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?
- Reading to second graders
(very cushy job)
- 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.
-
Traffic enforcement officers
. They can't do enough to protect the children.
- Showing up at Framingham Centre or any place wherever there is
a crowd without anyone requesting their presence.
- 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
- Private details (
mostly playing temporary traffic light at corporate entrances
. It was a cashcow on
Franklin and Maple Street
- Public details around street work
- Public details around street work
Pushing traffic light buttons was a cashcow on
Franklin and Maple Street
- Acting as
temporary traffic lights
- Showing up in all polling places during an election (cushy job)
- Funeral processions (don't we look awesome with our blue lights)
- Compliance checks
- 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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