YOUR COMMENTS

Where is justice? Punk ruins apartment and Housing Court rules he is only liable for 15hundred max. including his back rent. Where is justice? We need judges who jail these punks when they start out with "only" shoplifting, then go on to smack their girlfreind around, beat up landlords and not pay chile support but find the money for tattos and blunts and shaveing theur heads. Put 'em behind bars, stop patting 'em on their bald heads. If we had the draft they' grow up over in Iraq. Sentence them to the Army punks in this town laugh at the law. their women remind me of gangster molls, they delight in their "man" breaking laws and beaten on other people. We have become a city of white trash because we let them roam the streets and the liberal judges do nothing and the judges bend over backwards for the criminals and vandals and make things harder for the victims
- Chris, Manchester City of White Trash

Joe,
$384 for MPD and $220 for flagger = savings of $164.
- John, Manchester

John - Funny how you didn't support your argument with hard numbers. What's the cost difference?
- Joe, Manchester

I side with incoming Mayor Gatsas. We should have delayed this hiring. I have nothing but respect for Policeman and the Law they enforce, but things have definitely gone astray here in Manchester. We continue to add to our police force, but citizen safety and crime is on the rise not the decline. I am all for investing in Citizen Safety and Crime Control, but we must look at other options that will give us a return on our investment. We need to look at programs like “City Year” which would work with our schools and help keep kids off the streets, we need to also possibly look at backing organizations like YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club. If we are going to increase the Police staff, I highly recommend hiring some psychologists that would not only advice the chief and mayor on viable programs but psychologists to work with both police and young criminals. Sadly many of our young police force lack the maturity or wisdom needed to be interacting with the public. Instead of making a difference on the streets they are creating animosity with the citizens of Manchester and our young adult population. Unfortunately these young police officers don’t begin to realize how important a role they perform or how much responsibility falls upon them. They also do not comprehend the city-changing or people-changing power they wheeled. I believe Mayor Guinta did a good job, but my hope is that Mayor Gatsas will address our budget as well as our city’s problems with a passion that has not been seen in public office for a very long time.
- Jim, Manchester, NH

Joe,
As a matter of fact I do know what the cost is. I saved hundreds of dollars using flaggers instead of the MPD at a construction sight. Maybe you should be the one to educate themselves before they speak. I'm highly educated and did the research before making my choice.
- John, Manchester

JimC ward2, no, if they are smart they will do the highest 3 years early in their career and get it out of the way when they have less to deal with (ie families)...DOH
- Bob, Manchester, NH

John in Manchester, do you know how much flaggers cost vs police officers? Please educate yourself before you speak. Not to mention having police officers on details adds a large number of cops to the street.
- Joe, Manchester

Bob..... If the cops are SMART, the LAST 3 years will be their highest 3 years... DOH....
- JimC, Ward2 Manchester

Mark and Mike,
The bar detail and the construction site detail may pay the same, but the money is coming from two different places. The bar owner either charges a cover to get in or includes this in the price of drinks. The construction detail gets paid by the company involved who then in turn passes the cost onto the charge it makes to the city. So the tax payers are paying, in the long run, for the construction details. It cost the construction companies much less to hire a private flag company than to hire MPD to do the same job. Maybe if the MPD gave up the extra jobs they could spend more time with their families and be much more rested for their real job of protecting and serving the citizens of Manchester.
- John, Manchester

JimC Ward 2: The reason that the details are paid into an officer's retirement is because the state takes a percentage of their detail earnigs. The city does not pay for the detail. Next time you are at a bar where an officer is on a detail (bar details are same pay and the same exact thing as a construction detail), ask the owner who is paying the officer.
- Mark, Manchester

Bob in Manchester, time to grow up. First, you should praise officers for staying in shape instead of being jealous and crying steroids. Second check some stats about officer dying in the line of duty instead of speaking from ignorance.
- Joe, Manchester

JAC - That's not exactly what happened. Please be honest.
- Joe, Manchester

Hiring more police does nothing for this city, everything they find is after the fact or is out of their control. In fact tonight I was harassed by Manchester's finest. I am a law abiding citizens and was pulled over on the side of the road when an officer pulled up behind me, searched me and insisted on searching my car, when I told him no, for what reason, he threatened to have my car impounded for weeks, my passenger ended up going to the bathroom in his pants because they would not let him go to the bathroom.. There was over 6 officers and a K9 unit for a traffic stop without any probable cause for a vehicle that was not even moving!! I eventually let them search and of course they found nothing but made my night a total hell.. Is this what hiring more police is going to do for the city?? I've lived here my whole life and never once was I harassed as bad as tonight. I intend on filing a formal complaint and hope they train these officers to treat their citizens a bit better than that.. Tax dollars hard at work looking for petty crime and in the process they hurt the good citizens and treat them like dirt.
- Tony, Manchester, NH

