BoogyMan
09-15-2007, 10:09 AM
Interesting. I don't see how someone could live on what Police officers are expected to start out making in NYC, especially in light of the fact that their job regularly requires them to risk their lives.
Source: http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_257184229.html
(CBS) NEW YORK A unique NYPD program has shown great success in getting criminals off the streets, so why is the program in jeopardy of being cut?
In more than two dozen of the city's hotspots, the shooting, murder and stabbing rates over the past few years have plunged thanks to a program called Operation Impact.
"We've averaged, when we put impact in place, 25 to 30 percent decrease in the impact areas," NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
Now Operation Impact is in jeopardy because the NYPD is having a tough time keeping recruits who make up that unit. The commissioner blames the paltry pay -- $25,000 to start.
"They're leaving because of top pay," said Pat Lynch, president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association.
But the patrolmen's union disagrees, saying recruiting classes weren't even filled when the base pay was $15,000 higher. It blames the lack of a long-term living wage for driving away hundreds of officers a year to greener pastures.
"Top pay for NYPD is $59,000," Lynch said. "Suffolk County is $100,000, 80,000 in Nassau County."
As a result, the union claims the new officers that would normally be used for the city hotspots are now being used as Band-Aids to cover for the precincts that aren't fully staffed because so many officers are leaving.
"There should be enough officers to man the radio cars first, the special projects from there," Lynch said.
At risk is the effectiveness of a crime fighting program called a national model.
'It varied between 30 and 60 percent greater reduction than happened in other places," NYU Professor Dennis Smith said.
Smith co-authored a study this summer on Operation Impact and the effectiveness of using new cadets to tackle some of the city's worst areas.
"It's a tremendously cost effective, proven approach to keeping crime down in the city," Smith said.
It's an approach that needs more people, and the money to pay them.
"The number of officers is going to, number one, affect whether or not we do impact and, secondly, the size of the impact contingent," Kelly said.
Kelly went on to say that the starting wage for an NYPD officer 20 years ago was $25,000, just like it is today.
He expects more men and woman to join the force when the beginning salary is increased to, in his words, a common sense standard.
Unless the city agrees to negotiate with the union, that standard will be decided by arbitration hearings that begin in November.
Source: http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_257184229.html
(CBS) NEW YORK A unique NYPD program has shown great success in getting criminals off the streets, so why is the program in jeopardy of being cut?
In more than two dozen of the city's hotspots, the shooting, murder and stabbing rates over the past few years have plunged thanks to a program called Operation Impact.
"We've averaged, when we put impact in place, 25 to 30 percent decrease in the impact areas," NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
Now Operation Impact is in jeopardy because the NYPD is having a tough time keeping recruits who make up that unit. The commissioner blames the paltry pay -- $25,000 to start.
"They're leaving because of top pay," said Pat Lynch, president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association.
But the patrolmen's union disagrees, saying recruiting classes weren't even filled when the base pay was $15,000 higher. It blames the lack of a long-term living wage for driving away hundreds of officers a year to greener pastures.
"Top pay for NYPD is $59,000," Lynch said. "Suffolk County is $100,000, 80,000 in Nassau County."
As a result, the union claims the new officers that would normally be used for the city hotspots are now being used as Band-Aids to cover for the precincts that aren't fully staffed because so many officers are leaving.
"There should be enough officers to man the radio cars first, the special projects from there," Lynch said.
At risk is the effectiveness of a crime fighting program called a national model.
'It varied between 30 and 60 percent greater reduction than happened in other places," NYU Professor Dennis Smith said.
Smith co-authored a study this summer on Operation Impact and the effectiveness of using new cadets to tackle some of the city's worst areas.
"It's a tremendously cost effective, proven approach to keeping crime down in the city," Smith said.
It's an approach that needs more people, and the money to pay them.
"The number of officers is going to, number one, affect whether or not we do impact and, secondly, the size of the impact contingent," Kelly said.
Kelly went on to say that the starting wage for an NYPD officer 20 years ago was $25,000, just like it is today.
He expects more men and woman to join the force when the beginning salary is increased to, in his words, a common sense standard.
Unless the city agrees to negotiate with the union, that standard will be decided by arbitration hearings that begin in November.