03-28-2008, 11:00 PM
sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flbgagorder0328sbmar28,0,4789043.story
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Fort Lauderdale police ordered not to air grievances on city time
Police officers told not to air gripes while on city time
By Brittany Wallman
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
March 28, 2008
FORT LAUDERDALE
Police officers have been told not to air their salary and staffing grievances at the neighborhood meetings they attend while on the city clock.
Chief Bruce Roberts issued the order as contract negotiations get increasingly ugly.
The Fraternal Order of Police local has held rallies, paid for billboards, sent letters to neighborhood leaders and issued a no-confidence vote against the city manager.
The latest action, however, comes from the city.
Roberts said inaccurate information is creating work for the department and distracting from its goal of reducing crime.
"We want the accurate stuff to go out," said Roberts, who agrees with officers about understaffing but said he is addressing it.
Currently there are 34 openings and 12 frozen officer positions out of 510 in the department.
The "informational bulletin" issued last Friday advises officers that their presence at homeowner meetings is to "provide accurate information to the community regarding crime and quality of life issues," using information "that has been made public and approved for dissemination."
What they're not supposed to provide, the memo says, is commentary "regarding staffing levels, contractual, political and/or budget related issues." Homeowners who ask questions on those topics will have their names and numbers gathered and forwarded through the chain of command to the district major, "who will make follow-up contact."
The policy doesn't sit well with Victoria Park Homeowner Association President Jay Holloway, a financial adviser who lately has been an anti-crime activist.
"If the district major is going to neuter the police before they come to their meetings, then why send them at all? Why not send us a scrubbed report, with disclaimers all over it?" he said Thursday. "... This gag order that's been issued indicates to me there are efforts being made to reduce transparency. And this is alarming to us."
The city and its police union are locked in a salary-and-benefits battle that has escalated since the job contract expired Oct. 1. Union officials blame thin staffing levels on a compensation package that's low compared to other law enforcement agencies in the area. They also said City Manager George Gretsas's management style chases away employees.
FOP local President Jack Lokeinsky has sent letters to civic leaders alerting them to the understaffing. In a Feb. 29 letter to civic leaders, Lokeinsky warned that constant officer turnover, vacancies and a large number of rookies "is not only unsafe for you but unsafe for the members I represent."
This week, the Council of Civic Associations took up the policing issue, sending a resolution to elected officials "strongly" encouraging them to settle the police contract.
The next city-union negotiating session is scheduled for Monday.
Brittany Wallman can be reached at bwallman@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4541.
Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Fort Lauderdale police ordered not to air grievances on city time
Police officers told not to air gripes while on city time
By Brittany Wallman
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
March 28, 2008
FORT LAUDERDALE
Police officers have been told not to air their salary and staffing grievances at the neighborhood meetings they attend while on the city clock.
Chief Bruce Roberts issued the order as contract negotiations get increasingly ugly.
The Fraternal Order of Police local has held rallies, paid for billboards, sent letters to neighborhood leaders and issued a no-confidence vote against the city manager.
The latest action, however, comes from the city.
Roberts said inaccurate information is creating work for the department and distracting from its goal of reducing crime.
"We want the accurate stuff to go out," said Roberts, who agrees with officers about understaffing but said he is addressing it.
Currently there are 34 openings and 12 frozen officer positions out of 510 in the department.
The "informational bulletin" issued last Friday advises officers that their presence at homeowner meetings is to "provide accurate information to the community regarding crime and quality of life issues," using information "that has been made public and approved for dissemination."
What they're not supposed to provide, the memo says, is commentary "regarding staffing levels, contractual, political and/or budget related issues." Homeowners who ask questions on those topics will have their names and numbers gathered and forwarded through the chain of command to the district major, "who will make follow-up contact."
The policy doesn't sit well with Victoria Park Homeowner Association President Jay Holloway, a financial adviser who lately has been an anti-crime activist.
"If the district major is going to neuter the police before they come to their meetings, then why send them at all? Why not send us a scrubbed report, with disclaimers all over it?" he said Thursday. "... This gag order that's been issued indicates to me there are efforts being made to reduce transparency. And this is alarming to us."
The city and its police union are locked in a salary-and-benefits battle that has escalated since the job contract expired Oct. 1. Union officials blame thin staffing levels on a compensation package that's low compared to other law enforcement agencies in the area. They also said City Manager George Gretsas's management style chases away employees.
FOP local President Jack Lokeinsky has sent letters to civic leaders alerting them to the understaffing. In a Feb. 29 letter to civic leaders, Lokeinsky warned that constant officer turnover, vacancies and a large number of rookies "is not only unsafe for you but unsafe for the members I represent."
This week, the Council of Civic Associations took up the policing issue, sending a resolution to elected officials "strongly" encouraging them to settle the police contract.
The next city-union negotiating session is scheduled for Monday.
Brittany Wallman can be reached at bwallman@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4541.
Copyright © 2008, South Florida Sun-Sentinel