"...2 - thoes officers working road jobs are not getting pain over time by the city - they are getting paid by the company doing the road work." Stacy, Manchester.
You are so wrong. While the city is getting money from the contractor and then paying the officer, all the money the officer is being paid is credited toward his or her retirement which the City will eventually pay. So, to claim this does not affect the city is false. You can couch it anyway you wish but in the end, the city pays the officers retirement based on all the money earned, including that of provate details. So please get your facts straight.
- Jeff, Manchester

I'm all for more police on the streets.Do we need 250 police officers on our streets? Yes we do. For a city this size, and with the number of people in it there is a ratio of one officer for every so many hundred of people. I am sure as it stands now we are below the ratio and we need to be at standard or higher per capita if we are going to continue to call this city a great place to live.
- Terri, Manchester,NH

Hmm, anyone else think this 11-2 vote will be an indication of the count against Ted when he becomes mayor? It's gonna be a LONG TWO YEARS!
- steve vaillancourt, manchesrer

thomas,

let me provide you some insight. As many commentors have stated,the company doing the work pays their officers pay. Now thomas,do you think that after working the shift these officers do,they want to leave their families, deprive themselves of some personal, god knows thomas, you must have a lot of spare time on your hands. thomas please do us all a favor look at the base pay for these heroes then restate your position. btw the next time you need police protection, call your mommie instead since you have so much distain for MPD!
- mike, manchester

JimC from ward 2, don't come on here and act like you know what you are talking about and capitalize words to make it seem like you are educated about the retirement system, because if you were, then you would have known before commenting that it is the highest 3 years of salary, not the last 3 that go towards the calculation, again with more and more misinformation.
- Bob, Manchester, NH

I don't think anyone disagrees with the need of additional MPD if it is determined that there is an inadequate number of police for the city population and the level of crime. However, who pays is the real issue because I'm concerned how they will be paid next year. It's easy to throw money at any problem when its not yours - No disrespect but I'm tired of paying and paying and paying and the problem either remains the same or worsens. Why, b/c no one solves the real issue but only band aids the wound and blame lack of funding. These cops won't be ready until April so I guess crime has a green light then. There is a reason why crime happens in certain parts of the city....there is a reason why criminals and the slothful feel comfortable in this city. When you want to analyze and solve these roots than the standard of living will start to turn the page.
- Hughan, Manchester

Mark, why don't you stop yelling and check the mounted unit mpd website if you want to know how much the horses are costing you. It is community supported by volunteers. Find something else to yell about.
- Ralph, Manchester

I think it's hysterical how ignorant some of you are. #1 if you don't live in this city - keep your nose out of it #2 - thoes officers working road jobs are not getting pain over time by the city - they are getting paid by the company doing the road work. #3 no - there was really no way to prevent the recent tragic death of Melissa Charbonneau but having 4 extra sets of eyes and ears out on the street will help with things like community policing and response times that many of you are complaining about. There is only so many of them and thousands more of us. Yes my taxes are high - not compared to neighboring towns but what we get in services trumps most places. Stop being a part of the problem and be a part of the solution.
- Stacy, Manchester

Tom.from Manchester...
traffic details are not paid for by the city as the officers are not officially on duty while working those details. The officers working those types of details are paid for by the companies doing the construction or utility work.

If thats the case then why is it that the detail pay is figured into their retirement??

A cop can retire as a patrolman at $100,000 level...and those last 3 years working details count toward their retirement.

DONT TELL ME that they aren't paid by the city... THATS BULL!!!!
- JimC, Ward2 Manchester

How much do the horses cost?

How many shootings and violent crimes have they prevented?

-yeah, exactly!
- Mark, Manchester

tom, tom tom, (lowercase tom this is) i see after a few weeks you are happy as heck to throw your "i hate police and there details" agenda back out here. You have never had anything good to say about police and it is obvious you do not support them or the city of manchester. I can not believe you hypocrites. A cop on a detail or working on their phone, that is your biggest concern here??? I mean if that is how you feel than you should go to your bosses (if you have jobs) and tell them you should not be allowed to talk to co-workers anymore, take bathroom breaks, talk on your phones, or talk on the computer. So if I am getting your statements here you feel that a police officer who has not been home in a while, or is working at night and calling their kids to say goodnight should not be allowed? I know that is not what they are doing all the time, but please someone who posted here show me the connection between city crime and cell phone usage by the police, please, because you all must know something that I don't.
- Bret, Manchester, NH

