Breaking News
Police Shortage Hits Critical Mass         Troopers Accused in OT Scam         DROP Lawsuit: Judge Rules Against Cops         The Real Reason They’re After Your Pension? Money!         DROP Program Getting Negative Press         Millennials, White-collar Workers Bringing New Life to Unions         New Study Reveals Police Rarely Use Force         Fake Cop Badges are Everywhere         Best Path for a Trim, Healthy Body         Teachers Get 5% After Strike; Victory for Cops, Too!         When is Police “Use of Force” Justified?         Police Unions & the Video Craze         Scary Day for Police Unions         Night Tours Can Hurt Your Health         Stress Weakens Brain Power; Exercise Can Bring It Back         Police Association President Arrests Suspect—On His Street!         An Assault on Common Sense         NYPD Sergeant Acquitted On All Charges         Fingerprint Scanner to Track On-the-job Time         New Jersey Cops Fighting for Their Pensions         Police and Attorney Say “No Way” to Restrictive Use of Force Policy         Jury Is Out On This Police Review Board         A Police Union With Power!         Stressed-Out Officers: Gone After Eight Years         More Union Members in 2017         Police, Fire Lose Court Fight Over Pensions         Baltimore Discovers It Wants and Needs Its Police         VIDEO: Austin Cops Leaving in Droves         Off-Duty Jobs Scam Uncovered         Deputies Demand $500,000 In Back Pay         Stressed Out Officers, Gone After 8 Years         City Scrambles to Save Pensions         Police Boss Gets Jail Time, Rank and File Up In Arms         CONTRACT REJECTED! Younger Officers Upset With High Healthcare Costs         Police Pensions Protected (For Now)         Let’s Support Firefighters; Cops Will Be Next         Man With a Plan         FBI Will Not Investigate Detective’s Homicide         What About “Warning Shots?” The Debate Continues         Dallas 9-1-1 Back On Track         Hope for Pay Raises in St. Louis         VIDEO: NYC Hero Cop Speaks         New Policies on Deadly Force         ALADS Continues Legal Fight Over “Brady” List         Cops Forgo Raise to Keep 4-3 Schedule         One Cop’s Take On Colin Kaepernick         VIDEO: “We Brought Our Brother Home”         LISTEN: No Sleep? You’d Better Fix That!         VIDEO: What Really Happened         ACLU: Detective’s Right to Free Speech Was Violated         Time To Stop the Finger Pointing         If Things Go Bad, You Need a Plan         Dear Anthem Protesters: Police are Not the Enemy         Real Police Facing Private Takeover         Hard Work, Heartache, and a Lot of Love         VIDEO: Harvey’s Horrific Aftermath         VIDEO: Keeping World Leaders Safe         Bill Bratton On the Future of American Policing         Who Will Pay for New Contract?         VIDEO: Detectives Fight Plan to Cut Pensions         Taking Care of Others, Then Our Own         Public Support For Unions is Growing         Minneapolis Considering Residency Incentives         VIDEO: Cop Battling Cancer is Harvey Hero         VIDEO: Dancing With the Cops?         Cops Speak Out Against Use of “Thin Blue Line” by Hate Groups         What Is the Arnold Foundation Hiding?         Decision May Violate Officers’ Rights         Court Deems Evergreen Clause Constitutional         No Raises for Cops; $140M for Stadium         Philly Cops Win $8M O.T. Settlement         We Condemn Nazis and White Supremacists         Mounties Face Crisis, No Solution in Sight         Push to Oust Louisville PD Chief Intensifying         CSLEA is Newest Member of PubSecAlliance         Ford is Fixing the Problem         “It’s Been An Honor to Work With Chief Marshman”         Automatic Dues Collection Under Attack         Cops Use Video to Go for Pay Raise         Understaffed Leads to Rise In Crime         R.I.P. Deputy Haak         Ruling On Body Cams: Use Must Be Negotiated         Rochester Police Locust Club (NY) Joins PubSecAlliance         Officer Acquitted Of Negligent Homicide         Texas Cops Oppose Anti-Union Bill         Insults Divide, Decency Unites         FOP Prez Threatened, Police Investigate         VIDEO: Sergeant’s Indictment Prompts Outpouring of Support         VIDEO: Sounding the Alarm On a Manpower Crisis         VIDEO: Dramatic Body Cam Footage!         