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We don't want to pay taxes, well, no police department then. Coming to a town near you.
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FuzzNJ Offline
#1 Posted: Wed, Jul 6 2011, 8:07 PM EST
Joined: 06-28-2006
Posts: 13,000
As cities and towns across the country trim their budgets, some of them can't even afford some basics anymore - basics such as law enforcement.

The small east Texas city of Alto, population 1,200, is one such place, reports CBS News correspondent Don Teague.

And now, crime is on the rise.

No one knows that better than Charles Barron.

He has plenty of time now to care for his cattle.

That's because Barron is Alto's police chief, and no longer has a police department to run.

The patrol cars are locked in an impound lot. The police station is locked, except when Barron stops in to check the mail.

And all five police officers, including Barron, are unemployed, after the city council cut the police budget to zero.

"They put a bulls-eye target on law enforcement -- police department -- and police department only," he tells CBS News.

The council furloughed the police department for at least six months to make up for a $185,000 budget deficit.

Barron says, "There have been accusations that the police department is not generating enough revenue. Well, police departments are not revenue generators."

Now, county sheriff's deputies must handle calls in Alto.

But that means response times that were less than 3 minutes from police are now up to 15 minutes from deputies spread thin over a 1,000 square mile county.

"When you're sitting there needing help, it's a lifetime," says Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell, who's among those who think chopping the police department was a bad idea.

"In the last 24 hours," Campbell says, "we've answered 18 calls in the county; seven of them were in Alto."

In fact, Teague notes, Alto has been experiencing a crime spree, including an attempted bank robbery last month and a rash of burglaries.

Greg Duplichain's construction company was hit Thursday night. It's located -- across the street from the now vacant police department.

"If people know you don't have a police force," Duplichain says, "I believe that some people will take advantage of it."

Alto resident Michelle Blackmen says, "I work at a business here in town and, at any time, someone can come in and rob it."

CBS News tried to interview members of the city council on-camera. They declined, though one said, "When you can't make payroll, you have to make cuts."

Barron says he just hopes to get back to his real job, protecting the people of Alto. "That's my life," he says. ... I miss it."

Alto residents are sending around a petition to try to get their police force back.

And Alto isn't the only municipality to cut law enforcement from its budget. Places from Nazareth, Pa. to Half Moon Bay, Calif. have made similar cost-cutting moves.
jackconrad Offline
#2 Posted: Wed, Jul 6 2011, 8:14 PM EST
Joined: 06-09-2003
Posts: 67,461
We are without a Police Department now because with 88 % Republicans we rarely ever need them...
HockeyDad Offline
#3 Posted: Wed, Jul 6 2011, 8:17 PM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
Fortunately Alto's teachers union is going strong with 300 members!
hank56 Offline
#4 Posted: Wed, Jul 6 2011, 8:36 PM EST
Joined: 11-01-2008
Posts: 13,167
A village with a population of 1200 has 5 Police Officers? No wonder they went into the red. There is not nearly the tax base to support a department that size.

Of course I didn't fact check the OP, but it is FuzzNJ so you know it has to accurate ; )
FuzzNJ Offline
#5 Posted: Wed, Jul 6 2011, 8:38 PM EST
Joined: 06-28-2006
Posts: 13,000
hank56 wrote:
Of course I didn't fact check the OP, but it is FuzzNJ so you know it has to accurate ; )


Well, that's true.
Brewha Offline
#6 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 7:33 AM EST
Joined: 01-25-2010
Posts: 12,182
I thought taking money out of the pockets of hardworking people and squandering it on public services was socialism.

C’mon Fuzz, we all know that the decent folks have guns and don’t need cops.
DrafterX Offline
#7 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 7:57 AM EST
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,552
The people of Alto should start openly carrying their weapons.... Mellow


kind of sad tho... no one to enforce the pants on da ground law... Sad
dstieger Offline
#8 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 8:49 AM EST
Joined: 06-22-2007
Posts: 10,889
What's news?
Hasn't this been trending for many years....small town police being outsourced to counties and nearby large cities?

Doesn't look as though they laid off the four city council members, the mayor, the mayor pro-tem, or the city secretary....
Admin staff alone cost the city $472K last fiscal year....sounds like laying off the police was for headlines...not for any real concern about fixing their financial situation


http://www.altotexas.org/budget.php
Brewha Offline
#9 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 8:52 AM EST
Joined: 01-25-2010
Posts: 12,182

Their gun belts would hold up their pants.
Unless they carry a rifle . . . . Hmmmmm . . . . .
HockeyDad Offline
#10 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 9:05 AM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
Brewha wrote:
I thought taking money out of the pockets of hardworking people and squandering it on public services was socialism.



You should Google the meaning of socialism.
Brewha Offline
#11 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 9:19 AM EST
Joined: 01-25-2010
Posts: 12,182
HockeyDad wrote:
You should Google the meaning of socialism.


