Police details in Massachusetts: protection or perk - Research Paper Example

Police details in Massachusetts: Protection or Perk? According to a study, “Massachusetts had the highest rate of accidents causing property damage and the second highest rate of accidents causing bodily injury between 1980 and 2000, though it is the only state where cities and towns routinely require police supervision at road construction sites” (Slack). Police details or services with respect to security and traffic control, is a controversial subject in Massachusetts at present because of the huge amount of taxpayer’s money spent by the authorities for ensuring police details at construction sites on local roads. Statistics shows that even though taxpayers forced to spent huge amounts, the police details were ineffective in preventing or reducing road accidents or ensuring safety to the lives of the people. Many people argue that the civilian flaggers could have functioned more effectively than the police and that also at a much cheaper rate. On the other hand some other people, police unions and associations in Massachusetts argue that the roads in Massachusetts are comparatively safer than the roads in other states of America because of the utility of police details. Slack (2004) has argued that “the taxpayers and businesses could have saved $37 million to $67 million if local laws allowed companies and government agencies to hire civilian flaggers instead of uniformed officers to direct traffic at construction sites”(Slack). In other words, the taxpayers in Massachusetts are not getting adequate returns for the huge investments they made for police details. In this paper, I argue against police details in Massachusetts after analyzing both the sides of the issue. Police officers in Massachusetts cities and towns earned an estimated $141.4 million working off-duty details in 2003. Of this amount, officers working traffic assignments received approximately $93.3 million. This estimate applies to local police only. It excludes detail pay earned by state police officers (Police Details in Massachusetts: Protection or Perk?, p.4) The above statistics clearly show that police details are a big additional revenue source for the police officers in Massachusetts and they are not ready to leave it easily. Police often claims that the safety in Massachusetts roads is comparatively higher than that in other states in America. However, such claims were exaggerated ones according to some of the recent studies and reviews. Police wanted to continue these services, not because of their concerns about public safety, but because of their reluctance in giving up an additional revenue source. It should be noted that in other states in America civilian flaggers are more effectively functioning. In other words, the taxpayers in other states are getting much better services than the police details in Massachusetts at affordable rates. Police often claims that even though the people in Massachusetts are paying more for the police details, they are getting much better services than in other states. However, studies have proved that the above claims were fabricated ones. The following facts reveled by a study are against the claims of the police; “Massachusetts has the worst accident rate in the nation, as measured by accidents causing property damage (see appendix) It has the second worst accident rate in the nation, as measured by accidents causing bodily injury. Accident rates are higher in Boston than in 15 comparable metropolitan areas that do not ordinarily use police details in work zones” (Police Details in Massachusetts: Protection or Perk?, p.4) Business people and other taxpayers are forced to spend too much money for the inadequate services they are receiving from the police. In Massachusetts, no construction works on roads can be conducted without seeking the police assistance to control the traffic. Legally, it is prohibited in Massachusetts to conduct any repair works on roads without providing prior information to the police. In many of the other countries and other stats in America, civilian flaggers are used at road construction sites. However, the Massachusetts police argue that only the police officers can force the people to obey traffic rules in such road construction areas because of the public’s increased fear and respect towards police than that towards the civilian flaggers. Massachusetts police do believe that the because of lack of power, civilian flaggers cannot function effectively at road construction areas. It is a fact that traffic violators may give more respect to the police than the civilian flaggers; however it should be noted that no passenger will take risk while showing warning signs from the civilian flaggers about the construction works and the necessity of reducing speed and safe driving. According to a study conducted by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest mean hourly wage for crossing guards is $ 16.23 in the state of Delaware. If the rate for civilian flaggers at work sites in Massachusetts was twice this level, it would still be less than what it costs to hire uniformed officers to do the same work (Tuerck, p.1) Moreover, Viser, (2008) has pointed out that “In 2006, nearly 1 in 10 State Police officers made more than the governor, in part because of overtime and state police work. Sixty officers made more than $40,000 working details” (Viser). The above findings clearly show the extent of exploitation suffered