Would You Take A Pay Cut To Save Jobs?

But still no word of Correia being there.

Coward.

Where is Sen. Joan Menard/State Rep's from Fall River?? I have not witnessed any public statement made by them, and Menard is Assistant Senate Majority Leader. Just shows me Fall River like N.B. is on an island. Next up to join them is Brockton (just a prediction).

I can relate to that statement.

You make some great points and I can't help but make a little comparison to doing whatever it takes and taking whatever risks to help a guy who might be getting physically beaten but not willing to take a risk for a guy who will be getting financially beaten.

It's like, "I'll take a bullet for another cop, but I won't give up a car payment." I would guess my family would rather miss a car payment than have me shot, but either way, I'd do what I could to help out a brother...or sister.

Again, I can't fault the guys who won't take pay cuts, I don't want a pay cut, but a freeze, if it'll save a few guys their jobs, I'd do it without batting an eye. I would just hope and actually demand that that pay freeze thaw out when economic times improved.


As for neighborhood meetings, great idea, but I just picture a small contingent of gang bangers sitting in the back asking, "So, where do you expect the PO-lice to be seen less and where and when will the patrols be less frequent. We just aksin cuz we care 'bout da hood z'all."

So let me ask a hypothetical question- It may or may not be an example of a situation that exists in a Massachusetts police department.

What if Management came and said "give us 10% back or we're laying off" and what if the Union said "do the layoffs" and the city did, saying that would cover the rest of the fiscal year.

Then literally a week later the city came back looking for more concessions, involving say, court time, and clothing allowance claiming they needed them to make it to the end of the fiscal year.

Would you think the city had any credibilty, or would you think they were contract busting?

'A Band-Aid on a gaping wound'

Federal funds come too late for Police Department, chief says


By Will Richmond
Herald News Staff Reporter
Posted Mar 06, 2009 @ 10:24 PM

Fall River —

The pumping of federal stimulus funds intended for police into the city’s coffers will have a limited effect on the ability to bring back officers.

Fall River is poised to reap $606,943 over four years as part of the Edward Bryne Justice Assistance Grant program, according to Mayor Robert Correia. The amount is the fifth highest to go to a Massachusetts municipality and is part of a $40.7 million allocation to the commonwealth.

Both Correia and Police Chief John M. Souza said their first priority will be to bring officers back, but they cautioned the money will not allow the city to replace a bulk of the 52 officers laid off Monday.

The funds, which are not expected for use until May, would bring back two officers, Correia said. The low number is due to the annual nature of the funds, coupled with auxiliary costs such as benefits and potential expenses associated with the Quinn Bill, which allows for higher salaries for police personnel with law degrees. The city also wants to ensure the funds are available to retain any officers rehired, Correia said.

“The idea is to retain, absolutely,” Correia said.

Souza said as soon the money becomes available he will seek to bring back officers.

“Once I get our share I’ll immediately bring back people,” he said. “If I can bring them back one at a time then that’s one less that’s not wearing a badge and uniform.”

The JAG Program supports a variety of efforts such as hiring and support for law enforcement officers; multi-jurisdictional drug and gang task forces; crime prevention and domestic violence programs; and courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives.

According to a press release, the procedure for allocating JAG grants is based on a formula of population and violent crime statistics, in combination with a minimum allocation to ensure that each state and territory receives an appropriate share of funding. Sixty percent of the allocation is awarded directly to a state and 40 percent is set aside for units of local governments.

While pleased with the prospect of bringing back officers, Souza said the federal government’s effort are simply not enough.

“This is a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” Souza said. “I’ll accept anything and we’ll use it in the best possible manner, but it doesn’t simply go far enough to address the needs in urban communities.”

Souza said he will personally contact the city’s federal legislative delegation to point out that bailout funds are being misdirected and should instead go toward supporting public safety personnel numbers.

“I’ll say ‘Thanks’ but it’s not even close to get us to the level that we need,” Souza said. “I’ll take it and I’ll utilize it, but I plan to ask for more.”

http://www.heraldnews.com/news/local_news/x1593362991/A-Band-Aid-on-a-gaping-wound

Mayor details post-layoff restructuring


By Will Richmond
Herald News Staff Reporter
Posted Mar 06, 2009 @ 01:12 PM
Last update Mar 07, 2009 @ 12:36 AM

Fall River —

Information on how the three hardest-hit departments will deal with Monday’s announced personnel losses was officially revealed Friday afternoon.

