If you could fix one thing in the DC that really needs to be

fixed, what would it be?

:(

Maybe check with the field officers every once in a while to see how the job is done instead of depending on long ago recollections and what "looks good" on paper. Otherwise, this place is great! :roll:

the part where if your caseload was real high and you missed a contact be a week or so you didnt get blamed for why the offender killed someone yesterday - like you seeing him a week before would somehow stop the anger that makes someone willing to kill another....

hey you know you can take that survey over and over and over again. and you can take them both multiple times. let them see what kinds of stats and numbers WE can produce with their product!!

you know, you can take both surveys again and again and again. let's see how they like the way WE control the stats and percentages!!!

I love it!

I didn't realize we could do that!!

Personally? I fit a lot into that little box!! :wink:

Professionalise the Department. Require all CPO to qualify and carry 9mm firearms. Require all CPO's to make an arrest when a Felony has been commited by an offender in their presence, ie VOP. Issue all CPO's a g-car with a cage for transporting their arrests and doing fieldwork. Issue all CPO's a 900 mkz radio for fieldwork and for calling for back-up. Basicly, make FL-DOC more like Georgia DOC. Oh, I did I mention that a step-pay-plan should be fully funded. I think crime would go way down, morale way up, and attrition rates go down.

Professionalise the Department. Require all CPO to qualify and carry 9mm firearms. Require all CPO's to make an arrest when a Felony has been commited by an offender in their presence, ie VOP. Issue all CPO's a g-car with a cage for transporting their arrests and doing fieldwork. Issue all CPO's a 900 mkz radio for fieldwork and for calling for back-up. Basicly, make FL-DOC more like Georgia DOC. Oh, I did I mention that a step-pay-plan should be fully funded. I think crime would go way down, morale way up, and attrition rates go down.

The legislature's answer would be to freeze our wages for a couple of years to pay for that stuff and not even give us the measly 3% raise.....

The lock on the ladies room.

i would want a step pay plan, an issued take home car, an issued rifle and hand gun, issued duty gear and updated as needed, the authority to act like a real leo, better filed offices and a professional looking staff in the offices. this dept currently looks unprofessional and we are the goodwill looking agency in this state when it comes to the criminal justice field. we wonder why we lose so many great cpo's well it is becuase of the low pay, unprofessional looking dept we have that treats us like child and does not give us true direction and clear authority. this is a good job for a new college grad then move on to be a real leo i am soon.

if you could fix this dept what would it be?


well the dept is a broken cheap car example a ford fiesta cheapo mobile. this car has flat tires no brakes busted engine leaking windows and lots of body damage. this place cannot be fixed it is what it is thats why so many leave. if you want a fast car that looks pretty and has kool rims and a shiny high powered engine join a real leo agency and stay away from corrections work as a correctional probation officer with the fl doc.

[mystikwarrior]

if you want a fast car that looks pretty and has kool rims and a shiny high powered engine
Such machines are indeed nice eye-candy. Of course they require constant care to keep up that appearance that has nothing to do with their functionality.
As for that shiny engine, yeah it's a metal marvel. But what an ornery marvel. Subject to quit at the slightest hint of 'bad gas'. Also requires constant attention.
And the bottom line is that such a fast shiny car is utterly useless when you have a broad range of tasks to perform. For example it doesn't haul lumber very well. Need to haul more than yourself and a friend? Too bad. Need to drive on a dirt road instead of the highway? Oops, to low to the ground and the body and suspension can't take the beating anyway.

No wonder local LEA are such incompetents. They're too busy polishing their department-bought buttons to remember that they're supposed to be doing something. Like preventing crime.
Nope. Modeling a 'new and improved DOC' after local LEA's is a mistake.

No wonder local LEA are such incompetents. They're too busy polishing their department-bought buttons to remember that they're supposed to be doing something. Like preventing crime.
Nope. Modeling a 'new and improved DOC' after local LEA's is a mistake.

