Benton Harbor City Commissioners want to take a look at how public safety officers are trained as they work to reduce the amount that has to be spent on the department. On Monday, the commission shot down a budget amendment sought by City Manager Darwin Watson, shifting $65,000 more into its overtime fund. Watson said officers have to be paid overtime if they put in more than 40 hours training, but commissioners wanted more information. Mayor Marcus Muhammad told WSJM News he has several questions about how the money would be spent.
“How much would go toward officers being trained, how much would go toward the academy, how much would go toward road time, how much would go toward patrols,” Muhammad said.
Muhammad also requested the finance director be on hand for future meetings. That’s as he seeks to follow the charter more closely with the state moving out of city affairs.
