Liz and Post, No one can verify the projected $750,000 savings with merging the Park Police into the City Police Department!
After questioning, and questioning years ago, if found the number was put forth by Chief Olson, current chief of Minneapolis Police at that time, without any hard numbers. Even after conversations with him, it was not clear where he came up with this number! Unfortunately, this number is still being repeated by other elected officials even though it has absolutely no foundation in reality. The REAL savings may be a single police sergeant/officer position at a cost of savings approx. $75,000 for a merger. The implications for potential reduced safety in the parks would not justify this savings in my mind. Sincerely, John Erwin City-wide Park Board Commissioner Message: 1 Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2005 11:52:39 -0500 From: Elizabeth Wielinski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [mpls] Dan Niziolek's commentary in the Strib To: MPLS FORUM <mpls@mnforum.org> Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed The entire article can be read at this link. http://www.startribune.com/stories/562/5606438.html My question has to do with the comment below... > Placed greater pressure on the Park Board to merge its police > department with the city's (The estimated savings from decreasing > administrative redundancy is $750,000 per year.) Who out there can VERIFY that this would be a true cost savings? I personally was not thrilled that the MPRB chose a time of budget shortfalls to spend the money to redo their lower level to house the police ( check out the nifty retro lights if you are in building) but if the Park Police were merged with the city police would our parks be safe? I am not usually one to agree with Commissioner Dziedzic ( and he'll be happy to point that out ) but we have had discussions about this subject and I am inclined to believe that there would not be a substantial savings and the parks would be less safe. He even pointed out that in cities like Philadelphia, where they combined the police, they are considering separate park police again due to safety concerns. And if you dial 911 in Minneapolis and a park police car is the closest available car you might get them before MPD as they are both dispatched by the same operators ( or vice versa, or maybe both as in the Jason Stone incident). One of the biggest issues with the MPRB police was retention of officers. Many were trained ( at approx $75,000 for a sworn officer) for the summer season and then laid off come fall where they then used their training and experience ( at our expense ) to get jobs elsewhere. The following year the MPRB would be back to training a new group. Due to the endeavors of Commissioner Erwin the police from the schools now become park police over the summer. This has greatly cut down on training expenses and to paraphrase Commissioner Dziedzic , those cops know who the troublemakers are cause they see them in the schools most of the year and then in the parks during the summer. We are not the only city that has a separate Park Police department... http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parkpolice/ http://www.sanantonio.gov/sapar/parkpolice.asp?res=1024&ver=true and many other counties have them as well ( though often they are called "park rangers" which unfortunately makes most of us think of Yogi Bear more than park safety) Liz Wielinski Columbia Park who is now going to find a pic-a-nic basket REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@mnforum.org Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