Why does it take a couple high profile crimes to get a reaction? There are those of us in the center city dealing with crime daily who need a police presence and have needed that presence for years. Ignoring the people with a chip on their shoulder against the police, what is so crazy about Manchester paying a moderate amount for reasonable pay to get efficient use of the police. Instead of "screw the police" how about we see a debate on what pay is reasonable and how to get effecient use out of them.
- J Paige, Manchester

For all of you that say the "well is dry" and that "everyone is out of work" try taking a statistics class. The NH unemployment rate is 7.2%, which means there are over 92% of citizens in the workforce. The well is not dry, and we have been very lucky that our tax rate has stayed low. Now its time to realize that if you would like Manchester to improve we need to allow them access to the resources that would allow that to happen. Unfortunately the majority voted in Gatsas and the "tax cap" which will further limit these resources. I recently read a comment that made perfect sense, by Manchester voting in a democratic majority on the board of alderman and also electing Gatsas and the tax cap we have shown that we want great city services but refuse to pay for them. Don't hide behind the state of the economy, those persons complaining are greedy, lazy or both.
- Jeff, Manchester

I'm pretty sure none of you would be saying any of this if you had been a victim of crime.

Half of you commenting don't even live in Manchester!

More cops on the street, mean more of a chance to stop things before they happen. Will we ever eradicate crime altogether, of course not, not city/town in the world is without crime. However, in a city our size, with the problems we have faced in the last few years, more trained police officers equals a city that will be safer for its residents. We are a growing city, with people moving here every day from other cities, other countries. As our population grows and changes, so should our police force.

For those of you spouting off about the right to bear arms. . .that worked out really well for the Cahrbonneau and Briggs families, huh? This is not the Wild West where people can go around taking the law into their own hands.

Stop being ridiculous and realize that, whether we like paying for it or not, Manchester is need of more police officers. Plain and simple.

Public safety should not be politicized. Shame on those who are making this political.
- Kay, Manchester, NH

Sue, This is government by the people and the people have a right to say we are sick of Manchester politics. That's why so many aldermen won by thin margins and Gatsas kicked butt. Go get em, Teddy!
- Isla, Manchester

Gatsas is right. More cops wouldn't have stopped the tragedy that happened recently.

Fewer laws, not more cops.
- CDR, Lebanon

Tom- Manchester,
Just so that you know, traffic details are required for construction and utility work for public safety reasons. Construction and utility traffic details are not paid for by the city as the officers are not officially on duty while working those details. The officers working those types of details are paid for by the companies doing the construction or utility work. They are required to underwrite the expense for those traffic details and it is factored into cost of each job. Ye the officers working those details make extra money “above their regular police pay” but paid for by the construction or utility companies and paid to the officers who are working during their off duty hours. So there is no diverting that money they’re paid performing traffic details to use for regular patrols or other police work. Officer’s get paid a minimum of 4 hours when they show up for those details, even if the job only takes an hour! I do agree with your criticism regarding officers talking on their cell phones, listening to I-Pods, or chatting with others while working those details. I believe those are distractions that increase the chance of an accident occurring, but there is no savings for the city there.
- Tom, Manchester

Sue,

Last time I looked we still had freedom of speech. It's not a police state....yet.

Police are public servants and as a citizen I have a right to know how my taxes are spent. And that they are being put to good use.

Just because they are the police does not mean they they should be given carte blanche or that they are immune to criticism.

Why don't you enlighten me with facts instead of name calling. Or are you a police officer texting from your paid detail?
- Bob in Manchester, Manchester

There is no more money. When will the liberals of this city get it through their thick heads? The well is dry ... people have lost their jobs. No more money.

More cops mean more bloated retirement packages. More bloated salaries. The existing cops have not been getting the job done ... so hire more? Perhaps the police ought to start doing their jobs better.

Better yet .. stop trying to take away the right to bear arms and let people protect themselves.
- David, Bedford

I have to agree with the previous posters. More than once Ive come upon a cop wearing his IPOD or yaking on the phone and not paying attention. It's time to do something about this. Very unproffesional.
- Jake, Manchester

you're all just jealous that you picked the wrong profession.....TOO BAD!!!!

AND you all think you know everything when it comes to unions, details..etc....You know what -no one wants to hear it anymore.
- Sue, manchester

Suggestion

Take the Officer sleeping on the north end of union looking for speeders and move him closer to where all the thumb tacs we're on that map you showed us earlier this week.

