04/12/2007
EW Finance Board members trying to slash police staffing
By:Kory Loucks , Journal Inquirer
EAST WINDSOR - The "Tiger Team" wants to take a bite out of the Police Department.
Two Finance Board members, who call themselves the Tiger Team, say the Police Department has more officers than it needs for the town's population at 26 officers. They suggest 18 officers would be more appropriate.
Finance Board member William G. Dove presented the pair's position at Wednesday's Police Commission meeting. Dove and Finance Board alternate John D. Mannette, both Republicans, compiled the report.
Dove said they are not speaking for the Finance Board.
"We realize that East Windsor has some unique issues," Dove said, such as Route 5, Interstate 91, and the shopping center with Wal-Mart, the Big Y grocery store, and the Showcase cinemas.
The Police Department is requesting 25 officers for 2007-08 in its proposed $2.2 million budget for next year - a 6 percent increase over the current year.
The pair's argument is based on population, which Dove said is about 10,300. The town has 2.5 sworn officers per 1,000 residents.
This includes 16 patrol officers, six sergeants, two detectives, the chief, and a captain.
Other communities with similar population sizes, such as Windsor Locks, have 1.8 officers per 1,000, according to the report.
Police Commission members argued that the town's population is closer to 12,000 to 13,000 people.
Dove said the town needs to look at how many police officers are needed to cover the town and what the town can afford.
Police Chief Edward J. DeMarco argued that the 2004 FBI Uniform Crime Report, where the pair acquired some of their data, advises not to use the numbers for analysis.
"In the manual it says that will only lead to misperception and misinterpretation," DeMarco said.
Police Commission member D. James Barton Jr. said: "You can't take a one-size-fits-all approach" when staffing the Police Department.
Finance Board Chairman Paul E. Catino told the Police Commission that he was not taking a position but noted that some of the costs for officers were offset by grants that are coming to an end.
"What is different now is those grants are mostly drying up," Catino said. "The impact to our budget is really starting to take effect."
Barton said that staffing was not driven by the grants but by need.
"The people that are on hand now are people that are needed," Barton said. "These positions did not come in on their own. We have gone over it over the last 10 to 15 years."
Finance Board member Marie E. DeSousa said she wants to be able to answer residents who question why the Police Department is so large.
DeMarco defended the size of the police force, saying that the police contract requires a supervisor on each shift for safety and liability issues.
"What I think you are failing to see is that there are very logical reasons, including liability," for why they need the staff the have, DeMarco said.
"You can't even go into a Dunkin' Donuts without a supervisor there," DeMarco said. "I am passionate because I can give you real world examples" of towns' vulnerability to liability.
If there is not adequate supervision, DeMarco warned, "quite frankly what you would do is risk this community to serious" exposure and consequences.
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