibility across four balanced patrol beats as illustrated below.
ITEM NO. 12.
62 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
CHART 20: LGMSPD-Saratoga Initial 4-Beat Model
After developing the preliminary configuration, Meliora PSC met with LGMSPD command staff to review the proposed boundaries. Department leadership provided valuable operational insight regarding neighborhood identities, natural travel corridors, beat continuity, and officer movement between adjacent patrol areas. Particular concern was expressed regarding the operational flow between the proposed Beat 3 and Saratoga. Following several collaborative discussions, the beat boundaries were refined to better reflect the department’s operational experience while maintaining a balanced distribution of workload. The revised concept is shown below.
ITEM NO. 12.
63 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
CHART 21: Revised LGMSPD-Saratoga 4-Beat Model
Meliora PSC believes the revised beat plan provides a practical framework for integrating Saratoga into LGMSPD’s patrol deployment model. Under this configuration, Beat 1 would generally serve as the primary backup unit for incidents occurring in Beat 4 (Saratoga). As a result, officers assigned to Beats 2 and 3 would periodically adjust their patrol presence to maintain balanced coverage throughout the remainder of the service area. During periods when a rover officer is assigned, that unit should focus primarily on Beats 1 and 4, where additional coverage will enhance effectiveness and reduce response times.
The proposed beat plan should be viewed as a starting point rather than a final operational design. Patrol beat boundaries naturally evolve as communities grow, traffic patterns change, and calls for service shift over time. Based on the workload mapping conducted during this assessment, the area where Beats 1 and 3 converge experiences a relatively high concentration
ITEM NO. 12.
64 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
of calls for service. As the department gains operational experience serving Saratoga, LGMSPD should expect to make modest adjustments to beat boundaries to improve workload balance, travel efficiency, and overall patrol effectiveness.
ITEM NO. 12.
65 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
III. INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS
Technology
Consistent with all police agencies, the department utilizes a wide array of information technologies. Aside from personnel additions, these technologies are essential to the organization. With the addition of personnel, it is important they are provided the technological resources for their respective positions. For the Patrol Division, this includes but is not limited to the following:
▪ Mobile Data Computers in car (MDC’s)
▪ Automated License Plate Readers (Flock)
▪ Biometrics (Livescan-Cogent)
▪ Apple wireless phones
▪ DELL laptops
▪ Motorola radios
In transferring services from SCCSO to LGMSPD, there are a number of technology considerations. This includes, but is not limited to the following:
▪ Switching PSAP
▪ Server space for RIMS CAD/RMS
▪ Additional user licenses for CAD/Mobile/RMS users may be needed ▪ 911 telephone system integration, including vendor coordination, equipment compatibility, infrastructure requirements, and continuity of emergency communications
▪ Geographic information system (GIS)
▪ Mobile and handheld radio management to ensure connectivity in Saratoga ▪ Additional licensing for ECaTS, NCIC, CJIS, Crossroads, mapping, IQ Search, Flock, software annual maintenance, and internet service
▪ Expansion of agreements
▪ County Communications interoperability
Additional costs for integration include:
▪ Upgrades and start-up costs to Los Gatos’ radio and CAD/RMS systems ▪ Annual technology maintenance costs
▪ Monthly and/or annual subscription rates for mobile, portable, and console radios.
ITEM NO. 12.
66 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
Infrastructure
FACILITY
Consideration may be given to providing a sub-station in Saratoga for community members to visit should they need to report a crime. It also provides an office space for officers assigned to the Saratoga beat.
Los Gatos has the space and capacity at LGMSPD Headquarters to handle dispatch, records, and property and evidence needs. There may be potential infrastructure needs such as:
▪ New ergonomic chairs for the Dispatch Center
▪ Additional monitors and consoles to accommodate potential new technology or systems to include the Real Time Intelligence Center (RTIC)
EQUIPMENT
With the addition of one motor officer, four police officers, and one SRO, additional equipment needs include, but are not limited to:
▪ Police unit fully upfitted with equipment, cameras and computer ▪ Motorcycle fully upfitted with equipment
▪ SRO police unit, fully upfitted with equipment, cameras and computer Based on the assignment, uniforms and equipment may include some or all of the following:
▪ Anti-ballistic vests
▪ Individual first aid kits
▪ Narcan
▪ AED
▪ Firearms
▪ Rifles
▪ Tasers
▪ Body-worn cameras
▪ 40 mm launcher / shotgun
▪ Plus, training needs for those hired and those in specialty positions Additional items can include City signage updated to reflect contacting Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.
