By KEVIN NEVERS

Police and fire protection are among the most fundamental, and certainly enjoy the highest profile, of the services provided by any municipality. Generally speaking, the total annual amount spent on Police by Chesterton, Porter, Burns Harbor, and Valparaiso is comprised of the following:

•Daily operations—salaries, wages, and benefits, supplies, fuel, and some basic gear, among other things—funded with an earmark from the General Fund.

•Squad cars, purchased from a separate fund, typically Cumulative Capital Development (CCD) or a similar fund.

•Payments to the Police Officers’ and Firefighters Pension and Disability Fund (POFPDF), also made from a separate fund.

•Law Enforcement Continuing Education (LECE), a dedicated account for equipment and training, funded by a portion of traffic violators’ court costs and handgun owners’ license fees.

A municipality may supplement its annual spending on Police with moneys from other sources, usually grants or its share of the county economic development income tax (CEDIT). In addition, two of the four municipalities, Porter and Valparaiso, last year made debt payments on new stations.

Total and per capita spending on Police in 2006:

Chesterton: total $2,057,722; per capita $165.20. Comprised of $1,821,7912 for daily operations (per capita $146.26); $145,451 in CCD for squad cars (per capita $11.68); and $65,775 for pension payments (per capita $5.28). Add $18,671 in CEDIT for communications equipment (per capita $1.50) and $6,032 in grants (per capita 48 cents).

Porter: total $1,236,201; per capita $232.67. Comprised of $1,040,578 for daily operations (per capita $195.86); $45,806 in CCD for squad cars (per capita $8.62); $24,032 for pension payments (per capita $4.52); and $1,350 in LECE expenditures (per capita 25 cents). Add $122,600 in a debt-lease payment on the new station (per capita $23.08) and $1,834 in grants (per capita 35 cents).

Burns Harbor: total $388,490; per capita $382.75. Comprised of $345,822 for daily operations (per capita $340.71); $30,233 in CCD for squad cars and other equipment (per capita $29.79); and $5,087 in LECE expenditures (per capita $5.01). The Chesterton Tribune was unable to identify a separate pension expenditure. Also add $7,346 in grants (per capita $7.24).

Valparaiso: total $4,848,986; per capita $164.28. Comprised of $3,019,659 for daily operations (per capita $102.31); $227,358 in Capital Equipment Fund for squad cars and other equipment (per capita $7.70); and $22,060 in LECE expenditures (per capita 75 cents). The Tribune was unable to identify a separate pension expenditure. Also add $1,545,581 for a bond payment on the new station (per capita $52.36); $16,266 in CEDIT on fuel (per capita 55 cents); and $18,059 in grants (per capita 61 cents)

Fire

The total amount spent on Fire by the four municipalities similarly consists of daily operations, like Police funded from the General Fund; usually equipment purchases and POFPDF payments; and sometime grants.

Total and per capita spending on Fire in 2006:

Chesterton: total $1,024,363; per capita $82.24. Comprised of $1,004,781 for daily operations (per capita $80.67) and $19,582 for pension payments (per capita $1.57).

Porter: total $171,014; per capita $32.19. Comprised of $169,407 for daily operations (per capita $31.89) and $1,607 in grants (per capita 30 cents). The Tribune was unable to identify a separate pension or equipment expenditure.

Burns Harbor: total $288,036; per capita $283.78. Comprised of $125,485 for daily operations (per capita $123.63); $14,949 in CCD for equipment purchases (per capita $14.73); and $147,601 in grants (per capita $145.42). The Tribune was unable to identify a separate pension expenditure.

Valparaiso: total $2,837,855; per capita $96.15. Comprised of $2,725,921 for daily operations (per capita $92.35); $68,868 in CCD for equipment (per capita $2.33); and $43,065. in Firefighting Fund moneys (per capita $1.46). The Tribune was unable to identify a separate pension expenditure.

Posted 9/27/2007