NewsHound
10-07-2011, 02:34 PM
From Jacksonville.com
Sheriff John Rutherford said he doesn't expect the budget-crunch layoffs of 48 rookie Jacksonville patrol officers to affect emergencies, as those cops will be replaced, but slower service for other calls is possible.
"I hope that the response time they see to non-emergency stuff won't be too bad, but I honestly believe that the emergency response will be fine," Rutherford said Wednesday.
Rutherford said slower service could occur for calls such as non-injury accidents and minor property thefts. Non-injury accidents are handled by community service officers, whose force of 90 has been reduced to 70.
The sheriff said the jobless police officers have been put on a rehire list. He said they could return if the police union backs off its refusal to accept a 2 percent pay cut sought by the city.
Union President Nelson Cuba has blamed the cuts on Mayor Alvin Brown and the City Council for a budget shortfall and Rutherford for not doing a better job managing his budget. Rutherford said he and Cuba spoke after each round of layoffs Monday and Tuesday.
"I told him until my salary expenses meet my salary revenues, these layoffs have to remain," Rutherford said. "It's clearly in their hands."
Cuba criticized Rutherford Wednesday for backing a pay cut while Cuba continues contract negotiations with the city's new administration.
"He's turned against his rank and file. They feel betrayed," Cuba said.
The union and city are at impasse - during which they can still negotiate - and are awaiting an arbitrator's non-binding recommendation. If either side disagrees with the arbitrator, the recommendation goes to the City Council for a final decision.
Rutherford said he is backfilling the laid-off patrol jobs with transfers of "more seasoned" officers from other units including:
- Operation Safe Streets, which is losing seven officers assigned to high-crime areas.
- Mounted Patrol, which is losing three officers in the disbanding full five-horse unit that works Jaguars games and other events for crowd control.
- International Affairs, which is losing one of three officers who promote crime prevention in non-English speaking communities.
Other transfers are coming from crime prevention, aviation, parks, internal affairs, crime-free multi-housing inspections, the police academy and employee assistance.
Rutherford also warned that 34 more cops could be laid off in March if the mayor and council do not allow him to privatize his fleet management, including vehicle repairs and gas purchases. He anticipates saving $1.2 million by the change.
Rutherford has told the city for years that privatizing fleet services can save money, said Councilman Richard Clark, Finance Committee chairman. But any move to private providers should be done by the whole city and not one agency, he said.
"We agree 100 percent with the sheriff," Clark said. "That isn't to say that we're going to let any constitutional officer abandon what we're doing collectively."
Clark said a council committee on privatizing told the city's procurement office last month to draft invitations for private companies and the city motor pool to bid for contracts supplying fuel, auto repairs and other services that the motor pool does now.
Along with the 48 officers laid off, Rutherford also laid off 29 civilians, 14 community service officers and 15 other people. He also cut 42 vacancies, including two lieutenants, 23 officers and six community service officers.
Rutherford said numerous ranks were also reduced as jobs were eliminated. At least some holding appointed posts as administrators are entitled under civil service rules to revert to lower ranks.
There were 129 jobs eliminated, saving about $7.5 million. Interestingly, Rutherford said it costs between $60,000 and $70,000 to train recruits over 11 months, which means it costs a minimum of nearly $2.9 million to train the laid off officers. They came from the last two police academy classes.
Rutherford said he personally consoled each laid-off officer, who had to turn in their gear and take-home cars. He said others drove them home.
"I have to tell you I am incredibly proud of the character that I have seen exhibited," Rutherford said.
Sheriff John Rutherford said he doesn't expect the budget-crunch layoffs of 48 rookie Jacksonville patrol officers to affect emergencies, as those cops will be replaced, but slower service for other calls is possible.
"I hope that the response time they see to non-emergency stuff won't be too bad, but I honestly believe that the emergency response will be fine," Rutherford said Wednesday.
Rutherford said slower service could occur for calls such as non-injury accidents and minor property thefts. Non-injury accidents are handled by community service officers, whose force of 90 has been reduced to 70.
The sheriff said the jobless police officers have been put on a rehire list. He said they could return if the police union backs off its refusal to accept a 2 percent pay cut sought by the city.
Union President Nelson Cuba has blamed the cuts on Mayor Alvin Brown and the City Council for a budget shortfall and Rutherford for not doing a better job managing his budget. Rutherford said he and Cuba spoke after each round of layoffs Monday and Tuesday.
"I told him until my salary expenses meet my salary revenues, these layoffs have to remain," Rutherford said. "It's clearly in their hands."
Cuba criticized Rutherford Wednesday for backing a pay cut while Cuba continues contract negotiations with the city's new administration.
"He's turned against his rank and file. They feel betrayed," Cuba said.
The union and city are at impasse - during which they can still negotiate - and are awaiting an arbitrator's non-binding recommendation. If either side disagrees with the arbitrator, the recommendation goes to the City Council for a final decision.
Rutherford said he is backfilling the laid-off patrol jobs with transfers of "more seasoned" officers from other units including:
- Operation Safe Streets, which is losing seven officers assigned to high-crime areas.
- Mounted Patrol, which is losing three officers in the disbanding full five-horse unit that works Jaguars games and other events for crowd control.
- International Affairs, which is losing one of three officers who promote crime prevention in non-English speaking communities.
Other transfers are coming from crime prevention, aviation, parks, internal affairs, crime-free multi-housing inspections, the police academy and employee assistance.
Rutherford also warned that 34 more cops could be laid off in March if the mayor and council do not allow him to privatize his fleet management, including vehicle repairs and gas purchases. He anticipates saving $1.2 million by the change.
Rutherford has told the city for years that privatizing fleet services can save money, said Councilman Richard Clark, Finance Committee chairman. But any move to private providers should be done by the whole city and not one agency, he said.
"We agree 100 percent with the sheriff," Clark said. "That isn't to say that we're going to let any constitutional officer abandon what we're doing collectively."
Clark said a council committee on privatizing told the city's procurement office last month to draft invitations for private companies and the city motor pool to bid for contracts supplying fuel, auto repairs and other services that the motor pool does now.
Along with the 48 officers laid off, Rutherford also laid off 29 civilians, 14 community service officers and 15 other people. He also cut 42 vacancies, including two lieutenants, 23 officers and six community service officers.
Rutherford said numerous ranks were also reduced as jobs were eliminated. At least some holding appointed posts as administrators are entitled under civil service rules to revert to lower ranks.
There were 129 jobs eliminated, saving about $7.5 million. Interestingly, Rutherford said it costs between $60,000 and $70,000 to train recruits over 11 months, which means it costs a minimum of nearly $2.9 million to train the laid off officers. They came from the last two police academy classes.
Rutherford said he personally consoled each laid-off officer, who had to turn in their gear and take-home cars. He said others drove them home.
"I have to tell you I am incredibly proud of the character that I have seen exhibited," Rutherford said.