Community Corner

Letter: Police Union Pres Explains Impact of Budget Cuts

By Lt. James Bonney

 

Recently, the BET Budget Committee has recommended that ten officers be removed from the Police Department’s Table of Organization. Additionally, the Budget Committee also recommends removing $600k from the operating budget of the Police Department, and placing it into a fixed account. I assume that the $600k would be made available if the BET felt that it was needed.

I take issue with the decisions of the BET Budget Committee. First and foremost, these decisions were made without discussion with the Chief of Police. In fact, the Chief and Captain Mark Kordick had prepared a full presentation for the committee, to demonstrate the dramatic impact that these decisions would have on the safety of the citizens of Greenwich.  The Chief was told that the Committee was” not” there to hear presentations and that their decision was made.

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The Police Chief and the Captain of Operations, with over 50 years combined public safety experience, wanted to report that this last minute move by the BET Budget committee was not only dangerous to the public, but to the Officers themselves.  They were never given a chance to explain their position and the BET Budget Committee went so far as to say, they didn’t want to hear it.

The real facts are that the Police Department is spread so thin now that we have a hard time filling patrol sector posts, and if you walk through our building you will see empty desks once filled by Detectives and Special Victims Unit officers as well as Neighborhood Resource Officers. Many positions are left unfilled because of the current manpower shortage. 

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How will the removal of $600k affect the citizens of Greenwich? 

Per the Police Department’s Impact report, the following positions will be considered for the chopping block;

  •  Greenwich Avenue Traffic Officers ( all four Officers )
  •  Community Impact Officers ( all three Officers )
  •  School Resource Officer ( the only Officer )
  • The Marine Division ( up to seven Officers )  This would mandate a change in the hours that the Island Beach boats operated if they operated at all.

State Mandated Police training requirements continue to rise every year, which equates to taking officers away from their assigned positions for more hours every year.  We just can’t stop patrolling Cos Cob or Glenville because officers are at mandated training.  We must continue to provide patrol coverage for the citizens of our community because that’s what’s expected of us. The Police, as the Towns designated “First Responders” respond to every medical call in the town. Our officers regularly save lives by their prompt response and Emergency Medical Training. Every car accident, fall, drowning, electrocution, heart attack, stroke, domestic dispute, Burglary, every time someone calls for help, the police are the first ones on the scene.    

The Greenwich Police just investigated and presented a case to a jury for a subject on trial for an attempted murder in Greenwich and a murder in Norwalk. The killer was convicted and sentenced to 90 years in prison. This winter, two men were arrested for shooting an assault rifle and 3 handguns in multiple locations in the Back country of Greenwich. This isn’t Mayberry. Our Police Officers work hard to make Greenwich as safe as possible. This doesn’t happen without adequate funding, adequate personnel and the sound judgment and decisions by trained and experienced public safety experts such as our Police Administration. 

 

Lieutenant James Bonney

President,  Silver Shield Assoc.

RTM District 4, Budget Overview Committee

Shift Commander, Patrol Division

 

 


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