Membership to Vote Thursday Night on Re-vote Motion
Last week's Eye Poll took on the issue of the narrowly passed APD contract. We asked our readers whether they thought officers should have the opportunity to review the city's contract and vote again - essentially the motion that is on the floor over at the APOA.
Initially, the poll was tilting toward the "it's over with" crowd. However, after the first few hours the poll went solidly towards a re-vote and and stayed there until Sunday night when our Eye Poll ended. Of the 371 votes in our unscientific poll, 42% said it's over, 54% said that there was insufficient time to review the contract and wanted a re-vote, 2% didn't know, and 3% didn't care (read the results here).
Tomorrow night is the next meeting of the APOA (6:00 PM at the FOP). Sergeant Heh's motion for contract review and re-vote is on the floor and scheduled to be voted upon.
Our Eyes tell us that there have been some shenanigans in the past - things like not having enough board members at the meeting for a quorum. We don't know how the APOA bylaws read, but we'd think that it would be incumbent upon the APOA board members to be at this meeting. It's important to the membership and it very well could decide the future of the APOA.
In the last month we've watched as APD officers have vehemently split over the contract. We've watched as the chief - thinking the contract was a done deal - announced major change in APD force allocation from four ten hour days (4-10s) a week to five eight hour days (5-8s). More importantly, we watched as APD brass targeted a senior sergeant for speaking his mind in front of the council.
APD has a long tradition of respectability, honor, and integrity. Its officers have been and are heavily recruited on a national basis because of their training and their reputation.
However, the department's tradition cannot and will not overcome a politically charged work environment or one where officers are made to fear speaking out when something is wrong - be it a contract dispute or criminal infractions like the APD evidence room scandal. Regardless of whether or not the contract hurts senior officers (which we believe it does), the best way to keep officers is to create a work environment where officer know that they've got backup from their leadership.
Thursday's vote will determine the future of the department, the union, and in many ways the security of each and every person living in Albuquerque. If we are going to meet the challenges of a growing city we need to attract new officers and we need to keep senior officers whose experience is invaluable on our streets. You'll never be successful in filling a bucket with a large hole in the bottom no matter how much water you put in it - particularly when the water being poured into the bucked has been reduced to just a trickle.
If you're a member of the APOA you've got a lot to think about before tomorrow's meeting. We'd encourage you to reflect on what has been going on for the last month and what has happened to your department over the years. You are the only ones that have the power to make change - change that could benefit not only your fellow officers, but all of us who depend on the men and women of the Albuquerque Police Department to keep us safe.
33 comments:
Someone said to me years ago, that the only way assholes will respect you is through FEAR. Now is the time that the Rank and File need to turn the tables and put the fear back on the assholes that have been making your lives a living hell for years.
There's only 5 or 6 assholes against 860 of you.
Who's the bugger?
Bugger? What bug?
Ask T J, he knows who the bugger is.
The 'Eye' is a female, that's why TJ can't find out
Well, this is the time for everyone to show up, and show support for all parties involved. The women and men in blue, working day in and day out for Albuquerque. Show up, stand united, and vote for what's right for everyone!
Remember young officer, one day you will be an old officer! You need to stop Marty and his cycle of devision.
I at one time liked Marty but after many years of studying the man I have joined his opposition. All he has ever done is pit officer against officer. Simply the views of a citizen.
Well...all 34's that have 15 years or less, get ready to get hosed.....You will see why thier have been bad contracts by the older officers...this contract benefits 85% percent of the department and its bad? OOh well we will be paying for it for years to come because GREEDY SUPERVISORS and VETS wanted to benefit them the most...three years from now we will be sayin that we got hosed and again bitchin about our pay...Lets see how many pay scales there are this time.....We atleast HEH AND THE HIJACKERS had enough time to read "HOW TO SCREW FELLOW OFFICERS".
Looks to me like a done deal..Contract voted on and passed. Signed off by APOA President. Signed off by APD Chief. Signed off by Mayor Marty..It is a valid contract already. I don't believe we can re-vote this binding contract. I have asked numerous attorneys their opinions and this is over. We senior guys lost.
