[SampleMan]

Six police officers in a town of 700 people? That is very odd.

The town of 2,000 that I went to HS in had a 1 town cop, in addition to the County sheriff and 2 deputies (who obviously worked then entire county of 6,000 people). The smaller towns of of 100-200 in the county had no cops.

From the article,Lisa Kirk, 58, who owns a convenience store in Parma, was surprised that the town even had six people on its police force.

“There was never police around in town,” she told the wire service. “We have no idea where the six officers worked or who they are. If they did work, I don’t know where they were.”

Kirk said her shop has been burglarized nine times over the past decade.

[exnavy]

There seems to be more to this story.

[MrB]

Wanna bet the primary income to the municipal coffers is through “traffic enforcement”?

[Vigilanteman]

Six police officers in a town of 700 people? That is very odd. . . . Kirk said her shop has been burglarized nine times over the past decade.

Hate to be judgmental, but it sounds like they have the type of citizenry where they could use a dozen. Or six which actually did their jobs.

[lapsus calami]

 

Here's something interesting -

 

Speeders beware: Grant funds new police car for Parma

Monday, February 10, 2014

http://www.standard-democrat.com/story/2050083.html

 

PARMA - Two grants enabled a small New Madrid County community to update its aging police vehicle.

 

The city of Parma received an Economic Initiative Impact grant for $10,750 and paired it with a Missouri Local Law Enforcement grant for $7,482 to purchase and equip a 2012 Dodge Charger.

 

While the Dodge Charger isn't new - it was previously used by the Missouri Highway Patrol until the odometer reached approximately 50,000 miles - it is a big improvement on the city's former car, said Parma Mayor Randall Ramsey. The Charger replaced a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria which had traveled some 175,000 miles.

 

 

 

Their "aging police vehicle" - in the singular, as in ONE patrol car? For 6 cops?? No secondary patrol unit in case the main one goes down?

 

Sounds like ghost officers to me. I don't know what the law is in Missouri concerning cops moonlighting as armed security in their off hours, but in Texas the criteria you have to meet is to be registered with TCLEOSE as a paid full time officer working a set minimum hours per week and you cannot be the contractor yourself. That's something like $20-$30 bucks an hour depending on the venue they are providing security for, which is so lucrative that it's an ongoing problem of officers conspiring to send pencil whipped paperwork in to TCLEOSE listing part time unpaid reserves who never show up for any work as full time paid officers. They've caught cops doing that and sent them to jail. Am wondering if this is what was going on in Parma.

 

 

[terycarl]

Kirk said her shop has been burglarized nine times over the past decade.

Could possibly be the reason that a town of 700 needs 6 PD employees.

[kanawa]

Six police officers in a town of 700 people? That is very odd.

Three 8 hour shifts, 2 officers per shift, 3x2=6

[Osage Orange]

Maybe the new Mayor...is/was going to expose the corruption in town!!??