Broke California Cities Target Cop Shops

July 23, 2010 - 9:39 AM | by: Claudia Cowan
Police departments across California are under fire, as cash-strapped local governments scale back public safety spending -- often the single biggest expenditure on their books.

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Oakland, where violent crime is up, has cut 80 officers--10% of it's department-- to save $14-million annually.
The city of Stockton -- $23-million in the red-- is laying off 26 officers, and prompting concerns by the local police union.
"We're not doing as much follow up police work as far as when we do respond to a call, we don't have the amount of detectives that we used to follow up and investigate these cases and try and get these suspects in custody," says Steve Leonesio, with the Stockton Police Officers Association.
Now, that union is taking its fight to the streets, buying billboard space to send grim, graphic, messages. One sign welcomes visitors to "the second most dangerous city" in the state. Another says the murder rate is up, and keeps a running body count.
"During tough times, you've got to make tough decisions, and we don't think cutting public safety is the right decision that's being made at city hall. So that's why we're doing this," says Leonesio.
Critics charge short-changing law enforcement is the wrong way to make up for years of poor financial decision making.
The Bay Area city of San Carlos believes it's come up with a better solution: it's disbanding its P.D. altogether, and turning law enforcement over to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. It's a decision the mayor says will maintain the same number of cops, but cut the city's $3.5 million deficit nearly in half.
Ed Rogner, a law enforcement consultant who worked with San Carlos, says numerous police departments have merged with county sheriff's departments in Southern California. He believes that will eventually become a trend in Nor Cal cities, too.
"They're going to have to do something," Rogner says. "They either cut services, or find a more efficient way to deliver them outsourcing. Contracting for police and fire is one way to maintain the service level, while reducing costs."
Rogner adds residents don't care what color the uniform is: their main concern is that when they need help, they'll get it from a a trained law enforcement officer.
But many residents say they're not comfortable with such sweeping changes, and police unions argue service and response time will suffer. So, they're taking their case to politicians, and the people. In Stockton, for example, where ten graphic billboards are up now, residents can expect to see half a dozen more throughout the rest of the year.


Read more: http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/07/23/broke-california-cities-target-cop-shops/#ixzz0uXESSLfQ