Merging Cranbury PD?

[sacred cow]

Annual operating expenses for the police are about $2.5 million, not including capital expenses like cars, guns or the the building. Essentially, the CPD is 25% of the municipal budget, but I can see why we wouldn't even want to consider the possibility that better and more cost-effective solutions may be available.

Moo!

[Guest]

So again that breaks down to about $2.00 per resident a day. Pretty cheap. My alarm system is more expensive so is my cable tv and cell phone.

[Guest]

[Guest]

This a really bad idea.

[Guest]

Will you pay for my car insurance for me? Its only a few dollars per day.

[Guest]

[Just my 2 cents]

Just because it is the largest expenditure in our township budget does not mean it's not a necessity. We are not talking about a baseball field or park but our public safety. It makes sense for a smaller community like Hightstown to consolidate with East Windsor. However, Cranbury does not only consist of residential taxpayers but also mulitmillion dollar commercial and industrial businesses all within a 13.5 square mile area. How do you think those businesses would react if we told them we will no longer have a police dept and farm out their safety and security to another town?
We would loose control over such an important aspect of our quality of life. Do you really think Cranbury would be a priority if given over to another town?

However, I am glad someone wants to discuss ways to help lower our taxes. But, this one is not going to fly.

[Guest]

Will you promise not to pay my taxes when the other town decides the contracts, equipment et all and tells us what we need to pay them since we'll be stuck? Will you come over if someone breaks in and the police say the nearest patrol car is on rt 1?

It seems most people value the police services. Then there are those who do not and will not. We pay 620k to the library. The police value is much more important. And as a number of people said, these costs do not go away we still have to pay for police. We just lose all control. It is why EW and Hightstown have had so much trouble.

Look at Robbinsville and East Windsor doing a shared service for first aid. On paper it saved a ton. In reality it cost more than expected and led to delays.

[Guest]

We have a good service. It is run efficently. It directly answers to and serves us the residents of Cranbury. Why would any Cranbury resident want to change this? Why should my tax dollars go towards another towns police department? I don't need a study to tell me this is not in my best interest.

[Ostrich Farm]

Does Cranbury need a police chief and a full time detective? If the department is so efficient, why do we spend so much on overtime? What about administrative costs? What about the inherent inefficiencies is staffing for all shifts 24/7? How much does it cost to maintain a building?

Isn't it possible that we could have better service for less money?

If the department were 20% more efficient, Cranbury would save $500,000 per year in operating expenses (more including capital expenses). People on this site have spent countless hours decrying the "wasteful spending" of countless smaller issues and yet this issue doesn't even warrant a little research?

Welcome to the ostrich farm.

[Guest]

A Police Department is always a 24 hour a day operation. That is a reality not an "inefficiency." Because staffing is kept at bare minimum holes need to filled with overtime. Overtime also goes towards staffing events such as parades and fireworks. As for having "a full time detective." well sadly Cranbury does have crime. As for maintaing a building and a police chief they are both neccesities. I am sure that are ostrich's with their heads in the sand that have an agenda. They would like to think the town doesn't really need police because nothing bad happens in Cranbury. or the town could be just as well served with patrol cars responding to emergencies in from rte 1 in Plainsboro or Kendal Park.

[yesman]

You're right. There is no possible way we could write a contract that would guarantee an on-duty officer within our borders 24/7. And Cranbury couldn't function without its own police chief. And our detective is really really busy all the time. And we could never set up a sub-station in town hall instead of maintaining a big expensive seperate building. Thank goodness we don't need any actual data to arrive at the conclusion that we can't possibly do better.

Whatever we do, let's make sure we don't actually study the issue in order to make an informed decision. I would hate to find out we're wrong.

[Guest]

As a neutral observer, this discussion just keeps going in circles.

The original poster / person who keeps replying has never once stated that they know consolidating with another police force is definitely a good idea or would save money and they certainly have never implied that our existing police force is anything but great. Yet some people seem quick to take offense that any questioning of the force is automatically an attack on them. This makes about as much sense as the claim that anyone who questions whether we should commit forces to a particular conflict are "against the troops," which makes no logical sense of course. It's completely legitimate to ask questions and want data behind answers. I;m thankful at least some of the electorate is that dedicated to try and educate themselves and not take every status quo for granted.

And many of those who reply supporting the force also make good points. I personally am inclined to believe we are better off with our own force, just as we are with our own school. But I am not afraid to have the questions asked and see the data. Clearly some people seem to be interested in cutting off debate without seeing the facts. What are they afraid of? If the results showed what they said they would – that it would not save money and would result in a lesser commitment of service – then clearly no one would want that.

BTW, specter of horror stories aside, there are plenty of municipalities that share police forces and get by just fine. Many others have no force and rely on County Sheriff offices by agreement. Of course there will be examples where it doesn’t run well but to suggest it is systemically a given that it wouldn’t work is silly and just alarmist. The same is true for the schools of course. It’s certainly possible Cranbury could merge with another district and still be a good school. Just as its possible it would diminish the school. I prefer to stick it out ourselves.

[Guest]

Write a contract that guarantees when there are a few bad accidents on rte 1 Cranbury calls wont go on the back burner? How is that even realistically enforceable? Who monitors it? The other towns police department? When people on Main Street or Old Trenton Road complain about accidents, speed, or burglaries.. Good luck. Lets consider paying several million for another towns police department. Why not get rid of all facets of town government including the school(which costs a lot more than the police. )Cant we just incorporate into South Brunswick or Plainsboro and be done with it?

Several years ago Washington Township(now Robbinsville)did a study with the intent of reducing or "farming out" police service to Hamilton. They spent money doing the study. The result: The study said when taken into consideration traffic on rte 130 and daytime business population that they were 7-10 officers under manned. Sound familiar? If nothing else do you want to risk that happening? What then? hire more cops?That is exactly what ended up happening in Washington. It put the township committee in a very bad position.
Be careful what you ask for or maybe just leave well enough alone.

[original]

[Guest]

Once the question is asked the town has something in writing that can come back to haunt us. This is not home or business we're you can simply kick the tires. Besides, any company who merges even in a merger of equals always ends up finding one party in control.

The danger is that if the study says yes you can save money and then the town says okay, but we don't want it we could have a problem with the state. The state could come in one day to Cranbury and say that study you did showed savings. Clearly, you had a minimal desire to consolidate or you would not have done the study. Therefore, we're going to consolidate you. If you think that will never happen, just look at all the unfunded state mandates that the state forces on us as evidence of the state influencing our actions.

Have we not seen enough impact from where studies or ideas have gotten us in trouble significantly in terms of dollars- Libery Way, Ballfield, Dam, Wright South, Old Trenton Rd. Studies and chasing the dollar can lead to major impacts and major costs.

The same goes for those who wanted to rush a ballot question do you want to merge with Princeton? If we said yes and Princeton said no then there would have been something the state could have pointed to saying Cranbury you want to merge your district so we'll help you and you're now in with Jamesburg, Monroe or South Brunswick.

The fact is either you support the study and therefore are okay with the police gone or you want to keep Cranbury in control. We'll still have overhead, a police station building, salaries, insurance, etc...