Public Safety letter to editor

The following appeared as a letter to the editor

I am running for City Council because I believe our local government needs to take a more comprehensive, informed, and strategic approach to the issues facing our community. Attending recent City Council meetings, I have observed that one such issue is public safety. At the meeting Monday night (Ocotber 5), the City Council had three separate discussions about our police services: 1) possible, though as of yet undefined, reform of the position of the public safety director; 2) options for cooperation with the State Police MAGNET team to reduce drug crimes in our city; 3) the initiation of neighborhood watch programs in response to a community policing grant.

Regardless of the specific merits and challenges with each of these issues, I am concerned that the City Council took up each of these issues in an ad hoc, unprepared, and inconclusive way. We need a comprehensive review and then thoughtful adoption of a strategy for police protection in our community. Public safety (police, fire, ambulance) is the most important service local government provides and the single largest component of the City’s budget.

Rather than making reactive decisions to proposals brought before it, the City Council needs to provide leadership. We need our elected representatives to step back and define priorities and goals for our public safety services, look at the variety of options available to the City, analyze financial implications, and adopt a long-term plan that gets us the best public safety for the least dollars. Most importantly, this public safety plan should be developed with the input of the citizens of Owosso, with the advice of city staff and employee unions, and in consultation with other law enforcement and public safety partners.

I was disappointed that on Monday night the three City Council members currently running for re-election either said nothing during these discussions, asked for basic information about public safety programs, or criticized law enforcement personnel. I was impressed that Councilman Ben Frederick, who is not up for reelection, did his homework and put together the motion to fund the MAGNET program.

It is not surprising that some members of our community feel a need to circulate petitions in an attempt to reform our public safety programs. I generally don’t support petitions because I believe that our elected representatives should be addressing the issues of concern to the public, adopting effective policies, and then ensuring that our tax dollars are well spent in the operation of vital municipal services. That is why I am running for office.

We need City Council representatives that can take a big picture view of issues, are willing to take the time to become informed on matters before it, and then can provide the leadership necessary to put in place effective and comprehensive programs. The City’s difficult budget situation was also mentioned at Monday night’s meeting; if we are to successfully negotiate the stormy financial weather ahead, we need elected representatives that are able to chart a course and stick to it.

I welcome your ideas and questions about public safety, specific police services, and the role of City Council in providing leadership on these and other issues.