VIDEO: Police Union Advises Action Amid “Breaking Point”         VT First State to OK Compensation for PTSD         Officer Suicides: Agencies Must Do More         Outsiders Clamor for Police Contract Changes         Governor Furloughs Workers, Hits the Beach         Recruit the Best at U.S. Army Reserves         VIDEO: Sergeant Charged With Murder 2         R.I.P. Officer Korchak         More Officers Taking Own Lives         Pride in Honoring Our Own         A Tale of Two Chiefs         New Accountability System Gives Civilians More Power         Police Unions Call for “Rational Voice”         Texas Moves to Save Pensions         City Refuses to Pay Officer’s Legal Bills         Rank and File Question Dubious Hiring         The Mounties Have Never Had to Contend With a Union         Police Week: Anguish, Anger, Empathy         Rookies Sue for OT Pay During Academy Training         FLSA Pay Ruling: Use Cash, Not Benefits         Record Crowd Attends Annual Candlelight Vigil         Everyone Needs Sleep, Especially Cops         Questions Raised About New John Jay President         Hennepin County Sheriff Joins NYPD Shield Program         Big Surprise: Paper Misrepresents Contract Talks         County Budget Leaves Us Underfunded         VIDEO: Omaha Unions Say No to Gov         City Says “No Police Floats” In Parade         One-Minute Man         Is This the Solution to Cop Shootings?         Ingredients for Better LE Outcomes         Why the Police Need Unions         Mounties Demand a Union & Contract         Indebted to Some Very Brave People         We’ve Been Abandoned by Politicos, Command Staff         VIDEO: The Most Hated Man In Pensionland         Underfunded Pensions: a Disaster Waiting to Happen         Another Ambush Attack!         Today, It’s You; Tomorrow, It’s a Security Guard         VIDEO: NJ Police May Get Control of Unfunded Pensions         Thousands of Officers to Get BIG Bonuses         Improving Economy Hurts LE Recruitment         Another Fundraising Scam         Threats to Police Retirement Programs Escalate         Conflict Rises, Billboards Go Up         NJ Unilaterally Changing Police Contract         Pensions Slowly Being Reduced and Replaced         Baltimore Chief: “No More Plainclothes”         When Will All This Stop?         Top Police Union Leader Joins Protest         VIDEO: “Line of Duty” is HERE!         Chicago Cops Get Thanks They Deserve         Mayors Missing as Pension Fund Goes Down         Pension Bill Draws Protest         Deputies Association Hires High-Powered PR Exec         Finally, a Contract for NYPD Officers         Nebraska Corrections Officers Seek Out F.O.P.         Outrage Grows Over Pension Plans in Peril         Sanctuary Cities: Police vs. Mayor         Police Unions Seek to Overhaul Obama’s Reforms         Super Bowl Security         Look Hard at Your Pension Fund         Pension Mediation Talks Cease; Lawsuit Looms         How Much Would You Pay for Policing?         Hazardous Workplace         Officers Leaving in Droves         Technology, Police, and Privacy         Fake Guns Destroy Lives         War Against Unions Gaining Ground         Washington D.C. Police Union in Turmoil         Teamsters Face 20% Cut in Pension Benefits         Body Cam Screw-ups Lead to Mistrial         VIDEO: Body Cam Catches Shootout         Restraining Order for Black Lives Matter Leader         New Chief Has Fight On His Hands         Pension Panic Spreads         Carrots and Sticks         Another Agency May Fold         Community and Police Join in Prayer         VIDEO: We Are There For You!         Feds Seek Repeat of Disastrous Police Hiring Practices         VIDEO: Officer’s Gift of Kindness Keeps on Giving         Is Trump Going After Collective Bargaining Rights?         Police Union Not “App”y         Police Union Fights Back Against Budget Cuts         Police Union Reinstates Body Cam Program         Citizen Wants Officer Fired for FB Post         VIDEO: Use of Force Policy Fiasco         Attacks on Law Enforcement         VIDEO: Where Is the Outrage?         Millions May Lose Overtime Pay         Mayor Violates Officer’s Right to Due Process         VIDEO: Police Union Heals With Song         State Moves to Nix Benefits From Collective Bargaining         City, Officer Cleared in Wrongful Death Case         Trump Puts OT, Benefits On Chopping Block         VIDEO: A World Without Law Enforcement         VIDEO: Shake It Off         HUGE Refund for AZ Public-Safety Pensioners         Eloquent Goodbye         Cheerleader In Chief         The Trouble With Trauma         Shocking News About Local Gov Pension Funds         See You In Court!         One of the Good Guys         Chief Resigns After No-Confidence Vote         Zika Virus Hits Cops         Iowa Officers Ambushed         Policing the Police         For Real Community Policing, Let Officers Do Their Jobs        

