Many of our citizens are fed up with the tactics of its police officers. At a recent council meeting, the audience was filled to capacity with police, family members and supporters. The issue at hand was the council's consideration of eliminating 6 police positions in accordance with the recommendation of the police chief.
Did the large turnout, including many police addressing the council have anything to do with the majority of the council voting to continue any action until a future date? Many citizens feel that was the case.
In point of fact, subsequent to the vote, the police singled out Bill Garner, KC Carter & Barry Gillaspie for standing up for the constituents and voting to eliminate the 6 positions. This was done with ads in the newspaper and on the radio.
At the last council meeting, once again many police officers spoke during call to the audience, in an attempt to save these 6 jobs. Certainly that is their right, but one might question who are the police concerned about---the citizens or themselves?
The following email sent to the council & mayor is an example of what may be considered ''citizen backlash." Similar feelings have been expressed by many other OV citizens.
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I have and always will support the local police department. However, after living in OV for the last 15 years, seeing the OVPD continue to increase every year, enough is enough.
OV has one of the highest officers per capita in the US. Regardless of the size of the OVPD, OV has never had much crime. Over the years (and wherever you go in Tucson) the OVPD has developed a reputation as a traffic citation happy super group with little to do but enforce traffic laws.
Their political clout is staggering. When they don't get their way, they resort to scare tactics...advertising on TV, newspapers, etc. Turning out in force at council meetings!! Basically, strong arming the citizens, OV Town Council and Mayor.
Is this what we want from our Police Department?
In these poor economic times, it's finally time to say NO to the OVPD. Most towns are cutting jobs, the school districts are cutting teachers and the UofA has drastic cut backs. But they will get the job done.
It's time to tell the OVPD to take the cuts like any other town or business would do and get the job done with less.
8 comments:
Please see my comment under, "Mary Reilly Opines on Oro Valley Police" as my comments apply to this post as well.
I guess I am not surprised. Any group or organization that is unionized will stick together and try to save their jobs. Of course the union looks out for its own! Why else would they have a union?
Do I think the town will suffer if we lose 6 officers, No.
I am responding to "Oro Valley Police Union Looks Out For Its Own". I, too, was present at the infamous Town Council meeting where the Oro Valley Police "stacked the deck" by filling the room with their friends and relatives, occupying all of the available seats and filling the agenda with their proponents ad nauseam. If that is not enough, we (the public) were also exposed to a room full of "gun toting" cops in uniform and plain clothes. I, for one, do not feel comfortable being in a room filled with armed participants, nor should the women and children that were present. Such "strong arm" tactics have no place in a democracy and I call upon the Town Council to ban guns from the meeting room.
Dr. Bob,
Excellent point! Since I was watching from home, I didn't notice the guns. Had I been there, I too would have been very uncomfortable.
Of course the way people burst into rooms these days shooting their guns in all directions, it might not be a bad idea if one "on duty" pistol-packing OV cop was present at each council meeting. But I agree that a room full of them definitely sends a "strong arm" message and might prevent citizens from feeling free to speak their minds. But that was probably the plan.
Not sure about the laws in Arizona or Ov but in some cases police officers are required to carry their guns while off duty.
Dear Sirs:
The Oro Valley Police Department is currently in danger of becoming the most feared and hated police department in the country.
Already with one of the highest ratios of officers per capita in the US, they are boldly seeking to avoid layoffs, and even increase their force! Regardless of the size of the OVPD, Oro Valley has never had much crime. Over the years the OVPD has laughingly developed a reputation as a traffic-citation-happy super group with little to do but enforce traffic laws, and are even known as "tax collectors" and little else. To add to this, they enforce with adversarial techniques routinely.
The OVPD's strong arm persona includes questionable tactics such as:
1. Using the back-up "wolf-pack" technique to ticket traffic violations, which clearly illustrates over-staffing... 2-3 cars to issue one ticket?
2. Using unmarked cars, with visible radar detection devices, to target speeders during commute & Sunday morning church hours. (Even though they recently received new police patrol units the last budget period.)