The police and fire departments, which lost about 20 percent of their personnel, announced significant changes that will include fewer officers and firefighters on duty.

On the police side, 26 officers have been transferred to the Uniform Division in an effort to maintain a police presence on the streets. The reorganization will cut school resource officers at all secondary schools in the city, take two officers out of the Court Liaison/Court Processing Unit, remove seven detectives from the Major Crimes Division — leaving three detectives and two supervisors — eliminate three officers from the Vice and Intelligence Unit, and take four officers and two sergeants from the Special Operations Divisions, including two K-9 officers. It was noted the dogs will remain on duty with their handlers.

All modifications in the Police Department have already taken place, as most layoffs in the department will go into effect Friday.

The personnel reductions will also result in some service reductions. Citizens calling for property crimes or other non-emergency matters may be informed to go to the station and file a report or transferred to an officer who may be able to provide telephone assistance.

To ease demand, the Police Department will attempt to expedite the installation of software that will allow minor incidents to be reported online and let them generate reports for insurance purposes. The department is also expected to automate its routine phone line to connect callers to various departments.

What won’t be lost, city officials say, is community policing, which will be supplemented during the summer months with grant funding to target high-need areas.

Police Chief John Souza said that while the changes will result in a smaller police presence across the city, the department’s goal will not waver.

“Our paramount concern is the safety and well-being of the public, as well as the safety and well-being of the officers,” Souza said. “With this plan, as it’s set forth, the public should know we are going to be able to respond and keep them safe in an emergency situation.”

Fire Department changes, which are scheduled to go into effect March 15, will result in a loss of services at two stations.

The Flint Neighborhood Station will lose an engine, while maintaining its ladder company.
The Center Fire Station will be changed from three complete companies, two engines and one heavy rescue to one engine company and the heavy rescue manned by one firefighter. Those companies will merge and run as a squad responding on certain alarms together as a unit. Four firefighters per shift will be on duty.

No stations will be closed and there will be no changes to the number of apparatus responding, though there will be two fewer firefighters on the rescue and District Chief Aides will no longer respond. Fire companies will also travel longer distances, resulting in longer response times.

The layoffs will also mean 28 firefighters will be on duty at any one time, compared to 38 currently. To ease the loss, city officials said they will seek mutual aid from surrounding communities to assist on calls.

To maintain the focus on emergency response, the Fire Department will delay smoke alarm inspections from two weeks to threes weeks and reviews of new construction plans will be done with a focus on completing those with complex projects. The department will also cut back on public education initiatives that are not required by law.

Within the Department of Community Maintenance — which comprises the municipal buildings, parks and cemeteries, traffic and parking, sanitation, and streets and highways division — changes appear to be limited though a focus will be on fulfilling the duties of collecting trash and recycling.

The trade-off, however, will be less frequent pickup of other items, including abandoned items, which had previously been picked up as they were called in. Those items will now be picked up as time allows. Other effects in the department include pushing the yard waste collection to from May 1 to April 1, while waste oil and paint collections will only take place once a month rather than twice a month.

The cutbacks will also affect street sweeping and pothole repairs, as they will be done periodically instead of daily.

Collection of paid bulky items, including refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs and microwave ovens, will be unchanged. Tires will still be collected at the city garage.

After reviewing the changes, consideration may also be given to implementing a five-day-a-week pick up of curb side solid waste and recycling. Currently those items are picked up on a four-day schedule.

“It’s quite an undertaking to shuffle around the loss of 21 bodies in a staff that was already, in my opinion, short-staffed,” Pacheco said after the changes were announced.

“I’m hoping we can limit it to this,” he said. “Hopefully soon things will change and we can go back to our old staffing levels.”

http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x1593361990/Mayor-details-post-layoff-restructuring

New Bedford:

