I was recently shocked to read that the towns of Mexico and Rumford are seriously discussing reducing the wages of its police officers. I was further shocked to discover that the wage they make is well below what many other professionals make here in town, including some mental health case managers.
Other professionals do not carry guns. They do not work night shifts, and their families do not worry every day if they will make it home to their families.
I would say, therefore, that town officials should immediately double the officers’ salaries and residents should pay the increased taxes necessary for those professionals to raise their families while protecting the people.
Police officers here should be the highest paid in the state, because residents should want the best policemen in the state to come here. Certainly, there are other places to cut expenses besides the police, fire and school departments.
Cutting police wages is one of the easy ways out of a budget problem, but people should look across the nation and see how poor quality police work can cost too much in property and lives.
Honor our police. Give them a raise.
Robert Hamm, Mexico
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