Thursday, July 1, 2010

More Examples Of Wasted Tax Dollars

The DeKalb Marshal's office asked for and received over 51 thousand dollars for 2 police package Chevrolet Tahoe's and over 24 thousand dollars for a police package Dodge Charger. For what?

The marshal's office serves eviction notices. Why do they need a souped up police car with blue lights and sirens to get to an eviction location? Are they afraid the people might leave?

Each deputy marshal is given an take home car. And why? They are not first responders or respond to emergency's. Ever seen them handle some late night or early morning eviction? How much is the cost of gasoline each year for this perk?

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

WTF....that ranks up with there with the plethora of pimped out black crown vics and the occasional Tahoe you see at 34. How much does it cost to keep them fueled and maintained for the higher ups who work out of an OFFICE?

Once again, our patrol cars have high mileage, we are again standing around waiting for cars....all the while staring at Magic buses, a portable skybox, and brand new units reserved for this, that and every other "special unit" manned by officers taken off the road.

Anonymous said...

I waited in the parking lot for a hour and half just to get doubled up the other night. 14 calls for service pending. Did the Marshals come out and help answer 911 calls? When are 911 calls going to take priority in this county over everyone's pet projects? The night before that it took me 3 cars before I actually found one that could hit the road.. and it didn't even have a working computer. Did the 10% they took from my pay check last payday go to buy the Marshal's new "pursuit" vehicles?

Anonymous said...

Dekalb citizens won't care.Look who they elect.

Anonymous said...

Are we back at this again? Get a life.

Anonymous said...

Do you think the BOC reads what they are passing a vote on? This is a waste of money.

Anonymous said...

Tahoe for the Marshall Office, what on earth do they need a SUV to serve court orders? This someone in the command status that wants a nice TAKE HOME CAR.

Anonymous said...

I want my Holiday pay back. These people who have a take home car should either pay for the privilege or park that car. Do you think we need all these take home cars to run this county.

I cannot remember the last time we needed to call out Special Operation to handle a call.

The cost factor does not justify make this fair.

Anyone can drive to headquarters and take a car and respond to a location.

Everyone with a take home care lives outside the county. So make it a requirement ....live in the county and you get a free ride.

What is the gas cost every month for the county furnishing a car and gas for someone to come to work? This is my Holiday money.

Anonymous said...

My only question is when is the last time we have called some of these people with take home cars to come in on off duty hours?

Anonymous said...

I want a car to drive to work......Ron B what do you think?

Anonymous said...

This is the answer to our money problems. Take away the take home cars,guess what we have a lot of extra cash. Gas is expensive.

Anonymous said...

Why would you want to live in county?
I love the peace and quiet in my neighborhood. I do not need you car.

Anonymous said...

Well the Marshall Office is a very life threatening position with evictions. They may have an eviction notice at any give time and they have to respond to this order.

Give me a break.

Everybody wants a free ride to work and back.

Anonymous said...

The commissioners need to wake up and see the the clear picture.

The school board is the biggest waste of money and then then the police.

Anonymous said...

The marshall's office is funded by court filing fees. They have the money due to the increase in civil filings so there is no issue of tax money. Just for the record, I work for DKPD.

Anonymous said...

The Marshal's Office does more than civil papers. They handle evictions which involves barracaded people who do not want to leave their property. The Marshal's Office has backed me up on calls numerous times. They are law enforcement just like the rest of us and need the same equipment. Let's not hate them because they are taken care of and given what they need. They also serve warrants and make arrests daily.

Anonymous said...

I think the Tahoes are a perfect platform for a law enforcment vehicle (rear a/c, higher clearance for curbs, more room inside, designed for the Law enforcement profession...). A recent study revealed that the Tahoe cost less than a crown victoria when you factor in residual value of 6000-7500 at auction as opposed to a CV that gets 2500 or less. Initial cost to buy on state contract is only a few hundred dollars more than the CV. A police Tahoe gets the same city fuel mileage as a crown victoria (19 city)and takes flex fuel. The Tahoe was recently tested to have the lowest cost for ownership than any other police vehicle. This is why many agencies are going to the Tahoe especially with the CV phasing out and the fact there are only 3 other police package vehicles to chose from and two are front wheel drive..Good for the Marshal's Office for getting a good quality vehicle that will last many trouble free miles and in the end cost the taxpayers less.

Anonymous said...

The reason they have take-home cars is they start their shifts from their first stop in the morning as opposed to coming into the office in the morning and wasting time standing around. It is just pure and simple a good management of time. Don't be a hater.

I'm Ron Burgundy? said...

I wanna say something. I'm gonna put it out there; if you like it, you can take it, if you don't, send it right back. I want to be on you...Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I... I wanna be on you.

Anonymous said...

I welcome you to come to special ops anyday. Have your perfect routine work week change 2 or 3 times a day sometimes. Work hours,wait we have them changed all of the time too. Cars, yes we drive home but we take care of are units they have 65,000 plus and look brand new. Look at a uniform car with 30,000 it's got trash in it,food,spilled stains all over the seats and etc. Take pride in your job and stop bitching on here. If you dont like uniform get out and see if the grass is really greener on the other side.

Anonymous said...

They just hired a bunch of officers, If you want a take home then you should apply,

Anonymous said...

