Wiseman pleads to keep officers
By Jane Beathard
Staff Writer
London Police Chief Dave Wiseman asked city council on Thursday to reconsider a proposed 15 percent cut next year in his department’s budget.
Council will likely approve that budget in November.
“Cuts are inevitable,” Wiseman said. “But not all city departments are being cut equally.”
According to city auditor Katie Hensel, closing the municipal pool will reduce the parks and recreation allocation by 41 percent. A fire protection contract with Somerford Township mandates only an 11 percent budget cut for the fire department. The city’s three boards and commissions will receive 38 percent less money in 2013 than in 2012, but rarely use all allocated funds.
She acknowledged the police department will suffer the greatest overall impact from reduced funding.
London’s draft budget for 2013 cuts money for police operations and personal services from $1.9 million to $1.6 million. Most of that dollar amount goes to salaries and benefits.
“Our only option is to cut personnel,” Wiseman said.
A loss of nearly $300,000 in funding translates to five fewer officers patrolling London streets.
“We won’t be able to keep two officers on the road at all times,” Wiseman said.
It also means no police presence at the annual Strawberry Festival, Jazz & Ribs Fest and Old Fashion Christmas.
Wiseman urged council members to assess community needs and avoid across-the-board reductions.
“You need to prioritize as to needed services,” he said.
Council member Pat Closser agreed.
“Do we need a (full time) parks and recreation director if the pool closes?” Closser asked.
He said keeping London’s streets safe should top the priority list.
Council member Stan Kavy said it’s important to protect citizens, but few options remain for belt tightening.
“We have no place left to cut,” Kavy added.
Council member Dick Minner said the city is burdened with the cost of maintaining too many buildings.
“We’ve got too much property,” Minner said. “We’re heating locations we don’t need to heat.”
He urged selling some buildings and consolidating city offices in the former London Primary School at the corner of East High and Walnut streets.
London will save money next year on building inspections, according to safety-services director Steve Hume.
Hume told council members the city will contract with Columbus-based Asebrook & Co. for inspections and eliminate the full-time supervisor’s position in the building and zoning department. A clerk and part-time code enforcement officer will staff the department.
Hume expects the restructuring to save at least $40,000 next year.
Think about it: if the Fire Dept was all volunteer do you think firefighters would respond to a fire….YES…yes they would…..Make the Fire Dept all volunteer and keep the Police. LPD has done so much for London, they work hand in hand with the Mad Co Sheriffs on all Drug raids in town. Sheriffs are awesome too but they are spread thin as well. remember Mt Sterling has NO police force. The Sheriffs cannot take on anymore. Keep LPD keep all full time officers, close the pool…consolidate offices. More $$ could be generated with more tickets being written by LPD as well. LPD does not write as many tickets as the could for parking/speeders etc. That could be an answer as well, give the officers a monthly quota for tickets, that will generate some added $$$$. If you think meth and heroine are bad now in London wait until there are 5, that’s 1/3 less police in town!!!!!!
Heck yea, we need COPS but not the London Cops. Let MAD Co Sheriff take over. they are the real cops in Madison County they are the ones with the guts and the drive to stop the dope and all the other crap. Jim Sabin and his crew are the ones to take care of it — not the White shirt London PD
Then all the money saved there could be sent to the Fire Dept
FIRE HUME, LADD, and BENEDETTI rather than laying off the cops. With all the meth heads running around, the last thing we want to do is cut our cops – if they go and white trash crime spirals out of control then we won’t need to organize safety, inspect buildings or have parks and recs. People will be afraid to stay, move here or have fun if they have to worry about some freak sticking them with a needle.
Five less police officers? seriously? Our town most definitely needs all of our police officers. This is pure ignorance to keep a park and recs director, other unnecessary positions, or heat unused buildings and plan to decrease our safety and security by five people. As Pat Closser said, we need to prioritize needed services and safety should always be first. Make decisions that are best for the community and not for individuals.