News release from the John Gomes mayoral campaign:
John Gomes, Bridgeport Mayoral candidate, released his policy brief on public safety that outlines ideas that will help make our community safer.
“Revitalizing our public safety sector will have a direct positive impact on our community. A top priority of a Gomes administration is to provide the best public safety practices possible, while being fiscally responsible with the hard-earned tax dollars of our residents.”
Gomes continued, “The Bridgeport Police Department (BPD) is currently experiencing a crisis which directly affects the public safety of our community. The department is understaffed by over 130 police officers, with the possibility of more retiring by the end of June. We are operating under a massive shortage and increasing exodus of our public safety personnel. To attract and retain talent we need to address this crisis with an administration that thinks creatively, prioritizes sustainable growth and most importantly, supports our public safety personnel and our community.”
The following is a brief summary:
1. Prioritize recruitment initiatives through a dedicated personnel division.
2. Optimize response time and maximize our resources by assessing current sector divisions throughout the city.
3. Reassess existing officer resources for our 38 schools district wide to continue to strengthen the relationship between students, teachers and the police.
4. Improve overall working conditions & compensation for public safety personnel (see plan).
5. Leverage our existing facilities, technology & resources (see plan).
6. Integrate Public Safety Best Practices into the Community (see plan).Gomes concluded, “Being protected from physical, social and economic harm is a right for every citizen. Residents and business owners deserve to live and work in a safe city. It is vital for our municipal government to protect the 147,000 residents who call Bridgeport home and it’s fundamental to have our first responders fully integrated within the community. ”
Click on the public policy brief below and visit JohnGomesForMayor.com to read all of John’s plans to build a better Bridgeport. Join the conversation on the campaign social media accounts linked below.
