One In Four Cities Considers Police Cuts
Fiscal conditions in the nation’s cities have forced one in four to cut police positions or to expect cuts in the near future, according to a recent survey of 322 cities and towns by the National League of Cities (NLC).
The survey found that 16 % of cities had cut police positions within the past year and another 8 % expect to cut police jobs in the near future.
Nine percent of cities said fiscal conditions had forced cuts in firefighter positions and another 7 % expected to make cuts in the near future.
“These numbers underscore the very real threat to hometown America posed by the federal, state, and local budget crises, which are all linked,” said John DeStefano, Jr., president of the National League of Cities and mayor of New Haven, Conn.
“The federal government, whose support has still not arrived and the states who are cutting dollars to cities and towns due to their financial problems, are leaving America’s hometowns to carry the burden alone.”
Asked to select the single top priority for the nation, 43 % of surveyed city leaders chose investing in local infrastructure and programs to strengthen the economy.
26 % chose ensuring homeland security.
15 %chose disarming Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction through military action.
And 7% chose cutting taxes to strengthen the economy. 9 percent selected other categories.
The National League of Cities is the oldest and largest national organization for American cities. NLC serves as a resource and advocate for 18,000 cities, towns and villages.
