Chron finally covers HPD manpower woes
Some television stations, talk radio hosts, and this blog have been pointing out HPD's manpower shortages for some time.
The Chronicle finally took up the topic today, in a lengthy article by S.K. Bardwell. Here are a couple of excerpts to put the problem in perspective:
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]
Still, there is unquestionably a crisis: HPD is currently authorized to have 6,398 officers. Hurtt's staff is still studying whether a force that size is adequate based on Houston's population and other factors, but the point is moot for now: Only 4,921 of those positions are filled, or about 77 percent.
In the best of times, it would take the Houston police academy three or four years to catch up, by turning out three 70-cadet classes per year.
These are not the best of times. Four academy classes are budgeted over the next two fiscal years, and optimally will bring 280 new officers into the fold.
Mayor Bill White said through an aide Friday that it is possible more money will be found for additional classes during that period.
The second bolded quote from the Mayor's office puts the first bolded quote in perspective.
As we've been pointing out for some time, public safety hasn't been of much interest to Mayor White and the current council unless it's been a matter of constructing a new revenue stream under the guise of "public safety." There is no public safety issue in the city right now that is more pressing than HPD's manpower shortage, yet Mayor White and his council have preferred instead to focus on other expensive, questionable priorities even within HPD.
That's their prerogative as elected officials, but the city's only newspaper -- which we're pleased to see has finally discovered this issue -- need not characterize it as anything but a matter of priorities. As the quote from the mayor's office and the experience with Tasers make clear, the city can find money to fund issues of public safety when officials decide they are a priority.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 02/12/05 03:37 PM | Print |
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