TALK ABOUT A COP OUT!!!!

TALK ABOUT A COP OUT!!!! 

At last night’s Town Council meeting, it was announced that the Town Personnel Study being conducted by Eaton Peabody would not include the Police Department.  This was because Eaton Peabody does not have any qualified personnel to perform this study.  

The Town Manager has requested quotes from other firms to complete this Personnel Study.  The town has received one quote that was for $3,000-10,000.00 dollars.   Councilor Bickford stated that this amount was too high and the town should consider not doing the Police Department. 

I am truly amazed to what length these Councilors will go to protect Chief Brooks and the Police Department budget.  Councilor Bickford has no problem spending tax dollars for the Personnel Study for the rest of the town.  He has no problem spending tax dollars for anything Chief Brooks wants.  All of the other departments have been asked every year to streamline their budget to only the bare necessaries with the exception of the Police Department.  Every year the Police Department budget is increased.  Last year, it was increased by approximately $74,000.00 tax dollars. 

The Police Department has outdated job descriptions, two Detectives, an Administrative Assistant and two part-time Secretaries.  These are just the ones I know about.  If the town reduced the number of Detectives the town could save either $70,813.25 or $64,076.73 depending on which Detective was let go.  This would more than offset the cost of the study.  If the town reduced the number of Administrative Assistants/Secretaries the town could save between $40,657.88 and $10,380.96.  Again, this would be more than enough to pay for the Study.   

Now, since the Forfeiture Funds are designed to enhance the overall performance of the Police Department; why not use the Forfeiture Funds to pay for the Personnel Study.  The whole idea behind the Forfeiture Funds is to make our police force more efficient then why not utilize these funds for what they are designed for instead of purchasing balls and a ball launcher for the K-9 or assault weapons to be used on the residents of Lisbon. 

It is totally wrong to subject town employees to a Personnel Study without doing the Police Department.  Chief Brooks does not want anyone poking around in his department and will do anything to prevent it.  Councilor Bickford will do whatever he needs to do to protect the police department budget from being reduced.  Watch over the next several months and you will see how many other councilors do the same.    

Councilors should make sure their votes are in the best interest of the town and not to move forward a different agenda. 

Larry Fillmore