Vice President's Message

We often get asked the question, “What exactly does PLEA do for us?” Another question often asked is “I never get in trouble, so why do I need PLEA?” First, if you never get into any trouble or have any issues with the Department, good for you! I hope you can continue this streak. Many of your brothers and sisters on the Department aren’t so fortunate. I would like to point out that even if you don’t get into any issues with the Department, you are still benefiting from all that PLEA does for our membership behind the scenes.

This year alone, PLEA has attended over 415 meetings for the membership. We are making it clear in these meetings what our members’ needs are. The saying holds true: “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re probably on the menu.” These meetings are with various areas of the City that include:

• City labor management 
• Police labor management
• Various citywide workgroups
• City manager meetings
• City Council meetings
• Health care task force meetings
• DCP/PEHP board meetings
• PSPRS local board meetings
• DOJ meetings
• City of Phoenix Coalition of
  Unions meetings
• Department staffing meetings
• Assistant chief meetings
• Human Resources meetings
• EOD
• City budget meetings
• Clemency Board
• Civil Service Board
• Uniform Committee
• FTO Committee
• Overtime Committee
• Officer Communications Committee

Some of the issues covered in these meetings are officer rights, pay, leave benefits, light duty issues, health care and retirement issues. Our meetings with the Fourth Floor cover topics related to discipline issues, transfer issues, supervisor issues and staffing issues.

This year has been exceptionally busy, as we also dealt with the Department of Justice investigation and the possibility of a consent decree. Voicing our opinions and concerns regarding the DOJ has been critical, and we have facilitated many meetings with City elected officials, the City manager’s office and many community groups. In addition, we also hold our membership and Board meetings monthly; meet with our public relations firm, Camelback Strategies; and attend meetings with community leaders. All these meetings have one goal in common: to benefit the membership. PLEA is constantly advocating for its members, which means we are always fighting for you in all aspects of your employment with the City of Phoenix.

Unfortunately, sometimes you need PLEA when discipline matters occur. This is one item near and dear to me, and I am confident in saying it is an area that PLEA excels in. It is paramount that our representatives have current and relevant training regarding Garrity, Weingarten, Brady and discipline investigations. This year, PLEA representatives have taken over 450 hours of advanced training to ensure we are providing the best representation for our members. We have assisted members in over 200 discipline investigations this year alone, and have attended the following discipline meetings:

• IRP (Investigative Review Process): 21
• Use of Force, Response to Resistance boards: 17
• Grievance meetings: 2
• Loudermill hearings: 3
• Callout to officer-involved shootings: 24
• DRB (Discipline Review Board): 7

Our reps have been successful in mitigating discipline for our members by supporting and walking officers through the discipline process. Because of PLEA’s vigorous and robust representation, many cases end in a better outcome than expected by our members. We have also saved several officers’ careers through the relationships we have built with the executive staff and City management. When we don’t get the desired decision we seek, we have fought in civil service and AZPOST hearings with the assistance of our outstanding legal team.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the hundreds of hours our Board members and reps have spent on the phone with officers, assisting in answering questions and concerns. I hope that after reviewing all that PLEA does behind the scenes, you are confident that we are a benefit to you and your career as a Phoenix police officer. I encourage members to call the office if you have any questions or concerns we can address.

We often get asked the question “What exactly does PLEA do for us?” Another question often asked is “I never get in trouble, so why do I need PLEA?” First, if you never get into any trouble or have any issues with the Department, good for you! I hope you can continue this streak. Many of your brothers and sisters on the Department aren’t so fortunate. I would like to point out that even if you don’t get into any issues with the Department, you are still benefiting from all that PLEA does for our membership behind the scenes.

The saying holds true: “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re probably on the menu.

