Quote:
Originally Posted by cardeza
There are budget docs online- you should read them. In addition, police and fire contracts are set via ARBITRATION and the City has no direct control. They propose measures (often measures that would save money) and a panel determines what makes it into the contract. Police and Fire dept personnel and retirement costs are massive.
|
very true re arbitration and how contracts get written; but the one area the City does control is the staffing levels, how many cops are employed. At one time there was a push to have most office and desk functions in the PPD done by non-officers, but I can't remember where that ended up. Its been a long standing debate how much staffing effects crime, but politically adding more cops is always a easy (and expensive) "fix".
Also the City/PPD has a lot of control on how the department is used, such as the use of overtime and where cops are assigned and what they do, subject to the contract. Like any large organization its hard to have a smooth running and efficient management; like what do you do with cops you can't fire but also can't appear in court because no one would believe them, just as one small example.