After the release last week of some great crime reduction stats, we knew it was inevitable. We should be able reduce Police spending since crime is down.Council President Shawn Wooden was quoted in a Coirant article as saying the Hartford Police Mounted Patrol was "a luxury we can't afford".
The first step might be in the elimination of the Hartford Mounted Police. The Horse Unit is apparently a luxury we can't afford according to a quote attributed to Hartford City Council President Shawn Wooden.
How do you gauge the value of the Mounted Patrol. How do you determine the number of muggings that might be prevented by their mere presence in Bushnell Park. How do you determine how many brawls or shootings have been prevented when the bars let out downtown by the presence of a side stepping horse pushing a crowd back and clearing the streets.
Everyone loves to thump their chests and take credit for the media coverage when crime numbers drop, but they don't drop by luck or waving the City Hall magic wand. They drop because we have a very capable Police Chief who has put crime fighting strategies in place . And yes, those strategies cost money. You can't have it both ways
And sadly, you aren't going to fight crimes with empty promises. The Police Academy class that was promised to begin in March has apparently now, according to sources, been pushed off until the new Fiscal year in July. The money spent on overtime to fill vacancies because of that delay would probably fund the mounted unit for many months.
Mr. Wooden, here are a few luxuries that we are paying for that could result in substantial savings. First off make the Office of the Mayor live within his budget and pay for only the positions allowed under the Charter. Does the ego driven Mayor really need a "scheduler" following a few feet behind him wherever he goes, I-Pad in hand. Probably at a salry in excess of $50,000.00 from what I have been told, time for an FOI on that one.
Can we still afford one full time Administrative Assistant for every Councilperson? Now I think that is a luxury we can't afford. The Connecticut Legislature seems to function just fine with three or four Legislator's sharing one Assistant.. Why can't the Hartford City Council follow their lead?.
Can we still afford a full suite of City lawyers in the Corporation Counsel Office. Especially since both the City Council and the Internal Audit Commission are going outside to find their own attorney's for legal advice. That Office is a luxury we can't afford. A complete remake of that office is due, considering the amount of legal work that is now farmed out to outside law firms and the track record of the Corp Counsel.
Another luxury is the salary paid to the Deputy Democratic Registrar who receives his full time pay, even while he is working his second job as the Clerk of the Connecticut Senate. Why? Maybe so he can pay his recent fines for admitting to election fraud with the State Elections Enforcement Commission.
I can go on, but I think I made my point.
Leave the Police Department alone and let the Police Chief do what he knows how to do. You clearly like touting the results so why mess with something that is working.No one on this Council has any law enforcement experience above the level of Police Cadet.
In the meantime, for anyone that is interested in helping to keep the "luxury", both financial donations and physical donations to help with the upkeep of the unit are being solicited. The information is below
Maybe the city can use funds from the rent the Ebony Horse Women pay for city property they occupy to fund the mounted unit. Oh wait, they don't pay anything (wonder what their financial reports look like)
ReplyDeleteGet rid of the dead wood in the Mayor's office. Hartford 2000 is over it is now 2014. Get rid of retired non-resident Linda Bayer. She is a misuse of tax dollars and a nuisance. A young unemployed Hartford resident could do her job and better. Let her go Pedro!!!!
ReplyDeleteMr Mayor just forget about a Deputy for the Chief of Staff. If the Chief of Staff dose not like the hours of his job fire him and move forward. Your staff stumbles over one another.
ReplyDeleteOh, what happened to the two smashed vehicles? Who payed for what? SK Borges is still on the job. How much dose she owe the taxpayers or is it taken out of City of Hartford pay check?
Now that some real leadership is in charge of that unit, let it stay. I can bet u a steak dinner that you will see more of that unit now then before.
ReplyDeleteThey are good public relations. Parks. Hick shows at the meadows. Etc. Much more intimidating then bearcats operated by pj office sgt zero
The unit needs to stay. The council is a joke. They each get their own secretaries kevin?? Wtf?
That is pretty funny kevin. The council does have no police experience above the level of cadet. How about the city council walk the beat on b squad at the intersection of vine st @ albany ave ? Crime is not down. On paper yes . But there is a ton of stuff that goes un reported. Out of fear or just the fact that it takes too long for a police response. Numbers are low
ReplyDeleteAnd even the one with the Cadet experience, wasn't he fired while in the academy? Sounds like he may have issues with anything doing with the Police
ReplyDeletePresident Wooden,
ReplyDeleteMaybe a luxury you could afford is a time clock to keep track of those Council Assistants. The times I have been up there it is a Ghost Town, when do they work?