ITEM NO. 12.
67 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
TOWNWIDE ORGANIZATIONAL & SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE
Implementation of the Saratoga regional policing partnership will create secondary workload for selected Town departments that support LGMSPD. Impacts can vary by function with some concentrated during start-up, while others represent ongoing support. Additional resources should be limited to measurable Saratoga-attributable workload and associated costs specific to the additional police services provided by LGMSPD. Meliora PSC and Los Gatos staff discussed Town-related workload specific to providing police services to Saratoga. The following areas are included to identify anticipated workload impacts to Town departments.
Parks And Public Works – Fleet & Facilities
Expanded police operations will increase fleet procurement, upfitting, maintenance, mileage, parts, scheduling, asses management and lifecycle replacement workload. There may be an initial impact to support for Dispatch, Records and Property & Evidence as staffing and workload increases are experienced. Parks and Public Works may also consider coordinating electrical and contractor support for cameras, drone infrastructure, office fit-up, signage and storage needs. Major equipment should be considered for incorporation into long-term replacement planning.
Information Technology And GIS
Implementation will create increased workload to transition GIS and jurisdiction mapping, CAD/RMS and PSAP integration, radios, APIs, licensing, devices, laptops and MDCs, connectivity, cybersecurity/CJIS administration and vendor coordination. Subsequently, ongoing support will continue.
Human Resources
Due to the immediate staffing needs, HR will experience a font-loaded recruitment, classification, background, medical, onboarding, workers’ compensation and labor/employeerelations workload. Startup recruitment, screening, outside labor support and executive recruitment should be considered.
Town Clerk
Public Records Act (PRA) requests, subpoena and complaint coordination may increase, but police records should remain primarily routed through LGMSPD Records and appropriate legal review.
Town Attorney
Additional workload may include police PRAs, complaints, personnel investigations, claims, litigation, Gun Violence Restraining Orders, contract administration and operational legal
ITEM NO. 12.
68 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
questions. Responsibility should follow the nature of the matter, with Saratoga retaining its municipal governance, code and non-police legal responsibilities.
Finance
Contract billing, payroll, overtime, budget monitoring and reconciliation will increase transaction activity; however, due to automated systems in the Finance Department, these impacts may be slight.
Meliora PSC believes the anticipated impacts to the aforementioned Town departments appears reasonable and appropriate.
ITEM NO. 12.
69 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
IV. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Project Manager
This report has identified two significant aspects of transitioning police services for Saratoga:
personnel considerations and infrastructure requirements. Due to the voluminous aspects of each of these areas, the amount of work involved cannot be handled by any one person and separating these critical tasks to various LGMSPD staff risks details falling through the cracks due to staff’s existing workload. Meliora PSC strongly recommends a Project Manager be hired first in order to immediately oversee the transition, implementation, and on-boarding of police services to the Saratoga staff and community.
Action Items
In addition to the Project Manager, there are a number of entities or systems that will be integral to transitioning police services for Saratoga. The table below is provided as a snapshot of anticipated action items.
TABLE 17: Implementation Action Items
Entity/System Anticipated Action
Town/City Councils ▪ Establish official name and effective date ▪ Amend applicable agreements/code/resolutions
Monte Sereno/Saratoga
Agreements
▪ Use identical formal agency name and clarify that Town of Los Gatos remains employing/operating entity
CA POST ▪ Agency profile/name, EDI, training/certification and related agency records
CA DOJ CLETS ▪ CLETS Change Request; evaluate whether other CLETS documents must be refreshed
CA DOJ CJIS / NCIC ▪ Update agency name associated with ORIs, terminal/database authorizations
DOJ Applicant Background
System
▪ Update agency name, Custodian of Records, Live
Scan/applicant-agency information
▪ DOJ specifically instructs agencies to report agency name changes
FBI ▪ Normally handled through CA DOJ as the state’s CJS Systems Agency rather than LGMSPD independently
CA DOJ Crime Reporting ▪ CIBRS/UCR agency identity and ORI configuration CA DOJ RIPA ▪ Reporting agency name/identifier and technical submission configuration
SCCSO ▪ County Control Agency/CLETS host coordination, ORIs, mnemonics and transition
ITEM NO. 12.