Stop defending the socialists.
borndead1 Offline
#12 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 10:19 AM EST
Joined: 11-07-2006
Posts: 5,216
Brewha wrote:
I thought taking money out of the pockets of hardworking people and squandering it on public services was socialism.



Public services are different from social services.
MTappert Offline
#13 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 12:35 PM EST
Joined: 04-27-2011
Posts: 1,085
they should provide a local tax break on firearms so more legal owners will carry.
dubleuhb Offline
#14 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 1:32 PM EST
Joined: 03-20-2011
Posts: 11,350
Whenever faced with budget shortfalls the first thing they threaten to cut is police, fire services and the teachers when it comes to schools. This way they get the attention of the taxpaying citizen, the shlubs could care less because they know their bennys ain't bein cut. It's a tactic that has been used for years to scare them into not cutting taxes or justifying increases.
DadZilla3 Offline
#15 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 6:00 PM EST
Joined: 01-17-2009
Posts: 4,633
dubleuhb wrote:
Whenever faced with budget shortfalls the first thing they threaten to cut is police, fire services and the teachers when it comes to schools. This way they get the attention of the taxpaying citizen, the shlubs could care less because they know their bennys ain't bein cut. It's a tactic that has been used for years to scare them into not cutting taxes or justifying increases.

Bingo.
donutboy2000 Offline
#16 Posted: Thu, Jul 7 2011, 11:25 PM EST
Joined: 11-20-2001
Posts: 25,000
Repeat after me: Obama is the mindless puppet of George Soros and has exacerbated the global economic crisis!
TMCTLT Offline
#17 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:48 AM EST
Joined: 11-22-2007
Posts: 19,733
dubleuhb wrote:
Whenever faced with budget shortfalls the first thing they threaten to cut is police, fire services and the teachers when it comes to schools. This way they get the attention of the taxpaying citizen, the shlubs could care less because they know their bennys ain't bein cut. It's a tactic that has been used for years to scare them into not cutting taxes or justifying increases.



Your ALL over it Bill. this is what just happened here in our little town when a school tax referendum didn't pass. They axed teachers in the middle of the day while holding classes........they brought subs in to finish out the day.........totally classless!!!!!! Show me where administrators and superintendents generate anything that would off-set their expense to keep around....Brick wall
Papachristou Offline
#18 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 10:10 AM EST
Joined: 10-20-2010
Posts: 845
the core problem is they overspent. 5 officers, probably were driving new chargers or tahoes. this town should have had maybe 3 officers and used dispatch from the county for efficiency. I live in a town of 10,000. We have approximately 25 officers. Its amazing that every year they get new cars, just last year, they converted all the cars to new chargers, they have added 4 brand new tahoes for one fat ass officer to ride around in. Hell, with how small our town is, they could easily patrol on bicycles!

our county sheriff HQ is about 1/4 outside the city. Really no reason they couldnt cover the city.

The problem is when local governments think the PD should be revenue generating. They should cut costs, work with other departments and dont be arming these guys like FBI tac squads! i dont understand why PDs dont have annual PFTs. Most officers i see are grossly incapable of running down a criminal.
Papachristou Offline
#19 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 10:13 AM EST
Joined: 10-20-2010
Posts: 845
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&biw=1131&bih=688&q=alto+texas&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x8648026c35f6132d:0xc14b74403035857d,Alto,+TX&gl=us&ei=KR4XTv1SxKmxAq6b9EY&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CCIQ8gEwAA

how many streets does this town even have lol???????
FuzzNJ Offline
#20 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 10:21 AM EST
Joined: 06-28-2006
Posts: 13,000
Papachristou wrote:
The problem is when local governments think the PD should be revenue generating.



On this we can absolutely agree.
Papachristou Offline
#21 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 10:33 AM EST
Joined: 10-20-2010
Posts: 845
yeah, they forget their job is to serve and protect. I was downtown last week and a girl was messed up on something and flat out fell over and smashed her head on the sidewalk. we ran around the corner to get a cop and he refused to come over saying, there should be a cop there somewhere. i wouldnt be suprised if she died a few days later from brain swelling.

we over staff the police too much IMO. especially small towns.


my little virtually crime free town has the 25+ local cops, county sheriff HQ right by the city, state police field office and now an FBI office! really? horse is all that necessary?
FuzzNJ Offline
#22 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 10:38 AM EST
Joined: 06-28-2006
Posts: 13,000
Papachristou wrote:
yeah, they forget their job is to serve and protect. I was downtown last week and a girl was messed up on something and flat out fell over and smashed her head on the sidewalk. we ran around the corner to get a cop and he refused to come over saying, there should be a cop there somewhere. i wouldnt be suprised if she died a few days later from brain swelling.

we over staff the police too much IMO. especially small towns.


my little virtually crime free town has the 25+ local cops, county sheriff HQ right by the city, state police field office and now an FBI office! really? horse is all that necessary?


