If the state is broke-ass, then we need to start saving some money, and the governor and legislators are looking at the always-controversial police details. Those new to Massachusetts might wonder why police officers are often at construction sites instead of the usual flagman or flagwoman.

Well, police must be at those sites, and officers make a lot of money on the job. However, flagmen or flagwomen are a lot cheaper, and a new bill might take out the police details.

This might actually happen because Governor Deval Patrick and House Speaker Sal Di Masi, who seem to undercut each other at the slightest opportunity, are actually united behind the measure. Ditto Senate President Therese Murray. Casey Ross understated it when he called it "an unusual display of unity on a controversial issues." Patrick was talking about this back in November, when a Herald article reported that Massachusetts spent $44 million on construction details in 2006.

Image of the police lined up and ready to go from Hoffmann from photos tagged "Bostonist" on Flickr.