70 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
Santa Clara DA ▪ Agency code/name, charging submissions, warrant requests, discovery/evidence workflows
Superior Court ▪ Agency code, citation/eCitation interfaces, criminal filings and traffic interfaces
County Jail/Booking ▪ Arresting agency identifier, booking interface, Livescan/biometric routing
Probation/Crime Lab ▪ Agency identifiers and access/routing Cal OES/911 ▪ PSAP/NG911 agency-name and contact updates if your PSAP identify changes
CAD/RMS ▪ RIMS agency tables, reporting districts, ORI routing, CIBRS, interfaces
Evidence/Property ▪ Agency identifiers, barcodes/templates/forms Vendors ▪ Axon, Flock, Fusus, Skydio, Verkada, Lexipol, tow, alarm, Crossroads and eCitation, etc.
Mutual-aid Partners ▪ Dispatch directories, radio aliases, contact lists, county plans, GIS
Timeline
As noted in the chart below, the operational launch of police services in Saratoga will require a tremendous amount of planning, acquisition, and execution of agreements and transfers.
CHART 22: Operational Launch of Police Services in Saratoga Timeline
ITEM NO. 12.
71 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
We have also included the breakdown by month of activities to commence with respective months. Although these activities to transition police services are slated to begin mostly in 2026, ongoing monitoring and adjustments will need to be made the LGMSPD through the Project Manager in collaboration with LGMSPD Command Staff. The designated months and timeline are intended to be a general guideline.
October 2026
Technology Upgrades
▪ Preparing PSAP equipment to move from SCCSO to LGMSPD ▪ CAD/RMS storage increase, upgrades and licensing agreements ▪ Transferring licensing and access for cameras in Saratoga ▪ Ensuring dispatchers are trained for operational readiness ▪ Mobile and handheld radio upgrades to ensure connectivity throughout Saratoga and county-wide interoperability system
Recruitment and Hiring Staff
▪ Reclassifying of positions and scope of work
▪ Project Manager
▪ Sworn officers
▪ Dispatchers
▪ Records Specialist
▪ Administrative Technician
▪ Senior Administrative Analyst
November 2026
▪ Implementing reorganization/structure
▪ Increasing and updating personnel technology (biometrics, cell phones, computers) ▪ Adjusting for needed office space
▪ Additional licensing for mnemonics IE: ECaTS, NCIC, CJIS, Crossroads, mapping, IQ Search, Flock, software annual maintenance, and internet service ▪ Updating GIS mapping
▪ Familiarization of Saratoga for LGMSPD staff
▪ Update policy language and Town/City ordinances and codes December 2026
▪ Updating GIS mapping
▪ Prepare substation in City of Saratoga
▪ Vehicle fleet acquisition for police unit and police motorcycle ▪ Schedule City of Saratoga community engagements
ITEM NO. 12.
72 Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Transition Study for Police Services
www.MelioraPSC.com
February 2027
▪ Ordering personnel uniforms and equipment
▪ Ordering signage reflecting LGMSPD contact information March 2027
▪ Training of new staff and specialty positions
April-May 2027
▪ Systems integration, agreements, policy/code alignment, hiring/training June 2027
▪ Operational testing, CAD/9-1-1/radio/GIS validation
▪ Beat and workflow exercises
July 2027
▪ Final readiness review
▪ Community communications
▪ Cutover preparation
September 2027
▪ Launch PSAP/Dispatch, Patrol, Records and public-facing operational transition October-December 2027
▪ Monitor response times, workload, staffing, overtime, and beat balance ▪ Monitor impacts to Records/PRA, Dispatch, and Investigations Units
ITEM NO. 12.
