So our illustrious Select board is concerned about charging Umass student promoters of a Pot Festival in Amherst town center for a police detail for, umm, crowd control but think nothing of charging the July 4’th Parade Committee for the same services?
The Parade is a shoestring operation exclusively relying on volunteers, so last years $1,100 tab for a police detail is significant chunk of our budget (as is insurance). But as a Parade organizer let me be quick to say I’m not complaining.
We actually get double bang for our thousand bucks as the detail we hire stand in busy intersections blocking off pre-parade traffic and then stay for the parade to do security (Only in Amherst do you worry about parade crashers at a July 4’th event) where they blend in well with the many police, fire and—God forbid—military units.
Of course, the only way police blend in at a pot rally is if they are under cover, dressed in grunge.
Last month during the World Series Amherst PD consumed $15,000 in overtime standing by in riot gear to assist Umass PD. And ever since his Lordship Gerry Weiss took a bow for orchestrating the Mutual Aid Pact, Amherst PD has provided all the aid.
Just because a “political” event is limited to the town common doesn’t mean hard pressed taxpayers should cover the tab. What if NAMBLA wanted to organize a pedophilia rally?
Is the Extravaganja a political event? I prefer to think of it as a public service.
ReplyDeleteConsidering your experience over the past two months Tommy, I doubt the Cannabis Reform Coalition would use you as a poster boy; unless of course, they were higher than the Taipei Tower.
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