Letter: High Springs Police Department should not be untouchable
Letter to the editor
The citizens of High Springs deserve answers.
As the City faces a financial crisis impacting nearly every department, one question continues to grow louder: Why does the High Springs Police Department appear exempt from the sacrifices everyone else is being forced to make?
Commissioner Grunder was quick to discuss eliminating the fire department entirely, yet there was little meaningful discussion about reducing the police budget. That alone should concern every taxpayer in this city. When two commissioners are tied to law enforcement backgrounds, the public has every right to question whether objective financial oversight is truly taking place.
Commissioner Weitz publicly questioned the Fire Department Public Information Officer (PIO) having a take-home vehicle — despite the fact that the PIO serves the entire city during emergencies, disasters, and public communications. Yet in the same discussion, every police officer having a take-home vehicle was defended because those vehicles are supposedly “toolboxes.”
That argument falls apart under scrutiny.
If a patrol vehicle is a toolbox, then so is a PIO vehicle. The difference is that one City-owned PIO vehicle costs taxpayers far less than an entire fleet of take-home police cars that are reportedly being driven and parked far outside the city limits with no residency requirement attached. Taxpayers should ask themselves a simple question: What benefit does High Springs receive from City-funded patrol cars sitting in driveways two counties away?
Commissioner Howell reportedly acknowledged that the national average for general fund dependency toward law enforcement sits around 25% to 30%, while High Springs is allocating roughly 42% of its general fund toward the police department. Forty-two percent. Nearly half of the City’s general operating money flowing into one department, while other City services are being gutted.
Then, in the middle of this crisis, the Police Chief stood before the commission, proudly announcing that High Springs has the only fully staffed police department in the county.
Read the room.
Every other department is struggling. Employees across the City are sacrificing staffing, resources, equipment, and operational stability just to survive, yet the police department continues operating as though it is untouchable. That is not leadership. That is imbalance.
Citizens should also demand a serious public review of police staffing practices and scheduling.
If the department is operating day shifts, night shifts, and swing shifts simultaneously, taxpayers deserve to know whether that structure is truly cost-effective or simply inflating payroll obligations while other departments are being asked to do more with less.
The City does not have a revenue problem alone — it has a priorities problem.
If the City truly only needs approximately 13% in reductions to stabilize the budget and preserve services, then the police department should be expected to contribute proportionally, just like everyone else. A hiring freeze should already be in place. Shared sacrifice should already be happening. Instead, the public is watching one department remain protected while others face devastating cuts.
This is not anti-police. It is anti-double standard.
The people of High Springs are tired of watching political loyalty and the “thin blue line” mentality outweigh fiscal responsibility and common sense. Public trust erodes when elected officials appear more willing to dismantle essential services than ask difficult questions of law enforcement spending.
The citizens of High Springs deserve transparency, fairness, and leadership that protects the entire city — not just one department within it.
Bill Augustine, High Springs
The opinions expressed by letter or opinion writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AlachuaChronicle.com. Assertions of facts in letters are similarly the responsibility of the author. Letters may be submitted to info@alachuachronicle.com and are published at the discretion of the editor.
Amen
Well said….important questions.
Antwan’s reputation is not the most respected within the law enforcement community.
So, you appear to be saying that police services are not essential services. Also, have you thought that maybe the police budget is where it should be as far as dollars for a town this size, but the other departments are not?
Percentages can be deceiving to those who do not understand economics. Put the other departments where they should be funding wise and the percentages of the city budget of those departments increases and the police budget percentage decreases. Take home police vehicles program is standard throughout the country.
High Springs Police Department is already one of the lowest paid in the state and definitely local. The ones who do make a good salary, earned it through time in grade. And, still do not make what other state and local departments officers with similar time make. Do away with the take home car program which officers consider part of the benefit package, and you will surely do away with the department. Officers will leave quickly. Then, when you have no choice but to pay for law enforcement services through the Sheriff’s office, don’t complain about response times and service. You asked for it.
Everybody wants what they each personally want because, “Oh, I pay my taxes.” Everybody wants to pay less and less taxes, but want what they demand they want, because again, “I pay my taxes.” It seems no one wants law “enforcement” anymore, they want law “convenience.”
Law enforcement officers pay their taxes too. So do their families. Just like everybody else.
You seem to indicate that the police department is the bad part of our city government. You say your comments are not meant to be anti-police. Perhaps you should go back and read your comments again.
You make it sound bad that the police department is now fully staffed. I assure you, this is very rare and does not last for any extended period of time. If you think that there should be only 1 officer on duty, don’t expect prompt response times if you call for services.
You also indicate that city leaders are not being transparent with the citizens. This is a serious accusation. Please provide examples of your allegation.
Also, since you have the solutions to all the city problems, elections come around often.
It is a fact that most people in today’s society feel entitled. I want what I want but I don’t want to pay for it. Or, I want special consideration when it comes to me. Example: A citizen who thinks they didn’t deserve a traffic ticket because they are outspoken against the police officers. Forget the fact that they were violating traffic laws, just give them a break and write everyone else. Oh, can’t write that one, they are special.
I respect your right to offer your opinion. I’ll defend that right all day long, which I do. However, I must say, unless you know the other side of the total narrative, then wouldn’t you agree that you are missing several chapters in your book?
Sometimes, there just simply is no easy solution. But, If you can only afford 1 shoe, do you cut off the other foot?
Give the police department a break. We’ve done nothing but do our best to give the citizens the best service for less money than we can make elsewhere. We didn’t ask for the criticism we have been getting lately. We (the officers) don’t control the budget. The commission does. We didn’t ask for this and we didn’t put this on the citizens. I love this town and I love the citizens. Some wonderful people.
Please note. I have out my name on this post. Not an alias.
Well first off before you go and attack the “thin blue line” specifically lets go back to how this all started. First off the police department is the only department that has operated within budget for numerous years. The police budget is voted on by the commission. Most of the projects from the PD have been grant funded to the tune of 300k in the past year. The fire department however purchased a million dollar fire truck they couldn’t use. Then a boat that never hit the water. Sold both at a significant loss to the tax payers, not to mention going over budget 600k in one year. Its a lot that’s went on over the past couple years that’s lead to this. Do yourself a favor do public records request for each city department budgets and overages in the past couple years. You might learn a thing or two before throwing your two cents out there.
“Letter: High Springs Police Department should not be untouchable”
Otherwise they will forever be known as the ‘Untouchables”.
Again, money can be saved with fewer supervisors. HSPD needs to update their Department’s personnel list. All you see is the Patrol Division of 14 officers, 2 Sgts, and three higher ranking I guess command stay. But I continue to see more than two sgts. At the school, patrol, etc. Are there investigators? Too many supervisors especially with small Departments is a waste of money and proper deployment of services. The police department is just as essential as the fire department. The criticism of the commission having law enforcement professionals is a good point. Grunder comes from a small agency down the road and GPD which both have issues of being top heavy on supervisors in the past. Some departments use promotional positions as raises also.
The use of take home cars should be capped at the county line boundaries with the exception of K-9. Outside of shift hours tge vehicles should only be used for department use and not personal use such as a family vehicle, making trips to the store, etc.
There are a few commissioners that seemingly understand the financial issues. The rest seem to be content with telling the taxpayers to join them at a bar for drinks and discussion. Commissioner should not be discussing city business over alcohol.
As the economy fails, crime goes up. People are more desparate.
The top priority of any jurisdiction is to maintain civil order. All other priorities follow on from there.
When Wayne Bowers was the city manager in G’ville (he was a great one), no police officers living outside the city limits of G’ville were allowed to drive their cars home.