Wave of Fire and Police Cutbacks Continues

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg thinks technology can replace firefighters, a la the Revolution in Military Affairs disaster. Faced with complete financial collapse, other cities are reported to be trying similar things. The latest horrendous cuts reported:

New York City - The New York Fire Department is on track to answer the most calls in one year in its 145-year history, yet Bloomberg is expected to propose closing dozens of fire stations. The next round of cutbacks will be the sixth since he became mayor nine years ago, and he is accused of using the city's budget problems as an excuse to "transform" the fire department without a public debate. His administration has sunk millions of dollars into a computer system that supposedly reduces the amount of manpower required to respond to emergencies.

Lynwood, Wash. - Has a $21 million gap in its 2011-2012 budget, which works out to about $9 million for the police department, which translates into about 23 police department jobs. The fire department would lose $4.3 million and one-third of its firefighters and paramedics in the 63-person department.

Bellingham, Wash. - The city council is to vote, tonight, to eliminate 10 more city jobs because revenues for FY10 are $1.5 million below expectations. There were 63 positions already eliminated in the 2009 and 2010 budgets.

Redlands, Calif. - The city council released a list of the jobs lost due to budget cuts. The police department took the biggest hit, with 21 positions eliminated, 15 of them civilians. One officer was laid off, the rest were vacant positions that were eliminated.

San Jose, Calif. - The fire department was kept busy by three fires between 2 and 4:30 a.m., one of which killed an 8-year-old girl. Response time to that fire was six minutes. Two of the fires occurred in areas where the fire stations are slated for closure due to budget cuts.

Saginaw, Mich. - If voters turn down the five-year, 6-mill public safety millage [amount of tax paid per dollar] renewal, they will have to cut 32 police and 20 firefighters from the 105-person police and 65-person firefighting forces. The police force had 160 officers in 1999, went to 97 by 2006 and the crime rate soared. Same result would follow new cuts.

Delhi, Mich. - If a property tax increase on the ballot doesn't pass, police officials are warning that the police department will be reduced from 18 officers to 9.

Georgia - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the following role call of police cutbacks in the Atlanta region:

* Cobb County: 18 police officers accepted early retirement this year. There are now nine vacancies in a 592-person force.

* DeKalb County police had 80 officers take early retirement this year and has 100 vacancies.

* Gwinnett County police had 53 officers take early retirement last year and, after swearing in 23 new officers, there are 46 vacancies on a current force of 713.

* Clayton County police will have to take four furlough days in the year ahead, and the force has 37 vacancies. There is a hiring freeze.

Tempe, Az. - The firefighters union will file a breach of contract suit against the city, because the city imposed a 5% wage cut (by way of furloughs) on all of its employees. The union also said that the fire department has been working hard to keep two engine companies from being cut.

Omaha, Neb. - Omaha's mayor proposes to slice $5.5 million off the fire department budget. He is also proposing $44 million in higher taxes.