Initial thoughts about the Willdan study on police services.

• A major weakness throughout the report is the assumption that our tax base (property value) is an independent variable.  In fact, it is a dependent variable which is affected by public perception of crime rates and other quality of life factors.  In many ways, PBSO is seen as the only reason our property values haven't slid more than they already have.  If we go to our own police department, the city will suffer the effects of the public perception of decreased property and human safety in the city.
• Faster, steeper decreases in property values in reaction to the switch from PBSO to our own PD may nullify any gains from the transfer of authority.  No analysis is offered.
• No assessment regarding the impact to the city's crime rate, gang activity is provided.  It is assumed that there is an overall decrease in crime and this is the main reason public perception thinks that PBSO is effective.  Fallacious - period.
• For a community that purportedly relies on the voice of the "people," no community input went to the formulation of the feasibility study.  If so, it likely wouldn't have been done.
• There is no identification of the source of funds for the $4 million start-up.  Is this from the same "cash portfolio" that we are funding the casino building rehab?
• The transition period from July of this year to January 2012 seems improbably fast with no contingency.
• Many parts of the report are clearly authored by Susan Stanton with the actual nitty-gritty of the transition and staffing levels appearing to be done by the consultant.  To include these proclamations under the Willdan banner is intellectually dishonest.
• Reliance on the City of West Palm Beach taking over dispatching authority seems suspect.  Isn't West Palm also looking at integration with PBSO?  How would that work?
• The City of Lake Worth would be breaking yet another agreement with a government entity.  Would West Palm Beach actually entertain entering an agreement with Lake Worth based on others' experiences?
• There is an assumption that in two years, PBSO will transfer most of those officers in Lake Worth to other areas and filling vacancies with more inexperienced officers, thus affecting service.  This comes across more as a scare tactic than anything else.  There is no mention about the quality of recruits that the city would find in the "mass hire."
• In the introduction, the description of Lake Worth's geographic location only mentions that Palm Beach and West Palm Beach are adjacent to the city's northern boundary.  No mention is made of Lantana or Palm Springs.  What are the needs of those communities not mentioned as it relates to public safety?  Are they in the same boat and looking at PBSO to provide policing services?  If so, there might be more economies of scale and an incentive for PBSO to charge less to each municipality.  This avenue is not explored.  Is not explored because we have so fouled out nest?
• There seems to be a heavy reliance on a volunteer force for some police services.  Will we be working in the library during the morning and patrolling the streets in the afternoon?
• Stanton's original take on the duty of the sheriff is included in the report - essentially saying that they would have to serve Lake Worth if we had no police department with the same level of service provided in the unincorporated area.  Yeah right.  Tellingly, justification of the division between county and municipal service conflicts includes many references to case law.  Can you say another lawsuit?

I am sure that more thoughts will come to me with a few more reads of the document.  Note that the deadline for a decision is June 30th - two days after the special election.  This, I am sure is no coincidence and likely the real reason for the Mayor's early departure and back room deal to ensure a special election.  Instead of just being about who is going to be Mayor for four months before the November election, this will also be a referendum on who will handle policing in Lake Worth.