Vero Beach PD Rallies To Avoid Dangerous Cuts
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- Created on Monday, 30 April 2012 20:00
Members of the Vero Beach PD have hit the streets with their fight against the city in its latest cost-cutting proposal. The City Council and City Manager want to involuntarily demote nine sworn officers come October when the new budget goes into effect. PBA reps Cpl. Darrell Rivers and Sgt. Phil Huddy have led the fight and rallied the troops. Members and non-members alike have been going door-to-door in the community petitioning them to support the employees of the VBPD and tell the City not to institute rank reductions. They have been speaking all over town to the community, attending meetings, even setting up a booth at the Hibiscus Festival to get the word out! They have been met with overwhelming support from the citizens of the city they serve.
On April 17, 2012, members from county and local agencies stood with their brothers and sisters in Vero Beach rallying in front of City Hall before a City Council meeting and then inside council chambers, filling the room along with the public who support them. Armed with over 1200 signatures from the public, the members of the Vero Beach Police Department presented its case against rank reductions. Several citizens passionately spoke, telling the city council to stop pursuing the reductions and find other ways to cut costs.
Although no decision has been made just yet, it is necessary to continue to apply pressure and convince the decision makers that rank reductions are a bad idea for the City, both now and in the future. This is only the beginning of our fight. The employees of the Vero Beach Police Department deserve better than this and so do its citizens.
