When will he get around to new police officers?

HPD Chief Hurtt wants new police badges:

More than a half a million dollars could be spent by the Houston Police Department to get new badges.

t's a symbol of authority, and every Houston police officer has earned the right to wear one. While the shiny silver badges are marked with an identification number, the gold ones worn by higher-ranking officers are not.

"So there's no means of identification. When a citizen asks, 'Officer, I need your badge number.' And the supervisor says, 'Well, I don't have a badge number.' Apparently that's caused some problems for some folks," explained Hans Marticuic of the Houston Police Officer's Union.

The chief is said to be looking at replacing all badges with shield identification numbers, similar to what law enforcement in other large cities have. Marticuic says the money would be better spent elsewhere.

"You know, we would have about a $700,000 bill to go along with this," he said. "We're in a little bit of a budget crunch. I think there's other issues and other things to be spending money on at this point."

Chief Hurtt didn't want to talk on camera, but says he'll pitch the idea to the rank and file before a final decision is made.

Let's take a teensy trip down memory lane:

By year's end, the Houston Police Department will have lost an estimated 740 officers — as many as the city of Orlando employs — to retirement in a two-year period.

For comparison purposes, in 2003 the department lost 138 officers through retirement, resignation, termination or death.

And there may not be enough money available in the next two fiscal years to train replacements for even half the officers the department is losing. Or to hire the 1,000-plus civilians the department is missing.

[snip]

Mayor Bill White said through an aide Friday that it is possible more money will be found for additional classes during that period.

As we have learned time and again, when MayorWhiteChiefHurtt wants something, the money will magically turn up.

Except for more police officers.

But the remaining officers WILL have new badges and Tasers. And that will be very reassuring as we all watch the never ending crime report on the 10 p.m. news.

Posted by Anne Linehan @ 04/06/05 06:44 PM | Houston Politics | Technorati | Sphere | Comments (0)

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