| Function / Program | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Government | ||||||||||
| City | 64 | 58 | 38 | 35 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 |
| Economic Dev & Housingb | 16 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 |
| Public Safety | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
| Police & Fire (1) | 175 | 158 | 141 | 141 | 140 | 174 | 172 | 179 | 170 | 163 |
| Public Works | 44 | 43 | 39 | 33 | 38 | 38 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 40 |
| Totals | 328 | 305 | 264 | 249 | 252 | 286 | 281 | 288 | 281 | 276 |
(1) The City operates as a "contract city" utilizing, primarily, agreements with other governmental entities, private firms and individuals to provide services. Contracted services include: Police and Fire protection through the County of Riverside, Cal-Fire, animal control, health services, legal services and landscape maintenance.
a - As of June 2011 realignments were made due to budget cuts, retirements and layoffs, these continued to FY 2013.
b - On February 1, 2012 the State of California dissolved the City of Palm Desert Redevelopment Agency as part of the Statewide dissolution of all City Redevelopment Agencies, which in turn created the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Palm Desert.
Source: City of Palm Desert Financial Plan, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Riverside County Sheriff's Department