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Godbee: Drastic Changes Coming To Police Department

DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit's top cop is warning that changes could be coming to the department because of the city's bleak financial picture.

WWJ's Vickie Thomas reports Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee said there will be drastic changes due to the city's financial crisis, though he didn't go into specifics.

Godbee said the department will have to do business differently. He wants to bring unions to the table before releasing his plan.

Mayor Dave Bing is asking police officers and firefighters to take a 10 percent cut.

Council President Charles Pugh said they wouldn't have to lay off any officer or firefighters if they accepted wage and benefit concessions.

"The fact is that we have taken wage and benefit concessions from every union except police and fire. But what people don't know is that police and fire comprise half of our budget. So, if we're going to get real cost savings, it's going to have to come from public safety as well," Pugh told WWJ.

More on this story, here. 

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