This year alone, PLEA has attended over 472 meetings for the membership. We are making it clear in these meetings what our members’ needs are. The saying holds true: “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re probably on the menu.” These meetings are with various areas of the City that include:

• City labor management 
• Police labor management 
• Various citywide workgroups
• City manager meetings
• City Council meetings
• Health care task force meetings
• DCP/PEHP board meetings
• PSPRS local board meetings
• DOJ meetings
• City of Phoenix Coalition of Unions meetings
• Department staffing meetings
• Assistant chief meetings
• Human Resources meetings

Some of the issues covered in these meetings are officer rights, pay, leave benefits, light duty issues, health care and retirement issues. Our meetings with the Fourth Floor cover topics related to discipline issues, transfer issues, supervisor issues and staffing issues. This year has been exceptionally busy, as we also dealt with Human Resources regarding the comp and class study and the retention bonus. In addition, we also hold our membership and Board meetings monthly; meet with our public relations firm, Camelback Strategies; and attend meetings with community leaders. All these meetings have one goal in common: to benefit the membership. PLEA is constantly advocating for its members, which means we are always fighting for you in all aspects of your employment with the City of Phoenix. 

Unfortunately, sometimes you need PLEA when discipline matters occur. This is one item near and dear to me, and I am confident in saying it is an area that PLEA excels in. It is paramount that our representatives have current and relevant training regarding Garrity, Weingarten, Brady and discipline investigations. This year, PLEA representatives have taken over 340 hours of advanced training to ensure we are providing the best representation for our members. We have assisted members in over 200 discipline investigations this year alone, and have attended the following discipline meetings:

• IRP (Investigative Review Process): 30
• Use of Force, Response to Resistance boards: 20
• Grievance meetings: 5
• Loudermill hearings: 8
• Callout to officer-involved shootings: 20
• DRB (Discipline Review Board): 6

Our reps have been successful in mitigating discipline for our members by supporting and walking officers through the discipline process. Because of PLEA’s vigorous and robust representation, many cases end in a better outcome than expected by our members. We have also saved several officers’ careers through the relationships we have built with the executive staff and City management. When we don’t get the desired decision we seek, we have fought in civil service and AZPOST hearings with the assistance of our outstanding legal team. 

I would be remiss if I did not mention the hundreds of hours our Board members and reps have spent on the phone with officers, assisting in answering questions and concerns. I hope that after reviewing all that PLEA does behind the scenes, you are confident that we are a benefit to you and your career as a Phoenix police officer. I encourage members to call the office if you have any questions or concerns we can address.

Recently, for reasons unknown to me, there has been a push from a group trying to recruit PLEA members to its inferior association. As this has been occurring, I’ve been able to review an old document compiled by PLEA that I had saved years ago. I found much of the information in the document as relevant today as it was when it was written. I incorporated much of the data from it into this article, along with additional data and my experiences as a 30-year veteran with the Phoenix Police Department and as a PLEA representative for the past 21-plus years. So within the box below, I will show what AZCOPS and the FOP have accomplished for Phoenix police officers over the last 45-plus years.

What you see is correct — nothing! That is right, they have accomplished nothing for Phoenix police officers in the past 45-plus years.

PLEA will always be the forward-thinking labor group you deserve.

I am going to highlight what PLEA has accomplished for Phoenix police officers in the past 45-plus years. It will be obvious that the strength, progress and achievements of PLEA come from you, our members. Your Association’s ability to think “outside the box” has been key to this history of success. It is worth remembering that with each documented and formal issue shared, there are countless informal and undocumented meetings, resolutions, solutions, talks, answers, phone calls and accomplishments that often go unreported or unnoticed except by the affected member (or manager). Hopefully, you will be encouraged.

“To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. For what is the worth of human life, unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors by the records of history?” — Cicero (106 B.C.–143 B.C.)

1976 MOU/AR 2.61

1. Denied off-duty work permit—won
2. Merit pay—won at chiefs level
3. PLEA halted IA investigation on felony allegation—won
4. EEO complaint—transferred to attorney general

1977 Contract

Wages:

• P.O. I, II, III: Raises from 2.25% to 18.24%
• $.50 per hour court stand-by time
• $1 per hour show-up time
• Merit Step #2 at six months

Benefits:

