BANGOR, Maine — For the fifth straight year in Ron Gastia’s five-year tenure as Bangor police chief, the department’s thin blue line is a little thinner.
And for the second straight year, the Bangor Police Department’s budget has decreased — about 0.06 percent or $4,000 to a total fiscal year 2013 budget request of $7,080,546.
“My operational budget didn’t change much. What changed was my personnel,” said Gastia after making a budget presentation to the Bangor City Council on Thursday evening. “It was a short time ago when we were at full strength. It only lasted a very short period of time. With the exception of that one little period, we’ve been down since I’ve been employed with the Bangor Police Department and I’ve been in here 29 years now.”
On paper, Bangor is currently at 91 percent when it comes to the staffing level for authorized, sworn officers.
“And we have some people out on extended leave due to injury or something, and some people on military leave, so I’m down even more, and now we’re coming up on prime vacation time,” he added, “On any given week I may be down 12, 13 people.”
Due to the police union’s collective bargaining agreement, Gastia can’t restrict the number of officers who can take the same weeks of vacation.
That’s forcing the chief to get creative in order to come up with ways to shift personnel to cover the gaps.
“One way or another, we’ll find ways to fill those holes and put people on the street,” said Gastia, who briefed councilors on one of those ways.
“We’re looking at hiring a civilian to supervise dispatchers and free up the sergeant to be available for patrol duty.”
Other ways include the installation of the new Coplogic online incident reporting system, which will handle smaller crime reports and free officers up to work on more serious crimes.
“Oh, I am scrimping and scraping and looking at everything in ways to remove burden from patrol officers, including taking calls not only over the Internet, but over the phone by civilians to free our officers for the higher-priority crimes,” Gastia said. “And we’ll also have to pay some overtime.”
While the rate of attrition for the Bangor Police Department isn’t unusual — Gastia said many of the career officers hired during a bumper crop year in 1987 are starting to retire — the dearth of qualified applicants who can make the grade is surprising.
“We’re losing people at the high end and bringing people in to replace them at the low end,” Gastia said. “But we’ve seen for a number of years the quality of applicant decreasing.
“We’ve actually seen an increase in the number of people going to college for criminal justice, and schools are adding programs, but we’re not seeing that translate into more qualified applicants.”
Gastia said his department has high standards that he’s not willing to compromise just to fill an open position.
“We don’t fill positions just because we have open positions,” he said. “We try to take the best of the best. If we can’t get that, we don’t want to take second best because hiring the wrong person could cost a lot more in the long run than leaving that position open.”
Besides applicants showing up for interviews in T-shirts and slouching in their chairs, Gastia says many applicants’ recent backgrounds wave red flags.
“We’re not finding a whole huge numbers of applicants who make good, sound decisions,” he said. “A lot of applicants are learning they’re not bulletproof. We do background checks, polygraphs, interviews, and … I don’t need young, wild and foolish.”
What he does need is professionalism, strong work ethic and integrity.
“Give me those things and everything else falls into place,” he said.
As for the budget, Gastia is confident that the councilors will support his department budget.
“I’m not going to say they’re not going to come back to us, but I think they really do understand the serious nature of the problem we’re experiencing with our staffing, so I’m very optimistic,” he said.
Streets are crawling with police in bangor they are like roaches in every corner. so yea we could save money some where there even with sheriffs office, state troopers, Game warden they are everywhere way too many need pesticide control SAVE MONEY!! Maine and let us live in peace DADDIE!!!
You’ve confused us with Brunswick sir…
Be happy that you have a police department that is out an around and not sitting in the station drinking coffee. Bangor residents do not understand how lucky they are to have such a great police force. When you go to bed at night you know that the PD is around. Be happy that you have a easy going chief and staff. There don’t come much better then Sgt. Edwards, Sgt. Kenniston.and rest of the police staff in Bangor. I could on and and on with names. Just because they have a badge does not mean they are jerks. 95% of them are caring people. Thats a great saying they are like ROACHES atleast you know they are around and trying to keep the streets safe day and nite. Be proud and happy at what you have.