MATRIX CONSULTING GROUP
1875 S Grant Street, Suite 960
San Mateo, CA 94402
650.858.0507
September 3, 2026
Kristina Alfaro, Administrative Services Director
Town of Los Gatos
110 E Main St
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Dear Ms. Alfaro,
Matrix Consulting Group (Matrix) was retained by the Town of Los Gatos (Town) to review its Police Services Cost Model in support of expanding regional police services to include the City of Saratoga. In this engagement, we leveraged our experience developing cost-of-service and cost allocation models for local government to vet the Town’s model, ensure a fair and equitable cost distribution, and assess its consistency with Government Code Section 54982 as amended by Senate Bill 1360.
SCOPE OF REVIEW
Our review focused on the model’s calculations and cost inputs. Specifically, Matrix assessed the model’s computational accuracy and internal consistency. We evaluated the eligibility of each cost line item for recovery under the applicable statutory framework and identified line items that, in our professional judgment, warranted further review or supporting documentation to comply with statutory requirements.
SCOPE LIMITATIONS
We did not validate staffing assumptions, including the number of sworn or non-sworn positions required to deliver the expanded service. The Town determined service-level and staffing needs, informed by a separate operational analysis in which Matrix was not a party. We did not review cost projections or estimates, such as salary and benefit escalation, workers’ compensation premiums, or other forwardlooking figures. We did not independently audit or verify the underlying source data used to develop the model’s inputs.
This review was not intended as an audit of costs and should not be used as a validation or endorsement of the model’s total monetary outcome or of the service levels that drive it. Our observations were limited to the appropriateness and internal consistency of the cost inputs as presented.
REVIEW FRAMEWORK
Government Code Section 54982, as amended by Senate Bill 1360, governs how an agency that provides law enforcement services to another agency recovers its costs. The providing agency must charge the receiving agency for all costs incurred in delivering those services but may exclude costs it reasonably determines to be general overhead. The statute defines unreasonable overhead as costs the agency would incur regardless of whether it provided the contracted services. Any such determination is subject
ITEM NO. 12.
TOWN OF LOS GATOS POLICE SERVICES COSTING MODEL REVIEW
MATRIX CONSULTING GROUP 2
to judicial review for reasonableness, which places a premium on a model whose inputs are documented and independently traceable. Matrix assessed each line item against this appropriateness-for-inclusion standard and sound cost-allocation principles intended to distribute costs fairly among the participating communities.
MODEL STRUCTURE AND TRANSPARENCY
Beyond the line-item review, Matrix provided guidance on structuring the model to support transparency and defensibility. We recommended that the model present each cost component individually, with its inputs and basis clearly laid out and separately traceable, rather than relying on complex, nested formulas. A model in which each charge can be independently followed and substantiated directly supports the reasonableness determination required by the Government Code and is more readily understood by decision-makers and the public.
SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS
At a high level, our review categorized the model’s line items as appropriate for inclusion, recommended for further review or additional documentation, or flagged for elimination or reconsideration under the governing code. We assessed whether each carrying value had a documented basis; whether support and administrative costs were properly allocated to police services rather than to general government overhead; whether the charged costs were incremental to the expanded service area rather than unavoidable; and whether one-time or startup expenses were clearly separated from ongoing costs.
When annualized, these costs were also evaluated to ensure they were based on a stated amortization method.
CONCLUSION
During our review, Matrix provided its observations on the model’s calculations and cost inputs to Town staff, who evaluated them and revised the model where the Town determined that revision was appropriate. Our comments addressed whether individual line items were properly chargeable under Government Code Section 54982, as well as the model’s internal consistency and documentation of its inputs. Based on the final model reviewed on September 2, 2026, we determined that the cost inputs’ appropriateness and internal consistency were reasonably aligned with Government Code Section 54982, as amended by Senate Bill 1360.
* * *
Matrix Consulting Group appreciates the opportunity to support the Town in this process and remains available to answer any questions regarding our review.
Courtney Ramos
COURTNEY RAMOS
Senior Vice President
Matrix Consulting Group, Ltd.
ITEM NO. 12.
Pillar Methodology basis FY 2027–28 derived
value (rounded)
Narrative use
A – Direct Municipal Service Expansion Fully burdened projected FY 2027–28 direct-service expansion costs from Town costing model
$4,949,000 Shows direct expansion necessary to serve Saratoga.