• Minimum 500 P.O. II and III positions made—new
• Issued bulletproof vest on request—new
• Health insurance to cover increased costs—increase
• Weight machines in all stations—new
• 15 hours between shifts or overtime—new
• OT after 42.5 hours leave does not count—new
• 80-hour comp time bank—new
• Night shift II = $.15, III = $.20—new
• Detective and motor allowance $50—new
• 10.5 holidays—new
• Labor Management Committee—new
• Unlimited off-duty work—improved
• Out-of-state recall pay expenses—new
• Long-term disability—new
• 8.5-hour day—new
• Pay for briefing periods—new
• Second Code 7 after four hours—new
• Three-hour guaranteed callout pay—new
• Uniform allowance $300—new
• 80% tuition reimbursement—new
• Grievance procedure—new
• $4,000 life insurance policy—new

1978–1982 Contracts

Wages:

• 1978:
  • P.O. I 10% increase—increase
  • P.O. I $1 per day meal standby—increase
  • P.O. II goes to Civil Service position—new
  • Improve regular standby—improvement
  • P.O. II and III 5% June, 6% July—increase
  • Min. 675 P.O. II and III positions—increase
  • Shift differential II = $.20, III = $.25—increase
  • 40-hour work week—improvement

• 1979:
  • 7% increase for P.O. I, II and III—increase
  • P.O. I receive additional $288 per year—increase

• 1980:
  • 10% increase for all—increase

• 1981:
• P.O. I, II, III discontinued, many officers go to step III — creates a 10% increase in top pay—increase
• 8% COLA increase—increase
• All totaled, top pay has 20.7% increase this year—increase

• 1982:
• 7.7% increase—increase

Benefits:

• 1978:
  • Uniform allowance to $300—increase
  • Clothing replacement up by 12%—increase
  • Sick leave conversion/toward health insurance—new
  • LTD waiting period improved to three months—improved
  • One personal leave day—new
  • Motor uniforms $175, one time—increase
  • Flat badges for all employees—new
  • Life insurance increase to $8,000—increase
  • Retiree medical insurance paid by City—new

• 1979:
  • Uniform allowance to $385—increase
  • Uniform replacement by 5%—increase
  • Three-hour rule applies 15 minutes after shift—new
  • Four hours C-time Christmas Eve if worked—new
  • Tape-record PSB interviews—new
  • Advised of nature and status of investigation—new
  • Motor uniforms $205, one time—increase
  • Two Nomex flight suits for pilots—new
  • Medical insurance increase—increase
  • Court standby to $5 per day—new
  • Appear before DRB with PLEA rep—new
  • Respond to adverse comments—new

• 1980:
  • P.O. II and III program to 700 positions—increase
  • Tape-record any supervisors investigation—new
  • Jury fees kept by members—new
  • Uniform reimbursement up by 10%—increase
  • LTD to age 70—increase
  • Minimum one hour at city doctor—increase
  • DRB notice to 10 days—new
  • OT after 15 minutes—new
  • Uniform allowance to $400—increase
  • Health insurance to 87%—increase
  • Labor Management Committee scope—increase
  • Life insurance $8K/$25K line of duty—increase

• 1981:
• Comp bank to 100 hours—increase
• Stand-by pay to $1.50 per hour—increase
• Tuition reimbursement at ASU rates—new
• Psychological Counseling Program—new
• Court OT to nearest ¼ hour—increase
• Shift diff. II .25, III .30—increase
• Life insurance $10K/$25K line of duty—increase
• Educational leave to 13 hours—new

• 1982:
• Court OT definition expanded—improvement
• Reimbursement schedule 8% increase—increase
• Life insurance $10K/$30K line of duty—increase
• Labor Management Committee open agenda—improvement
• Uniform allowance to $425—increase
• Health insurance increase—increase
• Detective clothing to $100—increase
• Motor uniform to $305—increase

Highlights of MOU Contracts 1983–1992

Wages:

• Approximate 47% wage increase during this period

Benefits:

• 1983–1985:
• Sick leave conversion, health insurance or cash 25%—increase
• Callout pay language expanded—improvement
• Off-duty emp. language expanded—improvement
• Grievance procedure expanded—improvement
• Increase in shift reps to 24—increase
• Shift differential 10 p.m.—improvement
• Health insurance benefit increased—increase

