Detroit Police Chief Wants Department Spared From Cuts

DETROIT (WWJ)- As Detroit City Council considers more cuts to the city budget, the police chief doesn't want the budget axe falling on his department. Council is looking at lopping $16-million dollars off the police department's budget, but Police Chief Ralph Godbee says that would result in layoffs.

"We're starting to get a handle on violent crime. Are we there yet? Absolutely not, but I do think we will take a significant step backwards if we had significant cuts in our personnel," says Godbee.

Godbee says they have one thousand fewer officers than they did in 2005, but they'll do their best no matter what happens. He says Detroit Mayor Dave Bing's budget does not call for cuts to the police department, saying that the mayor says public safety is key to the city moving forward.

Council is pushing for $65-million dollars more in cuts than the mayor had proposed in his $16.4-billion dollar budget.