Dispatchers Laid Off, Chief Ousted

Facing a $1 million budget shortfall, the Fitchburg (Mass.) city council approved the a plan to lay off all 10 of the city’s police dispatchers and to replace them with uniformed officers. Police chief Edward Cronin argued against the plan, and some council members and the mayor noted that the unionized dispatchers hadn’t been consulted over the plan, almost insuring a court battle. Officers were quickly trained and began dispatching July 1st, city officials said. The police union approved the plan because if the dispatchers had been retained, some police officers were slated for lay-offs. Dispatcher Terry Fuchs said, “First we were in shock, then depression, then denial; the whole bit. They dealt us a horrible blow. Our jobs are still there — they just gave them to someone else.” On July 19th chief Cronin stepped down through a mutual agreement with city officials. Mayor Dan Mylott said the dispute over the dispatcher lay-offs was a factor in Cronin’s departure.