All so the BDN will have even more mug shots to post in the paper. BTW, the state severely lacks in Game Wardens given the geographical size. I believe the pesticide control is needed, but on the roaches committing the crime. Which we have plenty of lately.
When one of those bath salts idiots is standing in your bedroom with your Christmas Turkey carving knife heading for your throat….don’t call the Bangor PD….Just yell out-“Let us live in peace”
Please don’t call if you need help. You don’t appreciate the service so you don’t deserve it.
Did he actually say “professionalism and integrity?” Sorry, but those two things don’t wash with me. I’m a guy who, on a Saturday afternoon, left my vehicle in a handicap parking space of a business that was closed on weekends – and paid a $200 parking ticket for it.
I left my $200 behind, and with it my respect for the Bangor PD.
I have no sympathy for you, nor should anyone else. You deliberately broke the law. What did you expect?
get em ryan!!
Wow. $200? I guess I wouldn’t park there, even on weekends. I think if a store is closed, it probably doesn’t make sense to call it a handicap parking space until they open again, but that is not how it works. If we could do that, it would have to be stated “Unless closed:”, but then we could expand that to the speed limits having two values. 45 mph during day, 55 at night. But it’s too complicated. Anyway, they are just doing their job. Do they tell you how to do your job? Let them do theirs. I liked the Ron Gastia interview. I’d like to think that my community is safe in the hands of professional law enforcement. I have a saying for Bangor Police: Never Harassing, always Kickassing. Great officers, and they love their community. That’s what I want. Some places down south, they can kinda grow on a power trip, but I have never seen that up here. It’s refreshing.
Even more reason not to park in a handicap spot. It was closed so even more open spaces. No sympathy here.
Where in the law does it state that you have right to park there?
What kind of person parks in a handicap parking space that is not handicap? It is kinda sad this is not common sense.
Common sense would be to not give someone a $200 parking ticket when they’re obviously not depriving any handicapped person of a place to park – and without going into any of the details, there is NO WAY any handicapped person would be wanting to use that space on a Saturday evening.
What I learned from this is that in Bangor Officer Friendly isn’t all that friendly. Or all that reasonable.
I was banking on the fact that the Bangor PD would reasonable and use common sense. I was wrong. I paid my $200 and learned the lesson. I, like most people, respect people who respect me. Since they didn’t respect me I have no respect for them. Period.
Common sense would be to park in a legal space, of which Bangor has no shortage, and WALK. Not only is good for you physically, it’s good for your wallet as well. You are blaming the Bangor PD for your own laziness.
First rule of parking. Stay out of the handicap zone.
That’s like saying you can park in front of a fire hydrant unless there’s a fire, you never know when it will be used.
Lost respect because you broke the law and they enforced it? Stop being a bitter little girl. I’m sure they’re not worried about your “respect”.
Think: What makes you think an employee who needs that spot won’t show up? What makes you think a potential customer who doesn’t know the store is closed won’t show up? What makes you think a potential customer who wants to check the hours on the door won’t show up?
Why should the police wait around to see whether you move your vehicle before the store opens?
A handicap sign means this: No parking unless you have a disability placard or plate and you or your passenger own that card or plate.
You parked in a no parking zone. Be grateful you weren’t towed.
Who would respect someone who parks in a handicapped parking space who is not handicapped…I don’t care what day it is! Integrity is about what you do when you think no one is looking…you thought no one was looking and your lack of integrity exposed itself!!
Tell yeah what HeaganMtn…if you can show that a sign was present that stated Handicap only during store hours I will agree with you. If that sign wasn’t present and you parked pay the fine and LEARN from it.
The time will come when there are people who finally get it, this one doesn’t.
It is still illegal to park in a handicap space anytime. The police had nothing to do with your actions.
You parked in a handicap spot…period. You got fined for it.
I bet many more would have lost respect if they saw an officer walk by an illegally parked car and NOT write the ticket.
