Entire Blandford Police Department resigns, effective immediately

WTNH ^ | 7/31/18

[Libloather]

BLANDFORD, Mass. (WWLP) - All members of the Blandford Police Department have resigned effective immediately, according to the interim chief of police.

**SNIP**

In a news release, Interim Police Chief Roberta Sarnacki told 22News officers Chris Anciello, Gage Terlik, Krysten Scapin and herself resigned after multiple complaints to the town about unsafe working conditions.

According to Chief Sarnacki, Blandford officers have been working with cruisers that don't work, bulletproof vests that are not fitted to them or might be expired, poor radio communications, inadequate staffing and improper wages.

[son of terrence]

I pray that ours in NJ does the same. Why do we need a sheriff and police at $175,000 each a year? Unsustainable at this cost. By a gun and protect your own damn property. Tired of paying for snowflakes’ luxury.

[son of terrence]

I know... Buy a gun.... it’s early.

[Lurker]

Buy a gun? In New Jersey?

You’re kidding.

L

[fella]

BLM will gladly take over.

[Dusty Road]

Police for the City, Sheriff’s Department for the county, same way here in TX.

[rexthecat]

In the 1970s I was the chief of police and only police officer in a small town of 700 on an island in Washington State. My dog rode in the car with me on calls. Most people who called 911 just wanted for me to come by and chat. Best job I ever had.

[Bullish]

Buy 2 guns and a shotgun.

[pepsionice]

A lot seems left out of this story. My guess is that some traffic ticket game was being played out and some folks got in a huff....challenging the town, and the city council told the cops to lessen the tickets, and just accept less bonus-pay, and they weren’t going to accept that. I saw that play out in the town where I grew up. What gets me is that they had five full-time cops for a fairly small town. They probably had to hand out a minimum of 200 traffic tickets a month to reach financial success with the full-time cops.

[Sa-teef]

$14-15 per hour sounds way below average for the State of Mass or anywhere for that matter.

https://www1.salary.com/MA/Police-Officer-salary.html

Salary.com shows most MA police patrol officers at 50k to 60k per year.

[Nifster]

We’ll see how that town does now

[CincyRichieRich]

Gee, how can they quit MSM tells them job prospects are grim...unless, deep down they have confidence in finding another job because they know PDJT has the economy humming!!!

[Bullish]

I guess the janitors are in charge now or something.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

According to the article, Blandford police earn $14-$15 per hour. With padding and a 60 Hour week, comes to about $50k per year. They are up in the security guard pay zone. The town has 10 houses per square mile. It’s probably Trump Country, like a lot of rural Massachusetts. Almost every home owner has one or more firearms. They probably haven’t had a serious crime in 10 years. My town has not had one serious crime since I’ve lived in the area, over 35 years, and we are a lot more suburbanized than that. The police are here to respond to accidents on the Interstate, and tell people that bears like bird feeders.

[Sooth2222]

Blandford police officers make $14 and $15 an hour, Interim Police Chief Sarnacki explained in the news release. The department's best car, a 2010 Crown Victoria, that was purchased from the Otis Police Department overheats at times, has no air conditioning and the electric seat is stuck in the reclined positions.

The newest car in my household was built in 2007.

So what kind of police works happens in a police car that they need to recline the seat to do?

[BOBWADE]

That sounds like Macks Creek Missouri. They had the same situation. Had a couple Mile Stretch of small Highway running through their Town had several officers and cruisers.

[P.O.E.]

Cops are putting their lives on the line for 50-60K?

While media, politicians, and lawyers line their own pockets by armchair-quarterbacking?

[mewzilla]

Small towns can be hotbeds for crime, especially if drugs are involved. And if drugs are involved, enforcement becomes even more dangerous.

Wonder if pensions and health bennies costs, and not just for the department, have any bearing on this...

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blandford,_Massachusetts

As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 1,214 people, 456 households, and 350 families residing in the town. The population density was 23.5 people per square mile (9.1/km²). There were 526 housing units at an average density of 10.2 per square mile (3.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.76% White, 0.49% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.25% Asian, and 0.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.33% of the population.

1200 Whites
6 Blacks
2 Native Americans
3 Asians
4 from two or more races
1 or fewer rounding errors.

Not a lot for the cops to do.

[mewzilla]

Add pensions and health bennies, and they get a better deal than that looks.