Calgary Police get $25M to hire 200 new officers - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Scrambler · 09-09-2008, 11:44 AM

http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/cal...67febdfc71&p=2

In my opinion this is not necessary. I don't think adding more cops is going to stop the gang violence/shootings in this city. I know we have been hearing over and over again that an innocent bystander is going to be killed eventually. Though that would be tragic, I don't see how having more cops eliminate the probability of this.

It's not like the next time there is a drive by shooting it will be stopped by the additional cops because now there's more.

It's a big bill, and one that all of us paying property taxes in Calgary will have to pay next next year.

Like Ald Andre Chabot argued, they should have at least waited until the November budget to see how much they can afford with out yet again increasing Calgarians taxes.

Flames_Gimp · 09-09-2008, 11:50 AM

this is good.

Locke · 09-09-2008, 11:54 AM

A hundred grand a cop? Oh snap, its the FUZZ!!!

MarchHare · 09-09-2008, 11:56 AM

Are the 200 additional officers they're hiring going to be patrol cops on the street or investigative teams specializing in gangs and organized crime? If the former, I agree with the OP -- an additional 66 cops on the street per 8-hour shift spread all over the city isn't going to make a lick of difference in curbing gang violence. If it's the latter, though, then it could prove to be money well spent.

This just appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to the recent killings to make it look like City Hall is doing something.

RW99 · 09-09-2008, 11:59 AM

Well maybe hiring these 200 will allow them to promote more senior staff into these specialty divisions. One can only hope...

Traditional_Ale · 09-09-2008, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Locke

A hundred grand a cop? Oh snap, its the FUZZ!!!

More like 33,000 per new officer for the first three years I bet.

Azure · 09-09-2008, 12:02 PM

Some of the money will go into training, no?

Madman · 09-09-2008, 12:03 PM

That'll buy some sweet ass ghost cars.

Bobblehead · 09-09-2008, 12:10 PM

I was talking to an officer a few weeks ago.

He was saying if there are 2 major crimes in his area (his example was a stabbing), all the police for that area will be needed for the immediate investigations. If there is another one at the same time, it will be trouble because there is no one available to answer it. of course an officer from another area will be sent, but that won't be anywhere near as timely and it may now leave that area under served.

It sounded to me like with the physical growth of the city, the current officers are being spread pretty thin.

I know in my own area, when I moved in I was on the very edge of the city. In 8 years it is now more than a 5 minute drive to get to the edge, and that is hundreds of new homes.

I don't want a police state, but has the ratio of officers per population kept up with growth?

Thor · 09-09-2008, 12:11 PM

So does this mean, sorry to say, less Hookers and Blow in Calgary?

pepper24 · 09-09-2008, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

So does this mean, sorry to say, less Hookers and Blow in Calgary?

Hopefully. Well needed funds by an undermanned squad. Hopefully they put a dent in the gang wars and help in other areas as well.

Incinerator · 09-09-2008, 12:22 PM

Oh don't you worry about property taxes, the city council wouldn't commit political suicide by raising taxes. You'll just see more ghost cars on the streets with increased quotas to pay for that new class of 200 traffic division recruits.

MaxPower · 09-09-2008, 12:25 PM

They'll all end up being put on traffic duty.... it's the most lucrative.

Edit: Well put Incinerator.

Scrambler · 09-09-2008, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incinerator

Oh don't you worry about property taxes, the city council wouldn't commit political suicide by raising taxes. You'll just see more ghost cars on the streets with increased quotas to pay for that new class of 200 traffic division recruits.

I'd be ok with that in that case! I don't drive often, plus after a bad mistake last year (see another other thread

) I drive very carefully and lawfully now, so there is nothing to bust me for.

Addick · 09-09-2008, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

If there is another one at the same time, it will be trouble because there is no one available to answer it. of course an officer from another area will be sent, but that won't be anywhere near as timely and it may now leave that area under served.

It sounded to me like with the physical growth of the city, the current officers are being spread pretty thin.

Another benefit of suburban sprawl...

jolinar of malkshor · 09-09-2008, 01:02 PM

When people see the $100,000 cost for an officer it is much more than just salary. There is training, leave costs, sick leave costs, payments for CPP, EI, Pension and medical benifits.

The more police on the street the better. We should NOT have reactive policing. The more police we have the more the police can work on proactive and community policing.

To those who say more police won't solve the problem, look at NYC. When Juliani was elected mayor, he put a police officer on every corner of Manhattan and the crime rate dropped considerably. In some locations he put a police officer on each of the corners of an intersection thus having 4 officers per intersection.

troutman · 09-09-2008, 01:15 PM

I was told at a community police meeting, that there is only ever two cars on patrol in each quadrant at any given time. That's not a lot.

jolinar of malkshor · 09-09-2008, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

I was told at a community police meeting, that there is only ever two cars on patrol in each quadrant at any given time. That's not a lot.

Sounds low to me. But maybe those numbers are strictly for community calls. That probably won't include traffic officers and such. The airport alone usually has 4-6 officers on shift all the time.

Incinerator · 09-09-2008, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troutman

I was told at a community police meeting, that there is only ever two cars on patrol in each quadrant at any given time. That's not a lot.

That's a load of bull...two cars per community maybe. There are definitely more than 8 cars in town at any given time of the day. There's probably 2 ghost cars driving back & forth on Deerfoot all day alone.

ComixZone · 09-09-2008, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

So does this mean, sorry to say, less Hookers and Blow in Calgary?

...I saw a guy pick up a hooker as a passenger in a cab over the weekend while heading back up through downtown. How much do you think he had to tip the cabbie to get 'em to pickup a hooker?

...if they would've been busted, who would be at fault? Both the cabbie and the passenger?