Subject: Mullica Police: Larry, this is in response to your posting on staffing of Mullica police department. Using the "cops per crime" index is a poor way to establish staffing ratios. The International Association for Chiefs of Police has determined that somewhere about 2 cops per thousand of population is about the average nationwide. If you were to use the 'cops per crime' as the blogger wrote, you'd never need any US Capital Police, or any of the smaller agencies. Having a municipal agency is expensive - sure there are cheaper options. The State Police or contract with the County Sheriff for services may be cheaper, but at what cost? When an officer responds and knows you, your neighborhood, and is courteous, what is that worth? If the local cops were not there and your place got robbed, you'd be crying about how long it took the other agency to get there and what a poor job they did with the investigation. Why didn't you use "cops per square mile" ratio? This would give Mullica about 1/3 of a cop per square mile while places like Medford Lakes would have about 10 per square mile. Hmmm - it makes no sense, that is way. Hence, the IACP's numbers. On who is doing what and staffing levels, there has to be a detective, a sergeant or two, an administrative officer - lieutenant or chief as well. That changes the numbers a bit. If the agency has a lot of long-term cops, this changes the vacation ratio as well. Tenured cops have higher vacation accrual rates and this must be factored into the scheduling scenario - then add in court, sick time, and Family Medical Leave Act time & the staffing gets tougher. But what the heck to I know....Sweetwater resident

RESPONSE: With all due respect, statistics from the IACP are less than biased. This is an institution that like most has an interest in empire building and is certainly inside the frame and thus has a difficult time seeing the entire picture.

Everyone says taxes are too high but don't cut my portion of the pie cut the other guys. Want lower taxes but no less personal services. Sorry the pie is only so big. As an inveterate complainer there is a responsibility found here to suggest remedies. Our community is bitching about high property taxes and has cast votes in effect or perhaps unwittingly for them in voting Republican at a County and State level. The large cut in State income taxes for the wealthy means less money for towns like ours and resulting higher and higher property taxes.

From the Bible, Proverbs: WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH. Difficult decisions are required and this site has attempted to suggest a number of areas where there are waste and cuts can be made.

The belief here is that Mullica is not a high crime area and the large amount expended on the Police department is a prime area to cut. Oh, that's two cops on patrol and one detective or court cop. There are not easy answers...but property taxes cannot continue to rise at the going rate.

Once again the community would be safer if we doubled the number of cops or fire companies but leadership requires acting within realistic boundaries. We cannot afford to save every life...that is a decision that is made everyday in one staffing way or another everywhere and the argument that its worth the cost if just one life is saved is simplistic and self serving at best in the opinion of the host of this blog. And as Erasmas noted: IN THE COUNTRY OF THE BLIND THE ONE EYED MAN IS KING.

As this posting about police staffing provoked a number of responses some other points will be addressed in responses to follow.