On Thursday night the Tucson City Council was besieged by residents and police officers who questioned the cost of the new contract between the City of Tucson Transit Management Company and the Bus Drivers and Mechanics Union, while ignoring the fact that there are too few police officers on the streets in the most dangerous city in Arizona.
In question is what are the City’s priorities. Last week the Bus Drivers and Mechanics Union settled their dispute with the City of Tucson Transit Management Company, and how much taxpayer money will be used to cover the costs of the new contract remains unknown because the settlement is being kept secret by all parties.
At the same time, it is no secret that Tucson Police officers are doing more with less. The Tucson Police Officer’s Association is asking City Council for a raise. Officers say the city needs to look at them with the same importance as Teamsters Local 104 and Sun Tran dispute.
One veteran police officer told the Council, “I have offered our concerns to you, but they have not been addressed. Our agency has lost 106 officers, who have either retired or left for other agencies.” He said that 26 of 106 had gone to other agencies, and as a result, “there are 315 officers responding to 911 calls. Sun Tran just got an increase in their contracts, and we understood that there was no money. You have effectively put our department on strike. We are on a limited service status. This is not an attack on you – this is a challenge. It is now time for you to properly fund the police department.”
Another officer explained that because there is a shortage both officers and the public is at greater risk. He told of one situation in which he responded to 911 call for which he required additional units. At the same time officers who were coming to assist were diverted to a stabbing. He said that a friend of the injured victim at his crime scene asked him ‘why does it take so long to get help?’ He explained that the paramedics could not respond until enough officers were on the scene to ensure the safety of the paramedics. “Unfortunately the situation is all too common,” he told the Council.
Another officer addressed the Council’s role in the Sun Tran strike and their failure to defend the police. “Not once did I hear a councilman say do whatever you have to do to get a deal done,” he said referring to Councilman Steve Kozachik’s demand that the City settle the strike and appease the unions especially during this election cycle.
Republican Ward 2 candidate Kelly Lawton sent a representative to the Council meeting who pledged support for the officers. Earlier in the day, Lawton issued a statement condemning the secrecy of the strike details. He stated, “The secrecy of the settlement and the additional public monies being spent to end the strike are unacceptable. The people that the bus services are meant to help were hurt the worst. With the current state of finance the city faces, we cannot afford to be held hostage. Our city leadership should have been in the middle of this situation before it occurred and should have held tightly to the reins of prudence and stewardship of taxpayer dollars instead of making statements of dismay after the fact. The City of Tucson needs to take a hard look at the contract with TransDev and take a stronger position on how our monies are spent.”
When asked if he would comment on the “Attack the Police” graffiti, Councilman Paul Cunningham initially responded, “I am pretty sure I put out release already.” When advised that no statement could be found, he responded, “Obviously any message encouraging to put police in danger is problematic; and needs to be rectified.”