You juut got 1 extra officer for free.
- james, manchester

To all of you complaining about taxes....why don't you look to Derry, Goffstown, Hooksett and Merrimack and you'll see that our tax rate is VERY low compared to them, and the services are much better.
- Sean, Manchester

Give me a break! The MPD is worse than the Mafia!

Give me (MPD) more money and maybe we'll make sure nothing happens to you.

Get rid of that horse, motorcycles and man those substations. Don't just use them for paperwork and naps! Get rid of details on road sites and give them to people who need the work.

I agree with the previous poster: no cellphones, unless it's an emergency. Set an example! If you're going to hire more cops, give city residents preferential treatment. Maybe if Chief Mara lived here he would be more sympathetic to us.

And also drug test his own officers. I swear there has to be more than a few that are taking steroids. You can tell by they way they look and how they behave. They need to follow the laws like the rest of us. It's called leading by example.

They don't care who gets murdered unless it's one of their own, and really how often does that happen! It's more dangerous being a firefighter!
- Bob in Manchester, Manchester

Through the summer as driving around the city an seeing all the construction going on in the city, and all I see is police officers with their Ipod in their ears, talking on their cell phone, or having friendly conversation with the construction who is actually trying to do the job, or if there is more than one officer, just chatting away with their buddy or just not paying attention to what even going on, or forgetting why their even their traffic control. Rather than the city keep letting the police officers in some case doubling their salary in overtime benefits, why doesn’t the city farm out the traffic control overtime to another company, and put all those overtime benefits in to the streets where it was needed.
- tom, Manchester

Do they have a full complement? Tell the Chief that this money pays for the final 4 of the increased complement. They use money for "more" cops to pay the cops they've already hired. They never hit full complement. It's a financing scam.
- Jim, Manchester

Violent crime is UP since Guinta appointed Chief Mirror. All they want is what looks good in the press, to throw money at problems. Manchester does not need new cops, it needs to use its cops better. Get rid of the kinda cops who go to 80 watch group parties while violence is up. Put them on the street. Mayor Gatsas, are you the only one who knows this?
- Dallas, Manchester

I have one quick solution that would help the city of Manchester with it's crime fighting.

Police officers should be banned from texting and cell phone usage while driving.

Enough research has been done to show that texting and cell phone use while driving is extremely distracting... if it distracts your driving then it will obviously have a major impact on your observation abilities.

And it is not just a handful of officers who do this--I see it ALL the time!
- Brian, Manchester

Welcome to Gatsasland: soft on crime, big on taxes.

Maybe Teddy can find money for police if he cut back on the giveaways that the city throws at his pals (and $10,000 contributors) Dick Anagnost and Brady-Sullivan.
- Richard, Manchester

This is the last gasp of the tax and tax and tax some more aldermen. They are doing what they can now to pay back the phone bank operators and neighborhood canvassers. They know full well they will be in the spotlight the first time they vote to override the spending cap and the tea parties begin in the street in front of their houses.
- Wayne S, Manchester

My answer to incoming mayor Gatsas is you find the money for more cops. I'm sure you can find money for whatever you support.
- Tigri, Manchester

Welcome to the world of Ted Gatas. Mr. "I will do what I need to do to get what I want" screw everyone else.

Ted Gatas is no dummy he knew that not supporting the police prior to the election meant not geting elected. Now that he is elected we see the real Ted Gatas.

He played the same games when he was in the Senate. So we are stuck with him.
- john, Manchester

I wish to preface this by stating I'm all for cops, fireman, and teachers as needed or required, however, I am not looking foward to the day when I get taxed right out of the city. This is just a precursur to overide central, a.k.a. the Aldermatic Chambers.
- Dale A., Manchester

Manchester needs 40 new Officers, not just 4. It is the only way to take back the city. Cops on OT are not as effective as someone starting his 8 hour shift fresh....If we had Sheriff Joe from AZ in charge, he would have a bus to take the scum back to Lawrence.
- Steve, Amherst

The cops will use any excuse to try to justify more hiring. They should have been on the streets prior to the shootings doing their jobs. Now they suddenly "need" more cops? Like they are not making enough money as it is. Check out the "year end salaries" once they get posted on the UL. The new mayor does need to cut the "fat", and ensure the cops are doing their jobs in the first place. NO NEW HIRES!
- Anthony, Washington

It's always about the money and yes, Guinta did say he wanted to hire more police to beef up the area where crime; (drugs, home break-ins,) areas need it.
So what! They will work until June and then get taken off the job. Maybe the months until then it will be more apparent that the extra police helped in the long run.
Looks like Gastas is changing lanes in the middle of a crisis to me.
- j, Manchester

Phone poll? Haven't lots of boards gotten in trouble for violating the Right to Know law by using phone polls? Even when the vote is "ratified" at a later meeting, having a discussion outside the view of the public is illegal, I thought.
- Gary, Macnhester

Adding more police is not a bad idea. We live in a time when we need more police presence. It is ironic how Gatsas was for it pre-election and now, once elected, he decided he is against it. I understand his reasoning but wouldn't the reasoning have been the same prior to the election?

