| Updated: 6/30/2009 5:54 pm |
Published: 6/30/2009 5:53 pm
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New developments in the fight to keep Tulsa police officers on the streets. Fox 23 has learned the police union is considering axing positions rather than agreeing to furloughs, as the department faces a cash crunch. Fox 23’s Douglas Clark has details.
In order to meet its budget goals the police department has two options –everybody can take eight unpaid days off or the department can lay off the 48 officers who have been with the department the least amount of time. They’re the lowest paid officers, but critics say the cost of taking them off the street could be much higher.
The police union is scrambling to finalize its contract with the city of Tulsa, which requires eliminating $1.5 million from the police department's budget. But the police contract does not allow for the requested furloughs, nor does city charter, forcing the department to look at another option – cutting the most junior officers from the force.
“Our concern as a police department is how to help the city save money at a time when the budget is under great stress, and at the same time, provide optimal police service. And obviously if we lay officers off, it’s going to be very difficult to maintain that optimal service,” says Deputy Chief Daryl Webster.
Forty-eight lower-ranking officers could be cut from the department; their salaries are the financial equivalent of furloughs. That concerns union officials and Chief Ron Palmer, who are working to maintain minimum staffing levels on Tulsa streets. Layoffs would require an immediate reorganization of the department.
“Were layoffs to occur, we would have to take a number of officers in administrative positions and shift them into patrol positions in order to maintain minimum manning levels on patrol,” says Webster.
According to Webster, as it is, between 24 and 30 officers leave the department every year when they retire or quit. And according to a manpower study completed last August, the department needs an additional 67 sworn officers. If 48 people are cut from the already understaffed department, cops worry about the time it will take to respond to emergencies.
“Obviously fewer officers means they are stretched to cover more calls…presumably response times increase,” says Webster.
Despite the pay cut, the furlough option would allow the department to maintain adequate staffing levels, not impacting response times or public safety.
The police union will be voting on whether members want the furlough option or the layoff option next Wednesday.
