At last count, Kansas City is at 33 homicides on the year. Now comes word that 31 police recruits will be getting pink slips once they graduate from the Police Academy to help cover the Kansas City Police Department's $15 million budget shortfall. Not to mention, Kansas City Police Chief Jim Corwin said 42 vacant officer jobs won't be filled. Add in retirements (there are 10 mandatory retirements this year), and we could be seeing a hundred fewer officers on the streets. The Kansas City Star reports that police officials are also considering:
The final decision on cuts is expected on May 1.
- shutting down the helicopter unit: $412,134
- eliminating off-site training: $218,424
- requiring 40-hour furloughs: $2.6 million
- laying off 22 civilians on June 30 and 84 officers on August 22: $3.6 million
- not adding money to self-insurance fund: $1 million
- not buying new vehicles: $1 million
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Don't forget the City is shooting itself in the foot twice. Not only are we losing the new recruits, but the older more experienced officers as well (Many have mandatory retirement)
Think of it this way the new recruits spend street time with the older officers to learn what really goes on and how to deal with crime on the streets.... this is not textbook learning but a chance for the experienced officer to pass 25-30 years of Law Enforcement experience to new officers.
Now we are losing not only the new recruits but the experienced officers as well.
Older officers Shepard the new ones in real life professional law enforcement.
Once we lose the experienced officers and have no new blood coming into the department it going to really hurt Kansas City.
Thank you.
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