Posted on 03/11/2015 6:09:41 AM PDT by MichCapCon
Hollywood's storyline of an underfunded Battle Creek police department is fiction. The reality? One Battle Creek police officer made $100,000-plus in 2014 and the city is paying $2.5 million more to the police and fire pension plan than it did nine years ago.
In the fictional CBS TV show Battle Creek that debuts March 1, police detectives complain about being underfunded. Its so bad, they say, that their Tasers dont work because the department can't afford to recharge the batteries.
Thats Hollywood. In real life, if Tasers go uncharged it probably has more to do with a police and fire pension system that's costing $2.5 million more than just nine years ago.
Local media generally provide in-depth coverage when Hollywood comes to town. For example, a Battle Creek Enquirer story last August tracked the movements of production staffers from the show while they were in town for a weekend. (The program was actually filmed in California.) And last week the newspaper fact checked a CBS promo for the show, revealing that a restaurant the network linked to the city is actually in another town.
However, the movies questionable premise about the financial status of the citys police force has not been given attention.
The premise is seen in a trailer with a voice-over of actor Dean Winters saying, We are understaffed and underfunded, forced to make due with substandard and out-of-date equipment. The clip shows out-of-juice Tasers while Winters says, We need new equipment. We need new everything.
This may make for a good Hollywood storyline, but in real life, it leaves out where the money went.
The Battle Creek Police Department spent $15.06 million in 2014, consuming nearly 40 percent of the citys entire $38.66 million general fund budget by far the largest line item.
Thirteen of the citys 75 line officers made $80,000 or more in 2014, including overtime; one was paid $107,563.That doesnt include detectives and command officers who generally get more. The median household income for Battle Creek is $37,814.
The TV shows Battle Creek agency is undermanned. In the real city the police department had 122 full-time equivalent positions in 2014, or one FTE for every 429 residents. By comparison Lansing has 1 FTE for every 499 residents, and Dearborn 1 for every 530, both as of 2013
The drama in the real Battle Creek is the increasing strain police pensions are imposing on the citys finances. In 2005, the system cost $1.8 million in taxpayer contributions and was 93 percent funded. In 2014, the cost had risen to $4.3 million, and as of 2013 pensions were just 79 percent funded, with a shortfall of $31 million.
That is the fiction of the show, said Leon Drolet, chair of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance. Its not sexy for a TV show to talk about how a retirement plan is structured. There is no shortage of funding. There is a shortage of priorities and restraint when it comes to retirement and benefits.
Battle Creek is kind of a rough place for as small as it is.
Why did they choose Battle Creek when Detroit is right there?
Because of the mental imagine you get when you hear "BATTLE" creek.
I tried watching this show because Vince Gilligan is one of the producers, but turned it off 2 minutes in when I saw that pothead obama-nobbler Kal Penn was a costar.
They should do a spin-off series called “Lansing” about the world’s most extremely talented group of pick-pockets.
In reality, from sources I've read, public school teachers in NM have excellent health plans, and paying for cancer surgery and care would not be a problem.
The only think I dislike about most modern cop shows is the p.c. tendency towards their scripts. 115 lb female cops beating the crap out of 260 lb male baddies...yeah, that sure sounds like real life. (smirk)
A day does not go by where I see an ad for a new show and I say to myself, "Well, there's another show I won't be watching."
The thing is when that last show was on that was actually based in Detroit I thought it was a great show. They were so Michigan specific that they described the difference between a wet and dry coney dog.
Jackson is pretty rough for what is a small town of around 30,000. When I have to go to town its usually around the fringes.
I disagree with your assessment.
BC ain’t bad, even after hours.
The Amish would figure prominently in a number of plots as they seem to be taking over much of the rural areas. The Amish also commit serious crimes like failing to put reflectors on their buggies. Or selling and consuming apple cider that's a little too hard if you know what I mean. Instead of a cop car, Officer Ole would drive a tractor to the crime scenes.
I see big money in this kind of a show. Right now, I'm sitting by the phone waiting for the call from a big shot tv producer...yeah, that's the ticket.
CSI: Mayberry
Nicole Curtis on HGTV’s “Rehab Addict” is doing a great job at showing a better side of Detroit.
Jackson is worse and quite a bit smaller.
You mean you weren’t glued to the TV for all 3 or 4 riveting episodes of the hit series Detroit 187??
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1578258/
Be sure to catch the next season! /sarcasm
See my #16. :-)
Oh! My! Send that to Food Network!
The “Coney Dog Trail” starts in Jackson and ends near the old Tiger Stadium. A short run but really good eats. Maybe, 10 “true” diners?
There is NOTHING “NewYawk” about real coney dogs other than the Exposition where they became popular...still, Jackson’s Todoroff’s protects what is found to be true Coney Dog nirvana.
I’ve seen the first two episodes and am still undecided. That being said, I don’t see the show lasting beyond six episodes- seems like something that would work for cable but not broadcast.
And then there is the whole Flint Coney vs. the Detroit Coney thing.
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