Well, not to be nit picky but he didn't admit to any fraud. I am aware that he admitted they inflated the numbers "to deter crime". Not sure that's how I would have handled things but if there is anything criminal in what they did then prosecute them. I have no problem with that. Believe me the Feds are looking hard at everything down here and if there is anything there they will go after it.
fraud (frôd) n. 1. A deception deliberately practiced in order to secure unfair or unlawful gain. 2. A piece of trickery; a trick. 3.a. One that defrauds; a cheat. b. One who assumes a false pose; an impostor. [Middle English fraude, from Old French, from Latin fraus, fraud-.]
...but he didn't admit to any fraud. I am aware that he admitted they inflated the numbers "to deter crime".
Gosh, that's so internally contradictory, did it hurt?
Inflating numbers IS fraud. Detering criminals by posting a large number of phantom police is laughable (You criminals better watch out, we have two cops for every criminal in this city!!). As if muggers and carjackers do a risk analysis by reviewing the city police department website.
And when you pad a payroll, how do you know where the money goes? Does the payroll accountant make a clear transfer of funds to the authorized account for "radios". Yeah, that's a good example of good governance. And Federal funds for law enforcement are tied to city police rolls (remember Clinton's hundred thousand police). So wasn't the federal taxpayer being defrauded?
What is the difference between phony payroll and Enron phony loans and trades? NOTHING, its all fraud.
This is big-time fraud and I hope that prison time follows it