ETBlogs Soapbox - Latest Comments in Your money, not very hard at work

Re: Your money, not very hard at work

Andrew — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 10:14:31 -0000

While it may seem absurd to hire a trained police officer for traffic detail, there are some indirect benefits over hiring a high-school drop out to wave a flag to direct traffic. Two that quickly come to mind are:

1. Maybe, just maybe, having a police officer at a construction site reduces speeding, accidents, and road rage. The frequency of accidents can probably be analyzed, comparing the statistics with other states that do not require police details for road construction.

2. Town governments and the state may benefit because they do not have to pay police officers as much as they would if this 'perk' were not available. The practice also provides more police presence than would otherwise be possible.

Re: Your money, not very hard at work

Scott McNamara — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 09:04:09 -0000

A couple of points in favor of police details.

Does anyone really believe that if police details ceased to exist our utility rates would decrease?

What would it cost to hire flaggers? Probably, $15 an hour for the flagger and another $15 an hour for the company. Don't forget to add any associated insurance costs.

Most cities and towns charge the private companies a administration fee (usually 10%). This revenue eventually makes its way to the general fund.

Consider how many times you have read about police officers on details who end up intervening in a criminal event or helping out a citizen in need.

Lastly, will Taylor Amerding ever write a column that is either pro union or pro police.

Re: Your money, not very hard at work

Tim — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 13:45:34 -0000

Trust me, we all pay for it in the long run so it eventually it does become OUR MONEY!

Re: Your money, not very hard at work

Taylor Armerding — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:08:16 -0000

Thanks to Skip, for a question/comment raised by lots of people. Yes, the "direct" payment for the detail comes from the contractor, but it all trickles down to the taxpayer. If it is a project being done by the town or city, the details add to the price the town pays the contractor. If they are paid by a utility, it all comes back to us in higher rates.
There is no free lunch. And there are no "free" police details.

Re: Your money, not very hard at work

Skip — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:50:41 -0000

Um, aren't traffic details are paid for by the construction companies and not tax dollars? (Go ahead. Look it up).

Re: Your money, not very hard at work

Tim — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:48:39 -0000

Well this ongoing issue seems to be just that...on going. We have a problem here in Haverhill with SPEEDING! People are in a rush to go nowhere and they are putting all our lives in danger doing it. Now why cant this officer (and others) take the time to patrol our streets and actually "enforce" the law, Protect and Serve as promised. it seems to me, and many others that the random act of staging a speed trap is just not working. We need enforcement at its toughest. I dont mean to turn this into my rant but wouldnt this bring revenue and safety instead of "costing" it?

Re: Your money, not very hard at work

jacrlsn — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 18:36:22 -0000

Just another political boondoggle. You said it, the politicians (who we unfortunately elected) blessed it and now they are either afraid to challenge it or don't want to. Public employment is the biggest and pretty soon if something isn't done to downsize government we'll all work for it. There will be no more dreaded private sector.
They all moan about medical costs and how its destroying budgets, but how many of them (the politicians) are bringing it to the bargaining table.If they all began bargaining medical premiums and police details tomorrow, it would still be a number of years before it is bled out.
We need term limits; as long as we reelect the buggers, they're going to tuck it to us.

Re: Your money, not very hard at work

David — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 17:22:40 -0000

Two things in response to this post.

1. In Connecticut, among other states, road detail is handled by citizens who take a short training course, not by the police. They make good money for the time they are out there but not near the money our police officers make.

2. In terms of North Andover, let us not forget that Daniel Lannen, while not allowed to vote on police-related matters, is a police officer and a member of the Bard of Selectmen and I highly doubt his relationship to that board has a negative impact upon contract negotiations. What would we be saying if this were a teacher on the school committee?