[Littlebear]

"That scandal, which led to the conviction of the powerful district attorney, Thomas Spota, who was scheduled to be sentenced this month, and the head of his anti-corruption unit underscored how easy it can be for cops and politicians to get in bed together and turn law enforcement into a system of political favors and personal vengeance. Police officers testified that they feared for their families’ safety or that they’d be framed for crimes if they blew the whistle on their boss. It’s hard to imagine a starker illustration of the need to reinvent policing."

"“I can’t stress to you enough how afraid of the union these people are,” he said of his fellow legislators.

“This is a good thing,” he said, gesturing at the meeting on his screen. “But it’s not getting at this,” he declared, holding up printouts about the union’s political donations. “The root of the evil is the money.”

"In 1974, police officers and firefighters in New York got an additional boost from a new provision in the Civil Service Law that gave them compulsory binding arbitration if they reached an impasse in a contract dispute. Other unions didn’t get that. Since then, the average salaries of the police and firefighters have risen far faster than other government employees’, and well above the rate of inflation, according to E.J. McMahon of the Empire Center for Public Policy.
Politicians bellyache that compulsory binding arbitration is bankrupting their communities by handing power over police salaries to an unelected, police-friendly arbitrator. But legislators have not had the guts to get rid of the provision.
"The justification for this sweetheart deal for the police and firefighters is that they are so essential to safety that communities can’t risk a strike. But that same logic beat back an attempt to unionize the American military. In 1976, an A.F.L.-C.I.O.-affiliated union voted to admit military personnel, prompting a freakout at the Pentagon, according to Jennifer Mittelstadt, a history professor at Rutgers who wrote “The Rise of the Military Welfare State.” Congress swiftly outlawed union membership for soldiers. Giving a paramilitary force the right to collective bargaining would undermine the military chain of command, they argued. It was true. But that’s also true of the police."

"In Suffolk County, the police unions wield outsize influence. In 2008, when the county executive tried to cut costs by having the sheriff’s department patrol the Long Island Expressway instead of the police, who earned more, about 2,000 police officers and their relatives joined a local political party to try to oust the sheriff. The union also began collecting $2 a day from every officer to put toward an “education fund” — to educate politicians about the importance of police patrols on the Long Island Expressway."

"“I’m not against people getting a cost-of-living increase, but they were getting three times the cost of living,” Mr. Trotta told them of the raise that Mr. Bellone’s contract gave the police. (Mr. Bellone argued that an arbitrator would have given them more.) It amounted to more than $200 million over the life of the contract, when the county was already in debt. Without that extra spending, Mr. Trotta said, “We could have done the roads. We could have done the parks.”"

These are some quotes are from the Suffolk Co. article I posted. I'll try to put up crib notes on the Texas Lawyer article later.

Murf

[cmyx6go]

Still going........

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

Still going........
Attachment 2567752

That's what all the women have said about me!

[Maynard]

Spoken like one of those brainwashed idiots who thinks a tenured police officer knows more about law enforcement practices than an internet 'scholar'.

(posted late, in ref to the comments about the news articles)

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Spoken like one of those brainwashed idiots who thinks a tenured police officer knows more about law enforcement practices than an internet 'scholar'.

(posted late, in ref to the comments about the news articles)

How many "tenured police officers" were quoted in the two articles?
That don't count?
Who is the internet scholar(s)? Certainly not the authors of the two articles, who work for one of the most acclaimed news organizations in history?

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Littlebear

How many "tenured police officers" were quoted in the two articles?
That don't count?

So I should know better than to ask and frankly will walk away after this but here goes. What is your beef? Is it that the police get a decent wage, and benefits. Do you object to them being paid better than other public servants, or getting as good or better benefits than some private sector folks, or do you object to a union doing it's job because that union represents LE? Is it possible that you have an underlying disdain for LE?

I will concede that unions and their leadership can be and often are distasteful in their approach, tactics and overall style. I'm not a fan. But that isn't unique to policing, Teachers go on strike essentially holding children and their families hostage, truckers can cripple a country by refusing to drive.

Police are in a somewhat unique position. They can not strike, are asked to do a job that can be dangerous, we can not refuse to go into a dangerous situation like most other workers can, we generally have shorter life expectancy due to the stress of the job, shift work, etc. The average person experiences 1-2 traumatic events in their lives, police officers on average experience more than 800. We are subject to multiple levels oversight, over 90% of complaints against police are unfounded and often vexatious. I was mortified the first time a citizen complained about me, my boss told me that if you don't get complaints you're not doing your job.

