An ill-timed police lawsuit

LBPD does not have a "profound commitment to public service." They have a profound commitment to PROTECT AND SELF-SERVE.

Our Police Officers are being very well paid, plus receiving gold plated benefits. If they're so unhappy, especially in the middle of this financial mess, they should be given the opportunity to join the line for unemployment benefits. Any employee at any company is not paid until they appear fully in uniform and ready to go. I find it hard to believe that this lawsuit isn't instigated by the union.

Of course the lawsuit is being driven by the Union. They used a clever technique to cover their tracks to make it appear that each officer decided to sue on his or her own. Poll the Union board and see how many of them are part of the suit and you will see firsthand who is driving this issue. The cops in Long Beach could care less about anything other than padding their wallets with more cash and fat benefits packages. Im sure many of them are dedicated to their jobs, but in these economic times, they need to do the right thing by the the City and participate in the give backs like all other City employees have done. This whole thing is a good wake up call to the people of Long Beach about who the true team players are...

this is a well said op ed.

the pensions are killing us and this lawsuit is just salt on the wound.

contracting out is looking better every day.

The corrupt legal/political system shows no restraint when it comes to awarding $millions of our hard earned tax money to violent out of control often drug laced thugs because of the tactics the cops find necessary to employ in order to subdue them. For example, not only was Rodney King and his lawyers "awarded" $3.8 millions, but the cops were sent to jail as well.

Why should our cops be prevented from cashing in as well?

Ronald

Nice article. Don't waste any time and effort trying to present the officer's side of the story. We wouldn't want objective reporting. I realize this is an op-ed piece, so objectivity is not called for.

I am tired of being blamed for this city's financial situation. IF they lose this lawsuit, the money will not come out of the general fund. Just like all the other lawsuits the city loses and has to pay for. Not that it matters where the money comes from, its still money the city can ill afford to spend...except wait, even if they lose and have to pay, they will still saved millions of dollars for the years and years of not complying with federal labor laws that govern this type of workplace compensation.

So maybe we should stop being critical of the city for violating the law, and congratulate them for finding a way to save millions of dollars over the last decade or so.

I was not here for the "police slowdown" of the mid 90's, but I can tell you without reservation the Sheriff's do not want Long Beach...which other city do they police that has the size and scope of Long Beach again? And they don't get involved in local politics? Right...maybe not city council elections, but when the Sheriff starts raising prices and reducing services...all politics are local!

If you don't want to pay us, then say so. But be clear about it, cuts in public safety that have taken place and that are being threatened, are going to make this city less safe. They already have, for the citizens, visitors, and the officers who live, work, and play here.

If the city loses this lawsuit, then maybe then, the PT will turn its focus on the leaders who allowed this mess to go on. The lawsuits were filed over four years ago. They could have been (probably should have been) resolved then. What is their opinion about that?

Mathias,

While I appreciate your dedication to your profession, I cannot help but wonder where your true priotities are? To date, the Police have not done anything to help ease the budget deficit in 2009, and it looks as though you will force the issue on taking another pay raise in October. That could mean that in the interest of getting senior officers better pay, you are willing to eliminate the total number of Officers in the Department that could be patrolling the streets. This lawsuit is nothing more than salt on an open wound. Would you advocate that all City employees sue their employer for back wages for time spent getting dressed for work? Or, do you feel that this should only be reserved for the Police? It makes no difference when the suit was filed, the fact that it was is the kicker. So, my question for you is, which is more important... getting more money or protecting and serving the people of Long Beach? Last I checked, none of you are living at the poverty line...

While I agree the cost of this lawsuit could be disasterous for long beach, I agree with the cops. The city made their bed. I think too many people are focusing on their emotions and not looking at the facts and laws. The officers believe the city has VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW. A judge will decide and if he/she agrees with the officers then they city SHOULD pay. Long Beach is not above the law and this financial mess has no bearing on this case.

Harold,

Define true priorities for me please? My family? The citizens of Long Beach? myself? Please appreciate my dedication to my profession, but also understand this is my livelihood, it is how I support my family and my middle class lifestyle.

It DOES matter when the lawsuit was filed. The op-ed is entitled "ill timed lawsuit", as if the lawsuit was filed with the intention of piling on to the city's current financial crisis. That is not true.

Should an officer be paid for being placed "on duty" on their day off? or after hours? Should they be disciplined for incurring city liability when they are "off the clock"? Should they be required to maintain city property with their own time and money? Should they be mandated to perform job functions from home without compensation?

These are the true issues of the lawsuit. Getting dressed is a nice convenient way to categorize officers as being greedy or frivolous. When these issues were raised for YEARS by officers, they were not addressed. So, the lawsuits were filed. An ounce of prevention years ago by the city may have saved them a pound of cure in the future.

