Stockton PD is so misunderstood and put upon....just like everybody else struggling to deal with the current economic climate

So we wouldn't be doing our job/hobby if we didn't address the city e-mails that came to light this weekend. Sure, the whole shebang had questionable newsworthiness at best, but wasn't it fucking hilarious?

Now, we're not ones to criticize people spending work time for extracurricular activities...hold on a sec (checks over shoulder to make sure boss isn't coming by), so we're going to ignore the hilarity of both Garcia and Chavez levying accusations of wasting city time against one another (by the way, we're totally with you girlfriend, dark chocolate is better. We too will never go back). What we will say is that if Stockton PD wants to combat the notion that they're stubborn and inflexible, using city e-mail accounts (which are public record) to bitch about negotiations probably isn't the smartest thing to do.

That's probably one of the more shocking things of this whole situation, Chavez said the e-mails were intended for a small group of people yet still used her public e-mail address to levy the criticism. Didn't we learn anything from Sarah Palin? If you don't want what you said to be read, use private e-mail. And we can't imagine a scenario where she would want her opinion read. Mostly because her opinion (even though, as the story notes, she is entitled to it) makes her sound like a royal fucking bitch.

First, it's laughable to see her criticize someone else's dedication to the city when the Stockton PD's response to helping the city out in a budget crisis was to sit and pout and encourage everybody to not take furloughs. In today's economy (which by the time we're out of this recession might become a meme here) everybody's making sacrifices. Does it suck? Of course it does. Before certain areas were immune, now noone is. Frankly SPD shouldn't even be asking for a raise until they start doing their jobs a little better. Keeping a police chief for more than 2 years would be nice too. Plus, SPD is bitching about their unfair portrayal without telling people what their magical alternative to furloughs and budget cuts was. The city knows and SPD knows, but the people don't know. If SPD wants to win the public opinion battle, they'll have to actually show us their opinion first. So far their opinion is being represented by Mrs. Chavez, which isn't a good thing.

Considering who their opponent is in this battle for public favor, it's kind of sad their doing such a shitty job at winning public support. The city has noone to blame for their budget shortfalls but themselves. Of course we all knew that already, but recordnet.com forum member FASTBALL spells is out so eloquently we'll let them tell the tale (from the recordnet.com forum on the story):

"By 2005, we all watched/lived the beginning of Housing Markets "Death Spiral". If you failed to recognize it 2005 (you were slow) you certainly recognized it by 2006. In fact, The County Budget Analyst's and the Tax Collector warned all Public Entities in San Joaquin County, via memorandum, of the upcoming Revenue Decreases. All Entities in the County, with the EXCEPTION of Stockton, budgeted for a DECREASE in Revenue. STOCKTON LEADERS budgeted for an INCREASE in Revenue as late as the 07/08 Budget projections." (Emphasis their's, and any mistakes are sic of course)

If this poster is to believed (and like always, be skeptical of shit you find on message boards without citation and have little time to independently verify it ourselves), then those responsible should be out of a job because that's just fucking stupid. They go on, but again, I'm weary of citing message board posters.

I guess the point we're trying to make is Stockton PD needs to nut up and quit fucking bitching. They're in a shitty situation just like the rest of us and everybody's getting kind of tired of the "Woe is me, we're so put upon" bullshit because that's the line everybody is giving. And it's kind of hard to swallow from a department responsible for the city having the second highest crime rate in the state. Instead of trying to figure out who to blame (since we already know who to blame, and shocker, it's probably not Dianna Garcia), why not just accept the fact that there's a budget crisis and everybody's making sacrifices. And everybody includes you.

We get it, morale is low all over Stockton, whether it be city employees, SPD, SFD, or just the plain ol' depressed citizens of Stockton. But outing some city employees' flirtatious e-mails can only lower morale. What's wrong with trying to get some of that office familiar anyways? It's not like you guys didn't know she had a history of that to begin with.