I appreciate the input on these issues, like the one that the Marshals are funded from state filing fee's. I wonder why the commissioners have to approve their car purchases. I like the one who said they need the cars because they start their shift serving an eviction. Because if they went to the office they would be standing around?

Anonymous said...

I don't think the Code Enforcement Officers get take home vehicles, and their jobs are pretty similar to the Marshalls'.

Oh, it's about "good time management." Right... the whole unit going to Waffle House for 30 to 60 minutes every morning before going out to serve papers and evict people is "good time management." You couldn't possibly eat before work, then pick up your cars at the office like PD does.

Anonymous said...

It is not fair for you to imply that the Marshals are less of a law enforcement officer than you or others within the county. They just have a different law enforcement mission. Not a day goes by that the Marshal’s Office does not back up PD or SO. They are a welcome sight when they arrive on scene. Hell most of the guys and gals are prior PD and SO. It was a Marshal who heard a lookout on a murder perp and was critical in his apprehension on 285 not too long ago. Could he have done that without the blue lights and siren you claim are not necessary as they only do evictions?. It was a Marshal who backed up a PD officer who had a guy at taser point. The Marshal was critical in getting the guy handcuffed and secured. This Marshal was a welcomed sight. Could he have gotten there without his blue lights and siren? A few weeks ago the Marshal’s Office had a guy assault two of their deputies during an eviction. The guy ran to a bedroom, was later apprehended and an assault rifle was found in the room loaded. Could backup arrive from the Marshal’s Office without lights and sirens. How short sighted and wrong you are to imply they do not need this type of equipment to get their job done.

Stop criticizing the wrong people and band together. Do not be upset with them because they are able to get stuff they put in for. Do not come down on them because they are trying to get equipped or are better equipped than you and me. We are all in this together and the Marshal’s like all of us in law enforcement put our lives on the line everyday for the good of humanity.

Out of respect, please make sure you are not writing things that minimize your fellow law enforcement brothers and sisters.

Anonymous said...

The commissioners have to approve all amounts over a certain limit. Just like they have to approve what is done with seized funds.

Anonymous said...

I wish I had applied to work at the Marshall's Office. They seem happy and cared for. Heck even those who could have retired stayed. Must be a good place to work. They have .40 calibre HKs, getting tasers, nice uniforms, great schedules. Only problem is they are paid 5% less than PD but prob make it up in OT and taxes. No comparrison to Code Enforcement what so ever. Just as PD cannot be compared to a school crossing guard.

Anonymous said...

No one is belittling the Marshalls. They just don't need take home cars. It's a waste of money.

Anonymous said...

How is it a waste of money. It is a proven fact that vehicles that are assigned are better cared for and last longer. Fuel cost and taxpayer savings are well offset by the longevity results. Gwinnett is a perfect example as is the Marshalls Department and their high mileage and cared for fleet. I applaud their implementation of a take-home program to extend the life of their fleet and if it turns out to be a perk, then so be it. That means it is a win-win situation.

Is it a waste of money for all the countless agencies that have a take home program? As for the Tahoes and Charges, they are basic law enforcement vehicles. It is not as though they ordered Escalades and Corvettes. The Tahoes get the same gas mileage in the city as the Crown Victoria and are a better value in the long run.

Not everyone is trying to get over on the system. Not everyone is self serving. Some leadership has good intentions and implements things for the betterment of all they serve. I understand that cynicism is a common trait in this profession, but not always a healthy one. This is why so many relationships fail. Sure there are those out there that are self righteous, narcissistic and downright in it for themselves, but there are still a few leaders out there who follow their heart and really care and want to do things to make the system work. If it works for the Marshalls Department maybe we can learn from them. They must be doing something right as many people want to work there.

Anonymous said...

Take home cars last longer than line units because take home cars aren't driven 24 hours a day like line units are. There's no economic reason for the Marshall to drive their cars all the way home. The county sees no benefit from it. They aren't on call. They don't work 24 hours a day.

Anonymous said...

I have worked with Marshals office on various issues and Marshal Mann is the best of the bunch in my 25 years. I have never seen him blow money on unnecessary equipment. I have seen him go after federal grant money for projects that would never be allowed under the county budget, but they had not been approved when I left.
I don't even want to get into the take-home vehicles. We were on-call and have to come in from time to time, we receive no take-home vehicles, no extra pay, and at the end they didn't even want to give us comp-time for it. Another reason I am so glad to be rid of the county, my retirement gross income is better than when I worked for the county. Whoo-hoo!

Anonymous said...

Oh I guess the reason our cars are trashed on the inside and out and condemnable are because they are driven 24 hours a day. No it is because people are slobs and there is no sense of ownership as there is in take home units. Take home programs work and studies have shown this.

Anonymous said...

Over half of the Marshal's Office is former PD or So. The take home cars may be a perk to the officers, but it benefits the county also. By starting in the field, more papers get served and more evictions executed, which is more money for the county. Also, we back S.O. and P.D on calls, not because we have to, but because we consider all of you as our law enforcement family. We could turn a blind eye/ear and live up to the reputation that you try to bestow upon us, but in the end, we are here to get your back when we can. Don't hate us because we are taken care of. I will trade the take home car for pay parity. We make 5-10% less than S.O. or P.D. and we put our lives on the line everyday just like you do!