And the same goes for the military honestly. We spend so much money we're going broke, but no one has the balls to look at that budget and get rid of waste. There is so much corruption, kick backs and waste there, but to even suggest that is un-patriotic.
HockeyDad Offline
#23 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 10:57 AM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
FuzzNJ wrote:
And the same goes for the military honestly. We spend so much money we're going broke, but no one has the balls to look at that budget and get rid of waste. There is so much corruption, kick backs and waste there, but to even suggest that is un-patriotic.



It is a much larger problem than just waste. Politicians like to go after "waste" with a scalpel. We cannot afford the military, the wars, and the global policing. The entire military needs to be reduced in size as part of any real budget/taxation discussions.

"Provide for the common defense" was not intended to be for us to provide for the common defense of the entire world.
MTappert Offline
#24 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 1:48 PM EST
Joined: 04-27-2011
Posts: 1,085
HockeyDad wrote:
It is a much larger problem than just waste. Politicians like to go after "waste" with a scalpel. We cannot afford the military, the wars, and the global policing. The entire military needs to be reduced in size as part of any real budget/taxation discussions.

"Provide for the common defense" was not intended to be for us to provide for the common defense of the entire world.


until the defense of the entire world affects the global economy, which hurts our economy. with unstable global security concerns, global/domestic economics are heavily affected.
Whistlebritches Offline
#25 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 2:24 PM EST
Joined: 04-23-2006
Posts: 22,128
Fuzz

You make this sound like such an extreme hardship.BULLPUCKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!You city dwelling moron.In Texas small communities who eliminate their own PD's CONTRACT with the county in which they reside.We've done it once here a few years back.I believe our contract paid wages for 1 officer and 1/5th of the counties LE maintenance/vehicle budget.This worked just fine til we turned over our city council and mayor.They reinstated the police department by hiring an ex-officer who still lived in the area.IMO we were better off with the county contract.


5 officers for a community of 1200 is a little overkill IMO.I live in a community of 1100-1300(harvest season always brings us friends form the south)also in Texas.We've never had more than 2 full time officers and usually we have 1 full time and 1 reservist.

Someones making a big to do out of nothing and you bit hook line and sinker.SUCKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW Fuzz please stay in the city.....you'd never survive here.Besides that I live in the mecca of conservatism........you'd blow your brains out in a week.On second thought...............................................


Ron
Papachristou Offline
#26 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 2:25 PM EST
Joined: 10-20-2010
Posts: 845
Fuzzy and hd bring up a great point. I read the Navy spends $14billion on rust every year! The military is so massive it's something none of us can comprehend.
Whistlebritches Offline
#27 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 2:27 PM EST
Joined: 04-23-2006
Posts: 22,128
Papachristou wrote:
Fuzzy and hd bring up a great point. I read the Navy spends $14billion on rust every year! The military is so massive it's something none of us can comprehend.



But an absolute must unless you want to live in a 3rd world country..............

Oh and I'm not buying $14 billion a year on rust.....BULLSH*T flag at full mast.


Ron
FuzzNJ Offline
#28 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 4:28 PM EST
Joined: 06-28-2006
Posts: 13,000
Whistlebritches wrote:
But an absolute must unless you want to live in a 3rd world country..............

Oh and I'm not buying $14 billion a year on rust.....BULLSH*T flag at full mast.


Ron



lmfao. We spend more than the rest of the world combined times two or three and cutting some of that waste, fat and corrupt spending will turn us into a third world country. BUT, no police departments or public schools are fine and dandy.

You right wingers are just so crazy it's almost funny until you get to make the decisions for the rest of us.
Papachristou Offline
#29 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 4:52 PM EST
Joined: 10-20-2010
Posts: 845
FuzzNJ wrote:

You right wingers are just so crazy it's almost funny until you get to make the decisions for the rest of us.


well eventually you lefties will run out of other peoples money to buy votes with Herfing
HockeyDad Offline
#30 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:05 PM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
MTappert wrote:
until the defense of the entire world affects the global economy, which hurts our economy. with unstable global security concerns, global/domestic economics are heavily affected.




So are you saying that we need to raise revenue to pay for this much needed global military to protect the global economy and that the Bush tax cuts should be repealed for everyone and new tax increases should be instituted so that we can pay our fair share.
HockeyDad Offline
#31 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:06 PM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
Papachristou wrote:
Fuzzy and hd bring up a great point. I read the Navy spends $14billion on rust every year! The military is so massive it's something none of us can comprehend.