Local police could save jobs, programs with stimulus money

By Brian Boyd
bboyd@s-t.com
March 07, 2009 6:00 AM

Mayor Scott W. Lang said he will be able to rehire some police officers who lost their jobs in recent layoffs by using new money provided in the federal stimulus package.
The Obama administration announced Friday that state and local enforcement agencies are eligible for $2 billion in assistance as a result of the $787 billion stimulus program. The money includes $588,345 for New Bedford and tens of thousands of dollars for other SouthCoast communities.
"My feeling is it will bring back officers," Lang said. "It's welcomed news."
Fairhaven Police Chief Gary F. Souza said he will be able to save his department's school resource officer program with a $39,163 allocation. Other communities have not decided yet how to spend their money.
Lang said he did not know how many officers he will be able to hire with the funds. The city laid off 31 police officers, as well as 35 firefighters, to close a $2.8 million loss in local aid for the current fiscal year.
Since the stimulus money is a one-time infusion of funds, Lang said city officials will want to use the money in a way that provides the most value over the long term.
"Every day we can have a safe city is a day we get closer to economic recovery," he said. "The one-time money that comes in will be applied to public safety to make sure we have safe neighborhoods."
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said the funds will help cities and towns protect the public at a time when they're coping with budget cuts.
"It clearly means more police will be working in the city than otherwise would have," Frank told The Standard-Times.
President Barack Obama said by keeping police officers on the streets and law enforcement agencies well-equipped, the money helps the economy and public safety.
"These funds are a vital component in our effort to not just revive our economy, but to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity and security," Obama said in a statement.
Souza had said Fairhaven was going to lose its school resource officer program after the current school year ended because the state eliminated the grant money.
The program "has been highly successful in detecting drugs in the schools and preventing violence and working with kids," Souza said.
The stimulus money will allow his department to retain the program for at least another year, he said.
The money is used to cover overtime expenses. Sometimes, when the two officers involved in the program are at the schools, the department has to pay other officers overtime to maintain the minimum level of patrol officers on the street, he said.
Souza said he would be reluctant to plan new programs or hiring based on the funds, since they represent a one-time boost.
For the same reason, Dartmouth Police Chief Mark Pacheco said he also would avoid launching a new program with his town's $57,404 allocation, only to shut it down a year later. He said he might want to use the money for equipment, repairs or capital improvements, but he has to figure out the specific guidelines.
"The devil is in the details," Pacheco said. "I really want to scrutinize to see what we can use the money for."
The law enforcement money will be distributed through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program. Pacheco said police departments will have to apply for the money and explain to the federal government how they intend to spend it.
"It's not just something they hand over and say, 'Here's your money,'" he said.
Westport police plan to take advantage of their $19,492 allotment, but they have not decided how best to spend it.
"It's really up in the air what we would use the money for," said Detective Jeffrey Majewski, police spokesman. "We definitely could use it, and we'll know better in the next few weeks where we can focus the use of the money, based on what the needs of the town are."
Wareham police are eligible to receive $121,603. However, police spokesman Lt. Irving Wallace said he was unaware of the money, and he could not comment on it.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090307/NEWS/903070353

Excellent point. It would be contract busting if those give-backs weren't formally TEMPORARY, in writing as only being a stop gap measure that would be reinstated when financial stability was reestablished. That's just a guess.

Delta could definately give a more difinitive answer on that, but I can't see it being contract busting if you've got that whole agreement legally in writing, but damn, it would have the appearence of it.

The credibility issue; well, we've all started to balance our check books and found small glitches that we hadn't anticipated, it can happen to a city or town as well, but they would definately hurt their credibility if it happened more than once and a real good scrutiny of the books would be in order.

Just my :2c: Question EVERYTHING.

Just got the "word" today that we are looking at a loss of 12, 6 in the academy now and 6 junior guys.

Two mayors, two crises, two opposing plans

Posted Mar 07, 2009 @ 06:58 PM
Last update Mar 07, 2009 @ 08:51 PM
Fall River —
In early 2003, the city — under former Mayor Edward M. Lambert Jr. — faced major cutbacks in state aid at mid-year, similar to the current fiscal crisis that resulted in 149 layoffs Monday.

Police pledge cooperation amid cuts

Last update Mar 07, 2009 @ 08:48 PM
Fall River —
As the Police Department grapples with layoffs that resulted in the loss of 52 uniformed officers and another nine civilian positions, Chief John M. Souza said everybody will be asked to fill new roles.


Chief warns of longer response times

Last update Mar 07, 2009 @ 08:48 PM

I'm out of work for a couple of days. As soon as I go back I'll get an answer to that.

Thats great! WTG Quincy Officers!

It's not an easy thing, but it's the honorable thing.

Funny how some large departments have a few dinosaurs calling their reps bitching about things that affect their own personal finances, but could care less about the future of the whole job. The voices of a few relics, who could retire any time they want to, are sending this job down the crapper.

Nice work Delta, other associations should take note of such an accomplishment.