What? You don't think bullet proof vests, guns, squad cars, uniforms, handcuffs, big badges and bad attitudes help with DOC's mission? I'm shocked and dismayed. Doesn't the cuff 'em and stuff 'em mentality help reform criminals? How about the holding cell idea in the OPPAGA report? Great, eh? Maybe we could store our drug testing supplies in the office cell....works for me. No need to worry about the cuffing policy if we already have them behind bars. I wonder if a probationer was held in a DOC office holding cell if it would count towards credit on their sentence? I guess we wouldn't need to worry about tolling time held in the probation office.....points to ponder....

[mystikwarrior]

You don't think bullet proof vests, guns, squad cars, uniforms, handcuffs, big badges and bad attitudes help with DOC's mission?
Bulletproof vests? If you need one of those because your cases may kill you then there is a bigger problem than who pays for it.
Guns? Likewise. What do you need one of those for?
Squad cars? Well I have no problem with DOC providing PO's with state automobiles. Thing is, you wouldn't be able to take it home. Or you would have to keep a detailed driving log (you know, those things that CC cases have to fill out) and claim all the 'personal' usage as income.
Handcuffs? Just how many pairs do you need, anyway? Want me to send you $30?
Big badges? I'm just dying to know what good that will do? Or does it need to be that big so the local Barney Fife doesn't shoot you?
Bad attitudes? Well, if you have one of those I can understand why you need a bulletproof vest :)

Doesn't the cuff 'em and stuff 'em mentality help reform criminals?
Don't know about reform. If you have to cuff and stuff your cases you need to look at why it is happening. Of course there are those who believe a PO's job is to wait aeound for the offender to violate and hope they don't pull a Deltona and kill a bunch of people in the process. Then there's the others who think the PO should be aware of what the heck is going on in the offender's life and providing assistance and advice in order to mend their ways and thus not violate by killing a bunch of people.
Regardless, I don't understand the problem. Your case clearly has a violation (he answered the door with a joint in his mouth). You cuff him and carry him to the nearest county jail. Why would you do anything else?

Then there's the others who think the PO should be aware of what the heck is going on in the offender's life and providing assistance and advice in order to mend their ways and thus not violate by killing a bunch of people.

Do we still have those around? Didn't they die out with the T-Rex? It's pretty obvious there's not much assistance going on, are you dumb, deaf or blind?

I would like to see a more professional attitude from Probation Officers. I am embarassed at trainings when other agencies are there. DC employees moan and groan about everything. They interupt when others are talking, talk when the speaker is lecturing, and are just generally rude. It goes on now, and has gone on for the last 20 years that I have been here.

I would like to see a more professional attitude from Probation Officers. I am embarassed at trainings when other agencies are there. DC employees moan and groan about everything. They interupt when others are talking, talk when the speaker is lecturing, and are just generally rude. It goes on now, and has gone on for the last 20 years that I have been here.

If are pay was what theirs is and theirs was what ours is I think you would see the reverse my friend.

This has nothing to do with pay. Are you telling me DC employees have a right to be rude and disrepectful because of the pay?

well this place is the minor league of all of the florida criminal justice agencies and it shows. the good leave us and shine some where else and make more money and do real law work. the pay is poor the equiptment and training is poor it is jsut a poor sad low end job. :oops:

This has nothing to do with pay. Are you telling me DC employees have a right to be rude and disrepectful because of the pay?

If you'd seen the e-mails that pour into the leadership of the department, you'd see why P&P is mariganlized. No one wants to deal with arrogance of some of these people.

E-mails that start off with "I don't know what genius.." and "If you do this one more time I'll..." and "I'm so sick of...".

And don't get me started about your use of the word "logic". I can probably count on one hand how many took a logic course in college.

Everytime something like this happens, those of us who come from the private sector just look at it and say, "Yep...just another state worker."

Clean up your act. Then maybe you'll get some attention and deal with the issues you face.

