"There is a cut of overtime, which is $25 million, and they are also projecting to cancel two future police academies," said Sergeant Timothy Dolan, vice president of the Oakland Police Officers Association. This cut is significant as it directly impacts the department's ability to maintain officer numbers during times of high turnover and retirement. The police force risks being diminished to 600 officers from 800 in two years, which poses serious implications for public safety.
"A lot of this department survives on overtime. As far as our mandatory overtime, where we're working sideshow operations on the weekend, or back-filing Oakland patrol beats, or homicide investigations," Dolan said. This emphasizes the reliance of the Oakland Police Department on overtime work to fill the gaps left by personnel shortages, highlighting a cycle that contributes to budget overruns.
"At this moment in time, to take them away, it's two steps forward, one step back. it will set us back to where we were three or four years ago," said Stewart Chen. This statement captures the concern over eliminating successful community programs amidst budget cuts and signifies the broader implications for community safety and social wellbeing.
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