Ron Olivas will find a way to F*%k this contract re-election up so the Chief's office comes out ahead. Also, I heard that Judus Olivas is taking names of all the officers that are trying to get a fair contract. Olivas is giving the names he gets to Chief Schultz. What a Rat Ron Torres Olivas is! The new APD traitor, Judus. Judus Olivas, we hope you enjoy your new job and thirty pieces of silver!
how about GREEDY ROOKIES PAY YOUR DUES LIKE THE REST!!!!!
Heh and six others caused the rift, it failed, they are the problem. retire or stay retired please...we have a police department to bring out of the ashes and you are hurting our cause.
Whenever I have been hired for a job, I have usually started from the bottom and worked my way up. What I’ve read about this contract sounds pretty attractive to the younger employees than to the older ones. I would be troubled, being a person with experience, by the contract as it is written. If you want to be a cop, then pay your dues like everyone else. It makes sense to me.
To the post above.........Your talking like the vote is already overturned. This would imply that the last vote was "fixed". Now that everyone has had a chance to read the contract (and if you havent, thats on you) everyone can make an educated vote. If its a good contract, it will pass, if its a bad contract, it wont. Whats wrong with actually understanding what your voting for?
T.J. got another story handed to him (today's Journal)
He's like the Jack Ruby of APD. Be careful 'Eye', don't want to get 'wacked' by T.J.
I don't agree with the contract, or a re vote, it didn't pass so be it. On the other hand we need to come together and back Heh, it simply doesn't matter if you like him or not, we need to show some unity.
Well...all 34's that have more than 2 years on, get ready to get hosed...you will see why their have been bad contracts by younger officers.
the contract will just pass again,,,bring it on! then what will the senior officers and supervisors complain about?
will we finally be able to get along, or will they say we cheated them somehow?
HI
For Gods sake just let Paul Pacheco be president of the APOA! Or bring back Billy Pounders.
For law enforment to succeed it must have the trust and respect of it's citizens. At the moment APD as a professional organization has neither. I see it each day where in the faces of the field officers they're just trying to hold it together for just one more day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better......
No, I'm not in law enforcement but after numerous tours of combat I know the look, I've had the look.
Soon, something is going to have to give, which direction is anyone's guess at this point.
I say what everybody else is saying..."MUCK FARTY" and "SCHUCK FULTZ"!
I may be a tad off point here, but I need a law enforcement question answered: I work in another city department and was told just now that a staff person here (not law enforcement)does background checks for our staff. Is this true? Thought only NCIC certified people could do this? Anyone know the answer?
I think the union finally has a president that has the balls to get every one more money. Senior officers are upset because they didn't have anyone to represent them the same way in their earlier years. Do you want the money now, or 20 years from now? Use your brain. It's a chance to get paid what we've been saying we're worth and now the department looks like a bunch of greedy a**holes. How do we expect the citizens of albuquerque to respect us when we behave like a bunch of juveniles? If you believe the big pay raise is unfair, why don't you look at the raises received over the last several years. Stop sniffing the gun powder and wake up.
APD officers - your reputation before the rest of us as citizens is at stake. Personally, I have no respect for those who are only in for themselves and their take-home pay, especially at the expense of senior officers. I hope you will opt for a fair vote, whatever the outcome. Think about it - if all you care about is take-home pay, how hard will you actually try to investigate a crime or help my friends or family or neighbors when in a bind? Doesn't change your pay, no matter what you do! I would rather see policemen with honor, and would be happy if all of your pay increased - let's use the income from the scameras!
See I told you it would pass again. Sorry bout that Heh, Sedillo, Garcia, Salazar and Estrada.
I still respect your ranks as they are. Your rank got a little greener, not as much as the Rooks but greener.
Lets all move on now and try and work together for the betterment of the department as a whole.
81 yes.....192 "HELL NO....Lets move on....Change bylaws, dont speak for every cop "HEH". Maybe you should try and rebuild those bridges that you blew up....YOU caused the split, not the contract. And tell CASS to take her meds.
Quote: "And tell CASS to take her meds."
That is by far the funniest, and most obviously true thing I've seen here in months. Thanks for making my weekend with that one!
Boy,,, have you guys seen how fat the chief is now. He looks as if he is not missing very many meals these days. What a fat hog he is.
Who's Cass?
no one cares any more,,,take some calls please. thank you for your dediated service.
So is it in the bylaws that when you become a executive member of the APOA you become a fat ass??? Those boys are putting on some serious weight...must be all the free pizzas, cigars, and lunches at Carom Club....mmmmmmmmmm tasty.
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