Youth sports leaders are sounding the alarm about a Delaware city’s new safety policy … and the mayor is shrugging his shoulders.
All leagues in Wilmington must hire off-duty cops for their events
The rule comes after a fatal shooting at a youth football game last fall
Mayor John Carney says the city’s budget is too tight to cover the cops
Private company operates process for city
Some city council members are pushing back on the rule
One operator said it will cost an extra $30K to hire the cops — an expense his league may not be able to afford. Other critics say the policy is a overreaction to an isolated incident.
Quick Take: Off-duty cops are becoming a bigger line item for many in the industry. We wrote last year about a Texas league that raised its registration fees 24% to cover security at all events; there was also a basketball tournament in Nebraska that officials threatened to boycott unless armed guards were hired.
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