Whoever said, “A few bad apples can bring the whole place down” knew what they were talking about. Here’s one story that certainly reinforces the that notion. According to The Boston Globe, 20 Massachuetts State Troopers are being investigated for theft of overtime pay. Reporters Mark Arsenault, Travis Andersen, and Shelley Murphy write: “In another black […]
Archive for October, 2016
Documentary film on guys who are trying to destroy your profession (and you)
At your next union meeting think about showing them this film. David Koch and his brother Charles are spending millions to steal your pension and your job.
Forget the chips, grab some nuts
For 20 years the research on the health impact of nuts just keeps getting better and better. Not only are nuts linked to a reduced risk of major chronic diseases, including heart and blood vessel disorders and Type 2 diabetes, they can ward off cancer, cancer, heart disease and respiratory disease. Nuts are fattening but […]
Newest hottest apps
Many of us have been using smartphones for years, but are we getting the most out of those expensive gadgets we’ve always got by our side? There are over a million iPhone apps and nearly as many Android apps, so it’s not just easy to miss the good ones, it’s nearly a guarantee that you’ve […]
Best cop ever
Should get the Nobel Peace Prize. Or at least “Most Professional Officer of the Year” for the whole world. From the Hamilton PD in Ontario, Canada. What you guys go through is beyond belief. —
The struggle of Stockton
Before Detroit, Stockton, California was the largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy. Now, Stockton is working its way back, and city leaders see lessons in its ordeal for other struggling municipalities. The video – Includes some wise words from the Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones who explains when you’re the most understaffed police department […]
Scenes from a pension battle
In Kansas, the Bonner Springs Police Department battled it out with the city’s mayor recently at a standing-room only city council meeting. Here’s the background- about two years ago, the Bonner Springs City Council considered allowing collective bargaining between the city and the Bonner Springs Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police. That was proposal […]
Disaster of Detroit: Others speak out
If you work in the public sector and haven’t been paying attention to what’s happening in Detroit don’t expect any sympathy when the pension killers come for the money you’ve saved for retirement. The following are some observations by mayors, professors and others about what Detroit means for the rest of the country. “It’s a […]
Harvard public finance expert comments on Detroit
“The ruling on municipal pensions in the Detroit case has caused understandable concern and anger for public workers well beyond the Motor City. Despite the rhetoric, it is too early to tell what will happen to pensions in Detroit or to what extent Detroit represents a sustainable legal or political precedent. What is clear is […]
Illinois cuts meager benefits for state workers
Union leader blasts move as “grand larceny” One day after Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed a new pension bill into law, a top union leader blasted the package as “grand larceny.” Henry L. Bayer, executive director of AFSCME Council 31, said it’s outrageous that the General Assembly has chosen to cut meager benefits for state […]
Some thoughts on suicide
In Sunday’s New York Times, columnist David Brooks writes a thoughtful article on suicide, one of the worst problems plaguing the law enforcement profession. The Irony of Despair By DAVID BROOKS We’ve made some progress in understanding mental illnesses over the past few decades, and even come up with drugs to help ameliorate their effects. […]
Floppy disks? You’ve got to be kidding!
When you learn that some agencies of the United States federal government are still using floppy disks – a relic from the 1980’s – it’s not hard to understand why the HealthCare.gov website was such a disaster. According to a report by Jada Smith, a reporter for The New York Times, The Federal Register, is […]
Making a deal
There was a time in the U.S. where Democratic presidents and conservative Senators and Representatives each gave up something to compromise and make a deal on major legislation that moved the country forward. It’s the same dynamic that’s so important for police unions when they sit down to negotiate their contracts. But sadly the spirit […]
Weekly News – Dec. 9, 2013
There were so many momentous decisions impacting law enforcement officers and other public sector employees in the last week that our heads were spinning. We will briefly summarize the ones we felt were the most important and give you the link if you want to read more. Illinois Legislature Approves Retiree Benefit Cuts The controversial […]
American families are changing
There’s no one who needs to understand demographics and the changing dynamics of the American family than law enforcement officers. After all they are the ones who enforce the laws on the people who are breaking them and are sent to mediate and ameliorate disputes mostly among family members who have gone off the rails. […]
The Duffel Blog: A website you’ll love
Do you know about the Duffel Blog website? It’s one of the funniest things we’ve come across. Check out their monthly news roundup. This stuff is out there. Writing mostly under pen names, the tribe of former and current service members behind the satirical Duffel Blog regularly lampoons military leaders, blasts the bureaucracy and mocks […]
Defending the good guys:
“We are professionals doing the most difficult of jobs” Some take the insults quietly, fuming inside. Others get pissed and speak out. And that’s exactly what Jim Christie, president of the Ontario Provincial Police Association did when a local reporter criticized a salary increase for his members despite the fact that they worked without a […]
Robots a threat to your future
Think you don’t need a union to protect your pay and benefits? Guess again. Your association leaders have been busy fighting off the people who want to privatize your job and turn you into a minimum wage security guard. Now there’s a new threat to your job – robots – and your union leaders will […]
Cop burnout: Part II
If you’re a cop the chances you’re burned out are off the charts. There is no profession out there whose employees are more in danger of experiencing burnout than law enforcement officers. Every single risk factor is endured by cops everywhere in spades and it’s a problem we cannot ignore any longer. Today PubSecAlliance […]
Detroit POA president speaks out
Reflections on the Detroit bankruptcy; “Just one way they are attacking us all” Submitted by Mark Diaz, President, Detroit Police Officers Association There are two retirement systems in Detroit. The general retirement system which covers all of the civilian employees and the police and fire retirement system which covers police and fire but not EMS. […]
Tragedy of Detroit: Your town could be next
Submitted by Mark Nichols Editor, American Police Beat Do you know what an Abandonment Zone is? If not, you might want to start paying attention to what’s happening in Detroit. Corruption and mismanagement of every stripe have put Detroit so deep in the hole that they might not make it out. Residents wait an hour […]
Pick up the pace
If you are walking for exercise, a new study a leisurely stroll does not work. You have to pick up the pace. Exercise guidelines say people should engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week. For walkers, a moderately intense pace would probably be about 15 or 16 minutes per mile. […]
Connect with us
Connect with us on the following social media platforms.