Several months ago Mayor Martin announced that the first item on his "Fresh Start" agenda when taking office was an examination of the Villa Hills Police Department. Given the fact that Martin was suing not only the taxpayers, but two police officers when he took office, that tidbit really comes as no surprise. But the results have not been good.
The police department is down 25% (two officers) from its proper staffing level. The Civil Service Commission is currently conducting a search for a replacement for an officer who retired because he grew tired of Martin's unprofessional meddling. This important search was delayed by several months as Martin looked for a way to do an end-run around the civil service ordinance. When council presented Martin with thirty days of emergency powers to conduct his own search, he bungled the time away.
If the commission can only find candidates who will be required to attend the Police Academy in Richmond, many more months will pass before the new officer is ready to patrol the streets alone. In the meantime, the already spread-way-too-thin department will be forced to continue to contend with the city's rising crime rate. The situation could move beyond salvaging if another discouraged officer decides to leave.
Martin also continues to refuse to hire an eighth officer. Martin has said that he would rather pay overtime than incur what he contends will be an additional $80,000 in salary, retirement and other benefits. Martin portrayed that decision as a smart, cost-saving business move.
Additionally, Martin has suggested that the life of the VHPD's fleet of "rust-buckets" could be extended by dropping new engines and transmissions into them. Again, Martin was attempting to depict himself as a Tea Party-minded budget hawk.
Reality has now loudly settled in. First, we learn that the cost of purchasing new vehicles for the police department is actually less than the new engines and transmissions proposed by Martin. But Martin's other cost-saving "stroke of genius" has proven to be far worse.
Martin has finally revealed that his "smart, cost-saving business move" to eliminate the eighth officer has led to an Alamogordo-magnitude explosion in overtime costs well in excess of $100,000. What is even more troubling is that Martin also admitted that he has not met with the Police Chief even once in the course of the past year to discuss any methods of cost containment.
Martin's mismanagement has proven very costly. The Martin Chronicles hopes the police department can soldier on until some help arrives in the next several months.
Sadly, it may take until January1, 2015 until common sense is fully restored.
