Zack's Police Proposal: What Motivates Him?

Councilman Zack Matheny floated a proposal last week to add overtime for Greensboro police to solve robberies and break-ins.  Arguably, it would be better to manage the police department in a manner that systematically minimizes crime without having to resort to high-profile periodic budgetary adjustments.  Fighting crime well ought to be part of the usual routine.

The proposal predictably gave Matheny some media coverage even though this is not really the best way to run a police department.

And thus, a multiple choice question arises.  In his political life, which factor most heavily motivates Councilman Zack Matheny?  Choose one best answer:

A. Whatever is best for all of Greensboro

B. Whatever is best for the downtown business establishment

C. Whatever is best for the Greensboro Coliseum complex

D. Whatever is best for the Simkins PAC

E. Whatever is best for conservative governance

F. Whatever is best for Zack Matheny

Comments

[Billy Jones]

Zack,
If by chance you read this, I thought you were finally coming around. Now I'm not so sure.

Anyway, here's another idea: hire more cops. It's a tried and true means to reduce crime and hasten investigations.

Take it from someone who has too often failed at trying to reinvent the wheel and just roll the damned thing.

[Joe Guarino]

Billy, why do you think that Zack would be trying to micromanage the Police Department? Remember, what an outrageous violation it is to micromanage
staff in our fair city.

Remember also how some senior police in the past had attempted to use overtime pay to pad their pension benefits.

[Billy Jones]

I really can't attest to what Zack's motives might be unless, of course, he's trying to bribe support from the GPD rank and file via more overtime pay.

But even that could backfire as OT spent investigating could take away from the even more lucrative OT GPD officers get for working as rent-a-cops and the many side-line businesses owned by GPD officers.

My guess is that Zack simply wants to look tougher on crime but has no clue as to how he might actually do so, so he's grasping at straws.

Sadly, long term overtime has long term detrimental effects on workers and reduces overall efficiency-- something Greensboro cannot afford.