Chief White Asks FOP For Compromise

Louisville Police Chief Robert White is asking the police union to once again to consider department budget cuts proposed by Metro Government.White and the mayor have asked the Fraternal Order of Police for concessions that would trim $1.3 million from their budget. Monday night, the FOP rejected several budget cutting options proposed by the city.White says that’s not acceptable.“Something is going to have to give," he says. "We cannot reach the goal of the $20 million plus deficit that’s facing the city without the police department providing their fair share.”White says he’s spoken with the head of the union since the vote, and he’s hopeful a compromise can be reached.“I think a reasonable person will say, ‘Boy, that really is a tough pill to swallow but everybody else is swallowing a pill and most people are swallowing a much larger pill than what we’re asking them to swallow’” he says.The FOP was asked to either forgo pay raises, cut back on vacation days or pay more to use their cruisers outside of work. White says the city can change the take-home car program without the union’s permission. The FOP says that’s not true.