Another week of waiting (for the Republican 'plan') - DAY 25

Mike Bouchard: Save by giving money to Republican donors? (0.00 / 0)

Those of us who've been represented in the state Senate by Alan Cropsey might remember something that is now part of his public advocacy record ... introducing legislation that would require online dating sites to advertise if they'd conducted background checks on clients.

Now, aside from the notion of government tinkering in online dating, there is this:

The company that stood to benefit the most, True.com (the only one, at the time, that conducted background checks of clients), was owned by a guy named Herb Vest, a big-time donor to the Republican Party (scroll down to his name).

In other words, legislation was introduced into the Michigan state Legislature that would give a tacit competitive advantage for a company owned by a money donor to the Republican Party.

So, it was with this in mind that I read this morning's Detroit News editorial (link above).  The state could save loads of cash by privatizing law enforcement stuff?

The hell you say.

The hell Mike Bouchard says.

The Oakland County Jail privatizes its meal service with Aramark (at least according to its Web site), which is said to save the sheriff's department enough money to put towards its aviation division.

Those of us who live in school districts where food service has been privatized with Aramark already know how they get it done ... most of the Mount Pleasant food service workers were hired back at smaller salaries and benefits packages (the other ones were just let go), and the food service operations were consolidated in one building.

Still, what else does the jail contract out?  Inmate phone calls, for one, to a company called Correctional Billing Services (see the bottom, under "Inmate phone calls."  Correction Billing Services is itself a division of Evercom and T-Netix, Inc., both of which form Securus Technologies.

Securus offers all kinds of wacky corrections and public safety services, including facility management.

The system also seamlessly interfaces with nationwide, as well as regional and state reporting programs and is capable of tracking law enforcement activity, including the reporting of community incidents.

In other words, give Securus some of your money, and they'll hook you up with privatized police dispatching.

Hmmmmmmmm, you say.  Who runs this Securus Technologies.  Well, the company Web site lists on Richard "Dick" Falcone as chairman and CEO  The same Richard "Dick" Falcone who gave $2,861 to the Republican National Committee and congressional committee in the last campaign cycle.

There is nothing definitive to this.  Obviously, there are a number of private security companies out there, and Securus isn't the only one that would be bidding on this so-called privatized state police dispatching, but the next time Mike Bouchard talks about privatizing law enforcement and public safety, perhaps someone ought to ask if he could recommend a company for the job.

Among the Trees

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by: Eric B. @ Mon Mar 12, 2007 at 15:46:59 PM UTC