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San Diego plans to open childcare center for police officers' children
The city would become the first in the nation with a childcare center for children of police personnel
By Anne Berleant
SAN DIEGO — A new childcare center in the works for San Diego police officers will be the first one of its kind in the country, CBS reported.
Childcare would be available from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. A childcare worker also has the option to be assigned to a police officer’s home if the officer is called in during overnight hours.
"We've heard that a number of officers did leave the police department in the past month or two specifically because of childcare issues," Joe La Cava, a city council member, said.
According to a University of San Diego study, the striking cost of childcare is often enough to cause a parent to quit their job.
I'm proud of the @CityofSanDiego for working to address the unique challenges @SanDiegoPD officers face in balancing work and family life, proposing a first-in-the-nation childcare center geared toward officers' non-traditional schedules. #ForAllofUs https://t.co/3gdkYwnEN5
— San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria (@MayorToddGloria) July 15, 2022
"For two kids, you're talking about almost $34,000 a year for an infant and a toddler," said Emily Young, executive director of the Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego.
The new center would charge half the going rate and pay childcare workers 20% more than the average.
If approved, the childcare facility would operate at police headquarters. It will still need approval from the city council.
