Hard times forcing desperate measuresSt Cloud, MinnesotaNovember...

Hard times forcing desperate measures
St Cloud, Minnesota

November 16, 2011

THE central Minnesota town of Foley tried having its own police department and contracting with the county sheriff's department for law enforcement.

Now, in an effort to save money, the town with a population of 2600 is making a controversial move: it plans to employ a private security company to patrol its streets.

Nationwide, other cities have supplemented traditional police with contracted officers, said John Firman, director of research for the International Association of Chiefs of Police.


But as cities across the US struggle with the economic downturn, more will look at innovative ways of providing public safety, Mr Firman said.

''For the first time in our history … police are no longer immune from budget cuts,'' he said.

After cuts in state aid and uncertainty about future funding, Foley City Council started looking at options to save money on policing. The town decided to contract with General Security Services Corporation to provide 24-hour coverage starting in January for about $US16,000 ($15,592) a month.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/hard-times-forcing-desperate-measures-20111115-1nh3o.html#ixzz1doMLt4jh