reddog1
10-04-2006, 04:27 AM
OK, I think I finally figured out how to use the new system and get my posts to appear so here goes:
I can't believe someone was registered under my call sign and I had to alter it by adding a 1, anyway...
It is now time to stand up for who you are and what value you put on your lives...
We are arguing about the value of a 12 plus % raise. I ask that you stop and reconsider your perspective. We have forever undervalued our worth to society. We make 70,000 plus and say "Wow, that's pretty good", I mean after all, if the median income in this area is in the 30G per year range we do well. At what value do you place your mental and physical well being, not to mention your life. We need to stop comparing apples to oranges. There is no comprable occupation in the civillian world that you can equate to ours.
I have no problem if people want to compare the ranks from Lt. to Chief against the private sector, I mean after all, they're only management. You could look at management in corporate America and argue that MPO pay equates well to most management positions in civillian business. Our management doesn't even compete using the same qualifications the civillian world does. Competence and ability matter in the private sector, not here. Our staff, for the most part, would have a hard time climbing to MPO wages in corporate America. We have our priorities and pay reversed.
Police work in the mid 1800's began with large thugs given authority to quell unrest. It was a low level blue collar undertaking. The pay was at the lower ends of the economic scales because, at the time, professionalism and intelligence were not pre-requisites. Police work has evolved to the point we can't just beat our will on society. The occupation now demands a level of professionalism, patience and empathy most normal people would never be able to master. Give the average citizen the task of encountering the most abusive, negative aspects of humanity and see how long they can put their ego aside and address the dregs with "Yes Sir" and "Yes Ma'am". Ask them to make split second life and death decisions. See if they can tolerate on a daily basis higher and higher demands put on them by their supervision with not even a thank you. Ask them if they'd be willing to sacrifice years off their life expectancy and sanity to help their fellow man for the compensation that has been leveled as fair for law enforcement.
The value of law enforcement to society is easy to demonstrate. Look at New Orleans one day after the centurions disappeared from the scene, anarchy and the laws of the jungle emerged instantly. Attorneys command $200 per hour, doctors and top city staff do very well. People have accepted their wages as acceptable for their jobs. Law enforcement, (and I'm not referring to management), should be compensated at well over $100G's per year and one would have to question at that point if that pay equaled the value of their laying their life down for another.
The city's actions in these negotiations have been an insult to the highest degree. Majors were given bonuses equaling 6% of my pay, it will take me a year and a half to equal the gift they were given for riding on the risk to my life.
A friend and co-worker gives a beautiful illustration of the value of what we do... How many companies erect a statue, with employees names engraved, of those who died doing their job? Notice the empty space below?
Vote for what you believe, yes or no, my feelings won't be hurt. My hope is that Tampa lead the nation in just compensation for us putting our lives on the line for our fellow man... GOD BLESS ALL MY BROTHER AND SISTER POLICEMEN... The original reddog
I can't believe someone was registered under my call sign and I had to alter it by adding a 1, anyway...
It is now time to stand up for who you are and what value you put on your lives...
We are arguing about the value of a 12 plus % raise. I ask that you stop and reconsider your perspective. We have forever undervalued our worth to society. We make 70,000 plus and say "Wow, that's pretty good", I mean after all, if the median income in this area is in the 30G per year range we do well. At what value do you place your mental and physical well being, not to mention your life. We need to stop comparing apples to oranges. There is no comprable occupation in the civillian world that you can equate to ours.
I have no problem if people want to compare the ranks from Lt. to Chief against the private sector, I mean after all, they're only management. You could look at management in corporate America and argue that MPO pay equates well to most management positions in civillian business. Our management doesn't even compete using the same qualifications the civillian world does. Competence and ability matter in the private sector, not here. Our staff, for the most part, would have a hard time climbing to MPO wages in corporate America. We have our priorities and pay reversed.
Police work in the mid 1800's began with large thugs given authority to quell unrest. It was a low level blue collar undertaking. The pay was at the lower ends of the economic scales because, at the time, professionalism and intelligence were not pre-requisites. Police work has evolved to the point we can't just beat our will on society. The occupation now demands a level of professionalism, patience and empathy most normal people would never be able to master. Give the average citizen the task of encountering the most abusive, negative aspects of humanity and see how long they can put their ego aside and address the dregs with "Yes Sir" and "Yes Ma'am". Ask them to make split second life and death decisions. See if they can tolerate on a daily basis higher and higher demands put on them by their supervision with not even a thank you. Ask them if they'd be willing to sacrifice years off their life expectancy and sanity to help their fellow man for the compensation that has been leveled as fair for law enforcement.
The value of law enforcement to society is easy to demonstrate. Look at New Orleans one day after the centurions disappeared from the scene, anarchy and the laws of the jungle emerged instantly. Attorneys command $200 per hour, doctors and top city staff do very well. People have accepted their wages as acceptable for their jobs. Law enforcement, (and I'm not referring to management), should be compensated at well over $100G's per year and one would have to question at that point if that pay equaled the value of their laying their life down for another.
The city's actions in these negotiations have been an insult to the highest degree. Majors were given bonuses equaling 6% of my pay, it will take me a year and a half to equal the gift they were given for riding on the risk to my life.
A friend and co-worker gives a beautiful illustration of the value of what we do... How many companies erect a statue, with employees names engraved, of those who died doing their job? Notice the empty space below?
Vote for what you believe, yes or no, my feelings won't be hurt. My hope is that Tampa lead the nation in just compensation for us putting our lives on the line for our fellow man... GOD BLESS ALL MY BROTHER AND SISTER POLICEMEN... The original reddog