Compared to a lot of the cushier places in Maine to be a police officer, Bangor is downright nasty. The problem is though, because of the high turnover rate, Bangor has very few officers that are specialized in a certain field (detectives, for the most part). This results in police officers from other agencies being called in, State investigators being called in, and when someone else is doing the work that Bangor should be able to do, it means that there are a lot of officers out on patrol (which is why you see them on every street). The City of Bangor acknowledges that you can only have so many officers out on the street before citizens start feeling like they are in a police state. The budget cut is the not-so-nice way of telling the Bangor Police Department to start taking action and improving its situation.
Knowing some of the Bangor officers I could not disagree more. Bangor is one of TWO municipal departments that are certified to conduct homicide investigations. Every where else, the State Police are the lead agency.
So I am going to ask you to provide specific examples to back up your claim that “because of the high turnover rate, Bangor has very few officers that are
specialized in a certain field (detectives, for the most part).”
Like they did in the Ralph Greenleaf homicide.
And what pray tell did BPD do wrong? They arrived on the scene after any suspect(s) left the area. They interviewed somewhere between 40-60 people by all accounts. They gathered the evidence and presented the case to the DA’s office. When Mr. Greenleaf died, the states AG’s office became involved. The DA/AG presented the case to the Grand Jury and they returned a “No Bill”. So please, explain exactly how the BPD failed in this case.
They know exactly who they were that night and no one was arrested? Gastia said he could release the names but would not. Could it have something to do with the positions at least 2 of those kids mothers had? If Mr. Weston was outside sea dog drunk running his mouth and some lower class kids pushed him he hit his head and died ya think that the names would not have been all over the paper? I wonder if anyone on the Grand jury has any ties to law enforcement , The county jail,or the school dep. I was told the week it happened they would never be in trouble because who they are. I know a few people who have been in fights outside bars and did 10 years for something they did not start. Like the man who ran the internet cafe in downtown Bangor.
“They know exactly who they were that night and no one was arrested?”
Correct, no one was arrested. Maybe you should be asking why was no one arrested? The answer to that question would be the officers did not witness anything. The “suspects” had left the scene, the victim was carted off to EMMC, and the witnesses were in various stages of enjoying the “barley” if you will. Unlike the movie “Casablanca” the police cannot just “round up the usual suspects”.
~~~~~
“Gastia said he could release the names but would not. Could it have
something to do with the positions at least 2 of those kids mothers had?”
Don’t know. Why don’t you call and ask Chief Gastia if you are really interested.
~~~~~
“If Mr. Weston was outside sea dog drunk running his mouth and some
lower class kids pushed him he hit his head and died ya think that the
names would not have been all over the paper?”
I normally don’t deal in “hypothetical” questions Bob. Why, because no two situations are ever alike. You would have to have the exact same circumstances. Mr. Weston would have to be inebriated, refused entrance by Sea Dog staff, been confronted by three younger individuals of the same “social-economic” status as the other three, have words exchanged, pushing and shoving resulted and Mr. Weston would need to fall and strike his head on the curb. He would then need to be hospitalized for several days prior to passing. Then you can compare them.
~~~~~
“I wonder if anyone on the
Grand jury has any ties to law enforcement , The county jail,or the
school dep.”
Wouldn’t matter. Why? Because unlike a court room jury a Grand Jury does not need to reach a unanimous verdict to return a “true bill”. All they need is a simple majority to agree that there are sufficient facts to believe a crime may have been committed.
~~~~~
“I was told the week it happened they would never be in
trouble because who they are.”
Yup people talk all the time. Everyone has an opinion. If no one knew who the “suspects” were because the BDN and local media outlets never published the info, how did anyone tell you anything?
~~~~~
“I know a few people who- have been in
fights outside bars and did 10 years for something they did not start.
Like the man who ran the internet cafe in downtown Bangor.”
