Carson City Sheriffs' Protective Association statement to the Board of Supervisors
Submitted by editor on Thu, 03/18/2010 - 3:47pm
The following statement is from Don Gibson, president of the Carson City Sheriffs' Protective Association, which represents 77 employees. It was read to the Board of Supervisors today:
"Mr. Mayor and the Board of Supervisors, I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak with you all today.
"I will start by also thanking the city manager, Larry Werner, HR Director Jennifer Schultz and Finance Director Nick Providenti for their willingness to allow our involvement in the city's budget concerns. All these individuals should be commended for their true leadership and honesty.
"Prior to March 12 many statements were made in the media that painted a picture of CCSPA as not wanting to be a player in the city's financial hardship. The statements that were made can only be seen as playing politics with our livelihoods. This could be furthest from the truth as CCSPA wants and is prepared to work with the city on many different items to address the city's financial hardship. It is our goal to aid the city in whatever way we can to ensure the lowest impact to public safety.
"CCSPA is prepared to make adjustments in an attempt to save deputy sheriff jobs. We are a family and will continue to work with the city on this issue. I will admit the wind was taken out of our sails after learning any money we could save the city would not guarantee deputy sheriff's from losing their jobs. We were informed that any money we save the city is only a savings from the Sheriff's budget. We were informed the sheriff, being an elected official, allows him to spend the money any way he sees fit. To this date the Sheriff has not guaranteed us that any saved money from our bargaining unit would spare jobs on the cutting block.
"Mr. Mayor and Board of Supervisors — the Carson City Sheriffs' Protective Association will be hit the hardest if you approve a five or 10 percent cut to the Sheriff's budget. Due to the layoff process all affected employees will come from this unit. This will have a detrimental affect on the services provided to the community. The CCSPA is made up of deputies who respond to all calls for service. We are the ones responsible for securing the detention facility. If a member or our community calls for help we are the deputies that respond to their concerns. These calls for serves are not answered by the Sheriff's administrators. If you, as elected officials, have any authority on who takes personnel cuts in this city, maybe you could suggest some of the sheriff's administrators be on the cutting block. By reducing those who do not handle the calls for service or who do not deal daily with the criminal element in our city, their reduction will more than likely ensure a lower impact to the citizens of our community who demand that their priority be safety.
"The CCSPA has tentatively agreed to compensation reductions as a good faith effort to help the city during this economic hardship. CCSPA would ask that prior to anyone playing politics with our livelihoods that they come before us to gather the facts before making public statements. "
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