GRPD layoffs begin,but cuts not as deep

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Grand Rapids police officer Dustin Cook was one of several officers who lined up for one of his last roll calls Saturday.

About 1.5 years ago, Cook realized a childhood dream when he put on the GRPD uniform.

"It's great being out here," said Cook, as he maneuvered the Ford Crown Victoria patrol car through the streets of southeast Grand Rapids. "This is what I've worked hard for. It's what everybody else has worked hard for. It's what I love to do."

But as of Thursday, Cook and 19 other officers will be out of a job.

Another eight will be off the streets and moved to desk jobs after a union clause cut the department unpaid intern program to preserve paid officer positions.

Eight officers will fill a newly created, lower-paying position, doing paperwork and other jobs the interns used to do.

The changes are the result of what were unprecedented budget cuts by the city, at the time they were announced: 125 layoffs from nearly every city department, including police and fire.

On Tuesday, 24 Hour News 8 learned those cuts will not be as serious.

City Manager Greg Sundstrom said the number of layoffs could drop as low as 50.

Federal grants, voluntary retirement, early retirement incentives, (in the case of the fire department, paid for by firefighters who are still working), and other moves helped reduce the number of actual layoffs.

"One hundred ten positions will still be gone," Sundstrom said. "And $7.8 million in savings were realized."

There is another early retirement incentive program being offered to police officers. The results won't be known until June. But Sundstrom said it could bring back Cook and the other 19 police officers being laid off.

But that's in the future.

For now, the Grand Rapids police chief says residents will feel the effects of the cuts from his department.

"By cutting the size of the police department, it's going to impact crime in the community," Kevin Belk said.

The news comes as talks emerge of a putting a millage before voters, possibly to support public safety.

But will news of fewer actual layoffs create a perception the city's crying wolf?

And could that hurt the chance of a tax increase?

"That's going to be for the city commission to decide," Belk said. "They're the ones that have to make the decision. All I know is the resources we have are much fewer."

For soon-to-be-out-of-work officers such as Cook, there's perception, and there's reality. A reality that involves desperate times for many.

"It's only going to get worse," he said. "We need police officers out here."