• 1985:
• CEP committee established—new
• Comp time language expanded—improvement
• Court standby — two hours at 1 ½ pay—increase
• TRU uniform allowance $200—new
• Health insurance increase in city pay—increase
• OT after first seven minutes—improvement
• Substitute holiday time bank—new
• Uniform allowance to $500—increase
• New holiday (MLK)—new
• Ballistic vest reimbursement—new

• 1986–1988:
• 10 hours additional sick leave (non-emergency)—new
• Shift differential to .40 per hour—increase
• Replacement uniform increase to 12%—improvement
• Longevity pay — $1K additional at 17 years—new
• Sick leave conversion to 35%—increase
• Health insurance increase/city amt.—improvement

• 1988–1990:
• Health insurance increase for both years—increase
• Shift differential .45 (88), .50 (89)—increase
• Stand-by pay $2 (88), $2.50 (89)—increase
• Uniform allowance $550 (88), $575 (89)—increase
• Vacation pay in lieu of accrual—new
• FTO pay 5% while training—new
• Longevity pay $1,200 max—increase
• Special uniform allowance—increase
• Sick leave conversion to 50%—improvement

• 1990–1992:
• Seven-day notice to change hours or N day—new
• Comp time from 120–140—increase
• Uniform allowance to $625—increase
• Vest reimbursement to $350—increase
• Sick leave conversion to 60%—increase
• Dental insurance—improvement
• CEP—improvement
• Stand-by pay to $2.50 per hour—increase
• Buy revolver—new
• Holiday pay/receive on industrial—new
• Vacation carryover—increase
• Translation pay $2 per hour—new

Highlights of MOU Contracts 1992–2002

Wages:

• Approximate 27% pay increase during this period

Benefits:

• 1992–1996:
• CEP—increase
• Court stand-by pay additional hour past noon—increase
• Uniform allowance — $800/$925—increase
• Bike detail and detectives clothing allowance—new
• Sick leave conversion—improvement
• Translation pay $6 per hour—increase
• Stand-by pay $50/$40—increase
• Health insurance—improvement
• Dental insurance ortho benefit—increased
• Labor Management Committee—I.R.P.

• 1996–1998:
• Longevity pay to $3,330 at 29 years—increase
• Translation pay to $10/hour—increase
• Night shift diff pay .60 and .25/hour—increase
• Vest reimbursement to $500—increase
• Deferred comp new increases—increase
• Sick leave conversion from 2080 hours to 2000 hours—improvement
• CEP new step 4—improvement
• Stand-by pay $60/$40—increase
• Uniform allowance to $1,000—increase
• Personal leave day to 10 hours—increase
• Labor Management/shift trades—new

• 1998–2000:
• K-9 care pay to four hours OT week—increase
• Work hours/def of operational need—new
• Out-of-rank pay from 20 to 10 shifts—improvement
• Uniform allowance 1,100/1,200, and all allowances from $300 to $320 per year—increase
• Sick leave conversion 2000 to 1900—improvement
• Life insurance to $200,000 to/from work—new
• Vacation buyback 80 more hours—increase
• CEP—increase
• FTO pay 5% for assignment—increase
• Deferred comp to 1.15%—increase
• Comp time to 165 hours—increase
• Court parking free—new

• 2000–2002:
• Longevity increase max $4,000 at 22 years—increase
• CEP steps to 3%, 6%, 9% and 12%—improvement
• Dental insurance—improvement
• Sick leave conversion—improvement
• On-duty life insurance $35K to $100K—increased
• Grievance process PLEA rep on committee—improvement
• Comp time to 170 hours—increased
• Health Insurance—improvement
• Deferred comp to 1.18%—increase
• Long-term disability—improved
• Vacation buyback second time—increase

Highlights of MOU Contracts 2002–2012

Wages:

• Approximate 28% pay increase during this period

Benefits:

• 2002–2004:
• CEP additional points toward patrol—new
• Stand-by pay, FIB added—improvement
• Uniform allowance, additional safety equipment—improvement
• Education reimbursement (blue card)—new
• Dental insurance $4,000 ortho—improvement
• Deferred comp based on gross pay—improvement
• Vacation leave to eight hours for new emp.—new
• Training pay—improvement
• Holiday benefits, March holiday—new
• Health insurance—improvement
• Retiree health insurance PEHP—new
• Sick leave conversion—improvement
• Sick leave as salary—new

