Robberies up while county cuts public safety, spends more on offices instead

Looking at the county's priorities as reported in one issue of the Gazette:

Commercial robberies on the rise in District 4.
Gazette, 9 Jul 2009 (Garner).

Public safety unions sue county.
Gazette, 9 Jul 2009 McKeever).

... Vince Canales, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 89 in Upper Marlboro, said in a statement Monday that county police are already "woefully understaffed" and the department expects more than 200 officers to retire in the upcoming fiscal year. Decreasing police staffing any further will put both officers and citizens in jeopardy, he said. ...

Lack of hydrants challenges firefighters.
Gazette, 9 Jul 2009 (Holzheimer).

County request to lease space resurrected.
Gazette, 9 Jul 2009 (Valentine).

Prince George's County Council members are reconsidering a $1 million-per-year lease for office space in a New Carrollton office building — three months after the proposal died amid questions about need and cost.

Lease lessons; Housing department move makes sense but can wait.
Gazette, 9 Jul 2009 (Editorial).

... County employees are still facing 10-day furloughs, layoffs have occurred and services have been reduced. It would be a slap in the face to county employees losing money to learn that $1 million would go toward a move for convenience. ...

---

(Posted 9 Jul 2009)