Posted on 11/23/2008 1:40:54 AM PST by CE2949BB
OAKLAND — Mayor Ron Dellums detailed his decision to postpone the 166th Oakland Police Academy in a letter to City Council members Friday, saying the city does not have the money to put more recruits through training at this time.
The academy was originally scheduled to begin Dec. 8 and will be postponed until spring or summer of next year.
"Given the harsh fiscal realities that we face today — which are more severe than expected even a few months ago — delaying the December police academy is the only responsible decision we can make," Dellums wrote.
Police officials told 44 recruits Nov. 13 the academy would be postponed, and Dellums' letter left it clear the mayor believed he had no other choice.
Officials are looking at the possibility of conducting a lateral academy — for officers interested in joining the Oakland Police Department from other law-enforcement agencies — in April.
The lateral academy would be cheaper than the $3 million basic training academy and would be one way to buttress department staffing levels until the next academy of new recruits can be completed.
Dellums' decision came just when the Police Department achieved his goal of filling all its vacancies. On Nov. 14, 38 Oakland police officers were added to the force after graduating the 165th academy, bringing the department's force to 837 officers — the most in OPD history.
The postponement likely means the department will drop below its authorized strength of 803 at some point next year, though Assistant Police Chief Howard Jordan noted the department operated under the 803 level for years, including some periods during which it had fewer than 700 officers.
"It's unfortunate," Jordan said, "but the economic times dictate that we have to do this."
Dellums' letter gave four primary reasons for his decision: restrictions on funding from Measure Y, the 2004 public safety ballot measure; voters' rejection of a separate public safety measure, Measure NN, on Nov. 4; a city budget with a bleak outlook over the next two years; and uncertainty about whether the California will take money from cities as state lawmakers grapple with their own budget problems.
City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente (Glenview-Fruitvale) said Dellums should have told council members about his decision before it was announced, but acknowledged that the mayor was left with little choice regarding the academy.
"I would have liked to know before, but I think it's the right decision," De La Fuente said. "I don't think we can just continue increasing our deficit, our structural deficit, without figuring out a way to pay for these things."
Sgt. Dom Arotzarena, commander of the department's recruiting unit and the vice president of the police union, declined to comment on the situation as it related to his position overseeing recruiting. Speaking from the union's point of view, he said the decision will have clear consequences.
Arotzarena said it takes more than six months from the time a trainee begins academy until he or she is on the street.
The postponement means the department will drop below 803 at some point in 2009, he said.
"We'll be back in the same situation we were before," Arotzarena said. "We took two steps forward and we're going to take two steps back."
Dellums planned on contacting the recruits about his decision, his spokesman Paul Rose said.
"The mayor regrets the relatively short notice, but canceling the academy is the only responsible decision the mayor can make," Rose said. "We will extend every effort to accommodate (the) individuals most greatly impacted."
Rose said the recruits who were planning to begin training Dec. 8 would be given first crack at participating when the academy is rescheduled.
Well...as long as the free condom and needle exchange programs are still funded, everything should be ok.
Ron Dellums is the liar, outright leftist liar who went on the Congressional Delegation to communist Grenada in the 80’s. Their findings report was to presuade Reagan from invading. However it was later discovered that their report was written even before the trip - showing that all they cared about was hating America protecting thier fellow travelers.
Ron “Red” Dellums way to go socialist idiot!
I bet I could find $3M worth of slack in their budget to fund the police academy. In fact, I’d bet I could find twice that amount. It is chump change.
What the mayor is really saying is that he doesn’t WANT to fund the academy. Unless of course he gets some additional concession from the council and the ratepayers in return. There is no political mileage in reducing crime. None.
Local governments are the same the world over.
Obama will pull troops out of Iraq and put them on our nations streets to deal with this crisis. That and to end free elections in 2010 and onwards.
No problem! Pair the new hires up with experienced officers for the OJT Academy. Get the new guys out on the streets and they’ll figure the job out sooner or later.
Besides, no one wants to sit in a classroom listening to boring lectures anyway.
Dellums just needs to think creatively.
Do plumbers that move from one city to another city have to take new license? Lawyers? Doctors?
What the hell is going on? Who does this kind of stupidity but featherbedding government.
No problem.
Just apply for federal assistance from Prez Hussein.
He'll send you his federally trained and armed "Obama Youth Corps", "Civilian Security Force", and Black Panther units to patrol your city.
No offense to the Hells Angels MC. Or any member past, present and/or future.
Just consult with our military senior veterans who served in Iraq...then build concrete walls around Oakland, like they did in Baghdad!
Problem solved.
At what age and how many years of service before officers retire. And what is their total compensation costs after retirement. My bet... it is similar CHP and the prison guards. 80% of salary after 20 years...
“At what age and how many years of service before officers retire. And what is their total compensation costs after retirement. My bet... it is similar CHP and the prison guards. 80% of salary after 20 years...”
They probably have something similiar to that and/or what is breaking Vallejo.
No problem after Zer0 the magical 0re0 is sworn in, Oakland can start hiring Nation of Islam thugs to be the new cops.
They will be pre trained at no direct cost to Oakland.
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