For Immediate Release
Contact:
Jude Schneider (310) 497-7312 or
Eric Rose (805) 624-0572
Los Angeles, November 20, 2008 – Worried about state budget cuts, the Los Angeles Police Protective League joined seventeen other law enforcement organizations in sending a letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and all members of the California State Legislature to keep the pressure on them to maintain adequate funding for law enforcement.
“While budgets are going to be heavily impacted going forward, the choice as to where to spend public resources has to always put public safety first “said Paul Weber, President of the Los Angeles Police Protective League. “In tough economic times crime rates typically rise. It is up to our dedicated police officers -- the ‘thin blue line’-- to combat that problem and assure public safety. Our police forces have a hard enough time attracting qualified individuals in good financial times and as a result we have over 15,000 unfilled law enforcement jobs in the state of California . We cannot cut our police forces any further without endangering public safety” added Weber.
November 20, 2008
To: The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California
All Members of the California State Legislature
Re: Opposition to Proposed Budget – Impacts on local law enforcement agencies
We are writing to express our deepest concerns about the public safety implications of the proposed budget revision that the Administration has submitted to the Legislature. Simply stated, the contemplated cuts to local public safety – particularly when viewed against the backdrop of significant changes in CDCR parole policies – will place the communities we are sworn to protect severely at risk.
We understand that the state is facing a large budget shortfall. While we support responsible efforts to address that shortfall, we oppose another round of devastating cuts to local law enforcement. Even when fully funded, local law enforcement assistance amounts to less than one percent of the state budget. Put another way, while the dollars saved are small, the detrimental impact on public safety will be huge.
The qualitative impact of these proposed cuts on local law enforcement are extremely serious. Local law enforcement has already suffered severe budget cuts at the local level, endured a ten percent cut in the recent state budget that eliminated $100 million in critical program funding, and is now facing the bleak prospect of further cuts that will utterly destroy some front-line programs while merely crippling others. This is piled on top of current shortfalls already being suffered by front-line law enforcement.
In addition, local public safety will be under additional pressure as reductions within CDCR and changes to the parole system are implemented. Criminals who would have otherwise remained in, or returned to, state prison will be coming back to local communities in large numbers. It will be disastrous to eliminate supervision for these parolees, expecting local law enforcement to either supervise or arrest these felons when they commit new crimes
We stand ready to work closely with you and legislators from both parties in both houses in the development of budget solutions that address the shortfall – but we need to protect the state’s core function. The proposed cuts will disproportionately affect law enforcement at a time when we are asked to do more with less. We believe there are better solutions to be found and look forward to working with you in their presentation.
California District Attorneys Association
California Police Chiefs Association
California State Sheriffs Association
Chief Probation Officers of California
California Narcotic Officers Association
California Law Enforcement Association of Records Supervisors
California Peace Officers Association
California Sexual Assault Investigators Association
Los Angeles Police Protective League
California Probation, Parole and Correctional Association
Los Angeles County Police Chiefs Association
California Association of Code Enforcement Officers
California Reserve Peace Officers Association
California Correctional Supervisors Organization
Riverside Deputy Sheriffs Association
Peace Officers Research Association of California
Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS)
Los Angeles Probation Union , AFSCME, Local 685
About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,000 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at www.LAPD.com