Viveiros: Job cuts were avoidable


By Michael Holtzman
Herald News Staff Reporter
Posted Mar 10, 2009 @ 11:30 PM
Last update Mar 11, 2009 @ 12:27 AM

Fall River —

With the vast majority of the 53 police officers who lost their jobs on one side of the council chambers and 45 firefighters in yellow T-shirts reading “Proud Laid Off Firefighter” on the other, City Councilor Cathy Ann Viveiros told them what they wanted to hear Tuesday night.

Referring to the $2.9 million mid-year state reductions called “9C” cuts, Viveiros declared: “We have the financial capacity to address the 9C cuts without layoffs.”

In a half-hour presentation that almost never began, Viveiros detailed expenses and revenues for this year and fiscal 2010 that she said showed how to reach the needed funding cut.
“We have options. We have alternatives available to us. I believe there was a rush to judgment,” Viveiros said.

In her conclusion, about an hour after Mayor Robert Correia finished a 15-minute State of the City address, she called upon him “to rescind the layoffs” while they find alternatives.

She said the city could find $3.55 million this year from five sources to offset the needed cuts, including $1.95 million from health insurance claims being 6.5 percent lower than projected, a figure she said administrators confirmed.

City receipts are running $600,000 over projections. Other cuts the administration made were $461,000 from 8.57 percent salary reductions his staff and most department heads accepted and $395,000 by not filling vacant jobs.

Viveiros cited the recent $600,000 federal police grant, which she said could be spread out over fiscal 2010, providing $150,000 this year.

The $2.9 million needed in reduced aid this year increases to $3,275,200 with additional aid needed for veterans. But the $3.55 million total she listed is $280,752 more than what the city must cut, Viveiros said.

She offered a similar list of sources of revenue and funds needed to reach next year’s expected reduction in state aid. In that listing, Viveiros said the city could show $5,692,192 in revenues and expense cuts, while needing to raise nearly $5.9 million.

That scenario includes using the $1.9 million the city plans to take from the stabilization account this year to fund unemployment and severance pay for 149 municipal workers being laid off. It also utilizes flexibility she said the state may allow over several years under the Municipal Partnership Act to limit the burden.

Councilors Michael B. Lund and Linda M. Pereira said they’ve been told the state could announce greater cuts required by cities and towns this year and next.

In the detailed summary, Viveiros said the city would be short about $206,000 in fiscal 2010. She also said the city could add $3.2 million by raising taxes 5 percent.

In what are generally used for one-time expenses, she estimated “free cash” available in the near future at $2 million and available stabilization funds at $500,000.

While Viveiros’ presentation was by far the most extensive, several other councilors weighed on the fiscal crisis. They also voted to extend the Committee on Finance meeting, when the discussion took place, to March 23 at 6 p.m. to address layoff alternatives at Councilor Linda M. Pereira’s suggestion.

“I don’t want to see us wait too long,” Pereira said.

Councilor Michael B. Lund said the council and unions are “uncomfortable” with explanations they’ve received about the layoffs. He said spending nearly $4 million to fix dams and a similar amount to buy vehicles “should be put on hold.”

He called for “a fresh start and perhaps get these people back to work.”

Vice President Raymond E. Hague was more direct in his criticism.

“It’s become a power struggle. It’s become an all or nothing,” he said of Correia.
He called the negotiations the administration conducted akin to: “You want to buy your job? We’re selling it for 8½ percent (pay cuts).”

Hague said he “implores the administration” to transfer funds from stabilization accounts to save public safety and other jobs and retain the trained workers the city paid to reach those levels.

http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x1683617532/Viveiros-Job-cuts-are-avoidable

Police officers appealing public safety cuts

Herald News
Patrolman Adam Katz asks a question about seniority lists during Wednesday's hearing. Appointed in 2002, Katz is a city resident and father of five.


By Michael Holtzman
Herald News Staff Reporter
Posted Mar 11, 2009 @ 08:50 PM
Last update Mar 11, 2009 @ 08:51 PM

Fall River —

About 40 of what is now listed as 48 laid-off police officers attended two required hearings under Civil Service Monday at police headquarters to determine whether the city’s financial problems required those layoffs.

Those layoffs are being appealed, said Boston attorney Joseph G. Sandulli, who is representing Local 1854 of the Massachusetts Coalition of Police.

