Davie will hold a budget meeting on Tuesday, September 8th at 5:15 p.m. at the Davie Town Hall located at 6591 Orange Drive, Davie, FL. Many important topics will be presented and discussed by the Mayor and Council Members. One of the topics involves the Davie Police Department and possible layoffs.
Susana Franklin, head of the Forest Ridge Crime Watch organization, has been circulating a petition to Forest Ridge Residents in regard to the preservation of police officers throughout our community and in our schools. This is her petition:
August 26, 2009
To: Judy Paul, Mayor of the Town of Davie, Michael Crowley, Vice Mayor, Bryan Caletka, Councilmember, Susan Starkey, Councilmember, and Marlon Luis, Councilmember.
From: Concerned Citizens of Forest Ridge, Davie.
After learning of the proposed budget cuts, some of the residents of Forest Ridge have decided to sign this petition. This petition is our effort to notify you, our leadership, of our disapproval of certain intended budget cuts.
More specifically, we are extremely disappointed with the recent budget cuts that affect the Davie Police Department. These proposed cuts will have a devastating impact on not only the daily patrols throughout our community, but will also significantly reduce the number of Community Officers assigned to our public schools. The negative impact of these cuts will be felt in the measurable statistical crime increases. Not to overlook the non-measurable, yet equally damaging, loss of positive role models for the children of our community.
As residents of Forest Ridge, we have been fortunate to have positive relationships with the different officers who have patrolled our streets over the years. These fine officers have gone beyond providing high visibility street patrols and policing our school zones. They have even attended crime watch meetings with great regularity. The upstanding young men and women of the Davie Police Department have been instrumental in instilling goodwill and safe feelings in the hearts of all Forest Ridge residents. We want them to know it has not gone unnoticed and for that we will strive to do whatever possible to prevent their department’s suffering through radical budget cuts.
We respectfully request that you, our Mayor and Commissioners, allocate the appropriate funds to the Davie Police Department so they can continue providing the high level of services we have all come to expect and enjoy. We implore you to provide the funding to the Davie Police Department necessary to prevent the reduction in numbers of officers.
We know the current economy seemingly dictates these cuts; however, it is our steadfast belief that in this economic climate, cutting our police budget will be a costly mistake.
Respectfully submitted,
If you are interested in signing the petition please contact Susana Franklin at [email protected]