Zone 6 Loses Officers

The EASP has learned that Zone 6 had six officers reassigned this week.  It's not clear if this is a result of changes being requested by new Public Safety Commissioner George Turner, or some other reason.  Regardless of why this has occurred, we are concerned that the continued loss of APD officers is having a direct impact on the ability to keep citizens safe in our community.  In effect, the communities of Zone 6 are being penalized by losing officers to other Zones where crime is higher.  When even the officers on the school police force are making more money than the ones patrolling our streets, something is drastically wrong.  We encourage you to contact Councilperson Archibong and others on city council to make it clear to them that funding better pay for officers must be the city's highest priority.  And if the response is that funding is not available, take a look at your property tax bill and think about the huge tax increases that most of us have been forced to pay in the past few years.  I think most of us would rather attract and retain officers with a higher rate of pay than pay overtime rates to a shrinking number of officers.

As we approach the period of the year where crime has increased significantly the past couple of years, take a few minutes to consider joining the EASP.  In the short run, it is our easiest way to put more officers on the street, particularly ones that are familiar with our community and will be up to speed immediately.  Sunday is the last day to join the EASP for the upcoming quarter that goes through the holiday season.  After that, the next time to join will be January 1st.