• 2004–2008:
• Two reps allowed at IRP, DRB, UOF—improvement
• Material used by PSB provided prior to interview—new
• PSB to conduct serious misconduct investigation—new
• Honor Guard, Honor Choir uniform pay—new
• Delays to PSB interview—new
• PSB not to misrepresent facts—new
• Comp bank to 190 hours—increase
• Uniform allowance convert to pay—new

• 2008–2010:
• Just cause for discipline instead of  cause—new
• Adverse material usage—improvement
• Ballistic vest to $800—increase
• Sell 40 hours vacation in December—new
• CEP—improvement
• Comp bank to 200 hours—increase
• Motorcycle gloves to $100—increase
• Canine trainer 5% pay—new

• 2010–2012:
• PSB investigations complete in 180 days—new
• PMG merit increase—improvement
• PSB provide gen nature of invest upon call—new
• Citizen complaint statement—new
• Transfer process—improvement
• G.O.D. transfer meeting—new

Highlights of MOU Contracts 2012–2020

Wages:

• 2012–2019:
• These were years of economic crisis for the City of Phoenix. During this period, concessions made in 2010 were restored.

• 2019–2021:
• 5.9% pay increase—increase
• 4.27% total bonus pay—new

Benefits:

• 2012–2014:
• Attend seminars on duty—new
• Loudermill statements—improvement
• Shooting/critical incident committee—new
• Holiday pay—improvement
• Inactive HR file—improvement
• Additional NOI—improvement
• Long-term disability—improvement
• Physical fitness committee—new

• 2014–2016:
• Citizen complaint form—improvement
• Critical incident int. delayed 48 hours—new
• Off-duty work—improvement
• Dental insurance—improvement
• Fair treatment by PSB—new
• SID contact requirements—new
• Patrol 4/10 schedule—new
• On-duty workout—new

• 2016–2019:
• Rights in investigation—improvement
• Delay of PSB interview—improvement
• Pilot classifications—improvement
• Premium pay—improvement
• On-duty workout—improvement
• Loudermill rights—improvement
• Transfer issues—improvement
• Pay out sick leave—improvement
• Workers’ comp—improvement

• 2019–2021:
• BWC video prior to interview—new
• Investigative processes—improvement
• Right to meet with chief/DRB—new
• Rights of employment ref R/O—new
• Grievance procedure—improvement
• Premium pay enhanced—improvement
• Vacation carryover—increase
• National Guard/Reserves time—increase
• Clothing reimbursement—increase
• Work out time on duty—improvement
• Investigation explanation form—new
• Use-of-force board—improvement
• Loudermill hearing—improvement
• Discipline time frames—improvement
• Comp bank to 300 hours—increase
• Health insurance—improvement
• Bike officer pay—new
• Vest reimbursement $1,000—increase
• Rifle operator stipend—new

Highlights of Our Latest MOU Contract

Wages:

• 2.40% pay increase and 6.38% bonus money (2021), 1.81% pay increase and 5.33% bonus money (2022). Total of 4.21% wage increase, 11.71% bonus pay.

Benefits:

• 2021–2022:
• DOU and Airport Bureau $500 rifle stipend—new
• Notification of UFB and DRBs—new
• SAU team leaders get 5% pay increase—new
• Increase in career survival—improvement
• Detective trainers get 5% training pay—new
• Facial hair and expanded take-home vehicle privileges were negotiated and incorporated into Departmental policy but not included in the MOU.

