According to the city's web site , the mission of the Framingham police department is:

The Framingham Police Department is charged with protecting and serving those who live, work, and travel in Framingham. The department accomplishes its mission by establishing partnerships with the community, using innovative problem-solving approaches, and recognizing the value of strong leadership and organizational accountability.

Chief of Police 1
Deputy Chiefs of Police 3
Executive Officer 1
Lieutenants 12
Sergeants 14
Police Officers 105
mechanic 1
dispatchers 8
civilians 13
crossing guards 14

Given the amazing variety of activities that the Framingham police department is involved in, I'd like to see a set of accounting cost codes associated with these activities. Then instruct officers to use the appropriate cost code when filling out their time cards.

Most police activities are traffic related. Should that be police work?

  1. Reading to second graders (very cushy job)

  2. School resource officers (SROs) (very cushy job)
    Initially at high school (2). Now in middle schools (3).
    Trask is setting up the groundwork for SRO's at elementary schools.

  3. Traffic enforcement officers . They can't do enough to protect the children.

  4. Showing up at Framingham Centre or any place wherever there is a crowd without anyone requesting their presence.

  5. Going to all 911 calls even if only medical service is requested.
    Recently, I called 911 because of pain in the left side of my face (first time ever). I needed transport to Metrowest Medical. It turns out that the police have taken onto themselves the responsibility to show up at all 911 calls. Why? Why complain of having too much work in a case like this where your service was not requested.
    The police response is: in case we have to redirect traffic

  6. Private details ( mostly playing temporary traffic light at corporate entrances . It was a cashcow on Franklin and Maple Street

  7. Public details around street work

  8. Public details around street work

    Pushing traffic light buttons was a cashcow on Franklin and Maple Street

  9. Acting as temporary traffic lights

  10. Showing up in all polling places during an election (cushy job)

  11. Funeral processions (don't we look awesome with our blue lights)

  12. Compliance checks

  13. Dispatch calls

Why must we use armed individuals to control traffic flow?

The police log files gives one some sense of what they do on a daily basis. Officers are dispatched to different areas of the city and mostly sit in parking lots unless dispatch calls for a reason, or a Compliance Check needs doing.

The Compliance Checks have increased and forces officers to move around the city. For years, compliance checks were limited to jewish temples but have now been expanded to all major catholic churches and our pathetic little mosque . We do have at least 60 different churches.

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