Excaliber wrote: ↑Tue Sep 12, 2023 8:43 am The mayor pleads ignorance, but he and the city council approve the budget for the agency. The salaries and benefits for all those officers and the costs of their vehicles, equipment, and other support has to be eye popping. The required funds may have come largely from the revenue from the 5100 annual citations written. That could be around $1.75 million.
I think there's much more here than meets the eye, and the issues likely permeate the city's leadership beyond the police department. "Aw shucks, I didn't know" is unlikely to cut it with TCOLE.
Unless the mayor and city council had their heads where the sun don't shine denying they knew is less than plausible. Of course there' alway's the possibility they were benefiting financially under the table or otherwise. Just think about it - they wouldn't have noticed the fleet of vehicles it takes for 50 officers or the ballooned budget they approved year after year. Me thinks it stinks!The former chief has to be a moron for thinking it was any kind of good idea to agree to that interview..
As for the chief speaking to reporters I have found that criminals are not the brightest bulb on the tree and their ego allows them to think they are clever enough to outsmart everyone.