Springfield, MO budget cut recommendations, DWI/DUI enforecement impact

Springfield, MO

In his budget cut recommendations police Chief Lynn Rowe suggests eliminating two officers designated for park central square and one officer dedicated to Commercial Street. His cuts would also eliminate a DWI enforcement officer and two traffic accident investigators. That last cut means the department would only investigate injury or fatality accidents... So if you're involved in a fender bender - you won't have a police report for your insurance claim.

The municipal court department head is suggesting eliminating the night court program. That would increase the time it takes for cases to go to trial.He also proposes cutting some funding for the public defender program.That means some criminals facing jail time could instead be fined and set free.If you think these cuts present a lot of legal issues, don't look to the city attorneys office to step in. City attorney Dan Wichmer suggests if a position has to be eliminated from the law department then it should be his.In his recommendation Wichmer says “I hired most of the department and they all gave up lucrative private practices to work here. I will not throw one of them overboard."

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