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Overtime debate
You will read in Friday's Saratogian that business leaders are concerned that a reduction in the overtime budget will have a detrimental effect on long-running and popular events such as Hats Off!, First Night and the Victorian Streetwalk. Each of these events, as well as several others, rely on some level of police and DPW support, which, in the past, has been paid for by the city. To make up for the gap in funding, events requiring support, may now be forced to come up with the money themselves.
Some in the city, including Horatio over at iSaratoga, have been quick to point out that the city could hire additional full-time employees for the same price as paying out more overtime. While this is a fair criticism, I just want to point out that according to Chief of Police Ed Moore, it takes about one year -- from the time a potential officer applies for the job, to the extensive background check they must undergo, months at the training academy, and on-the-job training -- to get a new police officer on the street.
So, even if the council were to approve new personnel lines in the Police Department, a move that seems unlikely at best, given that 24 positions have been eliminated in the proposed budget, the city would still likely need to call on officers to work over time in 2009 while new officers are being trained.
Just wanted to throw that reality check out there before the Ed Moore/Ron Kim bashing begins in earnest.
Some in the city, including Horatio over at iSaratoga, have been quick to point out that the city could hire additional full-time employees for the same price as paying out more overtime. While this is a fair criticism, I just want to point out that according to Chief of Police Ed Moore, it takes about one year -- from the time a potential officer applies for the job, to the extensive background check they must undergo, months at the training academy, and on-the-job training -- to get a new police officer on the street.
So, even if the council were to approve new personnel lines in the Police Department, a move that seems unlikely at best, given that 24 positions have been eliminated in the proposed budget, the city would still likely need to call on officers to work over time in 2009 while new officers are being trained.
Just wanted to throw that reality check out there before the Ed Moore/Ron Kim bashing begins in earnest.
posted by The Saratogian City Desk at
10:45 PM
4 Comments:
Just to clarify my position a bit, I'm well aware it takes time to train a new officer, although one year is a bit of...well...just a flat out exaggeration by Moore. But the police overtime is an issue goes back further than a year. In fact, it's been an issue for a long time. Longer than a year, two years, or even three years. Overtime has been an issue even since before the Dreyer years, believe it or not. And it's been getting worse ever since.
I'll pause here for a second, because I never thought I'd once stick up for a useless political hack like Dreyer. But I digress...
Supposedly, the other side of the Dreyer issue(if there is an other side) is that she was aiming to slash police overtime. The rank and file caught wind of this and essentially made what amounted to a mountain out of a mole hill. And if you think about it, the grand jury that reviewed the case extensively never found any criminal intent in what she did. She overstepped her power, she engaged in adultery, and she was plotting to force Moore off the force. But was it criminal? They said no.
Now you and your readers must ask yourselves if Dreyer's sleazy behavior is that much out of character with everything else that typically happens in city hall on a semi-routine basis. If the answer is no, then perhaps there is more to her story than ever hit the news. After all, if you look back through the clips, that is what she always claimed.
A brief disclaimer: I in no way endorse this as fact. Frankly, I think Dreyer got what she deserved. But I also doubt there's a halo hanging over Moore's head. That notion disappeared when he collected more than $100,000 from the city in damages from this whole unsightly incident.
Lastly, here's something for you to ask Ron Kim, but I doubt he'll have any sort of reasonable answer. In 2006, the police overtime was itemized into seven categories within the budget. In 2007, it wasn't. Just one lump "overtime" line item(search: "All OT lines merged here" in last year's budget). No real idea where the overtime is spent, just that it's spent, and it's overtime. Interesting huh? Kind of like taking an all-expense paid business trip somewhere, but instead of giving your boss receipts, you hand over a single sheet of paper with one number:the total. Food for thought, eh?
How about lateral transfers in from other police departments?? They would already be trained, have experience, and have gone through the academy, at some other city's expense. This might be a way to shorten the time between hire and getting them on the street. I hear there are lots of cops who would be willing to leave their police departments in order to work in Saratoga Spings.
I apologize for the delay in posting comments to this post, I forgot to post them on Friday before I left for the weekend.
5:30,
That's a great idea, but for it to work, you need to have a department that's willing to cut its overtime. Kim and Moore simply are not, which is why they trot out a new excuse for accruing it every other week. Today, it's so we can have all the special festivals. Last spring, it was because the state police pulled their unit out of the Racino. In the winter, it was because of two officers having long-term injuries. I firmly believe Kim has a dart board in his office listing every possible reason for him advocating for the overtime. To choose his excuse, he throws a dart...
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