Furlough Days Rumor Control

Recently there have been several phone calls received at the PLEA office with regard to furlough days and vacation buyback.  Most of these calls fall into what we would call the “rumor control” category.

For some reason, one rumor that has been circulating is that we are no longer are required to take furlough days.  This is not true. The contract negotiated for the 2010-2012 time frame stipulates that each officer must take 16 hours of furlough time each year of the contract although negotiated concessions take effect July 12, 2010, officers can begin taking furlough days as early as July 1, 2010.  At a minimum, one 8 hr. furlough day must be taken between July-Dec 2010.  The second day could be taken between Jan-Jun 2010.

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Who's on First?

In a July 4, 2010 editioral by Arizona Republic columnist E.J. Montini, Phoenix Police Department spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson spoke out about "distortions" of the truth with regard to illegal immigration's impact on Arizona particularly with regard to Arizona being number 2 in the world behind Mexico with regard to kidnapping statistics.  At one point in the article Sgt. Thompson is quoted as saying "I 've got to tell you, we sometimes wonder where people come up with this stuff".

All Sgt. Thompson needs to do is look no further than his own upper level police management to figure out where some of "this stuff" comes from.  A Feb 11, 2009 ABC news article states "In what officials caution is now a dangerous and even deadly crime wave, Phoenix Arizona has become the kidnapping capital of America, with more incidents than any other city in the world outside of Mexico City and over 370 cases last year alone." The article goes on to quote Assistant Phoenix Police Chief Andy Anderson as saying "We're in the eye of the storm" with regard to the violent crimes and and ruthless tactics spurred by mexico's drug cartels.  In yet another news article published by Valley news outlet KTAR on August 19, 2009, Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris commented on a recent kidnapping and stated that it was one reason why Phoenix had been dubbed the "kidnapping capital of America".  Harris went on to say that the title was "not unfair" and that "it's really accurate" but that clarification needed to be made with regard to who the crime victims were.

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PLEA Files Motion in Support of SB-1070

PLEA has filed a Motion to Intervene in the SB 1070 litigation.  Based on our surveys of our membership, it became clear that we had a mandate from our officers to defend this bill.  As you know, we fought hard to bring changes to Operations Order 1.4 in order to provide us with the necessary tools to effectively do our jobs and make this city safer.  SB 1070 also accomplishes this goal, calling for the same manner of enforcement as our revised Operations Order.  As we fight to protect your interests, we will keep you advised of our involvement in the defense of this important law.

 

 

PPSLA Fails Again

After spending an unknown but presumably significant amount of PPSLA member money, and after a year- long investigation by the State Bar, PPSLA’s efforts to disbar PLEA attorney, Michael Napier, and obtain restitution from him, Mr. Napier has received the lowest form of sanction available to the Bar- an informal reprimand (equivalent of a coaching).  This resulted from the concurrent representation of PLEA and PPSLA, despite the fact that PPSLA, when it solicited the Napier firm for representation, was fully aware of his representation of PLEA.  Still, the State Bar concluded that this concurrent representation should not have been undertaken. The Bar also concluded that another matter of concurrent, but unrelated representation required a written rather than a verbal waiver.  While such a low level sanction is not reported in the Bar Journal, nevertheless we bring this to your attention because we fully expect PPSLA to publish these results in their usual propaganda style, exaggerating the actual outcome of their expensive efforts to discredit our counsel.  We continue to stand by our attorney as he has stood by us for the last 35 years.