No one receives 10 years in prison for a bar fight unless they have a previous records, they are on probation, use a weapon of some kind, etc…
I hate to say it JD I personally know at least one person who did 10 years another who got 5 because the person died . No weapons. I was giving an example. Kids from the other side of the tracks are sometimes treated much different. Yes I think it could mattered very much in the grand jury in this case but I have no idea how close the vote was. Also how aggressively the DA. works on a case . I was not at the trial so I do not know. My hypothetical Question would be hard to compare. Yes people usually get arrest if they have 30 to 60 witnesses and the police did not see the crime. Do police have to witness domestic violence to make an arrest? NO. I have been to court and have seen who the DA. Sometimes spins facts to bias a jury . End result he was pushed one time and the man died. Pushing someone is assault unless it was self defense . From the BDN it said people had to drag the kids off the man. I highly doubt he attacked 3 college kids . He may have made a threat or ran his mouth while drunk . That does not justify pushing someone. Someone with reasonable judgement would have walked away. Again we as average people do not know what happened because it is not public information.
Bob how long do you think it takes to interview between 30 to 60 witnesses? Do you think it occurred that night or over several days? Do you know how many different versions of what was seen the witnesses told the police? How many of the witnesses had to sober up before they could provide a statement to the police and how reliable would that statement be?
And if you read the coverage in the BDN I would like you to provide the article where it said Mr. Greenlaw was “pushed once”. The articles I read indicated that there was a verbal altercation first. And while you are at it, please provide the article where it said “people had to drag the kids off the man”. Even the owner of the bar changed his story from what he first told the BDN.
In my line of work I have dealt with people under the influence more than once, some that have been falling down drunk and many times they are loud, belligerent, hostile, threatening, willing to take on more than one or two people, etc… I am not saying that Mr. Greenlaw was any of these things, just that it does happen.
And if you and I were not there when altercation occurred it really don’t know what really happened now do we?
A verbal altercation does not justify a push. A push is assault At least that is what I was told. Yes I did read this in older BDN articles on line. The story was different in many of the articles. Now did the BDN print retractions? Maybe .
Bottom line Bob…you were not there…I wasn’t there…you don’t know what happened prior to Mr. Greenlaw striking his head…I don’t know either…the case was investigated and presented to the Grand Jury…they returned a “no bill”…the BPD closed there case because they have no other suspects…if new information or evidence comes to light the case gets reopened.
Now, would you like address the original question that was addressed to Dillingerfox, “So I am going to ask you to provide specific examples to back up your claim that “because of the high turnover rate, Bangor has very few officers that are specialized in a certain field (detectives, for the most part)”?
An arrest means nothing when it comes to the disposition of a criminal case. It doesn’t increase the odds of an indictment or a conviction. It merely ensures that a suspect doesn’t flee or commit further criminal acts.
An arrest is on your criminal record even if the case is dismissed . Fail to indite is not. An arrest requires bail and is made public information. Do think they should have been found guilty maybe not I do not know the facts . My point was the special treatment in the no arrest.
Bob the officers never saw anyone do anything to anyone. They weren’t there…just like you.
Grand jury no true bill understate law dose not mean a case is closed . Gastia makes his own rules to say a case is closed I guess. Maybe it I knew the facts I would not feel that way about that case . Just saying they did not tell the correct facts in the paper( It kept changing) . Nothing was done to make the “real”facts public In fact a lot was done to not let the facts be known to the public. Yes I might be wrong those 3 college kids might have been defending themselves and had know were to run from the man . I think not.
“Grand jury no true bill understate law dose not mean a case is closed . Gastia makes his own rules to say a case is closed I guess.”
BPD has no other suspects so the case as far as the BPD is concerned is closed. They have no one else to investigate so again, what would you have the BPD do? Manufacture evidence?
~~~~~
“Maybe it I knew the facts I would not feel that way about that case . Just saying they did not tell the correct facts in the paper( It kept changing) .”
If you do not know the facts how do you know the “real facts” are not know?
~~~~~
“Nothing was done to make the “real”facts public In fact a lot was done
to not let the facts be known to the public.”
Normally during active investigations, the facts are not made public. Why haven’t the police reports been made public? Well I can think of a number of reasons and none of them have anything to do with the 3 college kids.