by the people in Massachusetts from police in the name of safety and protection. In other words, police officers in Massachusetts are severely exploiting the public in the name of police details at road construction sites. The police officers are more interested in perks rather than protection which are evident when we compare the increased damages caused to life and property in Massachusetts even though the public is paying big prices for their safety. According to a Beacon Hill Institute report, Police Details in Massachusetts: Protection or Perk?, there were approximately 2.7 million hours of community construction police details in 2003. The calculation is an estimate but rounding the number down to 2.5 million hours provides a baseline to compute potential savings. A $7 additional savings per hour translates into a $17.5 million in annual savings ($7 per hour times 2.5 million hours) for local communities (Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, p.2) America is facing big troubles at present because of the recent recession. Many of the people America lost their jobs because of the collapse of big organizations. Some reports have showed that the public already started to use public carriers more regularly now in order to save some money. Earlier, many of the American people used their own vehicles for all of their traveling needs. In short, people are trying to reduce their expenses as much as possible in order to counter the threats of recession. Spending in non-constructive sectors has been reduced a lot as a result of the changing spending and saving philosophies of American people. Under such circumstances, the exploitation of Massachusetts police in the name of protection is unjustifiable. The police details are highly expensive and it is a waste of police resources especially when we consider the fact that the crime rates and terrorist threats in America are increasing day by day. Civilians should be permitted to work in as much areas they like and the police should never try to intrude into the employment areas of the civilians, especially when we consider the current employment problems in America. “Although there are no statewide regulations currently requiring the use of police details for Massachusetts road projects or utility jobs, state and local officials have used them for decades at construction sites anyway, in deference to politically powerful unions”(Viser). It should be noted that police details is not a legal requirement in road construction sites in Massachusetts. However, police enforce such illegal things in order to exploit the taxpayer money. In other words, Massachusetts police is making some laws and privileges for themselves to loot the public which is evident from the fact that Massachusetts is the only American state in which police details in necessary at construction sites on roads. One of the major problems faced by the administration in Massachusetts is about how to remove police details without causing many damages to public interests. “Because police details have been provided simply as a matter of historic practice and precedent, but are not guaranteed by law, utility workers may be left vulnerable if utility companies seek to remove police details from their construction and work sites” (An Act Relative to the Safety and Protection of Utility Work and Construction Sites). Traffic violators may take more liberties when they see civilian flaggers in place of the usual police forces on road construction or repair areas. To conclude, police details in Massachusetts are only for perks rather than protection. Statistics clearly show that even though the Massachusetts public is paying heavy prices for police details, they are not getting adequate returns for their investments. In short, civilian flaggers should be used in Massachusetts also instead of police details in order to save the public from police exploitation. Works Cited 1. “An Act Relative to the Safety and Protection of Utility Work and Construction Sites”. 2010. Web. 14 May 2011. 2. “Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation”. 2008. Web. 14 May 2011. 3. “Police Details in Massachusetts: Protection or Perk?”. 2004. BHI Policy Study. Web. 14 May 2011. www.beaconhill.org/PoliceDetails/BHIPoliceDetails111104.pdf 4. Slack, Donovan. “Value of Police Details Queried. 2004. Web. 14 May 2011. 5. Tuerck, David G. “The Commonwealth of Massachusetts executive office of Transportation and Public Works”. 2008. Web. 14 May 2011. 6. Viser, Matt. “Governor Deval Patrick Curbs Police Details Pros and Cons”. 2008. Web. 14 May 2011. Appendix Mean Property Damage Claims (per 100 insured cars), 1980-2000 Alabama 3.517 Louisiana 4.462 Ohio 4.283 Alaska 4.117 Maine 3.784 Oklahoma 3.985 Arizona 4.066 Maryland 4.686 Oregon 3.913 Arkansas 3.748 Massachusetts 7.362 Pennsylvania 4.086 California 4.316 Michigan 4.123 Rhode Island 4.935 Colorado 3.822 Minnesota 3.950 South Carolina 3.964 Connecticut 4.960 Mississippi 3.413 South Dakota 3.451 Delaware 4.111 Missouri 4.750 Tennessee 3.938 Florida 3.942 Montana 3.338 Texas 4.841 Georgia 4.265 Nebraska 4.032 Utah 4.240 Hawaii 3.874 Nevada 4.042 Vermont 3.738 Idaho 3.447 New Hampshire 4.504 Virginia 3.989 Illinois 4.566 New Jersey 4.378 Washington 3.980 Indiana 4.348 New Mexico 3.634 West Virginia 3.850 Iowa 4.003 New York 5.123 Wisconsin 3.846 Kansas 4.092 North Carolina 3.612 Wyoming 3.045 Kentucky 4.075 North Dakota 3.542 (Police Details in Massachusetts: Protection or Perk?”p.7) Read More