 |
| Long Beach Police Department (California) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Schipske to Propose
Using the $500,000 Approved by Council for Consultants to Restore Cuts in Police Services– Says Mayor
Should Appoint a Citizen Blue Ribbon Panel to Serve as Consultants to City Management
December 8, 2012
Long Beach, CA – Just one week after the City Council on a
5-4 vote approved spending up to $500,000 to retain Management Partners, a
Cincinnati, Ohio based consulting group to advise on governmental reform, Councilwoman
Gerrie Schipske announced that she will make a motion during Council on Tuesday
to redirect the $500,000 to the Police department in order to “restore some of
the cuts that were made to the department this budget cycle.”
“Every area of the City of Long Beach is experiencing a
severe increase in crime,” says Schipske who placed an item on this coming Tuesday
Council agenda, asking for an update on police response times.
“I placed the item concerning the Police response times
because of the numerous complaints I received from residents who are concerned
about the increases in crime. My constituents are having their homes and cars
broken into constantly and are being told that due to budget cuts there are not
enough police. I don’t know how anyone on the council can tell our residents
that we need consultants when we don’t have enough police.”
Schipske also will propose that instead of hiring out of
town consultants to review the City of Long Beach, that the Mayor should
appoint a “Blue Ribbon Citizen Panel” and let them advise on how to improve
City management.
“This City has 450,000 people and among them are many
talented people who know a thing or two about how to make organizations run
better. Many of those people actually work for the City of Long Beach or are in
the private sector that does business with the City. We also have expert faculty
at our major university and community college so I am confident we can fill a ‘Blue
Ribbon Citizen Panel’ quickly and without spending $500,000.”
#30
