Q. Why are we still doing racial profiling forms? A. Bureaucracy and racial politics
Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, Inc. 9-11 Shetland Street Boston, Massachusetts 02119
PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WESTBORO, MA Permit No. 100
“This is the form that never ends, it just goes on and on my friends…”
See story on page A7
Nation’s First Police Department • Established 1854
Volume 42, Number 3 • May/June 2012
PAXCENTURION Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, Inc. Boston Emergency Medical Technicians
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POLICE ORGANIZATIONS
No incentive for police higher education
“Bargaining?”: BPPA files for arbitration July 1st begins three years without contract/raise By Jim Carnell, Pax Editor fter having reached our wit’s end following two years of alleged “bargaining” talks with the city, the BPPA recently decided that continued “talks” with the city were fruitless and filed for arbitration with the JLMC (Joint Labor Management Committee), the agency responsible for hearing disputes between police and fire departments and their employers. Bargaining talks had begun about six months before the last contract expired in July of 2010, with the hopes of reaching an agreement without contentious and protracted negotiations. But, once again, the City of Boston snubs its According to members of the at its long-suffering BPPA bargaining committee, the nose police officers and says, in City’s offers at the bargaining effect “screw you”. table have been so paltry as to With the average fireman being compensated at be insulting and not even worthy about $16,000 more than of consideration. The BPPA was a similarly-situated patrolleft with virtually no alternative men, parity was of course but to file for arbitration, which, an issue. Why a firefighter, as many of know, is a crapshoot. who has a somewhat “different” (for lack of a better term) work schedule and “living arrangement” (ibid, see above) should be compensated $16,000 more than a patrolman who works the streets and must remain alert and awake all night is a constant source of irritation amongst the patrol force. Asking for simple, basic parity with the firefighters when the Quinn bill was de-funded and de-activated for new hires by Little Lord Fauntleroy (Governor Patrick) is not in the least bit excessive. According to members of the BPPA bargaining committee, the City’s offers at the bargaining table have been so paltry as to be insulting and not even worthy of consideration. The BPPA was left with virtually no alternative but to file for arbitration, which, as many of us know, is a crapshoot. We will soon be entering (July 1st, 2012) our THIRD year without a contract or raise. Amazingly, and to our membership’s great credit, we continue to provide the city and the department with outstanding service and amass statistics, even as our political leadership and command staff offer nothing more than their “appreciation” and “thanks”. If any officer can pay their bills and support their families on “appreciation” and “thanks”, please send us a letter and let us know how you do it. Unfortunately, arbitration proceedings are both lengthy and a political quagmire. Phone calls are made back and forth from politically-influential persons (if you know what we mean, wink-wink, nod-nod) to delay and influence the proceedings. It is not unreasonable
A
(continued on page A5)
Public will eventually reap the (non)-benefits By James Carnell, BPPA, According to a recent decision of the Pax Centurion Editor SJC (Adams v. City of Boston, SJC 10861) n 1970, then-Attorney General Robert issued on 3/7/12, the State has been allowed Quinn, believing an educated police force to renege on its part of the agreement to pay to be in the public interest during a time municipalities 50% of the costs for the eduof social unrest, sponsored the so-called cational incentive. Over the years, the Quinn “Quinn Bill”; bill has bean education- It was thought that having officers come an inal incentive tegral part of attend college would broaden for police ofmany police ficers that of- horizons and result in a better contracts, fered higher police force. For 40 years, that pr om i si ng pay in return social compact between the pay increasfor attainfor police government and the police officers es ing a college officers in d eg r e e . I t who served its citizens seemed to exchange was thought work. Apparently, under the Patrick for attaining that having administration and his allies in the higher eduofficers atand/ Supreme Judicial Court, that theory cation tend college or contract would broad- is no longer true… concessions. en horizons It is without and result in a better police force. For 40 years, argument that a highly educated police force that social compact between the government (as opposed to a police force drawn from the and the police officers who served its citizens graduates of GED night school) benefits the seemed to work. Apparently, under the Patrick general public. But incredibly, by employing administration and his allies in the Supreme twisted, convoluted logic which could have Judicial Court, that theory is no longer true… (continued on page A4)
I
The advertisers of the Pax Centurion do not necessarily endorse the opinions of the Pax Centurion/Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association. The advertisers are in support of the BPPA Scholarship Fund and every patrolmen who risks his or her life to protect and serve the community.