Also, over the past 45-plus years, PLEA and its legal team have handled thousands, yes thousands, of internal investigations. In its first 28 years, PLEA represented its members in over 2,300 investigations. (This does not include all the civil service appeals, grievances and legal challenges in which PLEA has represented officers.) PLEA is the only representative that has negotiated wages, benefits and employee rights for Phoenix police officers. PLEA and its legal team are the only experienced MOU contract negotiators for Phoenix police officers; there is no other group out there that can provide you the experience and expertise in labor relations that PLEA does — joining any other labor group is a waste of your money. The rights and benefits that Phoenix police officers have were forged from the sacrifices of Phoenix police officers who saw a need for police officers needing representation in wages, benefits, working conditions and employee rights. PLEA has been maintaining this high standard for decades. Do not fall for the snake oil salesmen trying to sell you our benefits for a bargain rate; they cannot represent you. PLEA is always going to represent its members to the best of its ability and will always be the forward-thinking labor group you deserve.

By the time this article is published, I will have retired. I have enjoyed a very good 30-year career as a Phoenix police officer, with over 20 of those years as a PLEA rep. I am a rather simple person and will keep this short. Thank you for allowing me to represent you as a PLEA Board member and as PLEA vice president; it has truly been an honor. Those of you who know me know I can be found on a lake, river or ocean somewhere with a fishing pole in my hand. I’m going to be kind of a nomad for a while, so hit me up if you want to chat. Take care, and it has been a pleasure.

Being a PLEA member comes with benefits. I’m talking about all PLEA members, including retirees, associates, and of course, active officers. Some of these benefits are exclusive to PLEA members. Your membership has always included wills, deeply discounted phone plans, discounts to entertainment places, travel, supplemental insurance, financial advisors, discounts on trusts, real estate, personal injury representation and many other things. At times, some of us at PLEA must attend seminars and training in locations outside of Arizona. At these places, at times, we talk with representatives offering many different services. At the latest seminar we attended, we met representatives offering some very good benefits for police officers and their families. Some of the new contacts and benefits we came across are:

Please call or stop by so we can discuss the exciting benefits you get as a PLEA member.

• Lending to Heroes. A mortgage lending service that offers no application fee, processing fee, underwriting fee, commitment fee or lock-in fee.
• CrossCountry Mortgage. Another lending service that offers police officers no application fee, processing fee, commitment fee, document prep fee or underwriting fee. They are also licensed in all 50 states and have a program for construction loans with land purchase when building your own home or vacation home.
• PMA USA Washington National. A supplemental insurance company that offers its products to PLEA at a rate exclusive to PLEA members. Washington National provides our entire membership in good standing (including active, retirees and associate members) with a free college benefit. Yes, it is a free college benefit for you, your spouse, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, step-grandchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews. This is a free online college from an accredited college and university with no tuition fees, book fees — or any fees. There are two-year degree programs along with some bachelor’s degree programs that are totally free for just being a PLEA member. This benefit is exclusive to PLEA members, and no other police labor group representing Phoenix officers will have this benefit. This a very exciting benefit.

Please call or stop by so we can discuss the exciting benefits you get as a PLEA member.

There are times in our lives when we are going to be searching for bargains, something solely based on its price. When we are searching for these bargains, generally, it is all we can afford, failing to see the value in the product. We rush to fulfill that need, and sometimes, it may be for a one-time use, never to be used again. This is when we choose a lesser quality product, thinking that it will make do. This is all understandable because, for the most part, we buy lesser quality things because they are not that important to us. When it comes to your career and who represents you for rights, benefits, working conditions and wages, this is not the time to buy bargain representation. This is your career on the line or a need for criminal representation for actions you have taken during the course of your duties as an officer. PLEA is the premier police labor organization in the state of Arizona. While we may not be the cheapest, we are by far the best.

Do not get mesmerized by the snake oil salesmen, and do not let your co-workers get fooled either.

Since I am writing mostly to PLEA members, most of you know this, but you know and work with people who have purchased the bargain deal or even regrettably choose no representation at all. These choices do not make any sense to me when your career is at stake. PLEA will always be there for you during an administrative investigation protecting your rights. I did not come up with this topic to fill some space; recent events have led to this. A small, uninfluential labor group that cannot internally represent officers in disciplinary issues and does not have authority to bargain or negotiate your contract has made several juvenile efforts attempting to lure officers away from PLEA. This tactic is being sold with clearance-rate pricing for membership and members-only prices. Bargain pricing for bargain representation (except they cannot fully represent you), so, what do you get? Not much at all. Remember, you get what you pay for.

