You get what you pay for

[EDRanger]

Does the public really know what they are buying into from the politicians? The cities of San Jose and Stockton have recently hammered their police departments with pay cuts, pension overhauls and bargaining rights. When the city turns to the public and blames the police department for their financial short falls and demand voters to approve huge cuts to their police department- do they not realize what their doing? In the end those city voters will get what they pay for. This job is 90% negative, 5% tolerable and another 5% worth it. If you want to pay your local police officer/deputy/ CHP chump change with little to no retirement benifits- what kind of person do you think will apply for that job? Now politicians will blame the police and the fire department for all the city/county and or state for the financial woes but there are certain things worth paying for. San Jose has a recent spike in crime (hmmm), Stockton also (more than normal) has a recent spike in crime. Criminals watch the News and listen to the politicians to. With the recent jail realignment and non violent offender release back out to the public, do you really want to start cutting your police force? Or have a hack job officer due to the lack of pay and benifits. The violent offenders (murder's, rapists, kidnappers, etc.) have a big impact on a small percentage of society. The "non-violent offenders" (Car thiefs, home burglaries, drugs dealers, etc) have a big impact on a huge percentage of society. When you make that 911 call when you come back from the movies or dinner to find your house burglarized or your car missing from the parking lot and the dispatcher says "Due to lack of injuries or no immediate threat, we will not send and officer to help. Please call your insurance company and make a claim." Its gonna hurt. And the future officers you do make contact are no better than the low life on the corner (cause thats the only guy who would take the job). Again, you get what you pay for! I just hope the public will see through the politicians smoke and mirrors before this state turns into your next "Mexico". I kiss my wife and kids goodbye everynight before I leave for work with the mind set that "this will be the last time I ever see them so make every minute count." I would not do this job if I thought my benifits wouldn't take care of them in my absence. So to the public I say "You get what you pay for!" Officer's fight for pay and benifits for the care of their families if they do not return home from shift- NOT to be rich and greedy! Thats what the politicians do! Just be careful what you vote and wish for, because you might get it. And the next time you dial 911 you might get a busy signal. Even though you own your own guns and stand ready to defend your home, I myself would be more comfortable doing it knowing the calvary will be here soon.

[Yugo]

welcome!

[Linh]

Well you do get what you pay for and it's not always good, the city of Bell for example.

So that scandal doesn't help.

[9mmrevolver]

Pretty sure Cali polititions just a raise this year. Hey they (cough) diserved it. Over paid ***** hats

[5shot]

Yea, everyone knows that public safety salaries and retirements caused the real estate market to bottom out, and the 2008 stock market crash, and the major banks to fail, and GM to go bankrupt, and Fannie May and Freddie Mac to fail, and gas prices to rise.
If they could just decrease public safety salaries and retirements, the whole world would finally come out of the recession it's in.
Then they can increase the 22 billion California spends on illegal immigrants, pay more in food stamps and welfare for those who choose not to work. Increase politicians pay and benefits, and vacation time. And of course there's the drug addicts who need a increase in their Social Security disability payments.

[Fjold]

I think that the public does realize it as about 70% of them voted for it.

[FalconLair]

there is so much I'd like to say about this but it would be in vain anyway...our politicians have let us down, once again, and what better way to sugar coat it than blame their PD's...just wow

[Falconis]

My former city pressured everyone to take cuts, when I say everyone ,I mean cops, and 2 years later they somehow "FOUND" money somewhere to pay for other crap.

[Falconis]

To add, anyone that is negotiating right now, try to get a clause in, if they do find money down the road, one of the first things that gets paid for are the lost benefits and wages.

[Notorious]

Don't give them up in the first place.

But yeah, you get the kind of policing you deserve when your community messes with it.

[NytWolf]

"You get what you pay for"

... If you want to pay your local police officer/deputy/ CHP chump change with little to no retirement benifits- what kind of person do you think will apply for that job? Now politicians will blame the police and the fire department for all the city/county and or state for the financial woes but there are certain things worth paying for. San Jose has a recent spike in crime (hmmm), Stockton also (more than normal) has a recent spike in crime...

You pay for what you get.

[yzErnie]

There is absolutely no disputing that public safety (law enforcement and EMS) is a financial hit to a state, county or city budget. In one community I worked in public safety accounted for about 65% of the city budget. They were ok with that and provided the good citizens of that community with a strong police presence. The criminal element of that community sure didn't like it though!!

Probably preaching to the choir on this but the state has lost track of what the good citizens of this state need. We certainly do not need to be funding all of the crap we do. The working stiff and many businesses do not have a chance in this state any more. I'm jealous of those who get to move out of this nightmare.

[AdiosKali]

There is absolutely no disputing that public safety (law enforcement and EMS) is a financial hit to a state, county or city budget. In one community I worked in public safety accounted for about 65% of the city budget. They were ok with that and provided the good citizens of that community with a strong police presence. The criminal element of that community sure didn't like it though!!

Probably preaching to the choir on this but the state has lost track of what the good citizens of this state need. We certainly do not need to be funding all of the crap we do. The working stiff and many businesses do not have a chance in this state any more. I'm jealous of those who get to move out of this nightmare.

You hit the nail on the head buddy!