Regionalized Policing. Atkinson is perfect for it.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

PLEASE POST THIS ARTICLE:

Regionalized Policing. Atkinson is perfect for it.

All over the country towns are banding together to realize the cost savings by eliminating redundant overhead costs associated with redundant facilities, insurance, utilities, police cars and computers. Atkinson could outsource its police department and save half of its police budget which if tallied accurately is now close to $1 Million. Instant savings of $500K per year which is $5 Million over 10 years.

How did such a small town grow such a large PD budget with all its unnecessary and redundant assets, cars and don't forget the detective, oh yes how many crimes solved by that unnecessary position, think about it really. Too bad we have no crime stats to base the need for so much expense. The demand simply doesn't exist. We have 12 police cars? Really? WHY? And don't quote me the 1 police officer per x number of residents BS, that formula works for towns like Derry or Salem where they have crime and commercial districts. Our police costs are twice what they were less than 10 years ago. What will they be in another 10 years? And what happens when they push for a new police department. The current PD building is insufficient so taxpayers better get ready for a new $1 Million police facility. Bend over. We have to create a full time chief position cause a nice guy is involved and he'll need a nice new building.

People I have bills to pay and am sorry the current arrangement is driving my taxes up and having a different colored police car driving around would make zero difference.

We could outsource to Plaistow or Salem since we only need 3, 8 hour shifts covered (1 shift 24/7). No more extra salaries or insurances or lawsuits or vehicle maintenance or free gas and cars to the privileged few which happens NOWHERE ELSE. And with all of the workforce administration eliminated we free up the town hall personel to do real work for us taxpayers. No more personnel complaints. No more dealing with payroll and benefits of all the extra unnecessary staff. It would be like a vacation working at Town Hall.

I's the law of supply and demand. We have an oversupply of a police department for small amount of criminal demand. We cut a deal with say Plaistow to keep the current full timers for at least one year, guaranteed and after that the chips fall where they may. We sell all the police dept assets and raise like $400,000 to pay down the tax rate or pay towards the library bond.

WE DON'T NEED THIS BLOATED Dept. Someone please prove to me with facts we need it. PROVE IT I DARE YOU! It is the 21st century. As long as we have 24 hour coverage, that's all we need. I know the notion of not having a PD is foreign to everyone. Do some research for yourself. Regional policing is common practice. Imagine for a moment the reverse was true where we had regional policing today and someone proposed establishing a police dept with a building and cars and computers etc. It would NEVER pass the voters because it would be to costly! You know I'm right.

With the savings, we hire a part time person to run Elderly Affairs and heck we can increase the EA budget.

AND with the $500K per year savings we can pay off the library bond in 3 years and save another few hundred thousand.

The bloated PD is so much overkill its beyond ridiculous. When you have to move line items out of your budget like insurance to hide the bloatedness of your budget, the writing's on the wall.

We live in Mayberry RFD. There's no crime here. Why are we paying like its Haverhill?

Regionalized policing. We save a fortune and have the lowest tax rate in the state. Love the idea. The 21st century is coming soon to Atkinson.

January 10, 2011 5:55 PM