Concord Foundation Requests FY12 Increases for Public Safety

The Concord Public Safety Foundation Board of Directors strongly urges Concord City Councilors to adopt the following in regard to the Police and Fire budgets for Fiscal Year 2012:

CONCORD POLICE DEPARTMENT 

· Restore Traffic Enforcement Officer Position

When the much needed traffic enforcement division was created, the original plan was to staff with (three) officers. Only (one) position was ever filled; elimination of this sole position essentially eliminates the entire division. This division works proactively to improve traffic/pedestrian safety.

It is unlikely the traffic enforcement officer position will be staffed in the future if this position is eliminated in FY2012. The elimination will have an immediate and negative impact on the Concord community.

The traffic enforcement officer currently responds to community requests, monitors complaint locations, participates with the traffic advisory committee, works with school bus safety programs, participates in public education/meetings, and worked to upgrade safety procedures during Concord High School pick up/drop off periods.

With an estimated call volume of 57,000 in FY2012, it is neither practical nor realistic to expect patrol officers to spend a significant amount of time on traffic enforcement. The traffic enforcement officer proactively keeps our community’s pedestrians and motorists safer, while positively portraying the City of Concord to residents, workers, and visitors.

CONCORD FIRE DEPARTMENT

· Restore $34,000 to Operating Budget

The proposed $34,000 operating budget cut includes training, equipment maintenance, and tools, among other areas. With recent structure fires including the Friendly Kitchen, Perley St., Vegas block, and Eldridge St., ongoing fires in homeless encampments, and daily complex calls for medical assistance, training and equipment are paramount for the best possible outcomes.

· Maintain Ladder Truck in FY2012 CIP

The current back-up to Concord Fire Department’s primary ladder truck has been in service since 1988. Effectively, Kennedy and Crutchfield residents who are elderly and disabled, as well as customers and business people in the blossoming new downtown office buildings, are relying on a 23-year-old ladder truck when the primary unit is out of service due to maintenance or another call for service.

The Concord Public Safety Foundation thanks our Councilors for their attention to these areas crucial to our community’s public safety.

Kim Murdoch, Board Chair

Concord Public Safety Foundation

On behalf of the Concord Public Safety Foundation Board of Directors:

Bruce Clendenning, Ward 6

Jessica Forbes, Ward 9

Laura Guimont, Ward 1

David Henderson

Tracey Lesser, Ward 1

Kim Murdoch, Ward 4

Augustin Ntabaganyimana

Lenny O’Keefe, Ward 6

Michael O’Meara, Ward 6

Donna Raycraft, Ward 1

Lon Setnik, Ward 4