I’ll say this just as the media would; for example, just as they like to glamorize the mayor by stating she is the mayor of the fifth-largest city in the United States. Well, you are a police officer in the fifth-largest city in the United States. Shouldn’t you be a member of the largest police labor organization in Arizona and one of the most respected in the country? PLEA is the most experienced police labor organization in the fifth-largest city in the United States. Sure, you can save a few dollars to be part of an organization that has no significance in police labor issues and does not represent you with police labor matters in this city. So, what are you getting for the bargain? To list a few examples, PLEA is the only police labor group in Phoenix making efforts in bridging the gap with the community by hosting events to discuss issues, meeting with community leaders and supporting schools whose district left them without police support. We keep the relationships alive, which creates a positive relationship with PLEA, the Phoenix Police Department and the community we are a part of. Your “bargain deal of the day” labor groups do not do any of these things.

When it comes to your career, I would hope when joining a police labor organization, one would choose the one that gives them the best representation. Recently, one of these bargain organizations had a member who needed legal assistance for a very serious issue. Well, this was too “hot” of an issue for this small bargain group, and they refused to provide legal representation for this issue that should have been covered. If this person was a PLEA member, they would have been covered; cheap is not always better. In fact, your elected PLEA Board has authorized spending money, so PLEA representatives have the most current and up-to-date training needed to do their job. This is more training than Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) investigators receive, and they know it. These cut-rate groups do not have the experience or training that PLEA has. We invest in training our reps so you get the best representation possible. We’ve said in the past, “During a PSB interview, the best-trained person in the room is usually the PLEA rep.”

These cut-rate groups cannot represent you, so why would anyone give them money? They do not represent you with contract negotiations; PLEA does. Actually, PLEA is the only police labor group in this city that has experience in contract negotiations because no other police labor group can negotiate with the City. We do not leave you behind without representation. Recently, one of these bargain groups would not help one of their members, so they came to PLEA for advice since they had been a PLEA member in the past but were no longer a Unit 4 member. Since we were unable to represent them, PLEA offered advice and direction, and after following our advice, this member of the bargain group was able to resolve the serious issue without help from that group. What type of representation were they paying money for? Do not be fooled by some half-pint, cut-rate organization that wastes what little money it has on stickers to put on food or water in a juvenile attempt to lure members away from PLEA. It is a waste of your money to join an organization that cannot represent you.

I guess what I am trying to get at is there have been some people left on their own due to bargain-bin shopping for a labor organization on the cheap. Do not get mesmerized by the snake oil salesmen, and do not let your co-workers get fooled either. PLEA is always working for the best interests of the members; we work hard to provide the best representation possible for you. Being one of the most respected police labor groups in the country, we have the attention of the fifth-largest city in the country, proven by recent events at City Council meetings. No other police labor group has their attention. You get what you pay for. When you pay bargain prices, you do not get much. With PLEA, you get what you would expect: experience, respect, benefits, a full office building with an officers’ lounge, representation, contract negotiation, community support and much more. What is truly sad is that I recently heard one of these bargain-rate groups had made the decision to pay off their members by offering them a few hundred dollars not to challenge discipline. That allows the group to save money by not paying an attorney to represent the officer, but it’s what you get when you choose bargain representation. In other words, get a little money while you still must take a paid-time-off suspension and live with what you disagree with.

The bottom line is this: PLEA provides you the best representation possible. If you do not believe me, tune in to the next City Council meeting and hear what is being said about PLEA. You will see PLEA is the only police labor organization that matters in this city. Do not waste your money or career with an insignificant, low-rate group.

This might strike a nerve with some, but over the past year or so I have been hearing some concerning things that make me scratch my head and wonder why anyone who is not a police officer would want to know the intricate details of what we see or do on a regular basis. Most concerning to me is hearing police spouses going on ride-alongs and referring to them as “date night.” Personally, this makes no sense to me and concerns me because I believe it is an indication of the state of mind the officer is in when their idea of “date night” is taking their spouse out on a night shift. To me, that is a scary concept.