As a regular reader, I keep hearing about the lack of respect and all the questions of the PJ Office. Why isn't that being addressed , it seems like a real morale problem, sounds a little underhanded also
ReplyDeleteKevin,
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing this to the public eye. Unfortunately micro management of Hartford's various Departments will never be effective. The best way to affect change in any department is to put individuals with character, integrity and effective experience in charge of Departments. It worked at the HPD!
Kevin,
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing this to the public eye. Unfortunately micro management of Hartford's various Departments will never be effective. The best way to affect change in any department is to put individuals with character, integrity and effective experience in charge of Departments. It worked at the HPD!
Why don't you leave Hartford's Finest alone? Give Hartford's Police Chief James Rovella what he needs more money for new recruits. Public safety is the most important job in the city. The Mounted Police are an asset for the City of Hartford. Dose anyone on the Court of Common Council understand that? Downsize your full time aides. And demand that Pedro downsize his full time cabinet. What a savings Hartford would have to give to the Police Department!!!!!!
ReplyDeletehow much illegal items and personal items were revealed on those P -card reports? Apple store, caviar dinners, five star hotels? what a joke pedro, wait till nov you are out!!!The city is a mess as it is, the cops do a good job, put more money into the police instead of dumb ideas such as projects in Puerto rico.
ReplyDeleteWhat is more important? Each city council member having a secretary or more cops on the street? the horses are needed. Pedro why don't you stop spending money on caviar dinners and painting houses purple. Crime and safety should be top priority, and from what I am told, the police dept is severely down on officers. So what happens next? It takes years for one class of recruits to get ready for the streets. Its not easy like hiring a criminal as your chief of staff. Pedro, and that news letter for city employees is also a luxury. how much city work time is that costing the city?
ReplyDeleteShame on you City Council. Lets impound all the unregistered vehicles in the city? instead we let private companies tow the vehicles. Learn from other large cities. They run their own city impound lots and make millions in revenue. There are tons of cost saving ideas to implement, but the stale vision in city hall would rather just dine on caviar and spend kevin's tax dollars on six figure pensions.
ReplyDeleteThem fat cat politicians stuff them bellies full of monies. Only around election times will any ones come knocking on my crib for a vote. Them bellies full of distrust and citys monies. Dem not getin any my cents and dollars.
ReplyDeleteBecause of Charter Revision Pedro can do what he wants when he wants. However, one of these days he will step and fall in the mudd and no one will be able to save him. The day is coming. Pedro is always unaware of a fact and has a very negative reaction when he is questioned. In fact, he gets extremely nasty and heated and his face turns berry red. This is the same Pedro that was quoted in the Hartford Courant that he was going to finish the remainder of Eddie Perez's term and was not interested in running for Mayor in his own rite. Really Pedro, a little power turned you into the KING OF THE WILD HARTFORD FRONTIER!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen do Hartford taxpayers find out about the 2 smashed cars? What a mystery? One lady employee gets fired and is sueing the city. The other lady is continuing to work. Her husband a high ranking Hartford Firefighter was driving her city owned car the evening the car was smashed. So what is what....who is paying the tab? The Mounted Police can used these questionable funds to provide safety features to the City of Hartford. Wake Up Mayor Pedro something must to done ASAP!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Mayor needs to make decision about either keeping civilian supervisors or sergeants in Public Safety Dispatch Center. you don't need both waste of money. The fact finding report was done months of ago by the sergeants an given to the mayor. You have five civilian supervisors an a Training coordinator making good money who doesn't do anything.
ReplyDeleteHey kevin. Foi the sgt dispatch pay recently. On average 3-4 8 hr ot shifts a week. That is a ton of money for what ? What do they do? That is money that could go to the horse food. U know what. I bet one of those horses could be mayor and do a better job.
ReplyDeleteThe Deputy Chiefs at the Fire Department are making mega-bucks in their weekly overtime, and the rank and file firefighters overtime has virtually dried up to nothing. It's all who you are and who you know!
ReplyDelete