Who Should Reimburse Agencies For Security Details?

[x635 4,066]

Here's a blurb from the Worcester, MA funeral home, where one Boston Marathon bombing terrorists is being prepared for burial.

The funeral home accepted the body since no one else the family could find would. This cast an international spotlight on the funeral home, and gave it a lot of "unwanted attention" from the area. Because of this, Worcester PD incurred an added overtime expense protecting the funeral home, which is a taxpaying business in the city.

The department will examine all opportunities for reimbursement from the state and federal government. We do not believe that these costs are a local responsibility

Worcester, like many cities in the "rust belt", isn't a very financially robust city where it has enough money to throw around at situations like this. Regardless of how the body should have been dealt with, that's water under the bridge...for now for this particular incident at this time.

Should the city bear this expense that was incurred at the expense of one of it's taxpayer's,or is the cost of this something that should be absorbed at the state or federal level?

Or should this have been a private matter with the funeral home bearing the responsibility of security, whether they reimburse the city or they should have to pay directly for a private security agency?

Worcester Police Department (Official)

Security Detail Cost at Graham, Putnam, and Mahoney Funeral Parlor

The Worcester Police Department expended $47,171.48 for the security detail at the Graham, Putnam, and Mahoney Funeral Parlor. The detail began midday on Friday, May 3, 2013 and concluded on the evening of Thursday, May 9, 2013.

The cost of the detail covered the overtime salary of the officers and supervisors assigned to 24- hour coverage. The supervisors assigned to the detail were from the ranks of Sergeant and Lieutenant. Deputy Police Chief Steven Sargent coordinated the security efforts as part of his regular assignment as the Chief of Operations.

The department will examine all opportunities for reimbursement from the state and federal government. We do not believe that these costs are a local responsibility

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[SageVigiles 1,194]

Should have been buried at sea with Osama Bin Fishfood, but that's just my opinion.

[grumpyff 1,159]

No. Should have been sent to "Potters Field" or wherever else they send dead people who can't be identified or afford a burial place.I would say bill the family, but they are already on the public dole. No need to provide security for the dead body, no one wants it.

[x635 4,066]

Doesn't matter now where or how the body was disposed of.......his family is paying the expenses, and the funeral home accepted the body for whatever they wanted to do with it. I'm sure there would be one or more individuals out there wanting to gain access to the body for various reasons, and damage to the funeral home.

The issue was protection of a tax paying business under high scrutiny for accepting the body in the first place in this city. The question is...who should have paid, realistically, for this police overtime detail?

[50-65 205]

Maybe the government can stop the charades trying to say this was a "lone" act, find out who was financing the terrorists and get the money from them.

[wraftery 1,275]

What would Islam do if it were an American who committed a terrorist act in a Muslim Country? I think it would look something like: Hang him by his feet from a crane in a public place, light him on fire and mail the video to Al-Jazeera.

Never Forget

[50-65 205]

What would Islam do if it were an American who committed a terrorist act in a Muslim Country? I think it would look something like: Hang him by his feet from a crane in a public place, light him on fire and mail the video to Al-Jazeera.

Never Forget

Unfortunatly, Hussein Obama would never allow that so as not to offend his friends and colleagues.

[Dinosaur 844]

No. Should have been sent to "Potters Field" or wherever else they send dead people who can't be identified or afford a burial place.I would say bill the family, but they are already on the public dole. No need to provide security for the dead body, no one wants it.

I don't think the security was for the body. It was for the local business that took the body and held it pending burial. Because tempers were high and (as you can even see here in this thread) people were extremely worked up about it. It's not out of the realm of possibility that they would have taken out their frustration on the funeral home.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Let the local mosque secure the POS. I still do not think the government should have to pay for it. Did the government pay to protect the funeral home for any other criminal? Timothy McVeigh?, Jeffery Dahmer? I dont think any protection was given to those funeral homes. Release the body to the funeral home. Tell them to pick it up in an unmarked, unassuming vehicle. Cremate, then flush, whatever. Not our place to pay for it.

[AFS1970 504]

Since courts have rules time and time again that the police do not have a responsability to protect any specific citizen, just the community as a whole, I do not think this detail should have been a police responsability at all. The funeral home accepted the body, and I assume that being a business they are not doing this service for free. However even if they are, they made the business decision to take this action. Thus they should have to bear any and all costs associated with that business decision. As they learned from the protestors outside their business, actions have consequenses. I would never condone any violence or vandalism towards that business or their employees and I think they (and by default the Worchester Police) greatly over reacted. I thik that the protestors would have likely gone away had the response not been so overt. The police could have responded in the event of any criminal activity. The news media gave far too much coverage which brought more people up there. However this should not have been a police function and should not be a taxpayer expense (local, state or federal). The Funeral home could have hired priovate security if they felt the need, but instead they decided to see if they could get someone else to pay for it.

