"Funding in law enforcement is most likely coming from taxpayers and commissioners approve budgets. At least in my county thats how this is done." Andrew raised a good point, both municipality, county and state taxes fund public agencies. So as an administrator, how do you fund your agency during a poor economy? Crime still continues and you must maintain a visible workforce to answer calls and enforce the law. The following insert is from an interview with the previous Director of my agency in response to the tremendous budget cuts we once underwent.

For SLED, a total of 17 percent, or $6 million, has been cut from its budget since March when the House passed the original version, Lloyd said. At least another 2 percent must be cut from this year's budget. Agencies also have been told to brace for more cuts at the start of the next fiscal year that could reach 15 percent, roughly another $5 million for SLED. All that's compounded, Lloyd said, with the loss of federal grant money for crime-fighting tools; $4 million for laboratory analysis; and $1 million for a computer crime center. "You live in the most violent state in the union right now," Lloyd said. "You lived in the most violent state in the union last year before these budget cuts happened." And that rating is not going to get any better as SLED is losing ground in its fight against the growing number of gangs, violent crime and mortgage fraud. The cuts mean a reduction in laboratory analysis and overtime pay as well as fewer undercover drug investigations and less time spent searching for fugitives and missing children, Lloyd said. "There is only so much gas I can save; either an agent is going to respond to a crime scene in the middle of the night or not," Lloyd said. SLED has lain off 48 workers, including temps, about 20 investigators and employees agency-wide. Another 50 positions are vacant from a hiring freeze. The budget cuts mean SLED cannot provide the same level of services for local law enforcement agencies. North Charleston Police Chief Jon Zumalt said his department depends on SLED to help, for example, with lab work on firearms, drugs and DNA. Zumalt said the numbers of gun and drug arrests his officers make continue to grow and the loss of SLED assistance, particularly in laboratory services, will have an impact. (Wenger, 2008)

Class, how do you continue to meet the needs of the public with minimal funding?