In an earlier post we said that the city spent $30,000 on a camera system for the police station. The fact is that the actual cost (as per the Daily News on October 11th) is $37,950. And the system also maintains surveillance in the horribly crime-ridden city park.m
Councilman Elwood Martin was quoted in the paper as saying that the monies came out of a drug forfeiture account and he hopes that the city will be reimbursed by the DA’s office. We hope so too woody because 38 grand could have bought:
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Laptops, with all the necessary software, for all of the police cars, two new police cars, two part-time officers. One full-time officer, new firearms for the entire department, training for a DARE officer in the school, training and material for a juvenile crime prevention officer in the city or even a professional grant writer to find more monies that could be used for the protection of our residents and/or educational and anti-crime programs for their children.
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2 comments:
Speaking of money, how is it that the manager of a distressed city that has no cash to fulfill its obligations recently bought his house for forty two thousand dollars CASH?
See for yourself at http://www2.county.allegheny.pa.us/RealEstate/search.asp (type in parcel # 0305-L-00064-0000-00)
"Councilman Elwood Martin was quoted in the paper as saying that the monies came out of a drug forfeiture account and he hopes that the city will be reimbursed by the DA’s office."
He hopes? That's like using a credit card and hoping you have the credit. I know of departments that have put cameras in public places, but they have money and already have the necesseties, which DPD does not. Maybe they should have started with:
Laptops, with all the necessary software, for all of the police cars, two new police cars, two part-time officers. One full-time officer, new firearms for the entire department, training for a DARE officer in the school, training and material for a juvenile crime prevention officer in the city or even a professional grant writer to find more monies that could be used for the protection of our residents and/or educational and anti-crime programs for their children.
It just seems like they were looking to drop some money. No rhyme or reason. Still don't understand all the cameras inside the police station. Can no one explain this?
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