# Mass police, firefighter layoffs begin in Camden



## daveyo77 (Feb 27, 2007)

Will Massachusetts face cuts like this???

Firefighters began turning in their helmets and police officers their badges today as part of deep municipal layoffs destined to further erode the quality of life in Camden, already one of the nation's most impoverished and crime-ridden cities.
As many as 383 workers, representing one-fourth of the local government work force, are expected to lose their jobs, including about half the police force and one-third of the city's firefighters.
Laid-off firefighters walked eight blocks together from the police union hall to Fire Department headquarters, snaking past City Hall, then lined up their helmets in front of the building, picked them back up and started to turn them in along with their other gear.
"It's one of the worst days in the history of Camden," said Ken Chambers, the president of the firefighters union.
Eighty-three laid-off police officers put their work boots along the sidewalk near police headquarters to symbolize the lost jobs.
Mayor Dana Redd planned a noon news conference to talk about the layoffs in a city facing a huge budget deficit and declining state aid.
Chambers said residents should not expect to be safe as the number of fire companies is reduced. He said the union will continue to meet with city officials to try to reach a deal where some firefighters could be brought back.
Police officers had begun turning in their badges Monday as it became clear that no last-minute deal was going to save many jobs.
Located directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Camden is rampant with open drug-dealing, prostitution and related crimes. More than half of Camden's 80,000 residents, mostly black and Hispanic, live in poverty.
A local pastor says "the fear quotient has been raised," and a police union took out a full-page newspaper advertisement last week warning that Camden would become a "living hell" if layoffs were not averted.
The city was the nation's second-most dangerous based on 2009 data, according to CQ Press, which compiles such rankings. Camden ranked first the previous two years. In 2009, the city had 2,380 violent crimes per 100,000 residents — more than five times the national average, the FBI said.
The anti-crime volunteer group Guardian Angels also says it will patrol Camden, as it has Newark, where there were major police layoffs in November.
The Fire Department has already been relying on help from volunteer departments in neighboring towns. Interim Fire Chief David Yates, who retired Jan. 1, has warned that that layoffs will increase response times.


----------



## Irishpride (May 5, 2002)

daveyo77 said:


> Will Massachusetts face cuts like this??? .


We already did. In 2009 the city I work for laid off 53 cops and around 40 firefighters. About 25% of the PD got pink slips. The fire department has since got all of their guys back and they were able to hire 40 off the CS list. The PD has been able to hire some people back in the almost two years since the layoff but our manpower is much lower than its been in decades.

Will we face cuts like this again? probably. Let's just hope that communities like mine have a chance to build back up before then.


----------



## jettsixx (Dec 10, 2005)

"It's one of the worst days in the history of Camden," and its just the begining. Keep giving out "free" money and eventually someone has to pay.


----------



## mpguy (Oct 7, 2009)

Mass is slowly coming back... but it's a shame that Camden is facing such harsh times and public safety is paying the price. I lived in nyc for a couple years and Camden NJ always seemed to make the news. What a shit hole. My hats offf to the brave men/woman that patrol in Camden... there jobs hard enough as it is/was and now they lost job security... sucks...


----------



## TRPDiesel (Nov 28, 2008)

I am not sure Mass is coming back or if we are just not falling behind as fast as the others. We are still facing a potential 8-10 percent budget cut and that could have dramatic impacts on Public Safety.


----------



## mpguy (Oct 7, 2009)

true, but public saftey layoffs are way down in mass (compared to 2009). I realize that rather than hire, CS depts are just picking up layoffs but at least most officers can rest easy knowing that they can provide for there family. I'm speaking of course about the municipal side. State... pretty cut and dry, no money plus we have deval as gov.

---------- Post added at 20:59 ---------- Previous post was at 20:58 ----------

And most departments are picking up new recruits... just look at all the academies going on or foreseen


----------



## Guest (Jan 19, 2011)

TRPDiesel said:


> I am not sure Mass is coming back or if we are just not falling behind as fast as the others. We are still facing a potential 8-10 percent budget cut and that could have dramatic impacts on Public Safety.


Because you know sure as shit that "social programs" and handouts for welfare leeches and illegal aliens won't be touched. In the meantime, my neighbor's house caught fire last month, and it took nearly 10 minutes for the first fire engine to arrive after I called 911, because the town had to layoff firefighters and close the station nearest to my house. I live in one of the wealthiest areas of the town, so we pay the highest property taxes but get our fire station closed.....nice.

The day is coming in MA where the people riding in the wagon are going to outweigh the ability of those who are pulling the wagon.


----------



## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

....ever notice they ALWAYS say "but public safety wont be affected" as they lay off a third of the *actual on the street officers*?:stomp:


----------



## Guest (Jan 19, 2011)

justanotherparatrooper said:


> ....ever notice they ALWAYS say "but public safety wont be affected" as they lay off a third of the *actual on the street officers*?:stomp:


That's because it's actually more cost-efficient to layoff cops and firefighters, and use overtime to cover the gaps in coverage. Someone on OT isn't using an additional health/dental insurance slot since they already have it, and whatever other perks a laid-off officer would get is also a savings, since the officer on OT is already getting them and won't double-dip.

The problem is that it *does *impact public safety, because running short-staffed and forcing people to work double-shifts ruins morale and results in people who just say "Eff it" and go through the motions of what they need to do to make it through their shift(s).


----------



## mpguy (Oct 7, 2009)

I agree 100% butttt..... ever notice that as soon as the OT dries up do to new hires everyone is bitching lol


----------



## SinePari (Aug 15, 2004)

Delta784 said:


> The day is coming in MA where the people riding in the wagon are going to outweigh the ability of those who are pulling the wagon.


That day passed us in November, which was clearly demonstrated by the election results.


----------



## Irishpride (May 5, 2002)

mpguy said:


> CS depts are just picking up layoffs but at least most officers can rest easy knowing that they can provide for there family.


As a former laid off police officer I can say that I was not exactly resting easy. A lot of the departments that were hiring weren't exactly excited about hiring an out of towner and only doing it cause they we forced to do so by CS. If you own a home (like I do) you have to be aware that residency is going to be an issue then there were even a few departments that were just looking for reasons to DQ laid off officers so they could hire off the regular CS list. Don't get me wrong out of the 20 something officers on my dept. that went to other agencies most have no interest in coming back but it was without a doubt the most stressful 4 months of my career being laid off.


----------



## mpguy (Oct 7, 2009)

Wow, I didnt realize the difficulties of being laid of but understandable. I'm glad your back to work tho.


----------

