Researching PBA

[blogger]

I have been checking the other agencies listed here on Leo Affairs. I have yet to find one agency who has PBA and is happy. Brevard County has 16 pages of people complaining about the PBA. BSO has PBA and is getting ready to layoff 177 employees. Before you vote check out some of the other agencies in Florida. If you find one that is happy with PBA, please post so I can check it out.

1. Bso is laying off the recruits in the academy. (In my opinion it's a ploy) Sheriff Lambert is playing politics and refuses to give back any money from his budget, or to cut salaries. Thus the headline BSO is cutting deputies.

2. look up BSO's, West palm beach's, Miami -Dade's, and Orange County's PBA contract then lookup Charlotte county's FOP contract (They can be googled). For Charlotte County you have to go to the web site. I am in contact with Deputies from these depts. and regardless of what they say they make between $10,000-$15,000 more than we do.

3. I challenge you to get a hold of a FOP rep to call you back within 72 hours.

believe me I've done my homework, when looking at unions I tried to get them to involved, leaving several messages, and even an email. I even called the grand lodge who had difficulty reaching the rep within 72 hours. I finally got a call back, and am still waiting on a call back to get a answer on how to start the process. I am not against FOP, however they have proven not to be helpful to LCSO.

Let me tell you guys my experiance with the FOP. While you may have had problems getting someone to respond, I'm a little suprised actually. I was involved in an on duty shooting a few years back and it was late at night. No one could reach the FOP attorney assigned to the area. A call was made to the Regional FOP coordinator and he gave clearance for us get ANY attorney I so chose. I asked for a high dollar local defense attorney and he responded immediately and was there within an hour for me before I gave any statement. The FOP actually allowed me to keep him until the legal issues were resolved months later. Keep in mind I was a patrol officer at the time and had I been required to pay out of pocket it would have destroyed me financially. I was married, kids, house payment, 2 cars, you get the picture. All this representation cost me was my dues. (About $25 per check at that time)
I was also closely involved in 2 other similar situations where I acted as spokesman for fellow officers involved in lethal incidents until FOP legal representation arrived. Those officers involved will tell you exactly the same stories. Over my 20 year career I saw the FOP step up to plate over and over again to represent it's members when they faced legal or administrave issues where legal help was needed. All it ever cost any of them was monthly dues. I have no experiance with PBA but I can tell you now I would have either gone bankrupt or still been making payments years later had I not been a member of the FOP. Ask the guys in Cape Coral who have been there for a while to recall how well they have been represented when the bad things happen. I've been retired a couple of years now but there is no way I would do the job again without soem sort of legal protection plan. FOP, PBA, something. You guys at LCSO are at the mercy of the man. Whether it's the Sheriff or one of his boys that he will back. YOU NEED SOMEONE IN YOUR CORNER.

Something is better than nothing at this point! Most in the agency recognize the propaganda,and lies, but voices are being suppressed in fear of retaliation or job termination! With Mike as Sheriff, what rights do we have? Think you stand a chance against him when standing before the board? (3 down , 1 to go) Im sorry, but he has displayed poor leadership skills, and fails to ever take responsibilty for his mistakes! The public is given this image of an honest and fair leader, when in reality we know it to be inaccurate!After all thats happened in recent months, the majority in the agency stand as future scapegoats for a Sheriff who(in his mind) is never wrong! Union? That and some help from from god above!