Police budget still not finalized
The City Council may again change course on the matter of how Measure Z funds will be used on Police Department expenses during the current fiscal year.
Earlier this month, the council made a big move by diverting funds from the department's helicopter program to fund three sergeants and three detectives' positions.
That decision may not be final. Seventh Ward Councilwoman Wendy McCammack, who chairs the city committee that oversees financial issues, said that money could again by reallocated to save the jobs of civilian SBPD employees who handle support tasks.
The issue has yet to be considered by the full council.
McCammack said the theory behind that plan is that SBPD won't be able to put more boots on the street if the officers who wear those boots are sitting behind a desk. (The six sworn positions that would have been funded by the council's previous move would not have allowed a net increase in sworn officers. Keeping the sergeants' and detectives' on the books would have allowed police brass to make promotions as vacancies developed within the ranks.)
Either way, it looks like the vote get rid of the helicopter will stand. SBPD got its chopper in 2006, when the highest priority on San Bernardino's political landscape was fighting crime. That was the same year voters agreed to accept higher sales taxes when they passed Measure Z.
City police can call on the San Bernardino County Sheriff's helicopter for help during emergencies without having to pay a dime. However, sheriff's deputies patrol a vast area so there's no guarantee the county chopper will be in the vicinity when needed.
It is about time that the elected officials realize employees are more important that a helicopter that Billdt was willing to fund over his employees well being. I understand the sheriff department's helicopter does an excellent job patrolling in the air over our city. If Billdt truely cared for his employees he would have put the helicopter on the back burner and saved those jobs. Guess he showed his true colors and his statements in the newspaper are just more lies.
It is about time that the elected officials realize employees are more important that a helicopter that Billdt was willing to fund over his employees well being. I understand the sheriff department's helicopter does an excellent job patrolling in the air over our city. If Billdt truely cared for his employees he would have put the helicopter on the back burner and saved those jobs. Guess he showed his true colors and his statements in the newspaper are just more lies.
Billdt is clueless about what is going on in the field or in his district offices. Wendy McCammack is correct about saving the non-sworn positions in SBPD. These people do so much more than he can imagine, or wants to acknowledge.
While I think the helicopter was a great tool, I think that our officers are already running from call to call with no time for proactive patrolling - less than 10 percent of their time is spent "patrolling" the districts they are assigned to - community policing is non-existant with the exception of the Community Service Officers - which are slated to be laid-off. Also, the last thing our sworn officers need to be doing is paperwork - boots on the street is the most important thing.
Billdt refuses to even discuss the possibility that his "plan" could have holes in it - he is a "know it all" that knows nothing.
Serenah -
I didn't even catch that until you corrected it, then I was like "uhhhhh" - a principal is your pal...ha ha ha! That should date me.....