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Camden Firefighters Face Layoff As 1/3 Of Force Is Cut
GEOFF MULVIHILL
Associated Press
CAMDEN, N.J. - Some firefighters turned in their helmets and police officers their badges Tuesday as part of deep municipal layoffs destined to further erode the quality of life in Camden, already one of the nation's most impoverished and crime-ridden cities.
Laid off firefighters march along a street in protest Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011, in Camden, N.J., on the way to turning in their gear. The layoffs affect close to one-fourth of the city government workforce in one of the nation's most impoverished places. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
Images: Camden Firefighters Turn In Gear
Firefighters hug outside a firehouse Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011, in Camden, N.J., after being laid off. The layoffs affect close to one-fourth of the city government workforce in one of the nation's most impoverished places. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
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About 335 workers, representing one-sixth of the local government work force, lost their jobs, according to Mayor Dana Redd. It was worst in the public safety departments, where nearly half the police force and close to one-third of the city's firefighters were laid off.
Laid-off firefighters walked eight blocks together from the police union hall to Fire Department headquarters, snaking past City Hall, then lined up their helmets in front of the building, picked them back up and started to turn them in along with their other gear.
"It's one of the worst days in the history of Camden," said Ken Chambers, president of the firefighters union.
Redd blamed the public safety employee cuts on their unions, saying they have not been willing to make job-saving concessions or accept the reality that the state government will no longer bail out the city as it has for the past two generations.
"Instead of protecting and serving the city, the residents of Camden, they're choosing to protect their high salaries," she said.
The mayor said she was willing to continue negotiating with unions to try to reach cost savings that would allow the city to bring back some of the laid-off workers.
Redd said a proposal to the rank-and-file police union, the Fraternal Order of Police, was to be voted on Wednesday. She would not say exactly what the proposal entailed or how many jobs it could save. But she said that if the unions agree to concessions, about 100 police officers and most of the firefighters could be brought back.
Chambers said residents should not expect to be safe as the number of fire companies is reduced. He said the union will continue to meet with city officials to try to reach a deal under which some firefighters could be brought back.
Police officers had begun turning in their badges Monday as it became clear that no last-minute deal was going to save many jobs.
Located directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Camden is rampant with open drug-dealing, prostitution and related crimes. More than half of Camden's 80,000 residents, mostly black and Hispanic, live in poverty.
A local pastor says "the fear quotient has been raised," and a police union took out a full-page newspaper advertisement last week warning that Camden would become a "living hell" if layoffs were not averted.
The city was the nation's second-most dangerous based on 2009 data, according to CQ Press, which compiles such rankings. Camden ranked first the previous two years. In 2009, the city had 2,380 violent crimes per 100,000 residents _ more than five times the national average, the FBI said.
The anti-crime volunteer group Guardian Angels says it will patrol Camden, as it has Newark, where there were major police layoffs in November.
The Fire Department has already been relying on help from volunteer departments in neighboring towns. Interim Fire Chief David Yates, who retired Jan. 1, has warned that that layoffs will increase response times.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Associated Press
CAMDEN, N.J. - Some firefighters turned in their helmets and police officers their badges Tuesday as part of deep municipal layoffs destined to further erode the quality of life in Camden, already one of the nation's most impoverished and crime-ridden cities.
Images: Camden Firefighters Turn In Gear
Firefighters hug outside a firehouse Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011, in Camden, N.J., after being laid off. The layoffs affect close to one-fourth of the city government workforce in one of the nation's most impoverished places. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
Related
About 335 workers, representing one-sixth of the local government work force, lost their jobs, according to Mayor Dana Redd. It was worst in the public safety departments, where nearly half the police force and close to one-third of the city's firefighters were laid off.
Laid-off firefighters walked eight blocks together from the police union hall to Fire Department headquarters, snaking past City Hall, then lined up their helmets in front of the building, picked them back up and started to turn them in along with their other gear.
"It's one of the worst days in the history of Camden," said Ken Chambers, president of the firefighters union.
Redd blamed the public safety employee cuts on their unions, saying they have not been willing to make job-saving concessions or accept the reality that the state government will no longer bail out the city as it has for the past two generations.
"Instead of protecting and serving the city, the residents of Camden, they're choosing to protect their high salaries," she said.
The mayor said she was willing to continue negotiating with unions to try to reach cost savings that would allow the city to bring back some of the laid-off workers.
Redd said a proposal to the rank-and-file police union, the Fraternal Order of Police, was to be voted on Wednesday. She would not say exactly what the proposal entailed or how many jobs it could save. But she said that if the unions agree to concessions, about 100 police officers and most of the firefighters could be brought back.
Chambers said residents should not expect to be safe as the number of fire companies is reduced. He said the union will continue to meet with city officials to try to reach a deal under which some firefighters could be brought back.
Police officers had begun turning in their badges Monday as it became clear that no last-minute deal was going to save many jobs.
Located directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Camden is rampant with open drug-dealing, prostitution and related crimes. More than half of Camden's 80,000 residents, mostly black and Hispanic, live in poverty.
A local pastor says "the fear quotient has been raised," and a police union took out a full-page newspaper advertisement last week warning that Camden would become a "living hell" if layoffs were not averted.
The city was the nation's second-most dangerous based on 2009 data, according to CQ Press, which compiles such rankings. Camden ranked first the previous two years. In 2009, the city had 2,380 violent crimes per 100,000 residents _ more than five times the national average, the FBI said.
The anti-crime volunteer group Guardian Angels says it will patrol Camden, as it has Newark, where there were major police layoffs in November.
The Fire Department has already been relying on help from volunteer departments in neighboring towns. Interim Fire Chief David Yates, who retired Jan. 1, has warned that that layoffs will increase response times.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Patti Walz on
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This sucks.... Stay strong guys...
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Permalink Reply by Jason Smith on
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I'm praying for the fire and Police of camden, NJ!
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Permalink Reply by Joseph Murr on
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Camden's going to burn. I know a few of the firefighters that lost their jobs. One had 10 years on the job and felt he had great job security. I guess not. I would like to see what that mayor gave up as far as concessions. She has chastised the fire and police department unions about not giving up concessions. It's really a shame.
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Permalink Reply by Asst Chief Tim Cook on
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I'll bet NOT MUCH. And City hall staffing probably didn't suffer much either. Camden wasn't "fat"on Public safety as it was, This situation is VERY bad.
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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Interesting times and clearly a message that no job is safe in tough times.
Without knowing specifics of this one, we MUST do more to self promote what we do and the benefits of full staffing levels, or more could face the cut by uninformed leaders....
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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so let me get this right... the city of Camden lays off both firefighters and police officers but does nothing toward finding other solutions that don't require tenured positions to be cut? elected officials should be willing to make sure that other non-essential sources are cut before emergency services. they better be careful... they may get what they wished for...
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Permalink Reply by Kathy Williams on
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I agree with Mike and Lutan1. Non essential services must be cut before essential services such as police, fire and ambulance. Hopefully these good firefighters will be able to get jobs in another city.
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Permalink Reply by Bill Zehms on
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Sounds like the cowardly Mayor is trying to negotiate a contract via the Media. Absolutely shameful.
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