Manteca Police Chief Mike Aguilar has indicated his department needs seven more sworn officers plus an additional code enforcement officer as well as a community service officer for the traffic division.

That is on top of the 74 budgeted officers the department is currently authorized. Actually, on the job are 69 officers as the department is in the process of filling five vacant positions. Aguilar expects those five officer positions along with vacancies in the ranks of non-sworn personnel to be filled by July.

Whether Aguilar will get all or any of the new positions in the upcoming municipal budget being prepared for the fiscal year starting July 1 depends on Manteca’s financial position. The council made mid-year budget adjustments this week that reflect a structured deficit of $3.1 million.

That means for the fiscal year ending June 30 the city is having to dip into general fund reserves to cover the fact they expect to spend $3.1 million than they will collect in revenue during the 12-month budget period.

Aguilar presented his needs at the council’s goal setting workshop on Thursday at the Manteca Transit Center.

His staffing requests include:

*A lieutenant for the services division.

*Two patrol officers

*A code enforcement officer.

*Two police officers to serve as detectives in the street crimes unit.

*A community officer for the traffic unit.

*A second detective for the organized retail crime unit.

*A sixth traffic/DUI office.

On the needs list is a new police department facility to adequately house the current department while accommodating new growth.

Aguilar also said the department needs to work toward a five beat minimum for all patrol shift staffing on a 24/7 basis.