Yorba Linda has Orange County's third-lowest per capita cost of police services, according to study

Yorba Linda has the third-lowest per capita cost of police services of Orange County's 34 incorporated cities, according to a report commissioned by the 13 cities that contract with the Orange County Sheriff's Department for law enforcement.

Yorba Linda pays $178.41 per person, with only retirement-oriented Laguna Woods and Aliso Viejo paying less, at $156.50 and $160.38, respectively. Costs range to a high of $802.75 in Laguna Beach, according to figures from Matrix Consulting Group.

The per capita cost in Yorba Linda is based on a 2017 estimated population of 68,229 and fiscal 2018 budgeted police expenses of nearly $12.2 million. The Laguna Woods population is 16,200; the Aliso Viejo count is 51,671.

The average per capita cost for the 13 contracting cities is about $215, and the average per capita cost for the 21 non-contracting cities with their own police departments is about $395.

Contracting city costs range from the $156.50 in Laguna Woods to $363.18 in Dana Point (population 33,934), while costs in self-policing cities range from $275.59 in Irvine (population 277,453) to the $802.75 in Laguna Beach (population 23,147).

Per capita costs and populations of north county cities listed in the report include $511.61 and 42,777 in Brea; $338.20 and 83,015 in Buena Park; $323.29 and 140,392 in Fullerton; $301.52 and 62,466 in La Habra; $307.53 and 15,722 in La Palma; and $366.63 and 52,157 in Placentia.

The report also listed cost increases for contracting cities from fiscal year 2016 through 2018. (Cities can contract for differing levels of service.)

Yorba Linda's increase was 4.8 percent from fiscal 2016 to 2017, third-lowest of the 13 cities, and 6.42 percent from fiscal 2017 to 2018, fifth-highest. The range for fiscal 2017 to 2018: a 1.45 percent decrease in Laguna Woods to a 17.26 percent increase in Laguna Niguel.

The county's highest policing cost is in Anaheim, with a 2018 fiscal year expenditure of nearly $144 million ($408.36 per capita), and the lowest is in Laguna Woods, with about $2.5 million.

According to the report, other north county cities spent the following for fiscal 2018 police services (rounded): $21.9 million in Brea, $28 million in Buena Park, $45.4 million in Fullerton, $18.8 million in La Habra, $4.8 million in La Palma and $19.1 million in Placentia.

The 15-page report from the Mountain View-based consultant concluded that “overall,” the “use of a contracted law enforcement service is cost effective for the 13 contract cities” and added some recommendations.

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One was that department leaders “should consider utilizing actual hourly rates for personnel cost instead of a standardized rate, to ensure that each city is paying for the actual costs for all employees assigned.”

Yorba Linda's share of the $143,316 report cost is $15,100.

Sheriff's deputies policed Yorba Linda through 1970 and again since 2013 after a 42-year arrangement with Brea ended.