YOUR POLICE NEED YOUR SUPPORT – THURSDAY, AUGUST 19TH AT 7PM

Dear Chandler Residents,

On behalf of the men and women of the Chandler Law Enforcement Association, we are asking for your help in preserving police services in Chandler.  Officers feel, like most of you, that our city government should invest in public safety instead of city construction and salaries of top leaders.  The council is meeting Thursday night to decide if police services take precedence over wasteful spending.   We are asking YOU to help us.

Chandler government is invested millions and millions of dollars in some unnecessary projects.  Now Thursday, the council is again voting on over $4 million dollars in expenditures for services outside of their core government responsibilities.  Three percent (3%) of their expenditures on the agenda go to police services.  These are typical spending habits of our city government.

Top officials in Chandler have invested in themselves by receiving pay increases or no cuts to their budgets.  City management feels construction in Chandler is a “fiscal crisis” instead of fulfilling promises to police officers and their department.

Meanwhile, Chandler officers are losing their homes and livelihood due to major salary adjustments over the last two years.  Law enforcement are being denied workman’s compensation claims and we currently have 20 officers on light duty status as the result of injuries sustained responding to calls.  Many times our department is below minimum staffing requirements.  Police officers are distracted due to quality of life issues and inadequate staffing levels; all key issues that do affect police services.

Self serving, top city officials continue spending your money on personal projects, while claiming there is no money for core services, like public safety.  Chandler officers would like to see adequate staffing in their department and promised merit increases to better provide police services to their community.  We are asking you to contact your council members and voice your support for the Chandler police officers who are dedicated to serving you.

This matter is of essence, and these topics will come before the council  on Thursday, July 29^th at 7:00pm.  Please consider contacting the Chandler City Council or attending the council meeting.

We thank you for your continued support for your Chandler police officers.

Sincerely,

Shawn Hancock

President, Chandler Law Enforcement Association (CLEA)

Three ways to contact your council members:

1. Attend the council meeting July 29th at 7pm

2.  EMAIL:

boyd.dunn@chandleraz.gov; matt.orlando@chandleraz.gov; bob.caccamo@chandleraz.gov; jack.sellers@chandleraz.gov; trinity.donovan@chandleraz.gov; jeff.weninger@chandleraz.gov; rick.heumann@chandleraz.gov; mayor&council@chandleraz.gov

3. PHONE: 480-782-2200 or 480-782-2206

WHAT YOUR TOP CITY OFFICIALS ARE DOING

• No budget or salary decreases to top Chandler officials.
• The city’s manager’s office increased their budget by 205% ($3 million).
• Vice-Mayor and Council salaries were increased by 48% this year.
• Build an $80 million dollar city hall with expensive upgrades that rivals cities three times our size.
• Furnish that city hall with $1.7 million dollars in furniture.
• $10 million to narrow Arizona Avenue after widening it 8 years ago.
• $500k of taxpayer money to fix their mistake of losing a federal grant.
• Former city manager and “colleagues” taking expensive trips to Canada on the taxpayers dime just months prior to his retirement.
• Monetary donations to private interest groups and business owners.
• Hiring back retired labor relations staff to negotiate against employees.
• Took back police department savings, and put it in the elusive “general fund”.
• Implemented pay raises and re-classification of jobs for themselves and friends.

POLICE ARE TAKING CUTS FROM EVERY ANGLE

• .85% pay cut last year which is still ongoing.
• A police department that is being operated with sometimes below minimum staffing.
• Reduction of on call detectives to respond to major crimes.
• Aging fleet of vehicles
• 10% increase in health care premiums, making it more difficult for young officers to make ends meet for their families.

Please help us ensure Chandler residents and businesses receive the best police services!!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 10:54 and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.