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September 7, 2005

Statement from Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz, Jr. in response to Mr. Lang

"Let's get to the bottom line on this and other press releases Mr. Lang is sending out on public safety.  

Mr. Lang is representing the municipal unions in his run for mayor, as he has done for many years in his private practice.   This past weekend, the union representing New Bedford firefighters endorsed Mr. Lang's candidacy.    They know, and he knows, that an arbitrator has ruled that firefighters are to receive the same wage increases that police receive.   Mr. Lang, the police union and the fire union are working together to put out wrong and distorted information in the hopes that the public will not understand their true motive - which is not public safety but unjustifiable compensation for police and fire fighters.

What is more outrageous is that an attorney in Mr. Lang's private law office represents the New Bedford Firefighters in their contract negotiations with the city and now that same union has endorsed Mr. Lang.

I am convinced that the public, when it learns the true facts of Mr. Lang's history and the true motive for his run for mayor, will reject his candidacy and that of Mr. Morrisey who   is being supported by Mr Lang's law office partner.

For the first time in the history of this city, a law firm representing municipal employees is running two candidates, in order to win the mayor's office at all costs for their clients.  

With respect to his comments about me calling the desk, I suppose Mr. Lang would prefer the mayor not call in when there is a car accident, a break in progress, or a street that's flooded.   In Mr. Lang's view, a mayor should be above such concerns.

Mr. Lang also distorts the facts with his allegations that mobile data terminals (MDT) in police cruisers are not working.   The truth is that every officer has the ability to communicate with the dispatcher and other cruisers, initiate calls, and check the status of other cruisers, completing Phase I of this two-part process.   Phase II, the ability to tie in with the state, was delayed when the State changed the format.   Our software company and the state worked together towards and have successfully tested the systems, and we are in the process of going on line.

It is wrong to suggest police have not been given the tools to do their jobs, when in fact, I have purchased the MDT's, 72 vehicles including new cruisers, portable digital radios, new shot guns and patrol rifles, Automatic External Defibrillators (AED's), and a host of other equipment."