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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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REMEMBER LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN FLINT WAS TO REHIRE SIX LAID OFF OFFICERS? WELL NOW THE FLINT POLICE SAY THEY WILL HIRE NEW OFFICERS AND NOT REHIRE LAID OFF OFFICERS! MORALE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR YEARS AND THIS DOES NOT HELP IMPROVE THE SITUATION. THE DEPARTMENT WAS EVEN SLOW TO FILL THE POSITIONS OF THE OFFICERS THAT RETIRED.
6 additional Flint police to be rehired with $1.2 million federal grant
Published: Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 5:40 PM Updated: Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 5:40 PM
By Kristin Longley | Flint Journal
FLINT, Michigan — The city of Flint will add six police officers to the force with the $1.2 million federal grant announced this evening, Mayor Dayne Walling said.
The process of rehiring the six officers back from layoffs will start soon and "the officers will be back on the job next month," Walling said. They will be added to the patrol bureau, he said.
"This is another investment in Flint’s police department that could not come at a better time," he said. "This grant will allow the Flint Police Department to better fulfill its mission of responding to the community’s public safety concerns."
The grants are being awarded by the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program.
The $1,225,638 COPS grant will cover the full salary and benefits of the officers for three years, and the city has to commit to funding them in 2015, the grant's fourth year.
About 25 percent of the police department's spending is covered by grants, Walling said.
This latest COPS grant is in addition to a previous COPS grant the city received in 2009 to fund officers through the fall of 2013.
U
.S. Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Flint, said he contacted the Justice Department in support of the latest grant award.
“This is great news for the City of Flint,” he said in a statement. “This funding will put more police back on the streets and help make our neighborhoods safer. This grant will also help reverse some of the law enforcement layoffs the City endured last year.”
bubba1130 September 28, 2011 at 7:07PM
What about hiring to fill in the retirees? Didn't the city say it wanted to keep the police force at a certain number and when one retired, one would be called back to work? So is the city not calling back for the retirees and using this Government money to fill in the empty positions? Just wondering.
tdimhcs September 29, 2011 at 12:04AM
It is great Flint is getting this grant for more police. With all the questions surrounding Flint and how they have used government money and grants, I hope, no I pray, they do not screw this up!
Can someone make available the findings from the study that MSU did on crime in Flint and the number of officers recommended for Flint? It was a very professional study. The mayor and Journal reported it as a big deal. One would think the findings should be made public as the safety of the residents and visitors of Flint is of utmost importance. Makes one wonder if the study reflects in a positive manner for Flint.
So what is the number of police officers the city is budgeted for (before this grant)? This is not a time for a shell game!
Welcome back officers!!
patclawson September 29, 2011 at 12:08AM
>>>U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Flint, said he contacted the Justice Department
>>>in support of the latest grant award.
Dale Kildee delivers again, as usual! Just another day on the job for our long-time, hard-working Congressman. I don't care that many of my conservative buddies dislike Dale because of his liberal politics. Just chalk me down as one conservative who likes Dale and admires his terrific record of public service. Thanks, Dale, for a job well done! |
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Mon Jan 23, 2012 6:23 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint could have modified the grant too!
Detroit police say grants modified to save jobs
Posted: Jan 21, 2012 10:18 AM EST Updated: Jan 21, 2012 10:18 AM EST
DETROIT (AP) - Detroit officials say more than 100 police officers will keep their jobs after the federal government modified grants designed for hiring.
The city said in a statement late Friday that the U.S. Justice Department approved a grant variance that will stop the planned layoffs of the 108 officers who have been receiving layoff notices this month.
The layoffs were part of the city's plan to cut 1,000 jobs by April to help reduce a deficit of about $200 million in Detroit's general fund. Mayor Dave Bing says the city could run out of cash by April.
The grant comes through the federal Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Recovery Program.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
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Mon Jan 23, 2012 6:36 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Rick Johnson of the Flint Police Department initiated plans to finalize this grant. A week after we raised the issue publicly (1-31-12) a resolution was sent to Brown to cover the costs of the rehired officers that will not be paid for by the grant. The grant will only cover starting wages.
Brown signed the resolution on 2-3-2012 (2012 EM 064). That still doesn't explain why the officers have not yet been called back. |
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Sat Feb 18, 2012 8:01 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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I may have read this document wrong.
