Report: Possible Job Cuts in the BPS
ZBM News carried a report on last night’s [Mar.3] news saying there may possibly be layoffs in the Bermuda Police Service [BPS] due to cuts made in the 2011/12 Budget.
Gary Moreno reported that officers being laid off “is a possibility” and a “last resort.” He went onto report that the Commissioner of Police met with officers yesterday to appraise them what the reductions could mean and to discuss possible concessions, including overtime.
ZBM reported that $7 million was paid in overtime in 2010, while for 2011 around $3 million has been allocated for overtime pay.
Mr Moreno said cost reduction measures might include – civilian employees could be let go and the specialist officers from the UK could be “seeing service come to end.”
In response to the reports, Minister of National Security Lt. Col. David Burch offered the following last night, “I met with the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police this afternoon, as I do every Thursday, prior to the BPS Town Hall meeting with officers. I wish to reassure the people of Bermuda that the successes achieved in public safety and restoring safer communities will not be sacrificed in the name of funding challenges.”
“The BPS will continue to provide the coverage and targeted enforcement that has yielded the impressive results of arrests and charges through 2010. This will require some deployment management on the part of the Commissioner and he and I will continue to discuss how best to meet the needs of the public in a way that does not “burn-out” the hard-working men and women of the BPS.”
After the budget presentation on February 18th, Minister Burch spoke about budget cuts with his Ministry saying, “I wish to assure the people of Bermuda that the successes achieved in public safety and restoring safer communities will not be sacrificed in the name of funding challenges.”
Last month Minister Burch met with the ten persons on the Police Training Course prior to their graduation, and told them not to concern themselves with matters of finance and to just “do their jobs.” He said that there would be budget cuts, and “yes they’ll get less money tomorrow” but as had happened previously, budget cuts would not be allowed to “reduce the assault that we currently have on violent crime.”
Hard to believe that this PLP Govenment would allow any job cuts to the front line people of the BPS considering that crime is likely to increase as the recession deepens. There must be plenty of fat in the Civil Service to trim first before people making a difference are let go.
plenty forgien cops to cut
I didn’t realize they gave degrees now for being an idiot.
So sad, the reason we have “plenty foreign cops” is because the police force cannot recruit enough people from Bermuda. There have been many stories about the problem over the years. As a Bermudian know what goes on in your country.
Dear Kollige DropOut – you must be “forgien” too as you don’t speak English very well. You may want to get your tuition money back because your skool didn’t even teach you how to use “spell check” on your computer.
I hope you don’t see this article as an invitation for the likes of you to set up station selling drugs with your “Kollige Digree.” Get over it, the “forgien” police that you refer to were able to pass the intelligence tests as well as the drug tests that many of our bretheren FAILED TO DO!
Great news…for the drug dealers & thugs anyhow. Just when the BPS seem to be making a dent in crime they are going to be hobbled by a lack of funding.
Paulanomics at its best.
Penalize something that is working, continue to fund incompetence. How about cutting the Finance Ministry which has grown massivly in the past few years? Where is the cut for MPS & Ministers. For most it should be a part time job anyhow. Well…at least most of the UPB Ministers were able to perform as a partime jobs & do it well. Why can’t PLP do the same?
Well….after reading that I would suggest you “College Graduate” , go back and get check your degree.
“forgien” ? Listen up ‘professor’, were getting closer to hell each day and the handbasket is starting to char.You have an apparent bias too Foreigners (foreign) which appears to be the attitude amongst many these days.
We would be where we are without them and I hope the trend continues. Were loosing companies and income as we speak.
The pie is getting smaller and we need all the bakers and ingrediants we can gather in these trying times.
You gonna take their place, fill their shoes, protect and serve?
Did’nt think so.
Sounds like a great idea, given how little crime we have and knowing that we don’t have a problem with gangs.
I think that , possibly , CG was insinuating , although very poorly , what I’m going to say …
Foreign cops laid off/jobless = no change in voter’s perceptions/loyalty.
Now if Gov’t decided to make the cuts it SHOULD have where they were NEEDED so some real cash would have been saved they would have slashed the Civil Service.
But that would have meant there would have been one whole heck of a lot of very angry PLP voters .
Thats about it. The Party & what is best for it is most important overall. The rest of us, they don’t care what we think anyway, are sitting in the basket Terry refers to & it does not matter that the basket burns where it is going.
It is easy to let police go cause they can’t strike and hold the island hostage like other areas of Bermuda’s Civil Services. Police is one of the few areas where the Government still have control over. We saw what would happen when they tried it in our transport depts. “Drunk ferry Capt put innocent lives at risk he was let go and what happened threats of major industrial action and what do they do? Crumble like a cookie” And we all know what happened when a lying fraudulent bus driver was let go. The fact that there are alot of foreign workers also makes it easier as they will not effect the votes. I wasnt a big fan of Brown but atleast he had backbone. This “new” Government is weak!!!!
err brown’s the one that let the drunk ferry driver back wasnt he?
“Ok”, define new Government. Same people, differant day. Whats your point. Um cunfoozed…..
Terry since you have so much time on your hads go research it and figure it out. New Government refers to the New Cabinet New Premier. It is a New Government! You got it now?? What is your point???
Do you think their Union will strike if they lay-off anyone?
Police can’t strike. Its against the Law
Oh great…two murders within a month,gangs on the increase, violent robberies on the increase…and the ever-wise PLP Government presents not only an imbalanced budget, but one that’s going to negatively impact the Police Service. Wow. Gifted bunch.
@ ok…I don’t have that much time on my hands and I am too busy to do research.
It’s called the Government/Cabinet shuffle……
Name me a new MP.
Ooops forgot…Johnny Barnes is the new minister of roundabouts……………………
“It’s a new Government”….bwhaaaaaaaaWho the hell you vote for….Moore Mah Gadaffyduck?
Guess when things get wrose it will be the Governer’s fault. Stated here first remeber that.
LOL
Jeece…and I thought I needed spell check. “LOL” (original flavor) it’s gonna get “wrose” and it will be be the “Governers” fault.
Who else can we blame. First it was Sir George Somers fault, then the colonists, then slave masters, then Trimingham, then the Tuckers, then Dunkleys Dairy and the ‘cement people’.
You betcha it’s that man on the hills fault……………………………..
Define “hill” for me………………….
We should take over Government House, turn it into a nine hole golf course and feel the love. Yes I said it ..feel the love and get Ritz Carlton and Jumarih and Jumbaliah to build a high rise so wealthy tourists can watch the carnage as they drink their dark and stormies as the last ship sails………………..
Ah!!! the good life.
And don’t forget…..it’s all John Swans fault. He did crap for Bermuda and couldn’t even make a Big Mac.
I need a rum…..
Cease allowing Police Officers to retire after 25 years service; those who do or have retired from the Service should not be allowed to continue working as Police Officers in addition to collecting a pension. If you are going to talk about natural attrition, then let them go and don’t even consider hiring them back. Those who are eligible to retire should pass on the knowledge and make way for new recruits. Many of these existing policmen have had it too good for too long. Do what you have to do Minister Burch! Those who have worked hard have served their time and moved on.
Don’t know what you have been watching but you have a point which I will not further on.