Letter: Local police costs will bankrupt counties
A photo of a police officer writing a ticket. Credit: iStock
Your editorial hit the nail on the head in stating “cop compensation is the largest cause of the county’s budget woes” [“Suffolk spirals deeper into debt,” Editorial, Feb. 28].
I’m a huge fan of the police on Long Island. New York City police do an outstanding job, too, but are not compensated anywhere close to the Island’s forces.
As Suffolk County executive, Steve Levy attempted to save money by using lower-paid sheriff’s deputies for some tasks. The reality is, no politician or legislator will ever take a stand against the extremely strong police unions because they will never be re-elected. The result: No one will ever shift the course, and the situation will only continue to worsen.
The inevitable result will be the bankruptcies of Suffolk and Nassau counties.
Michael Sullivan, Garden City
