Are We All Just A Little Embarrassed?
Our Police Should Not Have to Beg
Doesn't make much sense that a City of almost 500,000 with major crime problems and a vulnerable international port would not want to do what it needs to do to fund and retain its police force. But here in Long Beach we have just the opposite.
The Chief of Police, Anthony Batts, came before the City Council not too many weeks ago and basically begged for appropriate funding. The Long Beach Police Officers Association is now engaged in collective bargaining agreements and is requesting that Long Beach Police Officers be brought to the median of what other police officers are paid in other cities so that the Police Department doesn't lose experienced officers and is able to attract officers. The LBPOA is also asking that its retirement and health benefits not be reduced. Fair requests considering the type of job we are asking these men and women to do.
Public safety is the number responsibility of local government and should be its number one budget priority. Period.
Consider for one moment the fact that the City of Long Beach budgets more to pay debt service on all the money borrowed than it does on the Police Department budget -- and actually includes some of that "debt" into the Police Department budget.
Now aren't we all just a little embarassed?
Doesn't make much sense that a City of almost 500,000 with major crime problems and a vulnerable international port would not want to do what it needs to do to fund and retain its police force. But here in Long Beach we have just the opposite.
The Chief of Police, Anthony Batts, came before the City Council not too many weeks ago and basically begged for appropriate funding. The Long Beach Police Officers Association is now engaged in collective bargaining agreements and is requesting that Long Beach Police Officers be brought to the median of what other police officers are paid in other cities so that the Police Department doesn't lose experienced officers and is able to attract officers. The LBPOA is also asking that its retirement and health benefits not be reduced. Fair requests considering the type of job we are asking these men and women to do.
Public safety is the number responsibility of local government and should be its number one budget priority. Period.
Consider for one moment the fact that the City of Long Beach budgets more to pay debt service on all the money borrowed than it does on the Police Department budget -- and actually includes some of that "debt" into the Police Department budget.
Now aren't we all just a little embarassed?
posted by Gerrie Schipske for Council | 1:10 PM
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