~~~~~
“Yes I might be wrong those 3 college kids might have been defending themselves and had know were to run from the man . I think not.”
Yes, you just might be wrong.
So you close a case when you do not have a suspect? I am not saying they should still be spending a lot of time and effort on this case just to say it is closed I think is wrong. What if a film with voice of the event was found? I am not saying we should indite then again . It would have been an option on the table if new evidence came in even years latter. My other post I speak highly of MR. Gastia . I think he is a man of highest integrity . I just think sometime politics come into play with police work.
Bob the BPD has no other suspects so they closed the case. And a closed case does not mean it cannot be reopened. If a film or photos or video surveillance surfaced, the BPD reopens the investigation and looks at it all over. Then the case goes to the Grand Jury all over again. Since it never went to trial Double Jeopardy does not attach and if a “true bill” is returned they move to trial. The option to indict them and try them has not been lost at this point.
Outstanding ‘shorthand’ description of the process jd. I hope some of the others here read it. Good job !
Mr. Moore might be qualified for the bomb squad but he is no collie at people relationships on the street.
False info
Dillinger, as a former Fed LEO, ‘in the bag’ for my entire career, I’ve got to respond if for no other reason than to put some balance into this entire mess.
High turnover is not a problem, per se, of the agency. It is a sign that all is not well since a lack of retained officer’s, and their training, is a huge long term cost factor that Gastia himself has admitted to. The reasons for the high turnover rate’s were never mentioned here but if Gastia has tha common sense he should have, then he would be getting someone outside of the Dept to do the exit interview’s and find out the why’s of the officer’s leaving, retirement’s aside. Good people who want to do good work don’t just leave. They’re driven out, usually by some minor dumb thing that the Agency has refused to address since it’s part of the ‘culture’ (Let’s call it what it is, a clique) that has so infected the Agency that it’s all but useless for the officer’s to do their best since they’re gonna get ‘slammed’ for their effort. That clique’s wind up being the ‘real command structure’ as opposed to the Chief is a sign that not only is all not well but that the Agency itself has more serious problems that are just below the surface and are waiting for some event to ‘blow them out’ into the public’s eye. CBP has one such case up in Coburn right now that’s gonna be more than a little embarassing, and expensive, when it finally settles. LAPD had this happen a couple of years ago in the Rampart Scandal when the Gang Unit turned into a Gestapo Squad and was locking people up for no reason other than they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and their arrest was ‘justified’ by the Gang Unit planting minor evidence to cover their butt’s for Wrongful Arrest. When it all came out, well, Los Angeles had to pay out over $ 70 MILLION in damages and untold number’s of arrests and conviction’s of legitmate gangbanger’s, a great many locked up for rape and murder, had to released, and their arrest’s purged from NCIC, on the basis of a ‘tainted arrest’. That was the result of a ‘clique’ command structure that was allowed to grow because no one called it for what it was and was willing to stop it for fear of their career being damaged. NYPD had it’s own ‘mess’ when the DiAllo and Louima case’s came up. Philly had it’s mess when their 39th Precinct House’s evidence room was literally turned over to a bunch of dirty cop’s, who everyone knew were dirty, and every piece of drug evidence was back out on the street’s for sale in less than a month. Arapahoe County in Colorado just had their Sheriff locked up, and sentenced to time in his own jail, for being stupid (and that’s calling it politely).
As far as the training issue goes, that is well within Gastia’s authority to deal with. Training is both a professional responsibility of the officer, the Agency and the Municipality. Training increases the effectiveness of the Officer, including their safety, which improves both the level of service delivered, the stability of the conviction when tried and, especially in these tight money times, reduces any ‘liability risk factor’ for the Agency and Municipality if the Officer’s actions are called into question. It also increase’s the public’s percieved safety (We all know you can’t protect everyone all the time everywhere they are). Training also builds morale, provided the officer’s are allowed to use their training to the maximum extent possible, by letting the officer’s do their best with what they have been trained to do. This is where both the Local District Attorney’s, the officer’s Supervision and Management all come into play. Any of these that restricts the officer’s from using what they have been trained in, and thus preventing them from doing the best that they are capable of, and you are going to see, usually in less than a month, these same officer’s start to fill out applications and sending resume’s out to other Agency’s. People will not stay, no matter how much you pay them, when they are deliberately frustrated, professionaly disrespected and prevented from doing their best simply because the old ‘Well, that’s good enough’ or ‘That’s how we’ve always done it here’ excuse’s are used by both Supervisor’s and Manager’s who do not keep up with the times and their own responsibilities.
