Kissed and made up
“So you’re telling me the plan we had to save money by demoting the brass is actually going to cost money? Am I the only one that’s starting to think this “pension reform” stuff might be more trouble than it’s worth?”
A California appellate district court has ruled the city of Indio must pay for the attorney fees for one of its police associations following a labor dispute stemming from the reorganization of the police department’s command structure. The ruling means the city will have to cough up about $160,000 on behalf of the Police Command Unit according to that group’s attorney, Wendell Phillips.
“Both sides have kissed and made up,” he said.
Indio City Manager Dan Martinez said “In the end, we will honor the court’s decision and our relationship with PCU is a good one. “This is well behind us now,” he told reporters with the Desert Sun newspaper.
The legal dispute started after incoming Chief Richard Twiss announced plans to reorganize command staff.
The plan was to rename positions. Captain and lieutenants would be hence forth called division commanders and administrative services managers. There were also plans for demotions and loss of seniority for veteran officers.
The PCU challenged the reorganization and both sides went back to the bargaining table where these things generally get hammered out. And now the city will have to pay the police association’s legal costs.
So the plan to mess with rank and demotion to save money will probably wind up costing the city more than if they’d sat on their hands.
That’s what you call a beautiful irony.
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