My post is not about reacting to low pay, poor equipment, or a leadership that is worthless. In fact, I am well aware of the lousy job this is. It is about a little self respect. My comment is not just about the last few years. It emcompasses six administrations. Pay has always been low, equipment has never been there, and there has been no leadership.

i would love a take home state vehicle that the dept allowed us to use when not doing field work. i would love gas cards so i did not have to budget for gas money. i would love having my equiptment issued and maintained by the dept at their expense not mine. i would love a yearly allowance for shoes and clothing such as our doc shirts we buy at the cop shop web site. this dept should issue all of this stuff that we use on state time and for state work. gee i wonder why we lose so many cpo's gee i wonder low pay and skid row gee its not a wonder more leave. :roll:

This has nothing to do with pay. Are you telling me DC employees have a right to be rude and disrepectful because of the pay?

No - I am telling you people act that way at places where they are not appreciated as much. I have 2 friends who went to federal probation where they are payed good and they do not have people acting this way much - Wouldnt you think this is due to them being appreciated some in their pay and from their supervisors more. If you think its bad now imagine if they cut our pay by 5000.00, it would be even worse.

This has nothing to do with pay. Are you telling me DC employees have a right to be rude and disrepectful because of the pay?

If you'd seen the e-mails that pour into the leadership of the department, you'd see why P&P is mariganlized. No one wants to deal with arrogance of some of these people.

E-mails that start off with "I don't know what genius.." and "If you do this one more time I'll..." and "I'm so sick of...".

And don't get me started about your use of the word "logic". I can probably count on one hand how many took a logic course in college.

Everytime something like this happens, those of us who come from the private sector just look at it and say, "Yep...just another state worker."

Clean up your act. Then maybe you'll get some attention and deal with the issues you face.

thats why you so call private sector workers quit quickly when they find out the true story - that DOC expects you to do 50 hours in 40 hours and pay you crappy on top of that. Well when Doc cleans up its act maybe the officers wont complain so much but that will never happen - too many of us for the state to justly compensate. The clerical staff even get it worse pay wise then us - everyone of them that leaves seems to get at least 10,000 more per year at their new job and then tells us how it is easier than the position they had at DOC.

My post is not about reacting to low pay, poor equipment, or a leadership that is worthless. In fact, I am well aware of the lousy job this is. It is about a little self respect. My comment is not just about the last few years. It emcompasses six administrations. Pay has always been low, equipment has never been there, and there has been no leadership.

The starting pay at least was not as bad in 2002. CPO's except for S. Florida generally started a little higher than most local law enforcement and would then be passed a few years down the road due to their seniority pay. Now because of raises not hardly even keeping up with inflation, we start at a few thousand less than most local law enforcement and really get passed once they get a few seniority raises. There was no excuse for not having bigger raises like the local guys the last few years with how large the revenue stream was coming in for the state.

thats why you so call private sector workers quit quickly when they find out the true story - that DOC expects you to do 50 hours in 40 hours and pay you crappy on top of that. Well when Doc cleans up its act maybe the officers wont complain so much but that will never happen - too many of us for the state to justly compensate. The clerical staff even get it worse pay wise then us - everyone of them that leaves seems to get at least 10,000 more per year at their new job and then tells us how it is easier than the position they had at DOC.

Oh, please - most of us can do in about an hour what it takes government workers three hours to do.

I quit counting all the employees who seem to delight in saying no and what can't be done.

I generally just go around them and focus on the competents who want to do something besides move papers around on thier desk and collect a check.

C did not write the above.

C did not write the above.

:lol: :lol: :lol: That's hilarious. Maybe you should just go around them and focus on the competant posters who can figure out who to respond to. :P

[mystikwarrior]

Pretty simple question. If the grass is so much greener elsewhere, why do all you whiners stay?
Have some nerve and quit. Today. Now. I dare you. Turn the badge in and walk away. You hate the job so much. So leave. You said it yourself. The local PD is hiring at $5,000 a year more. So go get that job.



