If the proposed budget goes through and the layoffs take place (and that won't happen without a fight), Police Chief Mike Halphen and Fire Chief Sammy Halphen have a thankless and difficult job ahead. Eighty positions are being cut in those two departments. Of the 40 positions cut in the Police Department 23 layoffs of current officers will take place. In the Fire Department, 38 current employees would lose their job. At least one fire station will be closed. Ironically, a fire station is currently under construction.
In addition, and just importantly, 37 other city employees will lose their jobs. The challenge will be to provide the best possible fire and police protection with the decimated departments. Response times will necessarily be affected.
Police Chief Halphen has announced that he will postpone his retirement until this is all sorted out.
Hopefully, the proposed budget will be closely examined and some alternatives will be seriously considered. In the meantime, let's all show our support to all of the policemen, firemen and their department heads, as well as to all of the other people whose lives and families will be affected by this situation.
We will blog more in the next few days about what caused the crisis and what some possible solutions may be.
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ReplyDeleteThere have to be other areas that can be cut besides police and fire. These positions are too important to the city. The quality of life in Bossier is so much better than other areas and it is due to the diligence of the police department. They do an outstanding job.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the money from the Cyber Innovation center, The Haynesville Shale money, The Casino tax money, The Global Strike Command, property taxes and sales taxes? Where is the money going? What is in the budget? We need to know! Where is the transparency in the Bossier government, I see none.
I love your quote and keep up the great job. Make the government accountable to the people.
Thanks for the comment. I have linked your blog in the right sidebar of My Bossier, and also linked you and put your feed on North Louisiana Blogs.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Attorney General needs to investigate where all the city money has gone.
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