The Peoria city council's decision to cut more than thirty positions from the police department is raising concerns among some residents.

It's part of the process as city leaders try to eliminate a 14–and a half–million dollar budget deficit for next year.
Some neighborhood association members say public safety could be compromised.

Several recent arsons here in the 900 block of McClure have residents worried about safety. Altamont Park Neighborhood Association President Paul Wilkinson says now is not the time to cut Peoria police jobs.

"The last police statistics that I pulled up in October there were 83 crimes just in our little neighborhood, said Altamont Park Neighborhood Association President Paul Wilkinson.

In all thirty–three police jobs could be eliminated from next year's budget as the Peoria city council tries to wipe out a 14–and–a half–million dollar budget deficit for next year.

Unlike firefighters and other city unions, the Peoria Police Benevolent Association voted against a wage freeze.

Police Benevolent President Troy Skaggs says the police department has taken more cuts than any other group.

"We were just looking for some guarantees and the guarantees would be that all 17 officers that could be laid off on top of the 16 that we lost would be guaranteed their jobs. They weren't willing to do that."

Skaggs says if the cuts become permanent the impact could be devastating on the department...something that concerns East Bluff United Neighborhood Association President Mitch Mitchell.

"It is at a point where really they should be adding on to the police force, the economy still hasn't made a complete turn around. So with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up there's going to be a lot of criminals out there," Mitchell said.

Wilkinson says residents will have to be even more vigilant in watching out for one another and in taking more action to try and keep their communities safe as the numbers of patrols may dwindle. In Peoria ,I'm Denise Jackson.