That's what I thought. No takers.

I concur with mystikwarrior.

I do sidework and make just about what I do working for the department.

I've also let my boss know not to screw with me too terribly much or they can find someone else to do my job.

I've found that if they can't hold you over a barrel there's very little they can do to you.

If, on the other hand, they can hold you over a barrel they'll let you know it by nitpicking details - thier way of letting you know who's in charge.

I've made it clear - and have told them as much - that I allow no one to determine how much money I can make or what I can do professionally.

If I allowed them to micromanage me, which they've attempted to do, I'd sit here absolutely afraid to do anything except go to the bathroom, and then only with permission.

Folks, that's not real life - that's not how the world works.

Once you all do the same you'll be much better off.

[Merlin]

I concur with mystikwarrior.

I do sidework and make just about what I do working for the department.

I've also let my boss know not to screw with me too terribly much or they can find someone else to do my job.

I've found that if they can't hold you over a barrel there's very little they can do to you.

If, on the other hand, they can hold you over a barrel they'll let you know it by nitpicking details - thier way of letting you know who's in charge.

I've made it clear - and have told them as much - that I allow no one to determine how much money I can make or what I can do professionally.

If I allowed them to micromanage me, which they've attempted to do, I'd sit here absolutely afraid to do anything except go to the bathroom, and then only with permission.

Folks, that's not real life - that's not how the world works.

Once you all do the same you'll be much better off.

I totally agree. I came to DOC initially looking for a job that I could enjoy that would supplement my retirement pension. The benefits are great and the flexible work hours are the best in the state IMO. There's extra time for side jobs, school, and family. You can't beat the balanced lifestyle. It's a shame some folks think this one job should meet all their needs. No job does that. With proper time management and losing the fear of change, I think a lot of people would be much happier in life.

time toi change all management staff

Pretty simple question. If the grass is so much greener elsewhere, why do all you whiners stay?
Have some nerve and quit. Today. Now. I dare you. Turn the badge in and walk away. You hate the job so much. So leave. You said it yourself. The local PD is hiring at $5,000 a year more. So go get that job.



That's what I thought. No takers.

People are doing that - havent you seen the turnover numbers...I dont think people should just quietly take a beating even if they are leaving. How would things ever get better at any job if people just quietly took it and accepted bad pay and conditions without talking against it. We would probably get 25 K a year from the state if that was the case.

well this place is the minor league of all of the florida criminal justice agencies and it shows. the good leave us and shine some where else and make more money and do real law work. the pay is poor the equiptment and training is poor it is jsut a poor sad low end job. :oops:

I'd really like to know where all these high paying law enforcement jobs everyone is always talking about. It certainly isn't in Northwest Florida. If it was there would not be 18 vacant positions at the police department and approximiately 26 at the sheriffs department. They can't keep people. Why? The low pay. They all have to take 2nd jobs to keep up. My brother in law just retired from the FHP after about 28 years and wasn't making too much more than I. I've been with the department for 20 years. Higher paying law enforcement jobs in Florida? Please tell me where. I will admit though that our training is extremely poor.

well this place is the minor league of all of the florida criminal justice agencies and it shows. the good leave us and shine some where else and make more money and do real law work. the pay is poor the equiptment and training is poor it is jsut a poor sad low end job. :oops:

I'd really like to know where all these high paying law enforcement jobs everyone is always talking about. It certainly isn't in Northwest Florida. If it was there would not be 18 vacant positions at the police department and approximiately 26 at the sheriffs department. They can't keep people. Why? The low pay. They all have to take 2nd jobs to keep up. My brother in law just retired from the FHP after about 28 years and wasn't making too much more than I. I've been with the department for 20 years. Higher paying law enforcement jobs in Florida? Please tell me where. I will admit though that our training is extremely poor.