My point is this, like it or not police are different and get treated that way in just about every way you can imagine. There is a strong anti police bias politically and in the MSM. The police are rarely the bearers of good news, a lot of folks hate the police, don't trust the police and would enjoy nothing better than to see the police defunded or disbanded all together. God help society if that happens.

You can take this for what it's worth, I concede that there are problems with some police unions. I will also say that there are lots of problems with just about everything. You can make your comments that drip with anti police sentiment and I can take it, I've taken worse than anyone here can dish out, I don't even know what your actual grip is, and I don't recall you offering a solution. Have a good day.

[rwheels]

Meanwhile...

[Maynard]

I think it is that you guys get all the chicks. That and those butch uniforms. It just isn't fair for the rest of us.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Maynard

I think it is that you guys get all the chicks. That and those butch uniforms. It just isn't fair for the rest of us.

I've heard of this Blue Flu......

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by Murf993

I've heard of this Blue Flu......

I think he means Badge Bunnies....

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Maynard

I think it is that you guys get all the chicks. That and those butch uniforms. It just isn't fair for the rest of us.

See, actually, I always thought it was that they could legitimately say they were packing 6.5 inches. Unlike some of us.

https://us.glock.com/en/pistols/g43x-us

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

I think he means Badge Bunnies....

The Queen's Cowboys referred to it as Scarlett Fever.

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by Murf993

The Queen's Cowboys referred to it as Scarlett Fever.

Here Blue Flu is calling out sick in dispute of something.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

Here Blue Flu is calling out sick in dispute of something.

When I first came on the job our uniform shirts were light blue, hence the Blue Flu. The uniforms here in Ontario at least are all LAPD Blue, which is almost black.

I've used the expression Anal Glaucoma (I can't see my ass making it in today) when referring to skipping a day at work.

[Littlebear]

Originally Posted by Murf993

So I should know better than to ask and frankly will walk away after this but here goes. What is your beef?... Have a good day.

Murf#2, I'll give you credit. You have been civil lately, much more than when you first appeared. And I do think you try to add value here.
So what is my beef?
-Corruption of those in power. I don't know what thread I said it in, but I said my prob was much more with the pols who make the laws than with LE officers. Add corporate power, organized religions, or any other power you wish to discuss.
-Mental laziness. We sometimes discuss serious stuff here. Participation should come with some effort; low effort often shows a lack of respect.
-Internet bullies. Say stuff like I have no reading comprehension, that I was born in another country, that I just don't respect LE & thus have invalid opinions, and I'll bury you & your lacking arguments.

Can I come over for a beer, now?

Murf

[Maynard]

Holster sniffers is the phrase I've heard (for the lookie loos, not calling in sick), but apparently there is much regional variation in dialect. I do loves me some difference to appreciate (even you depraved Canadians).

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Holster sniffers is the phrase I've heard (for the lookie loos, not calling in sick), but apparently there is much regional variation in dialect. I do loves me some difference to appreciate (even you depraved Canadians).

We are a bit twisted north of the 49th.

[Maynard]

At least you get it that the right side of the road is the Right side of the road. Don't get me started on those Aussie freaks (freak is still ok, right, not a microagression phrase?).

[Sedan_Clan]

What do you all think of the Chauvin trial thus far? I haven't been able to keep up on it the last few days.

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Murf993

The Queen's Cowboys referred to it as Scarlett Fever.

I don't care what you call it. My last two dates were with the same RCMP Staff Sgt. Pilot Officer and former RCAF SAR helicopter pilot. Those guys look super sharp in their ceremonial uniforms. Even their dress ankle boots have spurs which they must remove when the dance starts.

It's not that I'm attracted to a uniform like a moth to a zapper, it's just that I am a staunch supporter of our Police and Military and feel that desk jockeys who have never faced life or death situations, have no right to judge. Period.
How many bean counters have died on duty so far?

[Fly320s]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

and feel that desk jockeys who have never faced life or death situations, have no right to judge. Period.
How many bean counters have died on duty so far?

I once got a paper cut at work. And sometimes my finger gets tired of pushing buttons. That count?

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Fly320s

I once got a paper cut at work. And sometimes my finger gets tired of pushing buttons. That count?

Come on over at YQM and I'll kiss it better.