B – Regional Operational Availability
Capacity
Operational availability factor applied to projected Police Department FY 2027–28 operating costs
$2,516,000 Captures readiness, backfill, training mandates and specialty reqs, overtime, supervisory depth, and specialty capacity.
C – Municipal Public Safety Platform Annual municipal platform allocation for fleet lifecycle, technology, communications, risk, administration, and
community policing support
$1,927,000 Shows the infrastructure needed to operate the expanded regional system.
D – One-time Start Up Costs One-time start up costs needed to be paid for to ensure a start date of October 1, 2027.
$337,000 All cost necessary between the execution of contract and start of contract, amortized over a 10 year period.
Total FY 2027–28 Annual Contract Value Pillar A + Pillar B + Pillar C + Pillar D $9,729,000 Approximate annual service value; include one-time amortized start-up costs.
Regional Municipal Policing Cost Allocation Methodology FY 2027–28 executive model | Summary is intentionally aggregated to support policy discussion and labor relations sensitivity.
A – Direct Municipal Service Expansion
$4,949,000
B – Regional Operational Availability 51%
Capacity
$2,516,000
26%
C – Municipal Public Safety Platform
$1,927,000
20%
D – One-time Start Up Costs
$337,000
3%
Regional Municipal Policing Model Cost Allocation
ITEM NO. 12.
Pillar What it represents What it includes Why attributable to Saratoga expansion
A – Direct Municipal Service
Expansion
Direct municipal police service
capabilities required to expand the
regional policing model to include
Saratoga.
Patrol operations, investigations,
traffic enforcement, school safety,
dispatch, records, Community Service
Officers, administrative support,
recruiting, onboarding, uniforms,
equipment and implementation costs.
These are direct service costs that
arise from expanding municipal police
services to an additional jurisdiction
and would not be incurred at the same
level absent Saratoga's participation
in the regional policing model.
B – Regional Operational
Availability Capacity
Operational capacity necessary to
maintain continuous municipal police
services despite predictable
reductions in deployable staffing and
fluctuations in service demand.
Leave relief, operational overtime,
mandatory training, court obligations,
field training, onboarding, specialty
assignment readiness, emergency
response, supervisory continuity and
regional operational coordination.
These operational readiness costs are
reasonably attributable to providing
uninterrupted municipal police
services to Saratoga while preserving
existing service levels in Los Gatos
and Monte Sereno.
Pillar Framework
ITEM NO. 12.
Pillar What it represents What it includes Why attributable to Saratoga expansion
Pillar Framework
C – Municipal Public Safety
Platform
The operational infrastructure,
technology, fleet, communications,
community policing programs and
support systems necessary to sustain
the expanded regional policing model.
community policing programs and
support systems necessary to sustain
the expanded regional policing model.
Fleet lifecycle replacement, radios,
CAD/RMS, records systems, Axon
technology, digital evidence, ALPR,
Drone First Responder, public safety
technology, CJIS infrastructure, IT
support, risk management, emergency
preparedness, CERT, DART,
Volunteers in Policing, Community
Police Academy, Neighborhood
Watch, resident outreach, website
management, crime prevention and
community engagement.
These infrastructure and operational
support costs expand because
Saratoga becomes part of the regional
policing system and therefore require
proportional investment in
technology, fleet, communications,
public safety systems and community
policing capabilities that support
delivery of municipal police services.
D – Start Up Costs The resources needed to determine
the ability to provide expanded
regional policing services and ensure
operational readiness on October 1,
2027.
Recruitment costs for new positions
being added by the Model. Hire ahead
costs for staffing needed prior to the
October 1st start date. Includes
limited term Project Manager to
manage the model and
implementation. Consultant cost to
develop and review contract
performance.
These start-up cost represent
necessary expenditures for
operational readiness directly related
to the expanded services with
Saratoga.
ITEM NO. 12.
NET NEW FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITION ADDS
Position Adds Department FTE Service Delivery Rationale Estimated
FY 2027–28
Cost
Captain / executive
oversight expansion
Police 0.00 Direct-service leadership, intergovernmental coordination, council and contract support, regional command oversight, policy review, service accountability and executive coordination necessary to integrate Saratoga into the municipal policing model. (Add Captain, delete Vacant Sergeant Position=0 Net FTE)
$ 63,252
Detective /
investigations
expansion
Police 1.00 Follow-up investigations, property crime, fraud, elder abuse, digital evidence review, case management, crime trend analysis, search warrant support, victim follow-up and regional investigative continuity.