In central florida and south florida law enforcement at almost every agency makes a lot more after a couple of years than DOC and most make as much or more to start also now. State Troopers are just like the other state workers and underpaid and have huge turnover to other agencies due to low pay also with no seniority raises basically.

tampa police salary

Salaries





...to TPD Home Page

October 2005
Police Officer Hourly Annual
1st Step

$19.45
$40,456

2nd Step

$20.30
$42,224

3rd Step

$21.21
$44,116

4th Step

$22.30
$46,384

5th Step

$23.31
$48,484

6th Step

$24.36
$50,668

7th Step

$25.42
$52,873

8th Step

$26.54
$55,203

9th Step

$27.74
$57,699

10th Step

$28.35
$58,968

Master Officer

$31.60
$65,728


Corporal/Detective Hourly Annual
1st Step

$28.35
$58,968

2nd Step

$29.62
$61,609

3rd Step

$30.95
$64,376

4th Step

$32.30
$67,184

5th Step

$33.72
$70,137

Senior

$35.21
$73,236


Sergeant Hourly Annual
1st Step

$31.60
$65,728

2nd Step

$32.99
$68,619

3rd Step

$34.08
$70,886

4th Step

$35.59
$74,027

5th Step

$37.15
$77,272

Senior

$38.78
$80,662

hcso in the tampa area



Salary

Deputy
$38,154.48
to
$59,273.76


Effective October 01, 2006:

Deputy $39,115.44 to $61,042.80

largo police pinellas county

Salary and Benefits
The City of Largo offers a competitive salary, with opportunities for additional incentives based on education and work responsibilities. Benefits for officers include health and life insurance, tuition reimbursement, overtime pay, court pay, clothing allowances for plain-clothes officers, and drycleaning service for on-duty apparel. Uniforms and essential equipment are provided at no cost to officers. Additional benefits such as dental insurance, flexible medical savings, supplemental life insurance and dependent health insurance are available at an additional cost.

Salary
Officer Salary $37,000.00 - $56,000.00 (17.79 - 26.92 per hour)
Officers are eligible for overtime for all hours worked over 40 per week.
Educational Incentives $80/month ($960 annually) for a bachelors degree
$30/month ($360 annually) for an associates degree
Shift Differential $30/week for shifts with majority of hours between 5 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Field Training Officer 4% of base hourly wage

Additional funds are available for commission-approved advanced training under the rules established by the Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. Up to $130 monthly ($1,560 annually ) may be awarded for educational and salary incentives.


Training

what i love is that these depts max out at 10 to 12 yr with 60 plus thous, i have 12 yrs doc and make 41 if that. i am poor and have a crappy job.

what i love is that these depts max out at 10 to 12 yr with 60 plus thous, i have 12 yrs doc and make 41 if that. i am poor and have a crappy job. alot of them started less than us a few years back but no more - while the last few years have been good budget years, the state has gave us hardly anything for a raise why the local departments have been getting like 8% overall raises.

What are we all waiting for? Why are sitting here complaining and not applying for these jobs. Let's go!!!

What are we all waiting for? Why are sitting here complaining and not applying for these jobs. Let's go!!!

why do you think turnover within the first 3 years is well over 50%...

well this place is the minor league of all of the florida criminal justice agencies and it shows. the good leave us and shine some where else and make more money and do real law work. the pay is poor the equiptment and training is poor it is jsut a poor sad low end job. :oops:

I'd really like to know where all these high paying law enforcement jobs everyone is always talking about. It certainly isn't in Northwest Florida. If it was there would not be 18 vacant positions at the police department and approximiately 26 at the sheriffs department. They can't keep people. Why? The low pay. They all have to take 2nd jobs to keep up. My brother in law just retired from the FHP after about 28 years and wasn't making too much more than I. I've been with the department for 20 years. Higher paying law enforcement jobs in Florida? Please tell me where. I will admit though that our training is extremely poor.

In central florida and south florida law enforcement at almost every agency makes a lot more after a couple of years than DOC and most make as much or more to start also now. State Troopers are just like the other state workers and underpaid and have huge turnover to other agencies due to low pay also with no seniority raises basically.


