Inquirer Editorial: Camden's safety alarms

Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd was out of options when she took the drastic step of laying off scores of police officers and firefighters.

Sadly, Camden is broke and has very little tax base to raise revenues. With the city on the brink of financial calamity, Redd refused to back down from union leaders. Without labor concessions, she was forced to impose sweeping layoffs.

But after taking that major leap, Redd has not articulated how she plans to provide the troubled city with adequate fire and police protection.

A proposal that Camden County establish a police and fire department that would provide coverage for a fee to municipalities that opt into a shared-service agreement may offer the best solution for Camden.

But the plan is in the early stages and could take months to get off the ground. Meanwhile, any lapse in protection raises serious public safety concerns.

The city should have been better prepared for what comes after the layoffs. At the very least, there should have been an interim plan in place or an effort to find temporary funding.

The federal government gave Trenton a $13.6 million grant last week that kept 61 firefighters on the job. Camden's needs are just as dire, if not worse.

Redd began sounding the alarm months ago that this day could come. Camden has a $26 million budget hole and the state has said it would not bail out the city.

Following the massive layoffs last week, Camden has 163 fewer police officers. The city also laid off 67 firefighters and 113 other city workers.

It is no wonder that those who live and work in the nine-square-mile city of 79,0000 are worried about their safety. Camden was ranked the second most dangerous city in the nation.

Residents want to know that Camden has not thrown in the towel and conceded control to drug dealers. Some street corner thugs have boldly touted the layoffs as a ticket to return to business as usual.

Redd could have calmed jittery nerves in the crime-infested city by announcing a detailed plan to address how Camden would cope with depleted resources.

Police Chief Scott Thomson says his department has made adjustments by working 12-hour shifts and deploying officers to patrol who previously were assigned desk duty. State and federal agencies have also pledged assistance. But is that sustainable over the long term?

Already there have been signs the plan has fallen short. Daytime patrols last week were light, and a call requesting officers to report to a notorious drug corner drew a tepid response.

Negotiations with the unions on pay concessions may offer a temporary solution to bring back some of the laid-off officers. But eventually, Camden must find a way to live within its means and provide adequate public safety.