State Sen. Will Espero, who's been critical of HPD leadership, says bringing on a PR firm won't fix the bigger problems at HPD.



"You could spend $1 million on publicity and PR, but it's not going to change the way the public feels or the perception that they have as long as the status quo is not changed or improved," he said.



City Council Budget Chairwoman Ann Kobayashi also questioned whether the money couldn't be better spent elsewhere in the department.