Rust is the greatest danger to the US Navy and must be defended vigorously. Can you recall when the last time the US Navy lost a ship in combat?
MTappert Offline
#32 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:07 PM EST
Joined: 04-27-2011
Posts: 1,085
almost lost the cole in october 2000
HockeyDad Offline
#33 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:08 PM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
Papachristou wrote:
well eventually you lefties will run out of other peoples money to buy votes with Herfing




The Soviet Union went from 1922 until 1991.
dpnewell Offline
#34 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:08 PM EST
Joined: 03-16-2009
Posts: 7,491
FuzzNJ wrote:

You right wingers are just so crazy it's almost funny until you get to make the decisions for the rest of us.


Yes, it's so much better when you looney lefties make decisions for the rest of us.
HockeyDad Offline
#35 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:08 PM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
MTappert wrote:
almost lost the cole in october 2000




Almost.
Papachristou Offline
#36 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:11 PM EST
Joined: 10-20-2010
Posts: 845
Whistlebritches wrote:

Oh and I'm not buying $14 billion a year on rust.....BULLSH*T flag at full mast.


Ron



ya, i stand corrected, business week said it was $22.9 BILLION this past year according to their spend reports. thanks for correcting me! Sarcasm

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_24/b4232037277920.htm
MTappert Offline
#37 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:11 PM EST
Joined: 04-27-2011
Posts: 1,085
HockeyDad wrote:
So are you saying that we need to raise revenue to pay for this much needed global military to protect the global economy and that the Bush tax cuts should be repealed for everyone and new tax increases should be instituted so that we can pay our fair share.



dont be putting words in my mouth.


boobies. boobies and hot wings are the only things to be inserted into my mouth.
HockeyDad Offline
#38 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:13 PM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
We want it, we need it but, we d*mn sure don't want to pay for it.

Welcome to America!
MTappert Offline
#39 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:33 PM EST
Joined: 04-27-2011
Posts: 1,085
im just saying you cant zero out the affect the military plays on our domestic security and domestic economy while they are operating abroad.
HockeyDad Offline
#40 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:35 PM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
We could always just cut the military here and leave everything deployed abroad.

Call it the American Foreign Legion.


Or we could just pony up and pay for it instead of borrowing for it and leaving the debt to our children.
robertknyc Offline
#41 Posted: Fri, Jul 8 2011, 5:56 PM EST
Joined: 07-24-2003
Posts: 5,475
Whistlebritches wrote:
BTW Fuzz please stay in the city.....you'd never survive here.Besides that I live in the mecca of conservatism........you'd blow your brains out in a week.On second thought...............................................


Ron


LOL!
Papachristou Offline
#42 Posted: Mon, Jul 11 2011, 12:48 PM EST
Joined: 10-20-2010
Posts: 845
HD,
Papachristou Offline
#43 Posted: Mon, Jul 11 2011, 12:48 PM EST
Joined: 10-20-2010
Posts: 845
HD, I think u should copyright that.
MACS Offline
#44 Posted: Mon, Jul 11 2011, 1:36 PM EST
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,789
Temecula contracts their police through the county sheriff's department. It's less expensive that way.

Murietta, our neighboring city, has their own PD and they get paid a lot more. They roll 3 deep on traffic stops sometimes. Whoever runs Murietta's budget must be doing a good job. *shrug*
jackconrad Offline
#45 Posted: Mon, Jul 11 2011, 10:14 PM EST
Joined: 06-09-2003
Posts: 67,461
Thats the same kinda thing we are doing in Duncannon Pa, it eliminates excess management.
DrMaddVibe Offline
#46 Posted: Tue, Jul 12 2011, 6:00 AM EST
Joined: 10-21-2000
Posts: 55,440
So what?

Outsourcing to a county entity that's better equipped...at least more accountable than some city that would allow the frivolous spending...Meh, at least it's staying IN America and not shipped to the Pakis!
HockeyDad Offline
#47 Posted: Tue, Jul 12 2011, 7:14 AM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
DrMaddVibe wrote:
So what?

Outsourcing to a county entity that's better equipped...at least more accountable than some city that would allow the frivolous spending...Meh, at least it's staying IN America and not shipped to the Pakis!



I can put together a proposal!
DrMaddVibe Offline
#48 Posted: Tue, Jul 12 2011, 7:17 AM EST
Joined: 10-21-2000
Posts: 55,440
Think you could sell it?Frying pan
HockeyDad Offline
#49 Posted: Tue, Jul 12 2011, 7:23 AM EST
Joined: 09-20-2000
Posts: 46,134
As long as people didn't mind police with eastern European accents.


Step out of car sir please. Put hands on the head. I need to see drivers license and the registration. Are you coming from bar where you sexed up women?
MTappert Offline
#50 Posted: Tue, Jul 12 2011, 11:43 AM EST
Joined: 04-27-2011
Posts: 1,085
hehe
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