Thursday, January 28, 2010
Budget plan may threaten public safety
Law enforcement officials cautioned lawmakers not to reduce their funding.
General Assembly 2011
Among the major issues: The state's continuing efforts to provide services with fewer dollars and Gov. McDonnell's plan to privatize liquor stores. Session ends Feb. 26.
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RICHMOND -- Community policing and prosecution of criminals would greatly suffer if proposed state spending cuts to public safety are approved by the General Assembly, a group of law enforcement officials warned Wednesday.
Tens of millions in public safety reductions were included in the spending plan former Gov. Tim Kaine unveiled last month as part of broader strategy to offset a $4.2 billion shortfall.
But authorities said those cuts would come at a great cost.
"Every sheriff has their own story, but we all agree if these reductions are allowed to be implemented we will not be able to adequately protect our communities," Stafford County Sheriff Charles Jett said during a Wednesday news conference at the State Capitol.
Kaine's plan includes cuts to the Virginia State Police, the Corrections Department, local police, sheriffs, jails and commonwealth's attorneys, among others.
Those facing reductions include police agencies, which would lose a combined $73.4 million, and jails, which would suffer $41.3 million in cuts from a reduction of prisoner fees.
Another $25.2 million would be saved by funding sheriffs offices on a higher ratio of deputies per citizen.
"I'll predict to you right now if these cuts go through, you're going to increase the risk to the law enforcement community, you're going to increase the number of victims and people will die as a result of these cuts," Virginia Beach Sheriff Ken Stolle, a former state senator, said after Wednesday's news conference.
The $6 million in cuts faced by the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office could require the elimination of 80-90 of its 448 deputies, Stolle added.
Montgomery County Sheriff Tommy Whitt said the state cuts could wipe out as many as 27 positions in his agency, likely forcing him to scale back certain services and perhaps reduce road patrols. Whitt said he already has a minimally staffed jail and can't take away the court security and civil process functions in his office. He has 113 sworn officers in his agency.
"It would have to come from either the road, crime prevention, school resource or a combination of those," Whitt said of the potential cuts. "In reality I could probably wind up realigning the department."
Whitt said his office already has made sacrifices, such as giving up money in next year's budget for new vehicles.
The public safety sector faced funding reductions last year, but was spared deeper cuts through the infusion of temporary federal stimulus dollars.
Other officials cautioned that Virginia already has cut public safety to the point of diminishing returns, adding that further reductions will only worsen the situation.
"When someone dials 911 they expect someone to show up. If we don't have the staffing because we're too short it increases the response time," said Kevin Carroll of the state Fraternal Order of Police.
Were prosecutors to lose more state funds, said Chesterfield County Commonwealth's Attorney Billy Davenport, some may choose to focus on felony cases instead of misdemeanors and traffic violations.
Also feeling the brunt are local police departments that rely on funding from the state.
Joining the dozens of law enforcement officials at Wednesday's event were several legislators who expressed support for preserving public safety funding, particularly during an economic downturn when crime tends to rise.
New Gov. Bob McDonnell also has spoken in favor of protecting public safety funding, though he and the legislature must overcome a massive shortfall to balance Virginia's budget.
Staff writer Michael Sluss contributed to this report.