I’ve been doing this police officer job for nearly 30 years, with 27 of those on the street, and have seen my fair share of things and have been involved in countless traumatic incidents, so I believe I have a thing or two to say about this. What happens to me on the job does not come home to my family; those are my crosses to bear, not theirs. We, as police officers, have chosen this profession not fully knowing, but understanding that we will be the ones dealing with the wrongs of society and the horrifying, unexplainable tragedies in it. We do this so our families do not have to live and witness this side of society.

What happens to me on the job does not come home to my family; those are my crosses to bear, not theirs.

My wife used to ask me how my day at work was and my answer was and has always been the same: “It was just a normal day, nothing exciting.” There was no reason to tell her I was on a traffic stop during that shift and some bullets flew past me. She already knows the hazards of the job, so there was no reason to make it worse. That is an easy one to explain. Did I go into detail about the man I interrupted who was dismembering his mother and describe in detail what that really looks like when it is not done by Hollywood, but in real life? No, I did not. Those images are my cross to bear, not hers, and I surely would not want her to experience that on a “date night.” 

Should I describe being in a hospital room for six hours with a murdered infant, and how over that period the body transformed to clearly show all the trauma that infant endured? Should I talk about what happens to someone who commits suicide with a 12-gauge shotgun, and the head is no longer there, but its remnants are? These are things for me, the police officer, to witness, not my spouse. These are my crosses to bear. Personally, I have never been a fan of spouses doing ride-alongs. We cannot control what is going to happen during the shift with regard to what comes to us. However, we can limit whoever is in the car with us.

Do you want to share with your loved ones what happens to a human body when it is run over by a car and how, at times, there is nothing recognizable as a human being afterward? I would think not. Do they need to experience the feeling of helplessness while rendering aid to a person as they take their last breath? Should they be there with you at a serious traffic collision that just occurred as you attempt to take the pulse of a trapped driver, not realizing the arm you are trying to get a pulse from is no longer attached to the body of the deceased person? Does your spouse really want to be there for that? Do they need to see a man cut his own arm off with a power saw, then douse himself with gasoline in an attempt to commit suicide? Should they have to walk into a house with you and see a beautiful 14-year-old girl, who may be the same age as their daughter, hanging from the bannister with an electrical cord around her neck? I say, “No. Those are my crosses to bear.”

What I am saying is that this job of being a police officer is not all lighthearted and fun as we sometimes believe it is. There are real dangers out there, and police officers need to be in the right frame of mind at all times. This job is unpredictable, especially in these times, and you never know when someone is going to walk up to a police car and shoot the police officers inside, along with whoever else is in the vehicle. I am not saying it will happen in Phoenix, but we know it is happening across this country. I will not put my spouse in that situation. Bad things happen in this line of work, and those crosses are for the police officers to bear, not their spouses.

I get frustrated hearing things such as, “Does your law enforcement officer (LEO) just sit on the couch and do nothing?” “Is your LEO lazy on their day off?” and “Does yours just sit and watch TV?” My response would be, “Give them a break, you do not know what your LEO saw or did this week.” For instance, do you know that before coming home this week they might have been sitting along the roadside scraping human brains from the bottom of their shoes? Or do you know that while they were assisting the medical examiner with a deceased person in an advanced state of decay the arm pulled completely from the body? They do not say these things because that is their cross to bear. In the current climate we are working in, what is the effect on an officer who has worked day in and day out for months, being yelled at by protesters with so much hate toward them? We do not know. Those are the officers’ crosses to bear.

I am not saying that officers might not need some help, but I believe the help should come from a professional, not a spouse or significant other. If that person sees their LEO has changed, is being withdrawn or is not the same as before, they should reach out to a person on the squad or a supervisor who will get their officer the help they need from a professional in that field. It is my belief that the details of the job and what we see or do are our crosses to bear. While we cannot forget what we have seen or done, I would not want our loved ones living with the heinous things we witness in our line of work.

As a reminder to officers, if your experiences have proven to be too overwhelming, please seek help from a professional. Our Department has an excellent resource with the Employee Assistance Unit (EAU) to help. Sometimes the crosses can become too heavy.