We have special rebroadcasts for you today.
First hour: Special rebroadcast - Discussing the "$250,000 police officer"
Second hour: Special rebroadcast - How to improve broadband access and affordability in Monroe County
Rochester has entered the era of the "$250,000 police officer." According to reporting by City Magazine's Gino Fanelli, the quarter-million-dollar threshold was crossed by a Rochester Police Department officer two years ago, and now a handful of RPD officers are making more than $100,000 in overtime pay. As Fanelli reports, "The officers in the club and those knocking on its door are beneficiaries of a new era in policing in the city, one marked by rising crime, a labor shortage, and seemingly no shortage of opportunities for officers to pad their paychecks and pensions with overtime." Research shows long work hours can lead to fatigue on the job, poor performance, and health issues. But what about the staffing shortages? We discuss the issues and their impact with our guests:
- Gino Fanelli, reporter for CITY Magazine and WXXI News
- Lt. Greg Bello, Rochester Police Department
- Mike Mazzeo, president of the Rochester Police Locust Club
Then in our second hour, last month on Connections, Paychex founder Tom Golisano said that if people want access to reliable internet service, but can't get it, they just have to move. But research indicates many people can't afford to move, and they have been asking local governments to do more to provide broadband services. Monroe County is currently assessing internet access and affordability in the area. The process comes on the heels of the pandemic shutdowns, when low-income families were disproportionately affected by a lack of internet access or unreliable access. In response, the county recently announced a new subsidy for income-eligible households to save $30 per month on internet. This hour, we discuss broadband access in the county and what's next in making it more widely available and affordable for all residents. Our guests:
- Ana Liss, director of the Monroe County Department of Planning and Development, and executive director of COMIDA and MCIDC
- Joe Carella, senior broadband consultant at Magellan Advisors, which is working with Monroe County to assess local broadband access