Public safety is an on-going process that requires constant educating and training, and not in what would be considered ‘law enforcement only’ type subject’s, in order to be both effective, and legal, on the job. Any graduate of the FBI’s National Academy knows this, or should if they are being professionaly aware and responsible. Me personally, I had to do all of my training on my own, including paying for it, since my old Chief used his Training Fund’s for vacation’s at these supposedly IACP Conference’s. Please who’s trying to kid who ! And for you Chief’s and Sheriff’s out there, where ever you go remember that every place you go for these so-called ‘Conference’s’ their are more Officer’s and Deputy’s around than you who see just what’s going on and accomplished. And we do talk to each other. Dillinger, you want to see how well trained your local cop’s are ? Just have your local Selectmen or City Council look at the Continuing Education portion of the Police Dept’s budget. Then look at the turnover rate, and how many years these same officer’s have been working when they leave or just plain quit. The math isin’t hard.
If anything outside agencies come to Bangor for help because of the resources and training they get… Completely incorrect.
“Gastia can’t restrict the number of officers who can take the same weeks of vacation. ”
Translates into the union is saying tough luck citizens of Bangor if they all decide to take the same week.
Followed by…
“That’s forcing the chief to get creative in order to come up with ways to shift personnel to cover the gaps.
“One way or another, we’ll find ways to fill those holes and put people on the street,” said Gastia, who briefed councilors on one of those ways.
“We’re looking at hiring a civilian to supervise dispatchers and free up the sergeant to be available for patrol duty.””
Wrong. Not all of them can take vacations at once only 3-4 from all of the different shifts. However just loosing two people for a week results in at least 80 hours of overtime. Plus they are already under staffed and are working overtime every week thats more time that needs to be filled.
The police waste too much time and money busting college kids that are having a few beers. There is no shortage of money or police in this State if they have time to babysit young people.
If you were a responsible young adult then you wouldn’t have to be “babysat”.
What???
That makes no sense.. Its well known around the college community that Bangor is actually quite lenient when it comes to the college parties. You have no idea what staffing levels it takes and the situations they deal with in Bangor daily. Go ride along with one of them and not only would your twisted view change I bet you wouldn’t get out of the car some places they go..
They should spend more money and time on that but it is not in the budget if you ask me.
I applaud Chief Gastia! Thank you for having high standards and I’m sure your patrol staff thanks you too….nothing worse than having unqualified partners being a possible endangerment to your life. The general public doesn’t understand all that these officers have to deal with and often times are greatly unappreciated…..as seen in some of these comments. It seems to me if you feel you need less police then my question is why? What are you guilty of?
Wow, many really foolish comments. Here is the reality.
Expenses are going up at at a rapid pace in all organizations. The new PD building is in need of minor capital improvements as expected, nobody is working for less, fuel is way up, general expenses, particularly anything oil based, is way up and Bangor is growing. Not only is our bedroom growing but the city swells to almost 100k people during the day, the bath salts, methadone clinics, homeless segment and so much more. There are many more events with concerts, casinos, kahboom, and every cause in the world holding rallys and parades, and forget about the one guy holding an occupy sign that used to be 10.
The Chief is coming in with a budget that is less then last year? How? I’ll tell you how. He finds he has a fiduciary responsibility to the tax payer of Bangor to give his best to get it there. He too is a Bangor taxpayer. He must know that the critisism he would recieve for coming in with a budget greater than last year even if justified.
Bottom line, this Chief is doing an outstanding job for not a whole lot of money given the responsibility he has to deal with.
