Mother NatureAll life is connected

Roughly 12,000 boys in blue are expected to lose their jobs this year thanks to deep cuts in local budgets caused by the uncertain economy. The Justice Department reports that available law enforcement jobs plummeted in 2011, the first decline seen in this sector in the past 25 years. While some believe that there will be fewer policemen and other law enforcement officials watching out for your safety for the next 5 to 10 years, more dire predictions believe this trend is here to stay.

Fewer boys in blue patrolling the streets will inevitably result in higher crime rates. Municipalities that were used to allocating up to 50 percent of their budgets to the safety of their residents must now look to consolidate services and exploit new technologies to get the job done. Only time will tell how this will impact our cities, towns and, most importantly, our citizens.