Grand Rapids cuts police, firefighters

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Tuesday was a painful day for city leaders in Grand Rapids, who were forced to shrink the size of city government, and the workforce, to deal with budget restraints.

As expected, City Manager Greg Sundstrom announced big cuts at Tuesday morning's city commission meeting. 125 jobs will be cut, 69 of them police officers and firefighters.

The City of Grand Rapids is facing a nine million dollar hole in its current budget, and a $27 million hole for the fiscal year that begins on July 1^st. With that budget problem as the backdrop, city leaders say they had no choice, that the cuts were necessary in the face of a huge downswing in tax revenue.

The layoffs are the largest the City of Grand Rapids has seen in four decades, and the one department being hit the hardest is the one that many say shouldn't be hit at all.

Every part of the Grand Rapids Police Department is being hit by the layoffs, from CSI to detectives to command staff.

“Let me say my heart goes out to those employees who have dedicated themselves to this community, who in short order are going to find themselves without employment,” said Chief Kevin Belk of the Grand Rapids Police.

The employees to be let go will be done at the end of the year, and the numbers are startling. 42 police officers and two civilians are being let go. That number could be reduced to 35 with a cops grant, but still the chief says it's a change the community is going to have to accept.

“There will be significant impacts on the service we're able to provide,” said Chief Belk.

On Tuesday, the Grand Rapids Police Officers Association blamed the state's economy for the cuts, but union leaders are concerned that GRPD beefed up patrols knowing that the economy was uncertain, and the newest hires are now to be let go.

“Frankly, over the last couple of years I have never heard of an employer that's simultaneously asking for draconian concessions from employees and at the same time is hiring,” said David Leonard of the Grand Rapids Police Officers Association.

Chief Belk says there was no way of knowing that revenues would decline as quickly as they did.

Grand Rapids is known for its community policing initiative, but now there are concerns that there won't be enough people to carry it out. Chief Belk says the program will continue to an extent, but neighborhood organizers are deeply concerned, which does not lead to good relationships.

“It's that connection between the residents and the officer that make the difference and without that there is going to be a hole in the process,” said Marian Barrera-Young of the Baxter Neighborhood Association.

Beyond cuts to the police department, the fire department was also cut as well, losing 25 positions.