The city of Hermiston’s recently-adopted budget will allow the Hermiston Police Department to add seven new full-time officer, four of which will be funded by Good Shepherd Health Care System.
The Hermiston City Council and staff explored options this year to increase public safety and maintain service levels while working through a budget shortfall. This process included an in-depth review of each General Fund department during regular council meetings to find cost-saving options.
The Hermiston Budget Committee convened in May to review the proposed budget before sending it to the city council for adoption. The 2024-25 General Fund budget is balanced without any loans from other departments.
“We heard from the community that public safety is a top concern, and this budget addresses that priority,” said Hermiston City Manager Byron Smith. “I’m very pleased that through the public process we were able to identify ways to increase the number of officers to meet the needs of our growing city and am looking forward to the partnership with Good Shepherd.”
The four officers funded by Good Shepherd Health Care System will allow one officer each shift to be stationed at the hospital, with the ability to respond to emergencies elsewhere in the city as needed. This arrangement is similar to the partnership with the Hermiston School District to provide school resource officers.
The other three officers will be funded by a variety of sources approved by the council earlier this year, including state and federal grants, the $5 Law Enforcement Staffing Fee on utility bills, a business license fee, increased tax on overnight hotel stays, and cuts to street maintenance. One officer was hired through a supplemental budget, and once the other six are hired the department will have 37 full-time officers.
Other cost drivers in the 2024-25 budget include an approximately 16% increase to property and liability insurance rates and a 10% increase to health insurance rates for city staff. For more details, the 2024-25 budget and previous fiscal year budgets are available on the city’s website. Video recordings of city council and budget committee meetings are also available through the city calendar.