Archive for October, 2016

Obama mouthpiece gets union busting gig

Obama mouthpiece gets union busting gig

While it is not surprising that those who worked for a corporate Democrat like President Barack Obama have moved on to shilling for Big Business after they leave the White House, usually the opportunism is less crass than this. Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s former press secretary, has signed on through his public relations firm to […]

Right to work nation

Right to work nation

It’s the most important case involving unions and collective bargaining in the last 50 years in this country. The case is Harris v. Quinn and the opinion will be written by a guy that absolutely hates unions, Justice Sam Alito. The only thing more interesting than the outcome of the Supreme Court case is the […]

A deal is not a deal

A deal is not a deal

Here’s a new dynamic that will be familiar to anyone working on things like collective bargaining. A police association reaches a deal with the city, usually through a city manager acting as the city’s negotiator. Then the city manager brings the done deal back to city officials. Then the city says the cops haven’t agreed […]

Flag on the play

Flag on the play

In Nebraska, Omaha’s police union has filed a lawsuit against the City of Omaha, arguing that the city has improperly attempted to change its contract with the association. The complaint filed this week in Douglas County District Court is related to the contract that expired in December. The Omaha Police Officers Association says a clause […]

No new taxes, just fees

No new taxes, just fees

Chicago would raise a monthly emergency service surcharge on phone lines to free up $50 million in operating funds to increase its payments to two city pension funds under a proposed ordinance introduced last Wednesday. Mayor Rahm Emanuel and 36 city council members backed the ordinance, which would increase the current surcharge, generating an additional […]

Unions Square Off Against Christie

Unions Square Off Against Christie

“Declare a State fiscal emergency after spouting extremely bloated revenue projections, miss the mark by a mile, and contractual law obligation is then nullified. So much for the rule of law & constitutional obligations in the great state of New Jersey.” –  Chris Burgos, President, New Jersey State Troopers Assoc.

Do cops have right to free speech?

Do cops have right to free speech?

In a decision that clarifies a public employee’s free-speech rights, the Supreme Court in Lane v. Franks has held sworn testimony is entitled to First Amendment protection.  This decision may have only a limited effect on employees of a law enforcement agency because, as the law now stands, such testimony must be given outside the […]

There’s no surveillance state exemption for cops

There’s no surveillance state exemption for cops

Surveillance is big business. It’s a growth industry in both the public and private sectors. It’s also a runaway freight train with no brakes. Most of us are too old to understand the details in terms of the way the surveillance state operates. We still think in archaic terms like “wire taps” and “bugging devices,” […]

Police association goes above and beyond

Police association goes above and beyond

The San Antonio Police Officers Association raised more than $14,000 for a teenager who was hit and dragged by a big rig. In March, Cody Culp, 17, was crossing Leslie Road on his way to O’Connor High School when an 18-wheeler hit him. He was dragged about 40 feet before the driver could stop. Culp […]

We want one of our own!

