Lakewood's 2012 Estimate of Expense/Comprehensive Budget

[Scott Meeson]

Jim O'Bryan,

I thought this would be of interest to you:
http://www.onelakewood.com/pdf/Finance%20Reports/2012_Lakewood_Comprehensive_Budget.pdf

Doesn't appear to be any cuts for police or fire.

Scott

[marklingm]

Doesn't appear to be any cuts for police ...

Scott,

The police part of the story appears to be told on page 78 of the 2012 Estimate of Expense Comprehensive Budget Document (November 15, 2011).

The fact appears to be that the City of Lakewood had two less full-time sergeants and one less part-time patrol officer in 2011 than it had in both 2009 and 2010.

Mike is simply “proposing on paper” that the two full-time sergeant positions be brought back sometime in 2012. Time will tell whether Mike’s paper proposal becomes an actual fact.

Nonetheless, the fact that two full-time sergeant positions are proposed to be brought back sometime in 2012 begs further questions - such as:

Are the constant reports of Lakewood crime on other local media/news/information outlets true?

If crime is actually up in Lakewood, why have the two full-time sergeant positions not already been filled in 2011?

When in 2012 should we expect to actually see these two full-time sergeants? December 31, 2012?

If everything is just fine and there is nothing to see here, why not simply move along and not fill the two full-time sergeant positions?

And, what can we really take from the 2012 proposals when the below disclaimer is on page 77?

Prepare for possible budgetary reductions in 2013 and its impact on staffing and delivery of services.

Matt