EM submission # 2012 EM 06 adopted 2-3-12
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT TO ALLOCATE UNALLOCATED COPS HIRING RECOVERY GRANT FUNDS TO THE APPROPRIATE WAGE AND FRINGE ACCOUNTS
The City of Flint Police Department has $608,673.43 in aunallocated grant funds in the COPS Hiring Recovery Grant that needs to be allocated to the proper wage and fringe accounts so the grant expenditure can be applied to the appropriate accounts.
from 297-301.794-700.100 $606.673.42
to: 297 301.794-702.000 wages $382,159.85
297-301.794-719.100 direct fringe $95.769.25
297-301.794-719.200 indirect fringe $130,744.32
Does this mean they have already allocated spending when they have not hired the officers back?
This doesn't make sense to me as this is a three year $1.2 million grant awarded September 28 2011. |
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Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:36 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint not using $1.2 million COPS grant to put more police on streets
Published: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 4:00 PM
By Kristin Longley | klongley1@mlive.com
Follow
View full size(File Photo)
FLINT, MI -- The city of Flint won't use its $1.2-million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to add six police officers to the force, after all.
Instead, the city decided to use the funds to fill vacancies from retirements -- contrary to what was said in September when the grant was announced.
"We had to look at what's best for the city," Flint police Chief Alvern Lock said.
In September, Mayor Dayne Walling and other local officials said the funds would be used to help the city boost the number of Flint patrol officers.
But six months later, the number of officers is still about the same, Walling said, and the funds are now being used to maintain -- not add to -- that staffing level.
There are about 125 police officers of all ranks on staff, Walling said.
Of those, the city has about 88 patrol officers, said police Officer Terry Neeley, president of the patrol officers union.
"And that's a high estimate," he said. "We've been waiting I don't know how long for those six officers... We've been slashed to the bare bones."
A number of reasons are behind the decision to maintain the same number of police, officials said, including an unprecedented number of police retirements in the months leading to the state takeover and the appointment of emergency manager Michael Brown.
The grant, awarded under the justice department's Community Oriented Policing Services program, pays for six officers for three years, but requires a local match for the fourth year.
Lock said the cash-strapped city, which is under a state takeover due to its financial problems, was having trouble coming up with the matching funds for the additional officers.
"What we did, is we decided some of the (patrol officers) we brought back would be put in the COPS grant," Lock said.
The city is not violating grant rules by using the funds to maintain officers, said Corey Ray, a spokesman for the justice department's COPS program.
"In years past, when economies were in better shape, it (the grant) was all focused on adding new positions," he said. "Now, we're allowing them to basically maintain those positions."
Walling said a lack of union concessions is partly to blame for the decision to use the grant for vacancies. The city's costs for police officers under their current, expired union contracts continues to increase each year, he said.
Added to that, the city's property tax revenue decreased this year and the community policing millage -- an additional tax that Flint residents pay for police -- didn't collect as much as projected, he said.
"The fact is, without contract concessions from the police unions, there had to be adjustments in the budget year to keep the force at the current level," Walling said. "Chief's first priority has been to keep the force level at the stable minimum despite the high number of retirements."
But that assessment didn't sit right with Neeley. Though the city and union have not been able to agree on new contracts, the city has cut the police department's budget year after year, he said.
"The blame game is in his administration," Neeley said.
Neeley said the city already uses grants to pay for more than half of its patrol officers.
"What is the city actually paying for?" he said.
Still, Walling said the police department budget continues to overspend despite the shift of some costs to eligible grants.
"Future adjustments will be needed to keep policing levels at their current minimums," Walling said. |
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Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:21 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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WILL FLINT LAY OFF AS MANY AS 50 OFFICERS?
ACCORDING TO DETROIT NEWSPAPERS SNYDER HAS NOT PUSHED THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE HIS NEW BILL FOR MORE STATE POLICE. THE NUMBER OF STATE POLICE I HAVE SEEN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS DWINDLED.
Ananich Statement on Governor Snyder's Visit to Flint for Public Safety Message
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 5, 2012
CONTACT:
Tom Lenard, Rep. Jim Ananich, 517-373-5719
Ananich Statement on Governor Snyder's Visit to Flint for Public Safety Message
"I think it makes sense for the Governor to choose Flint to reveal much-anticipated details about his public safety proposal. I hope he will take the time to travel around the city and see how an inadequate investment in public safety can destroy a community and make it nearly impossible to work, hire workers, and raise a family.
We do need a comprehensive approach to tackling crime, but I'm concerned that Governor Snyder is not willing to consider the advice of Michigan's Chief Law Enforcement Officer about the need for at least 1,000 more police officers on our streets. I've been reaching out to Republicans and Democrats, the administration and attorney general's office, to make sure we give our public safety officers the resources they need to be effective. Hopefully on Wednesday we'll hear from the Governor how much political capitol he is willing to expend to actually build safer communities where children can learn and businesses can create jobs."
