Six months ago, Mammoth Lakes Police Officers took a 16% cut in wages. Management has now asked to take more cuts with the possibility that this move might save some of the police officer positions.
Police Chief Dan Watson laid out his plan of police service under the orders from the Town Council to cut $1.1 million out of his budget. As he said, most of the budget, 75%, goes to personnel so this is where the cuts happened. Initially, the Town Council called for seven police officers to be cut. That’s what Chief Watson will do as of July 1st unless, as he said publicly, the Police Officers Association comes up with more concessions.
The Town Council has called a special meeting for Thursday at 11am in a closed session. The agenda says the Council will meet with Town Manager Dave Wilbrecht regarding the Mammoth Lakes Peace Officers Association.
The significant cuts made in the police department compared to other departments left officers angry and hurt. Morale has plummeted and several officers have retired or gone to other departments. Those left will negotiate with Wilbrecht.
Chief Watson made it clear that police coverage will not be around the clock under the new cuts and that certain lesser crimes will not be dealt with.
Hey Don’t Worry-be happy….If you have a teen-age daughter,would you rather have her walking through downtown Bridgeport with her girlfriends……or would you rather have her walking through the village on a week-end night after the bars close ?
Wayne, It would seem to me, that a teenager (boy or girl) walking through downtown Bridgeport at any time a day (what would it take … 5 minutes for the entire enlightening experience?) realizing there is nothing to do there (no snowboarding, no rock climbing, no theatre, no culture, no… Read more »
Just curious, how do explain other towns similar to Mammoth (tourist based, same population, minor crimes etc) who function on a police budget far less than ours? I truly don’t mean to sound anti-cop, but I have a hard time understanding why our little town needs to have a much… Read more »
I agree SkiJohn, Rhino’s in Bridgeport is far more dangerous on any given Saturday night than a couple of richie-rich yuppie snowboarders that get into a shoving match at the Village at closing time. This sort of partying behavior is commonplace in any ski town. I don’t think Mammoth should… Read more »
Elected officials have all the power with the only credentials required is they got the most votes. The top At-Will administrators, if they play their political cards right, can demand and maintain fantastic salaries and start lopping off heads “to pay for the judgement.” We the People disappears completely. The… Read more »
Paying for the judgment would be much easier to resolve if we were willing to reconsider our views of the proper role of government. We would not have to cut a single cop or a single cop’s pay. Public safety (most recent budget cost, $4.7M) is government’s primary duty. Snow… Read more »
Perhaps somebody can lead by example.
Why not the Chief and Town Manager voluntarily take a 16% cut?
The Chief has taken a paycut.. Point your comment to the Town Managers.
Was the chief’s paycut a 16% reduction? And speaking of town managers … our 5 elected officials should understand all they have to do is hire a much cheaper “accountant” to buy and use a PowerPoint program that does nothing but confuse the elected officials and make it look as… Read more »
IF MLPD must take cuts, so must EVERY TOML employee, especially management.
The MLPOA has a multi year contract that the Town recently signed. Do not reopen anything with these people. They will screw you.
Don’t give them anything unless MMM takes the same cuts. Stand strong MLPD