As for us not helping out with the 2009 budget, you are wrong. Our resources have been cut, and are being cut even further, with or without a pay raise...you have no idea how much public safety has already been compromised in the interest of saving money in the 2009 budget.

As I said in my post, the federal law does not only apply to the police. The details of the lawsuit are not even closely being represented accurately by the PT. Can you pay someone less than minimum wage? That too is governed by federal labor law...maybe the city should ignore that too and see how much money they can save.

As for your specific question, you obviously think you know the answer I should give. Well, actions speak louder than words. I am still here and am not going anywhere. The citizens of Long Beach always have and always will get my best. That is the oath I took and the promise I made to my family. It is what they deserve and what they expect. I am idealistic enough to think that dedication and effort will be reciprocated.

You have to be kidding me. Is today April Fool's Day? I am insulted because I am a layed teacher and I know police put their lives on the line everyday but get real some of the things they want reinmbursment for is totally out of bounds especially when teachers dig deep in their pockets for their students.

I'm not a fan of the public employee unions either. I'm glad the police union is getting a lot of attention, but lets not forget the firefighters. They only look like they are helping. They are at if not above the median pay for the strategic cities. Giving a louzy percent or 2 back to help is reiculous. They are still paid above "the median". Cut their pay down to where the cops are and tell the cops they arent getting additional raises. Further, the fire department does not need 4 man crews. Cut it to three immediately. And while we're at it, cut their "built-in overtime". If they are concerned about man power, get some volunteers. I'm not sure but I think the cops use a bunch of volunteers. If they can find volunteers in this cop hating world, I am conifdent the fire department could have hundreds of volunteers. They wont though because they are afraid these volunteers can do their job just as good if not better, but for free.

I say if the City of Long Beach was not in complianace with local, state and federal labor laws, then so be it and pay up! At least they have the gumtion to stand up and fight for something that should have been paid by the city in the first place.
Now that the economy has hit the skids, and nobody seemed to have (or haved saved) a "plum nickle" for when trouble times come or to fight for living wage benifits that all employers use to pay or pay into, like sheep we got bamboozled by employers to for go a retirement pension plan and get stuck into a 401K or 457 Plan why you ask, because employers did not to help thier employees, but to save costs!
LAPD and several other PD's and Fire Dpt's have won their cases in federal court (see below) and Long Beach PD Officers are going to win too!
This is payback for the past ways the City (PD Upper Command Staff) and Higher Ups in City Government treated the thier employess.
And for you other people who are training people from other countries in taking over your jobs, you deserve what you get, in less you fight for your job rights and working conditions!

SEE BELOW ARITICLE: LAPD WINS SUIT IN FEDERAL COURT
For LAPD officers, getting ready for work is on the clock
A federal judge rules that putting on -- and taking off -- uniforms and safety equipment is essential to the job and requires compensation. The decision could cost the city millions of dollars.
By Joel Rubin
May 08, 2009
Who knew the badge, the holster and the iconic dark blue threads worn by Los Angeles police officers could make punching the clock so complicated?
A federal judge ruled this week that Los Angeles Police Department officers should be paid for the time it takes them to put on and take off their uniforms and safety equipment, a decision that could cost the city millions of dollars in back pay and higher salaries.
In a 39-page ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess found that the several minutes it takes an officer to dress for duty is a vital part of the job because "police uniforms convey and legitimize officers' authority, increase officer safety, and help deter crime." The dress time, which is generally thought to be between five and 15 minutes on each end of a shift, Feess decided, falls under the compensation rules of the U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act, a long-standing law that requires employers to pay their employees for all hours worked.
The decision, which applies to three similar cases that had been brought by LAPD officers, drew sharp rebuke from Police Chief William J. Bratton, who lashed out at the officers and the city's Police Protective League, the rank-and-file officers' union that has filed a separate lawsuit on the issue.
"I think that it's outrageous that they are even seeking [the additional pay]," he said. "We have enough costs to bear without paying officers to take their clothes on and off."
Paul M. Weber, president of the union, fired back, calling the ruling "a huge deal." It is unfair, Weber argued, that officers must don their uniforms, holsters, bullet-proof vests and other equipment as part of the job, but can also be disciplined by supervisors for failing to be ready for duty at the start of a shift. "It's the law," Weber said. "All we've been saying is that we want the city and the department to comply with it."
Greg Petersen, the lawyer who sued the city on behalf of the officers, said that preparation time involves more than putting on a uniform. Strapping on Sam Browne equipment belts, which can weigh upward of 30 pounds, and required body armor, as well as preparing weapons and other equipment for duty, takes time and effort, he said.
Throughout the country, paying officers to dress for duty is a highly contentious and litigated matter. Though not widely embraced, some law enforcement agencies, such as the California Highway Patrol, do compensate its officers for the time it takes them to suit up for duty, Petersen said.

layed off wrote:

You have to be kidding me. Is today April Fool's Day? I am insulted because I am a layed teacher and I know police put their lives on the line everyday but get real some of the things they want reinmbursment for is totally out of bounds especially when teachers dig deep in their pockets for their students.

good thing you're LAID off. i don't know what you teach, but it sure ain't english grammar, spelling, vocabulary or punctuation

Currently, the total contribution for a miscellaneous employee making $100K a year is 20% of his/her payroll or $20,000/yr., of which the employee contributes $2,000 and the taxpayers contribute $18,000.

