Facing large budget cuts that will eliminate hundreds of officers, Miami, FL residents are being told to buy guns and take other measures for their protection.
“If the mayor’s not going to provide security, then my recommendation, as an experienced law enforcement officer for nearly 40 years, is either buy yourself an attack dog, put bars on your windows and doors and get yourself some firearms because you’re going to have to protect yourselves,” police union president John Rivera stated. “We won’t be able to.”
Gimenez said if no concessions are made by the labor union, “then you’re looking at about 250 police officers” who will lose their jobs.
The police force will attempt to fill the gap, Gimenez said, by placing law enforcement staffers from administrative posts on street patrols. He wants the labor union to meet him in the middle.
“This is the amount of money that we have, and if I have to pay more for the employees at the end, we are probably going to have to have fewer employees, unless I continue these concessions and get a 15 percent reduction in our healthcare costs,” he said. “Then we can maintain most of the employees.”
The Miami mayor vowed that a tax hike will not be forthcoming regardless of what union concessions do or do not materialize.
“We will not increase the burden on our residents through higher taxes,” he said.
In addition to the police department cuts, the mayor also is proposing:
- reducing the library department by 200 employees.
- downsizing mowing and maintenance cycles in some areas.
- increasing attention to signal, sign, flooding and pothole repairs.
- reducing Zoo Miami hours.
- increasing bus and Metrorail fares.
- closing a golf course.
- postponing police officer and correctional officer training classes.
Specialized law enforcement units which focus upon tactical narcotics investigations, robbery and gangs would also be reduced.
Response time to non-emergency calls is expected to increase from 13 to 30 minutes in some areas due to the department cutbacks, The Miami Herald reported.
Rivera reportedly feels that the mayor was wrong to use hotel taxes to support a $350 million renovation at Sun Life Stadium.
“You don’t enjoy the safety and security you deserve. But you can certainly enjoy a Dolphins game,” the union president said.
Source: offthegridnews.com
Photo: NBCMiami.com
GET A GUN LEARN HOW TO USE IT AND PROTECT YOURSELF ,WONDER HOW MUCH THE MAYOR IS WILLING TO GIVE UP IN HIS PAYCHECK
& here the federal govt has hauled in record revenues again! Still 17 tril in debt.states falling apart.& forien affairs blazing like naypalm in the forest.so one want to elaborate on how great the economy is????. The dorks of this country are about equel in no# to the peoples whom knew better.vote for Killary or any Dem & your asking for the same mess.you! Florida has done plenty to hurt the us with no offshore drilling.& bet you’ll demonize frac!.any one remember! Petrolium! DRIVES! yours, ours, the whole countries economy.so kick yourself in the ass Florida. I live in cal.& the uber take over is the same.many calif counties going bankrupt.
So keep voting Democrat! I’ll see you in hell.
Hey Florida how is the democratic vote you cast working for you now? You ain’t seen nothing yet, all those great handouts aren’t really free…get a clue, you’ll be bankrupt too in no time! But, hey Lamonjello, Orangejello and Smitty Boy will all have free cell phones, internet service and cabel TV so they can sit at home on their butts watching TV all day while the rest of the country of real Americans work in some way.
Americans are meant to protect themselves. Good advice from Union boss. Would also apply to Chicago and DC.
Yeah,they need them to protect themselves FROM the police
At least there is a fair warning.
there you go get one so you can protect your family
Everybody should have one or two
They can’t protect you now!!!
God made small men and big men…..Smith & Wesson made then all equal.