Ask the PBA

Matt, what is the PBAs position on court overtime (2.5 hours) and working SOAR immediately after court. Do we have to wait for 2.5 hours after court or can we begin working SOAR immediately upon leaving court? This has recently became an issue in Orlando, Troop K.

Matt has the Florida PBA ect FOP been monitoring the Sandyhook Elementry incident aftermath. The Newtown Ct Officers as many as 15 have PTSD and are likely going to end up fired as many many cops do. It seems this would be good timing to push a bill like that of the heart bill for police ptsd. Currently when a cop gets it they're fired for not coming to work or drinking ect symptoms of ptsd. Agencies just want this not addressed. Many successful lawsuits have shown the need for a bill to protect cops from this abuse.

Matt, what is the PBAs position on court overtime (2.5 hours) and working SOAR immediately after court. Do we have to wait for 2.5 hours after court or can we begin working SOAR immediately upon leaving court? This has recently became an issue in Orlando, Troop K.

Are you kidding me? The level of micromanagement in this places never ceases to amaze. That is a bargained for benefit that is in the contract. That is saying you can have 2.5 hours for court but you have to stay 10-8 for the entire time....You need to call them and report this and not put it on this stupid site.....but you probably aren't a member are you?

[Matt Puckett]

Matt, what is the PBAs position on court overtime (2.5 hours) and working SOAR immediately after court. Do we have to wait for 2.5 hours after court or can we begin working SOAR immediately upon leaving court? This has recently became an issue in Orlando, Troop K.

This is a great question.

Here's the PBA position in a nutshell. By contract you are covered for 2.5 hours of court overtime even if you do not work the full 2.5 hours. So you can start SOAR immediately after leaving the court.

Here's where the problem keeps cropping up.When you fill out your paperwork, you must accurately document your actual hours of court overtime worked. Example: you work 1 hour of court overtime from 10 to 11. Write it that way, but also make sure you annotate that you will receive coverage by contract for 2.5 hours. If you fill out the paperwork the correct way, there should be zero problem.

However, if you fill out the paperwork and indicate that you actually worked the full 2.5 hours even though you didn't then you start SOAR during the documented period... Yes, it will likely cause you problems. Falsifying a document for starters. It is an accountability issue. You can't be two places at the same time.

Here's the best advice: The contract provides 2.5 hours for court overtime and you will receive it even if you work less than 2.5 hours. Fill out the paperwork to reflect the actual time in court and annotate that 2.5 hours applies per the contract. Do that and you should be fine. If it causes a problem, contact PBA and we will help to correct it.

By the way, we are meeting with FHP tomorrow and we will raise this issue to make sure everyone is operating within this understanding of the contract.

[Matt Puckett]

Matt has the Florida PBA ect FOP been monitoring the Sandyhook Elementry incident aftermath. The Newtown Ct Officers as many as 15 have PTSD and are likely going to end up fired as many many cops do. It seems this would be good timing to push a bill like that of the heart bill for police ptsd. Currently when a cop gets it they're fired for not coming to work or drinking ect symptoms of ptsd. Agencies just want this not addressed. Many successful lawsuits have shown the need for a bill to protect cops from this abuse.

I agree.

The Department is now forfeiting any special comp not taken within 60 days. Can they do that? I don't see that in the contract.

[Matt Puckett]

The Department is now forfeiting any special comp not taken within 60 days. Can they do that? I don't see that in the contract.

No. You have, by the contract, 60 days to take SC on your own. After that a supervisor can instruct you to take it.

The People's First program forfeits your balance, but the agency is going back in and manually reinserting it. This looks to be the cycle with the PF program for the foreseeable future. The agency seems to be on top of manually reinserting the lost time, but please contact PBA if you are concerned they missed you.

Thanks for the info. Yes, they were probably testing it out for the future.

Why doesn't PBA do something about agencies conducting IAs and not interviewing the subject of the IA. Make the officer bill of rights mandate an interview.
Come on PBA this is a no brainer!

Why doesn't PBA do something about agencies conducting IAs and not interviewing the subject of the IA. Make the officer bill of rights mandate an interview.
Come on PBA this is a no brainer!