As with roads, public safety officers are an enormous part of the city’s budget. With the State of California’s budget cuts, the City of Lafayette will be losing $100,000 of funds earmarked for police. Not only can prudent decision-making offset this, but we can increase the level of police services while reducing costs.
- Stop Contracting Police Services through Contra Costa. The Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department has high overhead costs. While the officers are dedicated and hard-working, they are not, by law, dedicated to Lafayette necessarily. Furthermore, much of the money we pay to contract police services goes toward paying massive pension benefits to many officers, most of whom have never policed Lafayette. San Ramon and Moraga both stopped contracting police services and established their own police department and have saved money without crime rising. In San Ramon’s case, the city saves $1.6 million per year. Danville and other nearby municipalities are considering establishing a joint police department that would include Lafayette. We should jump on board.
- Establish a Real Neighborhood Watch Program. I recently mailed the City to request information about establishing a neighborhood watch program. All I received was a packet with information on how to be prepared for an emergency situation. A Police-Neighborhood Watch Liaison volunteer position should be established. Volunteers run many of the city’s functions. Neighborhood watches are much more effective at dealing with the types and level of crime present in Lafayette. We do not have the resources for or need for a police presence of the type New York City has. Our police do not deter crime due to any sort of omnipresence; they catch criminals. Neighborhood watches would act as surveillance for them and effectively deter crime.
- Stop Wasting Money Meant for Police. The city offices often have around a dozen new Lafayette police cruisers parked outside of them, even though only two or three vehicles can be on patrol at once, due to budgetary restrictions. Our Traffic Control vehicles are always new and public safety vehicles are replaced much more regularly than 99% of Lafayette’s privately-owned vehicles. This indicates a lack of oversight and a need for more fiscally-minded policies.
We can keep crime low and in Lafayette and deal with the budget cuts, if we act prudently.
Join the Campaign for a Fiscally Responsible Lafayette. Vote for Froymovich. Change You Can Spend.
