Geake for Norwalk Common Council

There were articles in both the local papers detailing the highest paid municipal employees. Eleven of the top twenty were police officers — the highest of those earning more than $100,000 of overtime from duties such as directing traffic around construction sites. I have two problems with this:

1. Working all those extra hours eliminates badly needed time away from work. These officers are called upon to use deadly force when the situation requires it; I want them well-rested and focused, not over-tired, in that instance when they decide to fire their weapon.
    
2. The city budgets both construction and police staffing well in advance, so to plan to pay overtime for these duties makes absolutely no sense.

I do not want to impact anyone's livelihood, but common snse says that you staff the police force at a level adequate to perform all of its duties. This makes sense from both a budgetary and a public safety standpoint.