Police union call for relief in patrols of Marshall-Pit( WLMR ACTION 5 NEWS)

*****WLMR ACTION 5 NEWS**** Anchor Thomas Carlisle 10 PM News Cast

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"Budget meetings for the Lamar Metropolitan Council are rarely forums for heated debates, but tonight was a special case. Facing deep budget deficits, the City had to look for ways to drop unnecessary spending. First on the chopping block? Overtime expenditures for the LPD."

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"Recent patrols into the Marshall Pit Projects have increased the overtime pay outlays for most precincts by almost 40% over the months of February and March. But while Council members requested those numbers be reviewed for fat to be trimmed, Missouri Police Officer Union local 421 Tracy Minot said that cutting wages is not the answer."

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“The problem here is that we are using Overtime to fill shoes that should be filled with full time staff. Marshal Pit needs more officers, not the overworked officers of other precincts.”

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"Union members demand that they are paid a fair wage for the work they are doing, but City Council Members contend that the money simply is not there, and that the Police budget is already far over extended."

"Council was drawn to a close with this sticky issue still at large, but both sides claim that they are not prepared to let this issue just go away."

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“The City Council must fulfill its obligations to those men and women that place their bodies in harm’s way to protect this great city. The MPOU will not take the possibility of a limited Walk Out off the negotiating table, at this time.”