$200,000 additional doesn't really raise anybodys taxes by more than pennies....and I for one think it is worth it for a little more protection in the city.

If Chief Mara says he needs them, then he needs them. Don't tie the hands of the chief and then blame the police. Give them what they need.
- Jeff, Manchester

You can put a cop at every major intersection in Manchester and it will not reduce crime. A large portion of crime (thankfully) is criminal on criminal: drug dealers' houses geting invaded by other dealers, thieves riping-off other thieves, prositutes stealing from johns. Four new cops don't even equal one per shift per day, when you adjust for three shifts, days-off, vacations etc. If you think one cop on the streets of manchester right now will stop the next shooting or home invasion or domestic, you're kidding yourself. Unfortunately the Alderman don't dare oppose these type of feel good proposals.
- dave, mancheser

I am all for new police officers if it's going to help stop the crime. But lets be real, crime will not ever be completely stopped no matter how many officers we have. Do we really need a civilian crime-statistic analyst??? We don't have money now for new officers. What will this analyst do??? Please justify this new position to the people of this city who are paying the salary.
- Lynda, Manchester

MPD needs an attitidue adjustment. The attitude of much of the MPD is that their job is to show up after the fact to take a report, rather than active involvement in the community.

Read the recent article in last week's Manchester Express about a customed person knocking on random doors to see if anyone was home, and MPD refusing to investigate because "no crime was committed".

I remember calling 911 when 3 drunk people were trying to get into my car when I was stopped at an intersection and the Manchester 911 operator (not state 911 operator) laughed at me on the phone and said, yeah their just drunks having fun, and refused to dispatch.

No amount of officers on the force will change THAT type of attitude!
- JAC, Manchester

The first flipflop/lie from the Mayor Elect. He knew just like every other alderman polled what he was saying yes to. You people get what you deserve. A man with no integrity to tell the truth.
- Tom, Manchester

It's already starting and Mayor elect Gatsas is not even in the Front Office.

You think crime is high now...just wait till Jan. when the new mayor takes over and trims the "fat" off MPD & MFD and all other city
departments.

Think it's bad now....just wait!
Don't blame me! You guys voted for Gatsas.
- Pete Griffin, Manchester NH

Manchester needs more police. If the city is willing to pay to update the Manchester bus terminal to bring more people into Manchester we need to be able to protect them
- Steven, Manchester

Let's see, I'm pretty sure Guinta is still Mayor until January and can call the shots until his last day in office.
- BW, Candia

Why doesn't the city let the citizens take care of the scum in the city and the public works dept can pick up the mess on trash day. Sounds like a win win situation, and that will certainly work with the confines of the budget. Problem solved mayor elect
Gatsas and no override needed for the spending cap!!!
- Brian, Manchester

Jack Alex, response time is important, but policing is more than just responding to a crime. Police presence can prevent crime before it happens. Being aware of the potential problem spots & being there before trouble happens takes manpower. There's also the detective work done behind the scenes. And testifying in court. And so much more behind-the-scenes work. You cannot take one measure, like response time, to assess an entire police department's adequacy, nor its potential.
Jonathan Melle, not to worry....the aldermen do not support the tax cap and can -and will have to- override it. Thank goodness for that. Tax cap is only feel-good political flimflam.
- Kathy, Manchester

I'm looking at one thing when I look at adequate police and fire level. Response times. If police are responding in an adequate amount of time to a call, then we have proper levels of staffing.

No amount of police or fire prescence is going to stop a crime from happening or a fire from starting or an accident from happening.

The best that we can hope for is a quick response within a reasonable amount of time to a call for assistance.
- Jack Alex, Manchester

Does the $ 293,000 cover all expenses for the new hires like uniforms, benefits, COLA, raises, retirment, and all other costs that are necessary to maintain these new hires? Experience tells me its close to double. Any thoughts?
- John, Goffstown

Ted Gatsas is concerned about how the city is going to pay for a handful of new police officers. That's interesting, given how he also supports the spending or tax cap. How will Mayor Gatsas pay for city services when taxes diminish and mandates grow?
- Jonathan Melle, Amherst