Category: Uncategorized

The City of Burlington is opposing an effort by police higher-ups to form a union. If given the go-ahead by the Vermont Labor Relations Board, the department’s 15 sergeants and lieutenants will be able to hold an election to form a collective bargaining unit. These officers are not members of the city’s existing police union, the Burlington Police Officers’ Association. A successful union drive would mean that only the Burlington…

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When Cops Abuse Social Media, The Results Are Explosive: “One Post Can Become A Movement” As a young cop in Richmond in 2008, Ben Murdoch made a mistake that cost him his career and led some to label him a racist. At a Halloween party, a Latino friend came dressed in a Ku Klux Klan outfit meant to be a costume of a pop culture character created by comedian…

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Police Implement Sweeping Policy Changes To Prepare For Coronavirus Spread Local law enforcement officials across the country are rapidly making major operational changes in preparation for the continued spread of coronavirus, as they face potential strains in resources and staffing without precedent in modern American history. While policing is a public service centered around direct interactions with members of the public, several departments have already sought to limit responses to…

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OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha Fire Union President Steve LeClair should get his job back with the department, according to an arbitrator ruling. The announcement was made Tuesday. LeClair was terminated after the city said the Human Resources Department did a thorough investigation into LeClair’s conduct involving an incident at Tiger Tom’s Pub in November 2018. An African-American woman told police she felt a punch in her back while sitting…

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PELAHATCHIE, MS — The drama in Pelahatchie continues as the mayor announced Friday that she had suspended the town’s police chief, days after the two had a heated exchange in the streets about employees not getting paid.  Pelahatchie city attorney John Wakeland said Friday morning that it’s his “understanding and belief” that Mayor Ryshonda Harper Beechem suspended Chief Joseph Daughtry Thursday for “insubordination.” “I don’t want to speculate without seeing the actual documents…

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ORLANDO, FL — Orange County deputies said it’s time for them to make as much money as Orlando police. And now that the former Orlando police chief is the sheriff, they expect it. Sheriff John Mina asked the county for a $267 million budget that would include hiring 52 new deputies. But as WFTV investigative reporter Shannon Butler found out, a tentative offer on pay fell short and the union is…

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A firefighter won’t face criminal charges for punching an elderly man during the aftermath of a chaotic shooting that killed a beloved member of the Long Beach Fire Department, prosecutors recently revealed. Firefighter Bradley Robideaux mistakenly thought 78-year-old Vladimir Tsipursky was responsible for the death of Capt. David Rosa, according to a prosecutorial memo outlining the decision not to file charges. Tsipursky was actually a victim. He was wounded…

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BIBB COUNTY, GA — Bibb County commissioners are set to vote on this year’s 2020 budget on Tuesday, which includes no tax increase and no raises for county employees. Members of the Macon-Bibb Fire Department and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office say without those pay increases, they’re going to continue to lose well-trained employees to smaller counties. Sargent Richard Senter spends his weekends unwinding at home. “I’m sick of it,”…

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Longtime Hialeah firefighter and president of the firefighters’ union, Eric Johnson, filed a lawsuit on Monday against the city and its mayor, Carlos Hernández, alleging that he has faced retaliation for reporting acts of misconduct and malfeasance in the city government. According to the complaint, official “misconduct” in Miami-Dade county’s secondmost populous city included voter fraud, absentee ballot fraud, illegal campaign contributions, violation of union agreements, andviolations of the…

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LAKELAND, FL — A Polk County fire captain, accused of posting photos to Snapchat from the scene of a failed rescue, has now resigned, county officials said Tuesday. It was back in November when fire broke out at the home of Lorretta Pickard. Recordings of her 911 call revealed the 67-year-old, who relied on a walker, was told to wait for rescuers, but that rescue never happened. “Yes, they…

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HORRY COUNTY, SC — Some Horry County firefighters say the department’s new payment system isn’t giving them the full amount of money they should be owed. “We were always known to have a small check at the beginning of the month, and a big check at the end of the month,” Chad Caton, a former firefighter who often speaks on current employees’ behalf, explained. Caton said the new system appears…

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