PLEA has been informed by department management that the City is going to start moving officers around in the precincts. The reason for this: The past management team’s lack of foresight in opening up the new precincts and adding several new squads during a time when the Department was losing officers and would not be hiring for several years. PLEA and our community partners begged and pleaded with the 4th floor last year not to conduct a city-wide rebid and delay opening the new precincts (keep them as sub stations) until such time we could staff them properly. PLEA was repeatedly told that there was plenty of “fluff” built into the rebid numbers and that we would not have patrol staffing problems down the road. I guess the “fluff” has gone away as there are now squads with only 4 officers assigned to them. Before the rebid, PLEA attended meetings with city and department management where Police Department leaders were told we would not be hiring until at least year 2013 – 2014. Police Department management was also informed at these meetings that it was the City’s intent to “shrink” the department during this time. The department still decided to open the new precincts even though they knew there was a severe staffing shortage on the horizon. Again, they refused to listen to any reasonable suggestions from PLEA and our community partners. There is a concern that the short sighted management practices of the past are staining the interim management team’s direction. There appears to be a lack of concern for the welfare and family life of rank and file officers. It is easy to make decisions when your “N” days and hours of work are not constantly being threatened. PLEA would like to thank Assistant Chief’s McClelland and Robinson for inviting us to patrol division staff to discuss this issue. PLEA will keep you posted as to how the department plans to address these staffing issues.
