Ed. note: If your agency has had experience with civilian review boards—pro or con—please let us know. You can comment on the PubSecAlliance Facebook page. When the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted a year ago to create the first-ever civilian panel to monitor the L.A. Sheriff’s Department, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl thought a new […]
The search is on for a new LAPD Chief, as Chief Charlie Beck is set to retire in June. Check out this interview on Fox News with Charlie Beck, the outgoing chief, and Robert Harris, director at the Los Angeles Police Protective league (LAPPL). The L.A. police union has been more than successful getting their […]
High levels of stress and on the job injuries are among the top reasons police in South Australia are only staying on the job for an average of 8.7 years. Officers report they are seeking treatment for mental health issues which are forcing them to quit before retirement age. According to a story by Miles […]
No one predicted this great news but overall union membership rose by 262,000 workers in 2017, while union density stayed at 10.7 percent. The Economic Policy Institute’s Lawrence Mishel warns against reading too much into the numbers, but pulls out the following interesting data points: Union membership became more common among men: some 32 percent […]
A recent federal appeals court ruling rejected an appeal by the Cranston fire and police unions in Rhode Island in effect upholding the state’s 2011 and 2015 pension plan changes that resulted in a loss of retirement benefits. According to an in-depth report by the Providence Journal, the court ruled that police and firefighters in the […]
Some Baltimore residents attribute the high murder rate in the city to less aggressive police patrols following controversial police actions like the Freddie Gray incident. But one local pastor, Rev. Kinji Scott, says they need more police in violence-plagued neighborhoods. “We wanted the police there,” Scott says. “We wanted them engaged in the community. We […]
Four more Austin, Texas, cops resigned last week, bringing the total of those putting in their papers in the past year at 36. The turmoil comes amidst a bitter labor dispute between the city and the Austin Police Association In the CBS News report, Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday explains that Austin officers are […]
It turns out that Jersey City (NJ) has had a problem with officers allegedly getting paid fort security details at a city housing project that they did not work. According to a letter obtained by The Jersey Journal, evidence exists that the Jersey City public safety director was warned four years ago about potential abuses by […]
Four sheriff’s deputies have filed a $500,000 claim with the county, asking for money they say was promised to them when they were hired under what is now a defunct pay-increase program. According to a story from Caitlin Schmidt in the Arizona Daily Star, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department employees Therese Deschenes, Ricardo Garcia, John […]
Police in South Australia are only staying on the job for an average of 8.7 years. The reason for the high turnover? High levels of stress and on the job injuries are forcing more officers to see treatment for mental health issues. According to a story by Miles Kemp in The Advertiser, a South Australia […]
The latest pension debacle comes to us from Ft. Worth via a story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram by reporter Sandra Baker. Like so many other municipalities across the U.S., the situation has become so dire that Moody’s just lowered Fort Worth’s rating on some general obligation bonds for a second straight year. It appears […]
The South China Morning Post reports that a 20,000-member Hong Kong police union has demanded a law be passed to exempt officers from criminal liability for actions taken during enforcement duties, saying members of the city’s judiciary do not have enough professional knowledge to judge use of force. The issue has blown wide open after […]
The Connecticut Post reports Bridgeport, CT, police officers rejected a new four-year pact, 152 votes to 133 votes, despite efforts by leadership this week to sell the deal as better than one imposed through state arbitration. “I knew it was going to be close,” Sgt. Chuck Paris, the union president, said. Paris attributed the contract’s […]
by Timothy Talbot California’s First Appellate District has issued a published opinion in the legal battle between the Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association and the Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association. Bottom line? The decision recognizes and protects promised pension benefits for long term public employees in Alameda, Contra Costa and Merced counties. The Alameda decision […]
by Eric Siddall As California firefighters battle the Santa Barbara blaze, their pension rights are under fire in the courtroom. Opponents of organized labor hope to score a major victory against firefighters in Cal Fire Local 2881 v. California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). In Cal Fire, firefighters challenged a provision of the Public Employees’ […]
Joseph Gamaldi has a lot of work ahead of him. Elected by a 9-1 margin in late October, Gamaldi is now the leader of the Houston Police Officers’ Union on Thursday at a crucial time for the Houston Police Department. The New York native, just 34 years-old, is a passionate defender of the rights of […]
The FBI won’t be taking over an investigation into the homicide of a Baltimore city detective who was slain amid a corruption investigation. Detective Sean Suiter was shot in the head with his own weapon on Nov. 15, a day before he was to testify before a federal grand jury investigating wrongdoing by fellow officers […]
by Ken Crane Over the years I have had the opportunity to participate in firearms instruction that includes giving concealed weapons permit instruction to civilians. One question I frequently throw out to classes is the concept of warning shots to get their take on what they think. Without hesitation, the clear majority of students immediately […]
By Brianna Dunn, special correspondent for American Police Beat Police officials in Dallas are proud to say that they’ve solved a problem plaguing the department. The city’s 911 call response time is now back to where it should be thanks to a combination of a hiring spree, a little remodeling, and a lot of appreciation from […]
Via St. Louis Public Radio: Voters in St. Louis will be heading out to the polls to decide on a half-cent tax increase. If it passes that would mean a raise for the city’s police and firefighters. According to a story from St. Louis Public Radio, getting voters to support “Proposition P” is no […]
Via ABC News: The New York City officer being hailed as a hero for stopping Tuesday’s deadly terror attack said he was grateful for the outpouring of support, but his team was just doing its job. Eight were killed and a dozen more injured when a truck plowed into pedestrians and cyclists on a path […]
PubSecAlliance is a growing online community of union and association leaders from groups representing sworn personnel in law enforcement agencies in the U.S., Canada and around the world. It is
... Read More »
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 […]
When is Police “Use of Force” Justified?
It seems like every law enforcement agency is grappling with changes in use-of-force policies, which are too often implemented by people that are not familiar at all with the complicated, risky, and high-pressure world of law enforcement, especially when it comes to the use of deadly force. The press conference you are about to watch […]
FBI Will Not Investigate Detective’s Homicide
The FBI won’t be taking over an investigation into the homicide of a Baltimore city detective who was slain amid a corruption investigation. Detective Sean Suiter was shot in the head with his own weapon on Nov. 15, a day before he was to testify before a federal grand jury investigating wrongdoing by fellow officers […]
The Madison Police Department in Wisconsin is making some changes to its policies on the use of deadly force. According to an article in the Wisconsin State Journal, the changes come after several law suits against the city were successful with payouts in the millions. “When it comes to the rules our police officers are trained […]
Via the Chicago Tribune: On his first full day as president of Chicago’s largest police union, Officer Kevin Graham appeared at a news conference to address reporters seeking details of his plan for leading the embattled rank-and-file of the police force. With cameras and reporters ready at the Fraternal Order of Police lodge in the […]
No matter how you feel about Donald Trump, this bit from “Jimmy Kimmel Live” will leave you laughing.
Deputy Martha Lohnes of the Greenville County Sheriff’s Department in South Carolina has responded to some weird 911 calls, but this one takes the cake. Aaliyah Ryan is just two years old. But she knew enough to call 911 when she was having a problem. The dispatcher told Deputy Lohnes that it sounded like a […]
In this section we will bring you articles, videos and pictures that make it obvious who needs a union – we all do. When employees have the right to sit
... Read More »
Connect with us
Connect with us on the following social media platforms.