Law officer cutbacks expected for Yuma

Further budget cutbacks to state law enforcement agencies could mean losing 350 to 570 positions at the Arizona Department of Public Safety, with the majority them being Highway Patrol officers, some of whom will be from Yuma's District 4.

"The specific number of positions that will be lost in the Yuma area is difficult to figure out right now," said DPS director Roger Vanderpool. "But would there be officers lost in this area? Yes."

Vanderpool was at the agency's Yuma headquarters Friday to speak with employees and Highway Patrol officers about the current state budget scenario

Already having their budget reduced once due to the financial shortfall, the additional 15 percent reduction would lead to another $40.8 million in cuts, according to Vanderpool.

The cuts would be necessary to resolve the state's $1.5 billion budget shortage if the Legislature pursued a cuts-only approach to balancing the budget.

"We understand cuts need to be made. You just can't cut yourself out of the mess we are in," Vanderpool said. "The slash-and-burn approach won't work."

Vanderpool went on to say, "The cuts need to be done surgically with a scalpel and not a chainsaw or there won't be enough of state government left to provide these services."

Lawmakers are asking state agencies to submit what-if scenarios, assuming budgets have to be slashed by 15 percent across the board. There is no official word if and when the cuts will take place, but there is talk of a special legislative session next month.

To help put the reduction into perspective, Vanderpool said the loss of as many as 570 law enforcement jobs would be equivalent of the entire Tempe Police Department disappearing.

Vanderpool explained that the agency's outlying districts, such as Yuma, would be the hardest hit because they are predominately staffed by newer Highway Patrol officers, who would be the first to lose their jobs.

District 4, which is headquartered in Yuma, has 60-plus positions and includes the areas of Quartzsite, Dateland and Gila Bend.

Having fewer Highway Patrol officers in the community, Vanderpool said, would mean longer response times in the rural areas and put an added burden on other law enforcement agencies, which would have to pick up the extra calls.

"It means at times there will be no DPS officer out there at all," Vanderpool said.

Since the budget cuts will be across the boards, DPS will lose some civilian employees which will affect the agency's state crime lab and other departments.

Vanderpool added the that 15 percent reduction would also have a devastating effect on the Department of Corrections, which is proposing releasing 13,000 inmates and closing four prisons.

"That essentially means you are going to have more bad guys on the street and less cops," Vanderpool said.

The reductions, when combined with existing vacancies, would leave the DPS without roughly one-third of the 775 officers who patrol state highways.

Additionally, the DPS has not hired since 2007, despite Arizona's population having grown 39 percent. The 15-percent reduction would also leave the department's staffing at 1999 levels.

Vanderpool closed by saying budget officials believe the 2011 state budget will also have a deficit.