$ 430,834
Patrol deployment
expansion
Police 4.00 Direct 24/7 patrol deployment capacity added for the regional service area, including proactive patrol, emergency response, visible deterrence, neighborhood policing, call response and regional beat deployment.
$ 1,666,968
Motorcycle traffic
officer
Police 1.00 Traffic enforcement, school zone safety, commuter corridors, collision reduction, speed enforcement, neighborhood traffic complaints, special events and community traffic-safety education. $ 430,834
School Resource
Officer / school safety
Police 1.00 School liaison, youth engagement, campus safety planning, threat assessment support, emergency preparedness coordination, juvenile intervention, education partnerships and community trustbuilding. $ 430,834
Dispatch expansion Police 1.50 Regional call-taking, CAD entry, radio dispatch, 911 service support, event coordination, officer safety monitoring, resource tracking and public safety communications for the expanded service area. Include 1 new FTE and .50 represent temp/hourly staff.
$ 289,343
Community Service
Officer expansion
Police 2.00 Field reports, parking and neighborhood response, abandoned vehicles, non-sworn service calls, evidence transport, community assistance, traffic control, scene support and public-facing municipal service delivery.
$ 386,394
Administrative /
analytical support
Police 1.00 Budget tracking, contract coordination, analysis, reporting, council support, program coordination, performance metrics, procurement coordination and administrative support attributable to regional expansion.
$ 250,405
Records Specialist Police 1.00 Records management, report processing, citation and traffic case administration, CPRA response support, warrant processing, records retention, DOJ/CJIS compliance, statistical reporting, evidence documentation support and records services necessary to serve an additional municipality.
$ 173,603
ITEM NO. 12.
NET NEW FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITION ADDS
Position Adds Department FTE Service Delivery Rationale Estimated
FY 2027–28
Cost
Admin Tech Police 1.00 CPRA management, processing, and administration in support of the Department through collaboration with the Town Attorney's Office and Town Clerk.
$ 208,125
Admin Tech Parks and
Public Works
0.50 Supports that Personnel and Training Unit with the recruitment and onboarding of personnel. Will act as a liaison with Departmental personnel and the Town's Human Resources Department with personnel matters, benefits, worker's compensation claims, and personnel matters.
$ 104,062
Admin Assistant Parks and
Public Works
0.25 Provide administrative support to equipment mechanic for additional vehicles and equipment including ordering, inventory, administrative duties including entering information into the Town's ERP system
$ 42,606
Equipment / mechanic
support allocation
Parks and
Public Works
0.50 Supports fleet lifecycle management, preventative maintenance, emergency vehicle outfitting, radio and mobile data computer installation, emergency equipment maintenance, operational supply support, vehicle coordination, and fleet readiness attributable to the additional patrol, detective, School Resource Officer, Community Service Officer, and specialty vehicles required to provide municipal police services to Saratoga.
$ 101,290
Human Resources
Support
Human
Resources
1.00 Assists Town employees with workers’ compensation, protected leave covered under Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), recruitment, onboarding, retirement preparation including industrial disability retirements under CalPERS, and other labor and employee relations issues.
$ 237,854
Deputy Town Attorney Town
Attorney's
Office
0.25 The additional workload will primarily result from police-related public records requests and subpoenas, community complaints, claims and litigation oversight, Gun Violence Restraining Orders, and general legal advice associated with the expanded service area. $ 70,015
Public Safety
Technology Platform
Support
Information
Technology
0.50 Supports operation, maintenance, integration and security of CAD/RMS, Sun Ridge RIMS, Axon Enterprise, mobile data
computers, CJIS security, public safety networks, digital evidence systems, cloud services, radio interfaces, software licensing, device management and cybersecurity required to provide uninterrupted municipal police services within the expanded regional policing model.
$ 62,349
Total Pillar A – Direct
Municipal Service
Expansion
16.50 7 New Net Sworn Staff, 9.5 Non-Sworn Staff $ 4,948,768
ITEM NO. 12.
ITEM NO. 12.
ITEM NO. 12.