Comments on: Kasim Reed says he can deliver 750 more cops — Lisa Borders says he’s dreaming

By: Midtown Momma

Midtown Momma — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:12:34 +0000

So if the attrition rate is 250 officers a year, obviously we need to work on a retention plan. Kasim Reed has also addressed how to keep the officers we train. He is not misinformed; he just can walk and chew gum at the same time! Hiring officers plus better retention of existing officers equals a larger police force. Go Kasim!

By: Chris Murphy, Atlanta, GA

Chris Murphy, Atlanta, GA — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:56:38 +0000

Yes,, the city essentially pays to train other jurisdiction’s police forces. They have a tough time finding capable recruits, and after 2-3 years, other places will pay them more as they are then experienced officers. Then, there are retirements and those that leave later in their careers, so the APD needs to replace a hefty percentage of their force, every year.
An you imagine the career prospects when you are working for Chiefs like Eldrin Bell, Beverly Harvard or Richard Pennington (the last 3 Chiefs)? The instability and lack of good management drive away plenty of officers.
All of Reed’s figures on the APD are a pipe dream.
But listen: it’s not the number of cops that is crucial, it’s the number of repeat offenders let loose on us by the courts.

By: Donny Fairlplay

Donny Fairlplay — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:45:28 +0000

@midtownask,

The city is paying to train officers that very soon leave to work outside the city. THE ATTRITION RATE IS THAT HIGH. Borders has proposed using APD’s train facilities as “regional training facilities” and charging our neighboring jurisdictions for our training services since our officers are so well trained when they leave.

By: Atlanta

Atlanta — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:33:59 +0000

@midtownsk – it’s a combination of both. The City of Atlanta has the best training facility in the region, but we don’t pay our public safety workers as much as surrounding jurisdictions with lower costs of living. So it’s not hard for those surrounding jurisdictions to recruit out of the APD.

@I said NO – the citizens of Atlanta deserve the truth based around facts and realizable objectives . Mr. Reed is either horribly uninformed or flat out lying and that is not in the best interest of Atlanta. He didn’t know how many officers the academy could actually train a year, he didn’t know about the attrition rate of 250 officers a year, and I’m sure he doesn’t know that the academy has around a 70% graduation rate. Given these parameters, he would need to train somewhere around 2,000 officers over four years to achieve his goal of a net increase of 750 officers in his first term. Impossible. Reed is in over his head and viewers saw that tonight.

By: JB

JB — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:51:10 +0000

@midtownsk

I don’t if the number is right but the attrition rate is very high due other local jurisdictions paying more than Atlanta. So, yes, we do train officers in the City who then leave for other local police forces. To make matters worse, many new hires that docn’t come through APD training are paid more than officers who are senior to them, creating significant morale problems on the force.

By: afghan

afghan — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:35:12 +0000

The fact still remains we need those officers. So if it’s room for 170 a year or 200 I believe Kasim Reed will ensure that Atlanta has enough policemen to patrol, protect and serve our streets. People we have for the last 8 years dealt with a city council who only complains or speaks out when the public cries out. If they really cared our policemen and firefighters would have never been furloughed in the first place.

By: Sgt. Scott Kreher, President IBPO Local 623

Sgt. Scott Kreher, President IBPO Local 623 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:34:46 +0000

As President of the IBPO (the recognized labor union for the APD) Lisa Borders is dead right. Senator Reed is mistaken if he thinks we can recruit, hire and train 750 officers in 4 years. The most recent ATLstat report put out by the administration puts APD attrition at 13%! The national average is below 5%. We are set to loose over 130 officers in the next 18 months to retirement alone. We are currently losing between 10-20 officers a month to attrition. Lisa Borders is the only candidate that has the knowledge and ability to get the police department where it needs to be. Senator Reed should also be careful in trying to push hundreds of candidates through the hiring process. If we loosen our standards to hire 750 officers our department and city will pay the price. That’s why over 1,100 women and men of the IBPO have endorsed Lisa Borders. Dont’ be fooled by false promises.

By: midtownsk

midtownsk — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:38:33 +0000

Not that it should decide the mayoral race, but is the attrition rate of APD really 250 per year? Is the city paying for the training of those officers, via the academy, who then leave, or do they come from other police departments? Can anyone elaborate?

By: an interested Fulton Co voter

an interested Fulton Co voter — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:06:14 +0000

Spikes is the only one with the clear vision. Reed is not right. And, why was there no discussion about the airport contracts?? This is major to the city and TOO HOT TO HANDLE???

By: RY

RY — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:01:26 +0000

Reed has no insight on how policing is done……Lisa has done her leg work………..Lisa was the only Canidate that I know of showing up at precincts…………She knows whats going on in the department and she has the tools to fix it…….