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Posted: Wednesday, 06 December 2006 9:46AM
Phila. City Controller: Police Bldgs. Neglected, 'Substandard'
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by KYW's Steve Tawa
The City Controller's office says Philadelphia police officers are working in "substandard, if not dangerous" conditions.
City Controller Alan Butkovitz says all 24 police district buildings across the city need work. To make the point, he had oversized photos lining the perimeter of a conference room -- showing walls in imminent danger of collapse, basement fire exits blocked by grates, pipes and wire mesh, and prison holding cells beyond filthy.
READ ENTIRE REPORT (PDF) | WATCH VIDEO OF BUILDING CONDITIONS
Butkovitz says the conditions in many instances are dangerous:
"In the 12th District, a basement exit was blocked by a grate. In the 26th District, a party wall was in imminent danger of collapse. In most districts, like the 15th, we found prison holding cells that were beyond filthy."
Butkovitz says every police facility in his office's review of 24 districts throughout the city had problems, and the agency responsible for maintaining them -- the Department of Public Property -- has a four-month backlog.
He says the department is ill-equipped to keep up with repairs and renovations:
"They're overwhelmed. There are 11,700 open work orders and a four-month backlog."
Butkovitz says the city just doesn't allocate resources in its capital budget:
"These issues need to be on the radar screen with the mayor and city council. It's well known the squeaky wheel gets the grease."
He says in 2002, the city spent $7.8 million on renovating and repairing police facilities. This year, it spent $1 million -- which Butkovitz describes as less than half of what is needed to maintain safe conditions.
Worse, he says, claims are piling up:
"There have been 459 claims resulting from injuries from police department employees in police facilities."
The city has paid out $1.7 million over the past three years, and Butkovitz estimates it may have to pay another $2 million over the life of the current claims.
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