Dear Sgt. Scott Kreher, President of the Atlanta Police Union
I have your public comments and I faithfully appreciate the frustration you must feel as you advocate for the officers and the International Brotherhood of Police Officers members in recent weeks. In spite of the divisive comments you have made about me I believe we share a common goal, which is a safe city. I think we both recognize the essential role our police officers contribute to achieving this goal.
Since I came into office in 2002, I have led the investment for higher pay for officers, for increasing the number of officers, new equipment and service weapons, training and technology. Today, Atlanta officers are better equipped, trained and compensated for their service. I remember early conversations that you and I have had about the need to increase the number of officers. I listened and seriously took the advice of you and others like the Atlanta Police Foundation. And the City invested in recruitment and the results speak volumes for the interest of professionals in joining and working for the Atlanta Police Department. Over the last five years we have effectively increased the number of officers on the street by 286 and today the sworn staff stands at 1,712. We had a plan and we executed it. As a direct result of the increased staffing, the violent crime rate has decreased 38% since 2002 and the overall crime rate is down 21%.
In a May budget letter to the Council I said, "Can you balance the FY09 budget without a property tax increase? Yes. What would it take? Going back to 2002 service levels in public safety. I believe it is poor public policy to erode the progress we have made in public safety by making the kind of cuts contemplated above. The tax increase proposed here is narrowly tailored so that its sole purpose is to protect our six year investment in public safety. I propose this tax increase only as a last resort and only as a direct investment in public safety. While others may choose smaller tax increases in exchange for lower levels of public safety, that is a choice I refuse to make."
Yesterday I spoke at the Atlanta Press Club and in answering a question I mused that perhaps in my last year in office that I should push harder to reach the city's longstanding goal of 2,000 officers. To my surprise you chose to make fun of the idea and not give serious consideration to the changes we've implemented in the last seven years. Your comments may lead the public to believe you don't think the goal is laudable whether it is achieved partially this year or next year.
I am writing this letter to request your full support for a tax increase to fund 200 additional police officers in the FY 2010 General Fund budget. Working together I am certain we can be successful.