[Arbrow06 5]

But what about the concept that the funeral home pays taxes so what prevents them of using the police for their businesses safety. I understand everyone's blatant hatred for the man but that doesn't mean everything associated with him must suffer. Some people happen to have hearts and feel that everyone good or bad deserves a proper burial same way people in EMS treat people good or bad to help them survive. I think that the city should take on the momentary burden and if there is a true threat get the FBI and such involved just to ensure the protesting outside is done in a manner that is safe.

You guys need to be more rational and stop being terrorist bashers showing how closed minded you all are.

[grumpyff 1,159]

\

You guys need to be more rational and stop being terrorist bashers showing how closed minded you all are.

Like I said before, has the government paid for security for any other criminal? No. Let the family pay for it. The most I could find was one website that claimed Timothy McVeigh was transported out of the federal prison where he was executed by an unmarked prison van, after a hearse from a local funeral home made a fake pick up. No mentions of extra security. McVeigh was a far bigger terrorist than this jerkoff. EMS is a different story. If he could have been taken alive, that would be a different story.

Edited May 15, 2013 by grumpyff

[wraftery 1,275]

Terrorist Bashers...now there's a new concept

[ex-commish 490]

But what about the concept that the funeral home pays taxes so what prevents them of using the police for their businesses safety. I understand everyone's blatant hatred for the man but that doesn't mean everything associated with him must suffer. Some people happen to have hearts and feel that everyone good or bad deserves a proper burial same way people in EMS treat people good or bad to help them survive. I think that the city should take on the momentary burden and if there is a true threat get the FBI and such involved just to ensure the protesting outside is done in a manner that is safe.

You guys need to be more rational and stop being terrorist bashers showing how closed minded you all are.

So because those of us who oppose tax money spent in association with this POS have to be labeled as "terrorist bashers" and "closed minded" If you feel strongly as you do than why don't you pay for it.

[Arbrow06 5]

Call him what he is but he is human. No one complains when a "important politician" dies and they get all types of taxpayer security measures. So why complain now. If you are going to talk about a controversial topic please do so in a professional manner with respect for the dead. I do think that the necessary LEOs needed should be paid by their jurisdiction so if the FBI is needed the feds pay, if state police help out the state pays and if the locality uses their cops on OT, they pay. It is a decision the department made. Thank is my last piece, I am not here to argue just to have thought provoking discussion.

[AFS1970 504]

Personally I think he should have been wrapped in bacon to send a message to any other would be terrorists that you will not get a paradise full of virgins if you mess with America, but that is beside the point. If that is Terrorist Bashing, then I will wear that lable proudly, as long as those that call me that will wear just as proudly the lable of Terrorist Sympathiser or Terrorist Apologist. The question at hand is about security and who should pay for it.

When Pope Benedict XVI visited England there were public protests about the government paying for the extra security and demanding that the Vatican be sent a bill. So yes people do get upset about p[oliticians and heads of state costing taxpayer money.

However the idea that since the funeral home pays taxes they are some how entitled to free security above and beyond what the rest of the taxpayers are given is not only wrong based on case law, but and afront to taxpayers. I pay taxes in my city, last year my condo complex had two seperate grafitti incidents. By your theory the police are responsible for that because they were not standing in my driveway 24/7 to ensure that no kids with spraypaint came on my property, after all my neighbors and I pay taxes. THis is exatly what courts have rules against over the years.

For that matter why doe the private security industry exist at all? Who was this Allan Pinkerton guy who lied to all those people and said the police would not protect you? Why don't all small towns have 1,000 or more copst so that they can permanently assign an officer to each househjold, or maybe to follow each citizen around in case they might come to harm at some point?

[PEMO3 523]

Putting the politics of the events aside. If the threat(s) against the funeral home create a imminent threat against the public as a whole then I personally believe it is incumbent on law enforcement, local, state or federal, to ensure that that threat is mitigated. If no threat exists other than that to the funeral home and it's business for what in their hindsight became a decision of poor judgement then it should be up to the establishment to provide it's own private security the same way malls and stores add additional security (armed or unarmed) during sales and holiday times. The real issue here is what was the level of the threat, how credible was it and who was imperiled by it.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I'd totally wear a "Terrorist Basher" T-Shirt. If our society has degraded to the point where that is considered an insult, then I must have missed something... Last I checked terrorist bashing was something all of us in public safety were supposed to be working towards, but hey, to each their own I guess.

[ex-commish 490]

Call him what he is but he is human. No one complains when a "important politician" dies and they get all types of taxpayer security measures. So why complain now. If you are going to talk about a controversial topic please do so in a professional manner with respect for the dead. I do think that the necessary LEOs needed should be paid by their jurisdiction so if the FBI is needed the feds pay, if state police help out the state pays and if the locality uses their cops on OT, they pay. It is a decision the department made. Thank is my last piece, I am not here to argue just to have thought provoking discussion.

If this was intended for me I feel I don't have to respect someone who is responsible for killing 4 people one of them an 8 year old kid and a cop and also injured many others to a point they have lost limbs and their quality of life has changed forever both physically and mentally. He was not human, he was a terrorist...period!