Being a police officer isn’t easy. Being brass is even harder, being the Chief…unless you have walked in those shoes which none of you have you have no clue what this man faces on a daily basis.
If you are reading this Chief Gastia please know that the handful of naysayers on this board amount to nothing compared to the 99.99999999% of law abiding citizens that know you are doing an outstadning job and will giev you total support if ever needed.
Thank you for your 29 years of service.
Gastia back in the day was an undercover DEA agent . Seemed to be a real strait shooter of a man with the highest integrity . The biggest beef people can have with the man is politics . It comes with the job . To me it has no place in law enforcement . That is the society we live. We can not put that blame just on him.
Great job by Chief Gastia and the Bangor P.D…..back in the mid 70’s many of our school mates chose to go to school for and enter law enforcement for their careers and those we have kept in touch with have done a fantastic job as public servants without regrets…..many worked for Bangor and other local departments as well as the State Law Depts…..thanks to all for your work as law enforcement personnel…..I am jealous of those of you that have or are able to retire though!!
First to go is police whenever there is a downer in the economy. Hmmm, that is until a citizen needs the police, then the outcry will come from the same citizen that loved the budget cut. Too many police in Bangor? Wonder why, could not be because the county courthouse is located here, the dispatch center, the jail, nah, too logical for some to contemplate. That is until those to call them names are in need then what you hear is “where are the d*** police?” No, I am not an officer in either Bangor nor the State of Maine, before I hear that from those in the party of the insecure and of our commander in c****. I live out of State.
So is there really any great mystery here?…Bangor, home to more sex offenders, methadone clients, mentally ill homeless on the streets, bath salts capitol, and offers less pay and benefits than other departments with less population to people who are expected to work holidays, weekends, nights, and overtime….can’t get good candidates?….uhmmm… and what else could possibly be going on to help destroy morale, and/or handicap effectiveness and efficiency? It doesn’t take a genius to figure something’s not right when people can’t wait to leave and no body wants to come?…But wait!… if they’ve not gotten raises for a few years, whats a few more? That should help……….
It not that officers are leaving because they “can’t wait to leave” it is more because many of the current officers are approaching retirement age. The BDN published an article last year about the “greying of the BPD”.
Well, the PD treated you better than my petite aunt would have,
who has all she can to physically maneuver my 6’2″ uncle who is extremely
incapacitated due to his Lou Gehrig’s desease. He is a decorated Vet and they
both have always worked and contributed to society without complaint, or
feeling society owes them…BUT, you let her find someone parked in a
handicapped parking spot, which means she has to labor that much further from
where she has to park, and SHE WOULD KICK YOUR BUTT !
There was a performance review done with reccomendations for savings, the 100K people a day in Bangor is bogus the review looked at that number no info to support that claim, staffing levels are above average for a city of comparable size again read the review for facts instead of opinions
” Due to the police union’s collective bargaining agreement, Gastia can’t
restrict the number of officers who can take the same weeks of vacation.”
Another example of union ignorance.
Big Bear, your right, about 95% of the police officers are caring people. Sorry, but I think you have the chiefs confused. The easy going chief has retired. That was the best chief of police Bangor ever had. Bangor was ranked the 4th safest city in the nation when Don Winslow was chief. His office door was always open for his employee’s. He cared for his department and all the employees that worked for him and other officers outside the department. If one of his officers did something wrong, he handled it by the book and that person got punished. He didn’t threaten to fire anyone. I heard Winslow was the one who removed the quota system. That gave officers more time for investigations and make arrest on pending cases. I bet the clearance rate is down now! The department’s moral was high, nobody wanted to retire or just quit. Today, the moral is at an all time low. If you know someone that works there just ask them. If you just ask an officer, they won’t say a word, on or off duty… unless you know one. What the citizens of Bangor and even the City Manager don’t know is what really goes on inside that building since Chief Gasta took the helm. I have heard from an excellent, very reliable, source these facts. I have heard so much over the years, that sometimes I have a hard time believing it myself!