Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Providence Police Department has canceled its planned 66th training academy because it lacks the money to run the academy and to hire as novice officers the men and women who would be graduated.

"The academy that we had planned for ... April has been postponed indefinitely due to the financial problems that the city is facing right now," Deputy Police Chief Paul J. Kennedy said.

Mayor David N. Cicilline is trying to come to grips with a $16.1 million operating-budget deficit for the fiscal year that ends June 30. All departments, including the police, have been told to prepare options for reducing current-year spending by 5 percent or 10 percent from the amounts budgeted, with the option to be invoked depending on the severity of the fiscal crisis.

The department had planned a four-month academy for 20 to 30 recruits. The cost of an academy and the hiring of graduates was not immediately available Wednesday.

 Tags  Mayor David N. Cicilline

Comments

sunnydays said:

Perhaps, if the Chief took a reduction in his salary and "perks of the job" and if his "top level" followers reduced their "overtime", there would be money for an Academy...Overtime for officers {especially higher ranking}, should be reduced....A full audit of the financial "goings on" in the PPD would warrant the ability to hire more police officers who would,in turn, benefit the safety of the citizens of the City...Police Chief + Mayor (a close friend) = MONEY!!!!!! Police Chief + HIGH RANKING police officers = MONEY!!! Not enough money for an Academy, AS IF!!!!!! Come on Buddy, get all over this!!!!!!

Link | April 15, 2009 3:45 PM
Report Abuse

---

Leave a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email:

URL:  

Remember personal info?

Captcha:

Type the characters you see in the picture above.