Poll: $50,000 Too Much For Police Overtime?
Current projections have Chester Borough Police exceeding their $35,000 budget for overtime in 2012.
Currently, the future of the police services in Chester Borough is being looked at by a special police committee that includes council member Janet Hoven, former Mayor Ted Eible, Monsignor Raymond and former Township Chief of Police Jeff Smith.
The committee is currently meeting with representatives from Chester Township to discuss contracting services, a hotly debated issue that has caused morale issues in the Chester Borough Police Department.
At the previous meeting of the Mayor and Council, Mayor Bob Davis commented that the Police Department is on course to hit over $50,000 in overtime for 2012.
The issue of overtime is something Davis asked Chief Andre Kedrowitsch during the budget meetings, stating that costs have tripled under Kedrowitsch’s watch. Currently, there is only $35,000 in the budget for police overtime.
So we want to know if the cost of police overtime concerns you.
Oldtimer
6:07 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
With retirements and new hires, overall costs are probably down. I know the department was short staffed due to illnesses and being down an office or two, so $50,000 isn't all that much. What amount of hours are we talking? 2-300 a year. Not much at all. Let's look at the staffing levels and number of calls handled in the last 6 years and see if it is in line. No, I am not a member of the department, but have been around the area since the 1950's and have a lot of respect for the men and women of the department.
Russ Crespolini
6:17 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Good points oldtimer. I will have another piece in the next day or two with details straight from the department.
Mark r
11:22 am on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
I can't wait to see the real figures from the department directly. I hope it shuts a lot of people's mouth including the Mayors. I guarantee it is no where near any of the other surrounding towns. People like to run their mouth about the overtime, but they have no idea what these officers have to go through, especially to deal with some of the "high class" people of chester. More arrests are being made which in turn causes overtime.. I'd rather pay for them to make those arrests then to look the other way when something happens.. People need to stop complaining about police because they are the ones doing the job that people who aren't cops can't do, plain and simple.
Russ Crespolini
8:37 pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Mark...spent two hours with the chief today. Lots of info. Boiling it down, and yes, you are correct it is not as high as many other towns. Within the next day or two I will have it together. Want to make sure I do it justice and not rush it.