PHILADELPHIA, PA — More than a dozen current and former Philadelphia police officers sued the city this month, saying they were fired, suspended, or forced to retire due to “reverse racism” or “viewpoint discrimination” aimed at weeding out cops with right-wing views. All 16 plaintiffs were disciplined or lost their jobs in response to the 2019 […]
The surging increase in deaths associated with the coronavirus in the Río Grande Valley has turned the nation’s eyes on the region. But what happens with police officers and their families when an officer dies due to COVID-19? While Hidalgo County judge Richard Cortéz ordered that everyone in the county stay home between 10 p.m. […]
NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Newport Beach police officers are suing City Hall to be able to retire earlier and still receive their full benefits. City officials, on the other hand, say what the officers are asking for would breach public pension rules agreed upon with the state. Officers Kelley Maslin, Michelle Hampton, and Dallas Lopez […]
NASHVILLE, TN — Ryan White is young, fit and loves to take care of himself. As a firefighter, he says he loves to take care of the community too. “When people call you, that’s their worst moment and you’re job is to be there for them and that’s what we have to do,” White said. But […]
This article appears in the July 2020 issue of our monthly newsletter, Public Safety Labor News. In 2017, the Washington Legislature enacted the Paid Family Medical Leave Act. The Act provides compensation for qualifying medical or family events, such as the birth of a child. The Act funded the program in part through premiums of […]
From Louisiana:Question: During an IA investigation, an employee asked for a meeting with his union representative. At this meeting, the employee admitted fault to the policy he is being written up for but wants to know what to do next. The question is, are we obligated to report this to IA and if IA finds […]
The Middlesex Sheriff’s Sergeants Association, FOP Lodge 59, filed a petition with New Jersey’s Public Employment Relations Commission to sever sergeants from the bargaining unit represented by Middlesex County Sheriff’s Superior Officers Association, PBA Local 165A. Since at least 1977, the PBA’s bargaining unit has included sergeants, lieutenants, and captains. When the PBA intervened in […]
The City of Columbus, Ohio and Local 67 of the IAFF are parties to a collective bargaining agreement. On October 19, 2015, the City indicated that it had decided to civilianize 17 special assignments then filled by uniformed firefighters, including positions as coordinators in programs known as as Fitness, Special Events, Training, Community Relations and […]
Timothy Ross is employed as a deputy sheriff by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada. Ross was the president of the Washoe County Sheriff Deputies Association(WCSDA) as well as the Peace Officers Research Association of Nevada(PORAN). PORAN is affiliated with the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC). In 2016, Ross requested leave to […]
Stephen Klika, a member of the Tuckahoe Police Organization, retired as a sergeant from the Village of Tuckahoe Police Department. At the time Klika retired, Article 13 of the collective bargaining agreement between the Organization and the Village provided that the Village “shall pay the full cost of the individual or family health insurance premium […]
As part of the curriculum for the February 2018 Cleveland Police Academy, recruits were required to complete notebook assignments that they would periodically submit for grading. One component of the notebook entries that recruits had to complete is known as a “Student Performance Objective.” A Student Performance Objective is a short statement of policing standards. […]
Gary Harris was the police chief of Algood, Tennessee, population 4,419. Justin Medlin and Vaughan Larson were officers in the Department. Larson and Medlin began a relationship and exchanged explicit messages over Facebook. Medlin was also engaged in romantic or sexual relationships with several other city employees, including City Councilwoman Jennifer Green. When Medlin sent […]
A 17-year veteran police officer working for Columbus, Ohio, referred to only as Officer A, was the subject of an internal affairs complaint. Three different women – Ms. B, Ms. C, and Ms. D – alleged they had sex with Officer A in exchange for cash while he was on duty as a Columbus police […]
Local 668 of the Service Employees International Union, Local 668 represents approximately 130 non-supervisory employees of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The collective bargaining agreement between Local 668 and the County provides that members of the Local may resign from the Union during a period of 15 days prior to the expiration of the contract. When he […]
In 2017, the civil service commission for the City of Hot Springs, Arkansas adopted revisions to the police department’s physical agility testing. Under the revised policy, officers who received an unsatisfactory score on the physical agility test were first counseled and then given 30 days to successfully complete the agility test. If the officer did […]
Patricia Fritz was the Chief Deputy in the Office of the Sheriff of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. In August 2018, Fritz met with Corporal Steven Felder in his capacity as union president. After other business had been concluded, Felder began a discussion with Fritz concerning her implementation of a policy requiring medical excuses for absence from […]
A little-known feature of civil law is something known as the “Firefighter’s Rule,” sometimes referred to as the “Professional Rescuer Rule.” The Rule has different formulations in each state, but its essence is that firefighters and law enforcement officers are barred from bringing lawsuits against those whose conduct has injured them. The Rule has its […]
In 2017, the Washington Legislature enacted the Paid Family Medical Leave Act. The Act provides compensation for qualifying medical or family events, such as the birth of a child. The Act funded the program in part through premiums of 4/10 of one percent of an employee’s salary and provided that an employer may deduct a […]
