Hollywood Police Department Fires 13 Officers
It appears as though the Hollywood City Commission has made some tough decisions at the commission meeting today. Thirteen Hollywood Police Officers have been terminated as well as imposing a ten percent pay cut for all other remaining officers. Additionally, it appears as though the City Commission cut their own salaries by ten percent. Needless to say, the budget cuts come after the City Commission learned that it faced a $10 million dollar budget shortfall rather than the anticipated $8.5 million shortfall.
It has been alleged by the Police and Firefighter Unions that the City Commission has engaged in unlawful negotiations by failing to provide any documentation showing a "financial urgency."
According to Stephanie Szeto, a Hollywood resident and Police Officer; "we don't have enough police officers and its getting to be a dangerous city."
There are many dangers associated with reducing any police force. The obvious danger is that crime may rise due to less police presence. Additionally, without the proper amount of police officers, it is reasonable to conclude that criminal investigations may suffer due to lack of resources. This is especially troubling in cases where a proper investigation would have lead investigators to find evidence of innocence rather than guilt.
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