The layoffs — which will also cut 45 firefighters — go into effect Friday as part of nearly 150 municipal layoffs, Mayor Robert Correia announced after the state imposed $2.9 million in midyear cutbacks.

Police Chief John M. Souza, who also served as hearing officer, said he would render a decision on the union’s appeal by Friday. If denied, the layoffs would remain in place while an appeal to the Civil Service Commission progresses, officials said.

The hearing for Local 1314 of the International Association of Firefighters was scheduled for today at 9 a.m. at the Commerce Way headquarters.

Souza stipulated the city’s financial conditions. “The city does not and will not have sufficient funds to pay the current complement of police officers,” Souza said at the hearing, which Sandulli requested be open to the press and public.

Sandulli, who is also general counsel for the state union, listed procedural and financial reasons for his appeal under state Civil Service law.

Those objections included Souza’s dual role as administrative appointee of the terminated officers and hearing officer, and the fact that all officers had not been served, including two in the military in Iraq, one of whom was injured in a crash and is recovering at Walter Reed Hospital in Maryland. Any laid-off officer with seniority above those not properly notified would not be subjected to a layoff, Sandulli said.

Officers with up to 10 years of service on the city department have been issued layoff notices under the Civil Service seniority system. Those officers with 10 to 40 percent veterans disabilities are not subject to layoffs, Souza said. The union objected to one of the six officers falling into that category because of a lack of information.

Souza listed the city’s financial inability to retain the officers as stated in a memo written that day by City Administrator Adam W. Chapdelaine. It said the city’s $127.55 million state aid allocation included $29,658,913 for general government that was reduced $2,890,146 — or 9.74 percent — by Gov. Deval Patrick’s “9C” cuts.

Chapdelaine listed $839,734 the city saved through one-time expense cuts while leaving 10 positions vacant and listing one retirement.

Further cuts the city said were necessary were in personnel, including a $1,055,619 for police, a 5.3 percent cut from its budget of just under $20 million.

Since Chapdelaine was not present and could not be cross-examined, Sandulli called that information “hearsay.”

The city was represented by Corporation Counsel Arthur D. Frank Jr., Human Resources Director Madeline Coelho and Executive Director of the Fall River Retirement Board Christine Tetreault.

Before the hearing, Frank said the city had placed the status of the two officers serving in Iraq in abeyance because they are entitled to a hearing and could not attend.

“It’s not that we want the two guys in Iraq laid off,” Local 1854 President Michael Perreira said. “We want the procedure done correctly.”

A portion of the hearing centered on two federal grant programs, slated to bring $2 billion and $1 billion to retain or rehire police, according to Souza and Sandulli.

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant — the larger grant President Obama signed into law — “is $2 billion. That’s two and nine zeroes,” Sandulli said.

The local share, he noted, is $606,943, with the potential for more going to cities and towns with high crime rates, like Fall River. That amount could fund “10 to 12 officers for a full year,” Sandulli said.

The $1 billion Community Oriented Policing Services recovery grant is targeted at hiring 5,500 law enforcement officers with benefits for entry-level or rehired officers lost as a result of local budget cuts, Sandulli said.

“The availability of those grants ought to save a substantial number of these jobs at this time,” he said.

Earlier, Souza addressed his officers and the efforts he was making to obtain available and needed funds.

“This police department and administration will continue to do whatever is possible to bring back as many police officers as possible,” Souza said.

He said through Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School offering to pay for its school resource officer, one layoff was avoided. Another was saved by the Fall River Housing Authority adding $100,000 to its community policing program, he said.

Souza emphasized that while hearings for the two officers serving in the military is held in abeyance, no additional officers were being laid off.

He said Monday is the first day to apply for the COPS grant, and the department will submit the application that day. He said they’d seek funds to bring back the 48-member complement for three years the grant allows.

He said the $606,000 in city funds under the JAG grant should be available soon, and he will be in touch with Mayor Correia’s office to obtain those funds. The grant is issued through 15 Bristol County municipalities, all of which must apply for funds.

Souza said he would also speak with Correia about savings identified Tuesday night by City Councilor Cathy Ann Viveiros to offset layoffs.

Souza decried the $3 billion allocated for law enforcement from the $787 billion federal stimulus package appropriated. He said he’d ask congressional leaders to do more.

Coelho spoke with officers about obtaining unemployment and health insurance benefits as a result of their layoffs. Tetreault discussed their pensions, urging officers not to withdraw them, stating that would be beneficial in the event they are rehired. She noted the 20 percent tax they’d pay, plus 10 percent penalties as a result of early withdrawals.

