I know Patrick has made some deep cuts in spending and now I read this on CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/10/23/police...nomy/index.html

Are you seeing reductions in the force? Reductions in budget for training? Equipment?

 

the only thing I have seen cut is overtime. We used to have grant money that was used to put walking beat in neighborhoods to get out and talk to folks about what the problems are in their minds. Then we would do our best to work with them to make things happen. We would gather up on a Saturday morning and clean up a park in a bad neighborhood and then help the kids take it back from the drug dealers. Soemtimes we would go out with parole officers to make home visits. That way we knew who was where in the community. So many good things were done with that money.

It's all gone now.

It will be back when the economy gets better. By that time, crime will be out of control again, and we will start from scratch. Same story, different years. When times are bad, people want to cut spending and then say "oh shit" when the crime goes back up. Then they spend like money is no object until crime goes down.... repeat.

Thankfully there is still a boat load of road paving and the like to keep us busy on details

 

Watch out for civilian flag men/women.

They could be next, and there goes a ton of police OT.

Not saying it's a good idea BTW.

 

I'd sure rather see the money spent on community programs like Jeff described.

 

Thats only on jobs that are controlled by Mass Highway which are scarce. Even then, it is only for jobs on roads under 45MPH and if deemed safe to do so. they still have to pay a flagger prevailing wage which in most cases is only 2-3 bucks less than a cop. It's not hard to see that the state gets more bang for their buck with a cop on the detail.

They understand that flagmen have no authority to take any enforcement action. they are also not equipped to assist anyone in case of a crime or emergency. and, since most of them will be working in cities/towns they do not live in, they cannot offer directions to lost motorists. I assist tons of folks every time I have a detail. People should be glad they get 40-50 extra cops on the road a day without it coming directly out of tax money.

All that BS was is a feather in Patrick's cap to make it look like he did some hard core reforming. People who are out of work or having tough times don't want to see anyone else do well and so they bitch when they see a cop making more than them. Like I always say, put on the uniform and come join us if they think it's all fun and big paychecks.

the department already has the power to tell us what kind of jobs we can work to make extra money. Like for example I cannot be a security guard or work in any place that serves alcohol on my time off. If they take away the ability to earn extra money this way, they will lose a lot of really good people, probably me too. This job isn't worth it for what our base pay is.

 

Another thing is that people think that an officer on a detail is paid by the city. We are paid by the construction company.

I have also heard some people bitch that they want more cops patrolling and we are wasting time on details. Every cop on a detail is on his own time off doing it. If people want more cops patrolling, contact your legislators and demand more police on the street.

Until then, be glad there is a cop on the street that you don't pay for with taxes.

 

i would LOVE to join the force - but i couldn't pay my mortage with the starting pay and i could not pass the physcal and since i can't get a gun permit (old 209a) i don't think they would let me

so i'm just gonna bitch about them

 

so what happens if you see a bank robbery while on detail - does the construction company still pay while you go after the bad guy?

 

True Jeff, but if the project is a public works job, the tax payer is paying anyway, right?

I think your comment about the pay differential is really the most compelling point. If we only save $2 or $3 an hour, we are better off having another cop on the street.

Still, the community projects are the ones that are really worth the $$. But with property values falling, I bet a lot of folks will file tax appeals on their property tax bill.

I'm guessing you want to see question 1 on the referendum fail. (oops. might be political...)

 

I want to be a flag person. All of the pay with none of the risk! Well... I guess I'd still have to worry about being accidentally shot 15 times by a police officer.