Battle over spending brews in Ft Pierce.
A battle is brewing over whether to spend money on a local golf course, or the police force.
The Fort Pierce Police Officers Association is criticizing city leaders for investing in the Indian Hills golf course. Their issue is funding open police officer positions.
The police union argues that most officers get trained and then leave because the pay is lower than other local law enforcement agencies.
They claim that since May of 2013 over 60 officers have left the force, with most citing lack of competitive pay as the main reason they are moving on.
The union also claims that there are 16 empty officer positions that are waiting to be filled.
City leaders acknowledge that the golf course has been losing money over the past several years. They have stated that they want the public’s input before making a decision.
A public hearing has been set for March 30th at Fort Pierce City Hall.