We want one of our own!

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, City Manager Greg Sundstrom this morning announced four finalists for Grand Rapids police chief, none of whom are internal candidates. “We’re kind of being cheated out of hearing from someone internal who has the most knowledge of where we’ve been, where we’re at and where we need to go,” said Capt. […]

Hell yes we’re going to court!

Hell yes we’re going to court!

The leaders of the Memphis police and fire unions say they will sue the city over changes in employee health insurance approved this month and are prepared to add pension changes to the litigation if the council approves those changes next month. “From my point of view, the administration has left us no choice but […]

Never defend the indefensible

Never defend the indefensible

The officer seen pulling a man from a wheelchair in a now-infamous surveillance video is officially no longer part of the Duluth Police Department. The department said recently that the Duluth Police Union Local 807 has dropped its opposition to the department’s efforts to terminate Officer Richard Jouppi.  A Pine County jury cleared Jouppi of […]

Fair and balanced

Fair and balanced

In Connecticut, the police association representing New London police expressed frustration this week over what it claims is an internal review by department leadership into a posting on the union’s website. At issue is a posting asserting that a Fox television news reporter was “verbally assaulted” while trying to collect information from the police department. […]

Judge tosses stop and frisk lawsuit

Judge tosses stop and frisk lawsuit

A Manhattan judge this week tossed the NYPD PBA’s challenge to a law that makes it easier for people who think they were racially profiled by cops before a stop and frisk to sue individual officers. “This court recognizes that police officers must make split-second decision when engaging in investigative stops,” Justice Anil Singh ruled. […]

Change gamers

Change gamers

Many cities, counties and states are trying to change the laws covering contract negotiations between groups like police associations and government officials. This makes sense because there are still some laws on the books that prevent greedy individuals from screwing the working man out of his or her retirement savings. It’s the laws that work […]

Better than nothing

Better than nothing

In New York, Syracuse police officers have reached a new labor contract with the city, more than three years after the old one expired. The 428 Syracuse police officers will have to pay about twice as much for health insurance, but will get two percent raises for 2013, 2014 and 2015. “I don’t think either […]

8 tips for better PR

8 tips for better PR

Good morning! Here’s 8 tips from PubSec that will make you more successful. 1. Make sure there are a couple of decent photos of association presidents and other leaders available for the media and on the internet. 2. Make sure there is at least one image of the president or association leader where he or […]

We vote no

We vote no

In Texas, just one week after the mayor reached a tentative agreement with the Houston Fire Department’s union on a new contract, the union voted it down by an overwhelming margin. The Houston Professional Firefighters Association said more than 93 percent of its members voted against the tentative agreement for a new 30-month contract between […]

Big spenders

Big spenders

In Nevada, the Reno City Council may double what the City is paying to a legal firm to negotiate its union contracts, again. This week, an item on the Council agenda was pulled and continued to June 25. It would pay the firm Fisher & Phillips LLP up to $600,000 to negotiate its union contracts. […]

Being right is not enough

Being right is not enough

When it comes to attacks on our pay, pensions and health care the truth is squarely on the side of public employees. But these days the truth isn’t enough. You need good talking points, a serious political ground-game and ammunition to fire back at misrepresentations and flat-out lies. Ron York at Policepay.net has put together […]

Association calls foul on civilian investigation

Association calls foul on civilian investigation

Portland’s police union president, in a message to union members, slammed the city’s effort to allow for independent investigations into alleged officer misconduct by an arm of the city auditor’s office – the Independent Police Review Division. Officer Daryl Turner contends the civilian investigators in the division are “trampling on” his union members’ rights and […]