3. Attending city council meetings "en mass", with firearms visibly present, leaving no seating available for city residents, and then proceeding to usurp entire meetings with their speakers and union officials.
4. Showing an unbelievable amount of available patrol units, by placing them almost within yards of each other on Tangerine Drive and other favorite ticketing spots.
5. Showing a forceful & adversarial attitude toward drivers in Oro Valley; One driver, who wished to remain anonymous, told of a motorcycle officer stopping her for "shaking her head" while passing him issuing a ticket. His defense for comitting this outrageous act was to tell the shaken woman "most people shake their head up & down when listening to music- not side to side, lady".
And they were offended by Oro Valley being referred to as a "Police State" at a recent city council meeting??
Clearly, a change in attitude and budget is needed regarding this out-of-control police department.
Mtr 1999
OVPD is in danger of becoming the most feared and hated police department in the country?
By who? You? I would not mind feared. That is what keeps the criminals out and our community safe.
Oro Valley has not had crime because of the reputation of the Oro Valley Police Department. You think that crime just does not hit certain area regardless of the police in the area. It is because of the high profile police department that a high volume of crime does not hit Oro Valley.
Studies show that the more tickets handed out in a certain area, the less accidents occur in that particular area. People know that when they drive into Oro Valley, they better drive safely. What is wrong with keeping the streets safer for you and your family.
I will counter your points one by one.
1. ..."2 to 3 cars to issue one ticket"
Do you know that is what they are doing? There could be more than one officer on a stop because an officer stopped a drunk driver, suspected burgler, drug dealer, car load of illegals, drug smuggler, armed robbery suspect or violent gang member. More than one officer is needed to deal with those people. The Cops dont just pull over people solely for speeding.
2. What is wrong with unmarked cars? Speeders should not be speeding whether or not there is a marked or unmarked car in the area. Is it ok to speed on Sundays? What make Sundays the day where the traffic laws do not apply? Going to church or not you still must drive the speed limit.
3. Is it not their right to attend the city council meetings? Many of the officers live in Oro Valley with their families. Are they not afforded the same right as you to express their opinions and rally support. It is up to you to rally support, "stack the deck" on your side and fill the seats with your supporters if you can.
As far as mentioning their firearms with them, Officers are encouraged to carry guns off duty so they are prepared for any emergency situation that may force them to go into Cop mode and handle the situation.
4. "Showing an unbelievable amount of available patrol units..."
Would you rather have them hide and only come out when called to an emergency so you can drive as fast as you want to and put peoples lives at risk?
High profile enforcement and presence deters crime. It is a fact. Oro Valley is much safer than surrounding communities because of the high visibility of the police. If a crook is thinking about robbing a store or burglarizing your house but sees three cops on the way to your house or the store, they are going to go somewhere else where there is not that many cops visible.
5. "Showing a forceful and adversarial attitude towards drivers..."
Was this anonymous person pulled over for shaking her head from side to side? I don't recall any law forbidding expression or dancing with your head shaking the wrong way. She must have been stopped for an actual traffic infraction. If she was just stopped for shaking her head than her rights were violated. I highly doubt an officer was going to risk it by pulling over someone for just shaking their head the wrong way. There had to be another reason that we are not being told.
Oro Valley hardly has one of the highest ratios of officers per capita in the U.S.
The average is 2.3 officers per 1000, but in New York and Texas, the average is 3.27 according to the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics.
ALL employees who work for the Town of Oro Valley are valuable. However, it costs tens of thousands of dollars to train an officer before s/he can be put on the street. Does it take that much for other positions?
I've seen Dave Andrews cry broke ever since he became the Finance Director. Yet mysteriously, every single year the Town ends up with a surplus!
I think they can afford to hold back and retain ALL positions, at least for another year to see if this storm can be weathered. Why toss valuable, trained and respected employees to the wolves and create an even larger vortex in the local economy? How is firing people and ruining their lives going to improve the financial well-being of the town?
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