Budget Cuts for Mesa Police

Mesa, we have a problem. Now, we have come to find out that the Mesa police are facing $7.2 million in budget cuts in the midst of our slowing economy (Here is the Republic's take as well). They are saying that its not going to impact emergency situations, but its going to severely impact response times on smaller investigations such as car break-ins and other things.

First, I find it highly doubtful that having fewer officers on the streets will allow us to have the same level of service now. Second, its the ability of the police to respond to smaller items that helps our quality of life.

A few years back, my car had been broken into. It took the police almost a half day to come out and check out the car. When they did, they ended up leaving stickem from their fingerprint kit on my doorframe that took over 6 months to come off. That was a half a day that I was stuck at home waiting for these guys with a car I didn't want to touch so it would be just as I found it. I wonder if people in other cities have to wait as long.

I admit, thats just a little thing. My bigger concern is if something big happens, but it takes the Police a long time to get to us because the closest officer isn't racing to me, but rather racing into the station to clock out to make sure he doesn't get into overtime.

The comment section in the Republic has devolved into an immigration debate, which so many of these things often do. I think the bigger issue is that Mesa doesn't have the money to keep up with what they need to do. This is a much bigger problem than something we can pin on the illegals. Its not like the tide of immigrants started a few years ago and this is what caused Mesa's financial problems. This is a problem that has been known for almost 20 years and nothing was done about it until its almost too late.