I just retired from the police department after 30 years of service and cannot remember a time when the public, police administration or the mayor and city commissioners could not come to some kind of agreement. During my 30 years I worked every overtime assignment I could to provide a better life for my family. Officers not only work their 40 hour work week but oftentimes have to work overtime at all hours of the day and night, weekends, holidays, and family birthdays and special ocasions to provide a better life for their family. Thats what it takes to get ahead in today's economy. Don't blame the officers trying to make ends meat. I feel that the mayor and commissioners have been spending money on projects that don't need to be started. Every project the city starts is always behind completion schedule, and way over budget. I'll bet the waterfront project was way over budget, and why spend the money beautifing Windsor Ave. from 25th. St to 30th.St. I guess it will make people feel better when they drive to the scrap yard, junk yard or tow company lot along the railroad tracks. Let the mayor and commissioners take a pay cut, have to pay for their own medical insurance, give up their city vehicles, and give up their city cell phones. The cops are out their doing a job 24/7, in bad weather, on holidays and on special family occasions while your overpaid elected officials are home safe and sound. The police are not asking for a raise, they just don't want to loose or give up any of their benefits that took them 30 years to aquire because our mayor and commissioners continue to throw our tax dollars away. Everything boils down to money, greed and power on our elected officials part.
I just retired from the police department after 30 years of service and cannot remember a time when the public, police administration or the mayor and city commissioners could not come to some kind of agreement. During my 30 years I worked every overtime assignment I could to provide a better life for my family. Officers not only work their 40 hour work week but oftentimes have to work overtime at all hours of the day and night, weekends, holidays, and family birthdays and special ocasions to provide a better life for their family. Thats what it takes to get ahead in today's economy. Don't blame the officers trying to make ends meat. I feel that the mayor and commissioners have been spending money on projects that don't need to be started. Every project the city starts is always behind completion schedule, and way over budget. I'll bet the waterfront project was way over budget, and why spend the money beautifing Windsor Ave. from 25th. St to 30th.St. I guess it will make people feel better when they drive to the scrap yard, junk yard or tow company lot along the railroad tracks. Let the mayor and commissioners take a pay cut, have to pay for their own medical insurance, give up their city vehicles, and give up their city cell phones. The cops are out their doing a job 24/7, in bad weather, on holidays and on special family occasions while your overpaid elected officials are home safe and sound. The police are not asking for a raise, they just don't want to loose or give up any of their benefits that took them 30 years to aquire because our mayor and commissioners continue to throw our tax dollars away. Everything boils down to money, greed and power on our elected officials part.