Thanks everyone for responding. I might need to head to Central Florida because truly the local Law Enforcement aren't making anywhere near that in Northwest Florida.

and let me out in 25 years.

it does not matter if you got a job as a police officer or deputy in a small city or county that started out at 25 thousand. a low paying police or sheriff office job in north florida will still out pay doc in less then 5 yrs with their raises and step pay/longivity pay. if you throw on the over time and special details they can work heck they out pay our starting salary from the get go. i know many cops that make 20 to 30 grand a year working overtime and details and they have more play time and money then me. we have a low starting pay and we never reach a high salary and we never are able to make extra money. it is sad to think that if you worked at a job for 20 yrs and never made 60 grand and had to use your own car and buy all of the other things through the year. it is nice to think that if i leave this place now and got a job at a big sheriff office i could max out my salary as a road deputy in 12 yrs and make over 60 thousand and over 70 plus with a little o/t and details not to mention the sweat patrol car you can use off duty. :P

forget this online junk, give us quality training.

agree. i can almost handle the low pay and using my own vehicle if they would just meet me half way: good training, pay for my weapon, give me vehicle allowance. as much as i like this job (and i really do) the more i look at how this administration simply screws over its staff, the more i look for another job. and its a shame. there are truly good officers who would really make this a shining example of how probation is to be run. but central office doesn't seem to want that. they want to manipulate every mundane detail to death so the staff gets to the point of "whats the use?" . they pay isn't really that bad compared to most jobs (ok, not against a street cop) but i guess i'm starting to get burned on tearing up my car, and getting no reinsbursement for it. the gun? i choose to carry, so i'll pay the tab. badge shirts? i choose to wear them, so I'll pay the tab. but man, my car is totally getting skanked up on the road and no one seems to care. i even got "spoken to" when my car was in the shop for two days (bummed a ride in) and i couldn't drop everything to run to the courthouse at a momemt's notice.

but i guess in someone's accounting ledger it's cheaper for them to continually hire and train new staff, rather than focus that money on keeping the good ones they have. don't understand that mentality, but I can't see it any other way.

hey do what i did leave the dept. i am a police officer now and get a take home car uniforms issued gun/all gear that includes a 45 sig and a colt ar15 and taser/asp/cuffs/oc/2 flash lights mini combat and a rechargeable streamline. we max out at 10 yrs at 64 thousand currently. we get o/t after 40 hours and get o/t for court on our days off. i can work details hanging out at the movie theather or drive in or sit ina hospital or roadway construction you name it and i get lots of money for that. the dept and most do pay for our dry cleaning and the dept check on my iswsued take home vehicle every 3,000 miles tire changes etc and not on my dime. we get new vehicle every 3 yrs or less depending on your milage and it does not matter if you drive 30 thousand miles a year or 80 miles a year its the indy plan. i made the best move leaving doc i am working for a real dept and it feels good. i compare it to being in jr high school to being a high school senior all american 4 letter man. if you are thinking of leaving get off your a#@ and do it. the job is so neat and you cant beat the rush daily.

i would increase the pay with a step plan and have cars avail to us to use in the field. i think that the dept should issue us firearms and pay for all of the gear and uniform shirts.

I'll lay odds we never here about the survey again. They won't like the results.

remember the last survey they sent out? after eight months of waiting for results, it kind of went like this:

issue: blah, blah, blah (for lack of exact wording)
current policy: blah, blah, blah

officer response: usually something intelligent to change the rule/policy to make our jobs easier or to make some sense

official action: rule/policy remains the same. no changes at this time.

do you dare think this will yield any different results? they ask for our input, but refuse to listen or implement. oh, I stand corrected...the last survey did manage to do away with required collateral contacts. thanks for helping me do my job better.

Right now, I just wish somebody would fix the leak in my office. Or, at least, they could furnish me with a good ole dc towel.