The Georgia Police Chief Fall 2021 | Page 33

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our community policing and outreach initiatives . Budget planning during a recession will most assuredly compel our administration to reassess the sustainability of these programs . By partially reducing funding , the cost savings can be diverted to other essential areas .
Police managers are continually faced with budget decisions to maximize what they can do with a minimum amount of funding . This becomes even more of an arduous task with a recession looming . As mentioned above , three areas of any budget can be examined for costs savings without diverting funding from the most crucial division of any police department : the uniform patrol division . By identifying and deferring capital improvement projects , funding earmarked for these programs can be diverted or suspended until a more appropriate time . Looking for inventive ways to reduce costs within lineitems such as vehicle repairs and fuel consumption can not only reduce necessary funding during a recession but can be a practice employed as a permanent cost savings measure . Lastly , suspending or eliminating certain non-essential services can be a way for a department to save money without affecting more critical areas that encompass police training , specialized units , or take-home vehicle privileges .
Chris Hodge has held the rank of Chief with the Auburn Police Department since 2017 . Prior to his employment with the City of Auburn , he spent 7 years in Afghanistan conducting counter-intelligence interviews for the US Military . Before his work overseas , Chief Hodge was employed by the Gwinnett County Police Department for 11 years . He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice / Health Sciences from Liberty University and has worked in the law enforcement and security fields for 23 years .

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