Sunday, August 16, 2009

Police Departments Practice Belt-Tightening

With the recession continuing, municipal police departments across the state have been forced to tighten their belts, and staffing levels are taking center stage. The drop-off in the number of new hires in Ocean County has been so severe that the fall session of the county's police academy has been canceled. With only four cadets — all new hires from Lakewood Township — scheduled to enroll in an eight-month session that was to have started this month, Ocean County was unable to hold a regular academy session for the first time in decades. read full article in APP.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

So basically every department in Ocean County is exercising fiscal responsibility *except* Lakewood Township... Nice job, guys.

Anonymous said...

You got it wrong! Basically every township in Ocean County can survive without adding more officers *except* Lakewood. You're probably one of the first to jump on the PD whenever a crime happens but when they are trying to beef up the force which sorely needs more manpower you knock them!! Use your brains before blogging.

Anonymous said...

Make Lakewood a City and you'll get more funding.

Anonymous said...

It's not a question of manpower - the LTPD has plenty of manpower. It's a question of how that manpower is allocated. Scale back on the roster doing "quality of life" duty (fundraising, essentially), discontinue the multiple on-duty traffic units assigned to the Blue Claws, etc. and reallocate those resources, financial & human, toward a greater patrol presence in the developments on the 11-7 and beefing up the gang task force. Do this and you'll see a reduction in crime *without* adding manpower at a time when its fiscally irresponsible to do so.

Anonymous said...

the lpd while doing a good job is bloated with extra personell at taxpayers expense ita about time for them to start downsizing and stop waisting taxpayers money.

Anonymous said...

to anon 1:59am - those traffic units at the blueclaws and at road construction sites are not on a shift, they are being scheduled outside their regular shifts at the expense of blueclaws and the construction companies who pay the officers

Anonymous said...

That's true re: the construction sites, but the township picks up the tab for the units (usually three each) stationed on New Hampshire & Cedarbridge Avenues before & after Blue Claws games.

Anonymous said...

anon 6:02pm why don't you check into your facts before posting so you don't look sily! The Blue Claws pays for those officers they are off duty.

Anonymous said...

Is their equipment off duty, too?