For public safety employees making $100K a year, the total contribution is 25% of his/her payroll or $25,000/yr., of which the employee contributes $2,500/yr., and the taxpayers contribute $22,500/yr. Pensions now account for $80Million of the General Fund and will continue to compound yearly. These figures were for 2008; we don't know what they are for 2009 or will be for 2010. We only know they will be much higher.

Pension costs are the reason Long Beach continues to have a Structural Deficit. It took Scharzenegger too long to confront the issue with the California Legislature; we can only hope some common sense will jump start a discussion on pension reform in Long Beach.

Governor Scharzenegger threatens to hold back signing any new legislation until the structural deficit is fixed in California, and that means reform, including pensions. If Mayor Foster is truly honest about his statement in his interview with Art Levine, telling Mr. Levine that the employees know the pensions are not sustainable; what is holding the Mayor back in doing anything meaningful to fix Long Beach's structural deficit by reforming pensions?

I'm a major supporter of the Long Beach Police, however, I agree completely with the title of this article. This is a lousy time to move forward with this lawsuit, parts of which are quite frivolous. Bad move boys & girls, especially when considering you are higher paid than most other city employees, you have great days off (three), and many of your fellow civilian employees are facing losing money due to the furlough...... The word greed comes to mind.

We live in a country that is governed by laws. When there is a dispute, we have a system of courts that adjudicate the differences of the parties involved. This system has been around for years and is the backbone of our democracy. It is up to the courts to decide if the City of Long Beach has broken any of the labor laws. The courts will then decide the punishment or the innocence of the City of Long Beach. Don't get mad at the officers. They have the right to sue, just like anyone else. The City has the obligation to follow the law. The City can always try to settle out of court. This might be in their best interest after reading about LAPD. Don't get angry with the officers but demand that the city leaders explain why this occurred in the first place. Remember, all labor contracts are signed by both parties and this shows that they were in agreement at the time of the signing. Maybe the City needs more intelligent leaders, especially when it comes to the council.

Mike wrote:

I'm a major supporter of the Long Beach Police, however, I agree completely with the title of this article. This is a lousy time to move forward with this lawsuit, parts of which are quite frivolous. Bad move boys & girls, especially when considering you are higher paid than most other city employees, you have great days off (three), and many of your fellow civilian employees are facing losing money due to the furlough...... The word greed comes to mind.

This is not Greed. This is money that is past due, as for getting 3 days off, that was something the city enforced years ago on the PD not the Union, I fact the rank and file (back in 70's) when it started wanted to stay on a 8 hour day. Now over the years they fought to keep it. My advise to any employee is join your union, be active, fight for fair labor "Living Rights and Living Wages" instead of taking it up the gazoo.
As for the city employees, same thing, they need to fight for same things the Police and Fire Unions are fighting for. I recall a few City Contacts ago, there was suppose to be a City Employee Wide Union public showing and guess what, they chicken out and only the trash collection employess had the Huevos Rancheros to do something about it, but with no other fellow union members supporting them, they got sunk.
Dont belive that B.S. that you have to take a hit for the company/owner/boss, cause I can tell you from experience, they'll drop you like a "Hot Rock" when things get better and you'll be standing there with egg on face and say "What Happen?"
To the LBPD Officers and LBFD Fighters fight for all your workers rights

You are wrong. This is a BIG win for the Private Law firms, the Unions and the Union owned slugs in City Hall.

Only the filthy taxpaying citizen scum and their non union families are victims in Progressive Long Beach.

The only public safety employees in the Long Beach Police Department making over $100k a year are management. Do not but this on the backs of the rank and file grunts working in the trenches. For most, they are struggling to support their families like every one else. LBPD has been one of the lower paid PD's in Ca for the last 30 years. Only recently have they begun to achieve some parity with other departments in regards to pay.

lbresident wrote:

Currently, the total contribution for a miscellaneous employee making $100K a year is 20% of his/her payroll or $20,000/yr., of which the employee contributes $2,000 and the taxpayers contribute $18,000.
For public safety employees making $100K a year, the total contribution is 25% of his/her payroll or $25,000/yr., of which the employee contributes $2,500/yr., and the taxpayers contribute $22,500/yr. Pensions now account for $80Million of the General Fund and will continue to compound yearly. These figures were for 2008; we don't know what they are for 2009 or will be for 2010. We only know they will be much higher.
Pension costs are the reason Long Beach continues to have a Structural Deficit.