PBA, the Secretary and The Lies They Tell

[CPT Aubrey]

I posted this under a response to the topic, " PBA and Other Living Things". It was a topic I started.

The more I read it, the madder I got and I thought it deserved its own topic line. So everyone knows, I sent it to every public newspaper I know.

I’m at the point where disgust is too tame a word.

I want to know what quid pro quo was exchanged between the union and the Secretary. What was the Judas price?

I want to know why 66 probation officers were treated like pond scum and given one day's notice followed up by a form letter used only to fire substandard officers.

I want to know why these 66 officers were not offered CO and or institutional positions from the get go. Can they possibly realize the bitterness- standing in the unemployment line listening to the latest career of courage advertisement? Can they possibly realize the absolute black hilarity CPO’s have when they hear, “You never walk alone?”

I want to know what kind of people can do the above and still have the audacity to talk about leadership.

I want to know how much P&P salary money over the years has been funneled into the prison side of the house based on fully funded vacant probation officer positions.

I want to know how the Secretary has funded his new Central Office organization.

I want to know why if it costs $20,000 a year plus to house an inmate and a little over $2,500 a year to supervise an offender, DOC concentrates the recidivism efforts on the back end versus the front end.

I want to know why no one in state government is concerned that DOC has the power to raise and lower its own prison population at will, and by policy fiat versus the mandate of law. Who in his right mind would give that kind of power to one individual?

I want to know why CC is not under the courts and or an independent organization.

Crap. There’s a lot I want to know and will probably never find out.CPT Aubrey
LEO Affairs Lieutenant

Posts: 59
Joined: 10/20/08 19:15:00
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I will try and explain as much as I can.
The Department of Corrections was told by the legislators to cut all the vacant positions in the prisons (over 500). The legislators took all the vacant Probation positions and ordered the Department to cut more money. Well all the vacant positions are gone and now more cuts are ordered. Secretary McNeil was prepared and ordered all the positions that people filled that were on Probationary status to be cut. The Department of Corrections can let you go at a moments notice if you are on probationary status. I agree with you, it was very inhumane. Dogs were treated better. but PBA went to the legislators and convinced them to stop the other 144 positions they were about to cut.
The 66 positions that were cut could not go to the prison side because ALL the vacant positions were taken away. The Department is now slowly hiring these people back but on the prison side. I tell you that some of these people were single mom's with children, mom's that sacrificed time with there families to get a 4 year degree only to be treated like crap.
About the money DC collects, The department collects restitution, court costs, and other fees and charges a 4% surcharge on all these monies, that 4% collected along with cost of supervision all goes to the general revenue fund. This is the fund that the legislators use to spend money. A few years ago the legislators approved a $2 a month surcharge to go the the Department of Corrections Training Trust Fund for all those people placed on probation. Guess what? the legislators saw all this money and took all this money away from us. The prison side takes about 85% of the Departments budget, so basically all the money we collect goes to prisons, to feed them clothe them, fix there teeth, give them glasses if they need them, while probation officer get nothing but a stupid statement," We Never Walk Alone". I got news for you, "WE DO WALK ALONE", Mr. Grant does not care about Probation Officers , all he cares about is the $80,000 he collects in salary. Probation Officers has begged him to cut the workload due to caseloads going up, but all they throw at us is more screens. Bottom line the legislators can lay off people, it doesn't bother them because they have a job, they can go to bed and sleep well, because they don't give a damn about you either.

F.Y.I. Grant makes 106,000 a year. Also, your Chapter PBA leadership makes 6,600 a year. Just think of all the stuff they are doing for the Probation Officers. :shock:

Grant in my opinion, has nothing to do with it. This is all the Secretary's doing, listening to bad advice from his lawyers. Take a look at the Secretary's salary and those of his new Deputies. You notice Mr. Grant is an Assistant Secretary under a Deputy Assistant. Goes to show you what force CC has.

And the PBA failed to do what we pay them to do- look out for our interest.

Grant in my opinion, has nothing to do with it. This is all the Secretary's doing, listening to bad advice from his lawyers. Take a look at the Secretary's salary and those of his new Deputies. You notice Mr. Grant is an Assistant Secretary under a Deputy Assistant. Goes to show you what force CC has.

And the PBA failed to do what we pay them to do- look out for our interest.

PBA has looked out for our interest. Look at Crists veto and look at McNeil's new proposal if draconian cuts are forced on DOC : 120 Admin/ Central Office positions and 24 office positions which are to be SES positions also. The only Officer cuts proposed are the 71 PTI positions which will be eliminated but the officers put into currently empty positions. It looks like McNeil will not offer up officers again : It would take being forced by the legislature which I hear they want no part of that again after the last news stories.

Ah, your talking about the 15 percent "budget exercise". He also stated that taking 15% out of the DOC budget would force him to eliminate Community Corrections in its entirety.

Who are you kidding? PBA was informed by contract, 66 probation officers would lose their positions. They made a deal with the Secretary. Few know what the quid pro quo was, but many know what deal was struck. This was the price of PBA silence. What was the deal? What was PBA's thirty pieces of silver?

It doesn't take a genius to figure out P&P is on the chopping block, nor does it take a genius to figure out the next to go is FHP. They are going to lose up to 70 officers this time around. Why? Because they are the smallest contingent of PBA and like P&P, do not have the politcal muscle to back them up.

Go sell your garbage to someone else.

That is the greatest post ever. I am sure the PBA leadership will come back with something else to change the subject or point the finger at others. I am so glad people are starting to see what PBA is all about. They have failed us all in the last three years..... :x :x

Ah, your talking about the 15 percent "budget exercise". He also stated that taking 15% out of the DOC budget would force him to eliminate Community Corrections in its entirety.

Who are you kidding? PBA was informed by contract, 66 probation officers would lose their positions. They made a deal with the Secretary. Few know what the quid pro quo was, but many know what deal was struck. This was the price of PBA silence. What was the deal? What was PBA's thirty pieces of silver?

It doesn't take a genius to figure out P&P is on the chopping block, nor does it take a genius to figure out the next to go is FHP. They are going to lose up to 70 officers this time around. Why? Because they are the smallest contingent of PBA and like P&P, do not have the politcal muscle to back them up.

Go sell your garbage to someone else.

Yes but SES positions. You will see Victor Crist's budget reductions next Friday. Take your new union 550 officer layoff vision somewhere else while we take Gov Crist and his veto pen with us.

I really can see the PBA people getting worried...It is great... :lol:

The PBA is filled with fat guys with double chins stealing money from its membership.