Here is what it's going to take...........

Everyone wants to know what it's going to take to make this department better. The opportunity is in front of you right now to make this department your own, and a great place to work. It's no secret what's been going on arund the office. If we want to progress, and get consistent treatment, we need to follow through this time. Sure, all of the sudden the pension looks like it may go down. Sure, it looks like all of the sudden we might get a raise, but won't know until November. What about the years after that? What about the quality of our insurance, and lack of a COLA? What about the contribution? You cannot look at the short term if your in it for the long term. The union can help make all that happen for us. You cannot look at the overall dollars and cents, and empty promises. Do you really want to wait until November, just to see if there is a chance for a raise? With a union you might have to wait a year, but look at the long term benefits. Once the upper command staff got word of the union, all the sudden changes are happening. Does anyone else find this to be a little suspicious? We need to be concious of what is going on around us, and that this is very likely an attempt to keep us from putting our future in our own hands instead of the cities.

I agree that we need some change and the union might be the answer. I think the Chief wants what is best for us...but he can only do so much. The union would give him the muscle to make the city commisioners come off of some money. The union would also come in handy in bargaining for good raises every year and not just once every 3 or 4 years when officers want to leave. Raises that don't even cover the insurance increase just isn't getting it. We need step pay, night differential and a lot of other things. What ever happened to the pay study??? There is no way the results were that we are paid the same as other agencies our size. I just don't think that the commisioners have our best interest at heart when they negotiate our raises. With the growth of the city that is taking place. They city will definitely have to do something or the mass exit everyone is fearing will become a reality. It's bad when you loose good officers because of money.

I have been here longer than most. This has been going on for the entire time I have been here, from Surrency to McDaniel. The commissioners don't care if you stay or go. They don't know who you are and don't care. They have kept the tax rate the same the entire time I have been here. Each year they proclaim they have kept the rates the same and pat each other on the back. It doesn't matter to them if you are struggling financially after paying for medical and retirement. The only time they will change the way they do things is if they have no choice. If you truly want change for the better, you should vote for the union. Don't be swayed by short term promises of additional money etc. In the past when a union was being considered, officers allowed themselves to be talked out of it by the promise of additional money, benefits, or even fear of termination or repercussions.
Because of this, we are where we are, now.

Go to Lakeland' PD's site and see how much their Union has done for them. Not Much!

[quote="Sure"]Go to Lakeland' PD's site and see how much their Union has done for them. Not Much![/quote]

Go to Tampa PDs web site and see how much it has done for them, a lot. Use someone who is proving they can make a difference instead of someone who isn't.

A union like theirs would do wonders for this department. The salary would be more competitive and certain protections could be enacted ensuring officers rights were respected.

City Commissioners will not give you a significant raise out of the goodness of their hearts. They are politicians and it is easier for them to tell citizens they didn't raise taxes or they cut the budget than to say they gave you a raise. Not giving you a raise gives them votes, giving you a raise requires them to raise taxes and results in the commissioner having to defend his/her actions.

As a reminder to the naysayers, a couple of years after Chief came into office, he proposed a significant raise for all officers. He convinced the City Manager and a majority of the Commissioners the raise was needed to retain and recruit the highest quality of officers. The raise was brought up and approved at a workshop. Prior to the final vote, a number of citizens complained about taxes being raised. The Commissioners folded like a HOUSE OF CARDS. Needless to say, we didn't get a very good raise that year. Ever since, I have never heard Chief promise a certain percentage of raise until the Commissioners actually vote on and approve it.

