There is no way to make this make sense. Police officers are public servants paid by the public; they are supposed to do what the citizenry says or find alternate employment. Yet when their actions necessitate they wear cameras, they demand more money and the political fools in leadership hand over more of the citizen’s tax dollars to the thugs. (MB)
Worcester Massassachutes — Following a wide-ranging discussion with questions about the City Council’s role in collective bargaining, councilors voted 8 – 3 to transfer funding for police officers to receive an annual stipend of $1,300 for body cameras.
The change amends the salary ordinance covering officers represented by NEPBA Local 911, the patrolmen’s union.
The first payment of $650 will be made within 30 days of the effective date of the collective bargaining agreement and will cover the period between Jan. 1 and June 30 of this year. Effective July 1 and annually thereafter, members of the bargaining unit will receive a $1,300 gross stipend. The stipend would be counted toward members’ retirement and would not be relied upon for purposes such as the calculation of the members’ overtime rate, according to the agreement.
After news of the stipend had drawn some questions from the community, at-large City Councilor Kathleen Toomey, chair of the public safety committee, postponed the item for a week during last week’s council meeting. Toomey said Tuesday that she held the item so more clarity could be provided on the process that got to the issue appearing before the City Council. The two unions representing police officers in the city argued cameras were a change in working conditions and required a renegotiation of the contract. Contract negotiations delayed a City Council vote on the policy in February.
Negotiations with IBPO Local 504, the officials union, on the matter remain ongoing. Following the April 25 Council meeting, Mayor Joseph M. Petty told host Hank Stolz on Talk of the Commonwealth that the City Council was somewhat obligated to approve the stipend as City Manager Eric D. Batista negotiated the contract that was already signed. City Solicitor Michael Traynor also provided a legal opinion which stated that City Council was “legally obligated” to approve the amendment. Traynor wrote that the state Supreme Judicial Court has ruled legislative bodies have the power to determine the purposes with which money can be spent, but not the power to determine the exact spending for a specific purpose. The power of spending money is an executive task per the Supreme Judicial Court, Traynor wrote.
Read the full story here: https://news.yahoo.com/city-council-approves-worcester-police-105313540.html