Public safety officers need to reach age 55 and have 10 years of eligible service to avoid penalties, she said.


http://www.heraldnews.com/news/local_news/x1676800195/Police-officers-appealing-safety-cuts

The $606k from the JAG grant was used to save 8 more jobs for the PD, leaving the final total of lay-offs to 40 police officers (I don't know the exact numbers for the FD). As the article states the union president is hoping that the COPS grant will come through in June and that will bring most (if not all) of us back to work.

Eight police officer layoffs rescinded


By Michael Holtzman and Will Richmond
Herald News Staff Reporters
Posted Mar 13, 2009 @ 01:25 PM
Last update Mar 13, 2009 @ 09:08 PM

Fall River —

Mayor Robert Correia confirmed Friday he’d put eight laid-off police officers back on their jobs as a result of $606,943 the city expects to receive from the federal Edward Byrne Justice Assistant Grant program.

Saving the eight jobs reduces the number of police layoffs to 40 and the city’s overall layoff total to 136, according to Correia’s office.

“I’m elated,” said Police Chief John M. Souza, who was given the go-ahead Friday morning to notify the returning officers, some of whom will resume shifts Friday night.

Forty five firefighters were being laid off Friday, according to the city’s latest figures.

The police union has urged Correia to expend the JAG funds for the next 15 months to save the maximum number of jobs. Originally, Correia said the expected funds would ensure funds to hire two officers over three- to four-year period.

Correia said the city restored the jobs in partnership with the police union, Local 1854 of the Massachusetts Coalition of Police. “Our collaboration this week put eight police officers back to work,” Correia said in a statement.

“By working together with the mayor we decided we would use the money now,” Patrolman Michael Perreira, Local 1854 president, said after Correia released the news.

“We need officers on the street now,” Perreira said.

Under the federal stimulus package, the JAG funds provide $2 billion nationwide to bolster police departments harmed by funding cuts.

Fall River’s state aid was cut $2.9 in mid-year, which led to these layoffs, Correia has said since announcing the layoffs two weeks ago.

“The lines of communication will remain open as we continue looking into other federal grant opportunities that can help put public safety personnel back on the job,” Correia said.

The call backs followed required Civil Service hearings Wednesday and Thursday for nearly all of the 93 laid off police and firefighters. Both unions have appealed the layoffs.

Souza said the eight call-backs will place seven officers in their uniform division and return Patrolman Brett Kimball, the 2004 Massachusetts Officer of the Year, to the Gang Resistance Education and Training program.

Kimball, who’s won many meritorious awards, received sustained applause at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting when it was announced he had removed 67 guns off city streets. Laid off police and firefighters attended that meeting and urged the council to stop the layoffs and performed an honor roll to highlight each of the officers losing their jobs.

“Brett has been able to distinguish himself significantly,” Souza said, while praising all of the officers laid off as contributors. “Making those (eight) phone calls was a pleasure,” he said.
He called the phone calls “bitter sweet” with 40 patrolmen laid off. “It’s a step in the right direction,” he said.

“We brought back two last week, eight today. We’ll try to keep chipping away to bring them back.”

He said returning seven officers to uniformed ranks will enable the complement of patrol cars to be increased from 10 to 11 and sometimes 12 depending upon needs. The department had been using 12 to 14 patrol cars per shift.

Souza said on Monday that he’d issue an application for the maximum allowed under a $1 billion Community Oriented Policing Services grant.

Besides Kimball, the seven uniformed patrolmen returning to the force are Kevin Bshara, Adam Katz, Daniel Mello, Matthew Pacheco, Michael Pessoa, Eric Cabral and Rory McCoomb.

Eight police officer layoffs rescinded - Fall River, MA - The Herald News

I am thrilled that this brings those 8 officers back! Congratulations guys.

I'm so glad to hear it. That's awesome.

That's very interesting. I know of a similar city that is getting about the same amount of JAG money but,
they're still looking to bring people back through paycuts.

UN F-ING real!!

I read this as, "we won't stick it all the way up your ass...just the tip".

I am privileged to be on a committee to find a way to save 6 jobs. We have some ideas as does the administration. Their idea sucks. We're looking for a good one. Wish us luck.

Get rid of 2 admin people to pay for the 6 (officers, I assume).