THERE WERE LOTS OF OFFICER'S WHO WERE ABOUT TO TURN IN BLUE CARDS. THEN SOME SAID HEY LET ME JUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT WE GET ARE WHAT I GET FIRST. I FOR ONE DON'T KNOW WHO IS TO BLAME THE CITY, THE CHIEF. THEY ARE CHANGING SOME SMALL STUFF THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED ALONG TIME AGO. THE MAIN THING IS KEEPING OFFICERS.. WE LOSE TWO IN A WEEK AND ANOTHER MAY BE CALLED UP THIS SUMMER FOR A YEAR . WE WILL LOSE SOME MORE FROM THE RUMORS. SOME SAY NO MORE ARE LEAVING. BUT WE HAD ONE WHO WAS NOT LEAVING EITHER AND THEN I HEAR HE TOLD THE CHIEF YEAH IM GOING TO TAMPA. FOR THE ONES WHO HAVE UNDER THREE YEARS THE MONEY ELSE WHERE IS HARD TO PASS UP. WE HAVE LOST OFFICERS WITH 10 PLUS YEARS SO WHY WOULD A TWO YEAR OFFICER STAY. MY WHOLE SQUAD HAS APPLICATIONS IN..OF COURSE WE WILL NOT ADMIT THAT WE DO. WHAT ABOUT NEW HIRES WHERE ARE THEY AT? :roll: :roll: :roll: :cop:

We can wait until October, the only thing they will give us will be the insignificant little things that do not really matter. Or, we can go ahead with the blue cards right now, we all agree its going to happen anyway.
The Chief seems to think that he can continue to bluff all the officers with his empty promises, nobody here, rookies included, believe his BS anymore.
You have to wonder where he has been for the past year, everybody knew we were going to be losing officers, but he did nothing to recruit or hire any new people, now look where we are. Now we have another whole patrol squad applying at other agencies, just because of the sadistic Lt. they have to work with, again, the Chief does not seem to have a clue about that major problem, or, he does not care.
Stay safe, watch over each other, because nobody else will, until we finish the unionization process.

OK, LETS GIVE IT UNTIL OCTOBER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS, PCPD. LETS MAKE A PACT NOW AND DRAW THE LINE. IF NOTHING HAPPENS, THEN WE WILL GO FOURTH AND CONQUER WITH PLAN A...UNION. IF THAT PLAN DOES NOT WORK, THAN WE GO TO PLAN B; APPLY SOMEWHERE ELSE. OR IF YOU DO NOT LIKE PCPD AT ALL, THEN PUT YOUR APP. IN NOW. DON'T COMPLAIN JUST DO IT.

OK, LETS GIVE IT UNTIL OCTOBER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS, PCPD. LETS MAKE A PACT NOW AND DRAW THE LINE. IF NOTHING HAPPENS, THEN WE WILL GO FOURTH AND CONQUER WITH PLAN A...UNION. IF THAT PLAN DOES NOT WORK, THAN WE GO TO PLAN B; APPLY SOMEWHERE ELSE. OR IF YOU DO NOT LIKE PCPD AT ALL, THEN PUT YOUR APP. IN NOW. DON'T COMPLAIN JUST DO IT.

This is the wrong thing to do, just wait. It is what we have done every year. We hear promises and we want to believe. Then October comes about and you are left with nothing. It benefits the administration, which includes PCPD and city hall, to string us along. It costs them nothing and gives them another year to make more empty promises.

NEWS FLASH...if a pay raise and benefits are not in the budget prior to 1 October, you won't see them until another year.

This isn't the first year we have talked about this. Look at the years behind you, has anything changed? The manning at PCPD should be over 100 officers, is it? Can we keep the number of officers we are authorized, no. Are you and your family living the quality of life you think you should?

Whether it's done now or later is not an issue. It will eventually be done, but you need to look at the bigger picture before you decide. People are thinking one thing.... Money. Money is a MAJOR problem, but it's not our only problem. Benefits, C.O.A. in our pension, number of officers on the street. These are all things to consider. The chief is starting to listen, that is obvious. I believe he realizes there is a major problem inside the department and where things are heading if major changes dont happen. I for one believe the chief is going for a large raise, but as was stated, it needs to be setup and proposed now, not October. Questions to ask yourself.... Do you feel safe at work? Do you feel like you'll go home every day/night if we don't have more officers on the street? The small changes all matter. It shows someone is listening. It also shows new recruits; things arent great, but theyre getting better. The chief just expanded the living radius to 20 miles. That will help a lot with recruitment, officers with families, young officers with no families. The department is finally starting to realize these things are all important both to current officers and future officers. The thing they need to realize also is giving us these things are not the only issue, and that's why union talks are continuing.