Ananich has proposed a plan which would provide $140 million, as Attorney General Bill Schuette has requested, to add police officers to the areas with the highest crime rates (details below). The Governor is reportedly recommending approximately $50 million for his entire public safety initiative. Last year, Ananich sponsored the measure which helped free up jail space and increase Michigan State Police patrols in Genesee County.
# # #
Bill No. HB 5364 (H-1) Draft 1
Rep. Ananich moved to amend the bill as follows:
1. Amend page 12, following line 14, by inserting
"Sec. 104. DEPARTMENT OF STATE POLICE
(1) APPROPRIATION SUMMARY
GROSS APPROPRIATION……………………………………………………………………………………………………………$140,000,000
Interdepartmental grant revenues:
Total interdepartmental grants and intradepartmental transfers………………………0
ADJUSTED GROSS APPROPRIATION……………………………………………………………………………………$140,000,000
Federal revenues:
Total federal revenues…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………0
Special revenue funds:
Total private revenues…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………0
Total other state restricted revenues…………………………………………………………………………………………0
State general fund/general purpose……………………………………………………………………$140,000,000
(2) FIELD SERVICES BUREAU
Grants to local law enforcement agencies……………………………………………………$140,000,000
GROSS APPROPRIATION……………………………………………………………………………………………………………$140,000,000
Appropriated from:
State general fund/general purpose……………………………………………………………………$140,000,000"
and adjusting subtotals, totals, and section 201 accordingly.
2. Amend page 14, following line 4, by inserting
"DEPARTMENT OF STATE POLICE
Sec. 401. (1) Funds appropriated in part 1 to the department of state police for grants to local law enforcement agencies shall be used by local law enforcement agencies throughout the state to assist local communities in paying the costs of employing full and part-time officers who are dedicated to keeping communities safe. Funding is to be used for hiring additional police officers, purchasing necessary technology and equipment, and hiring civilian staff to support local law enforcement operations.
(2) Of the $140,000,000.00 million appropriated, $70,000,000.00 shall be awarded by the department to local law enforcement agencies in fiscal year 2011-12 and $70,000,000.00 shall be awarded in fiscal year 2012-13.
(3) Of the $70,000,000.00 million awarded in fiscal year 2011-12, $35,000,000.00 shall be awarded to law enforcement agencies within communities under financial review or with financial managers in place. The $35,000,000.00 shall be divided according to crime rates and population. The remaining $35,000,000.00 shall be dedicated to statewide public safety staff at the discretion of the department of state police.
(4) These funds are designated as work project appropriations and shall not lapse at the end of the fiscal year, and shall continue to be available for expenditure for the purposes described in this section.".
Categories: Press Releases
Copyright 2010, Friends of Jim Ananich. All rights reserved.
Paid for by Friends of Jim Ananich, 932 Maxine St. Flint, MI 48503 |
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Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:21 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Parts of Governor Snyder's public safety plan remain unapproved
by NBC25 Newsroom
Posted: 03.30.2012 at 11:49 AM
Updated: 03.30.2012 at 6:50 PM
Parts of Governor Rick Snyder's public safety plan have been left out of a supplemental funding bill approved by the state legislature on Thursday.
Earlier this month, Snyder proposed a comprehensive anti-crime plan focused on Flint, Saginaw, Detroit and Pontiac.
The governor planned to use the supplemental funding to increase Michigan State Police patrols, reopen the Flint city lockup and build a mental health court in Saginaw.
"I think they mean well. When you make a promise, its like giving kids candy. Give it to them regularly, when you try to take it away they cry," said Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell.
Officials said lawmakers could still assign funding to the unapproved measures by the end of the fiscal year. |
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Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:14 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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[quote="untanglingwebs"]Parts of Governor Snyder's public safety plan remain unapproved
by NBC25 Newsroom
Posted: 03.30.2012 at 11:49 AM
Updated: 03.30.2012 at 6:50 PM
"I think they mean well. When you make a promise, its like giving kids candy. Give it to them regularly, when you try to take it away they cry," said Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell.
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I sincerely hope Channel 25 took this comment out of context or used the quote from the wrong story as this comment makes absolutely no sense as part of this story.
Pickell can't be saying the residents of Flint are crybabies when they lose more and more police and fear for their safety. Channel 25 needs to do a better job of editing their cuts for their stories.
Not included in the written interview are comments from residents |
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Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:20 am |
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