Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "FOP Calls Out County Executive Rick Pollitt As Dis...":
I think some of you are confused as to what transpired between the F.O.P. and Rick Pollit's staff. The county offered a fair and very solid contract. All parties agreed to the contract as presented by the County. It was not until after the County started removing funds to maintenance the said contract did the F.O.P. learn the contract had major changes in the language and benefits. When the F.O.P. brought this to the attention of Rick's office they refused to removed a social security offset they inserted in the contract, that would greatly diminish a young deputies benefits if injured in the line of duty. Again the F.O.P. was not asking for anything absurd just disability for line of duty injury that results in the deputy being unable to work as a law enforcement officer.
It should be noted in this negotiation there is five attorneys and seven Sheriff's deputies in room. the truth will come out. This being said why on earth would the F.O.P. walk away from such a great contract. People this does not add up. It was a classic bait and switch by Pollitt's Office. In knowing Rick Pollitt the way I do I have to believe he was misled by his staff and no one had the balls to admit to their mistake to him. I think we all know who screwed up.
The fact is the deputies have been more then patient waiting for the County to do what the people of this great county told them to do in 2006. The deputies of this county have been asking for a disability that is comparable to other law enforcement through out this nation. In line of duty disability nothing more. Anyone who can fault these men and women who go out daily wearing body armor to serve and protect is living under a rock. They deserve the peace of mind knowing their loved ones will be taken care of.
Deputy Thomas Funk and Sheriff Mike Lewis are on the record presenting these very facts to the County Council over a year ago. This was right after Deputy Funk was shot by a very violent felon. The County stated the disability was "better" then L.E.O.P.S. and attempts to discredit these men came soon after. The fact is the disability fails in so many ways. I suggest all county employees take a hard look at what the county offers in the way of work related disability. People you will not be able to thrive on the benefit. Your family will suffer if you are injured working for the county.
I think some people in Human Resources owe a huge apology to Sheriff Mike Lewis and Deputy First Class Funk. These are men of integrity who presented hard facts to the council and were discredited by a member of the Human Resources Office. I am not saying it was intentional, but just the same it happened.
Joe thank you for putting this information out there. The truth will come out and I can assure you the F.O.P. will continue to fight for the benefits these men and women deserve. Again thank you for getting news out that the liberal media refuses to print.
Martin A. Fisher
President F.O.P. Lodge 111
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
I hope the deputies remember this when they pull rick over for a traffic violation???
ReplyDeleteSounds like there was more than one issue at work here. Aside from the fact that the LOE Union should have been more diligent in their reading of the final contract the bait and switch tactic used by Norm Conway is despicable. Norm sounds like a me first kind of person. Just the kind of person that needs to be road out of office on a rail.
ReplyDeleteNorm is a disgusting POS and I can't wait for the election.
Not to be mean or anything but most folks signed on to the conditions at the time of being hired. If you're not happy then leave and get yourself a better job. Quick trying to jack the taxpayers! There are others who would be more than happy to take the job as most others did in the past.
ReplyDeleteIt's like buying a new car. You wouldn't buy it if it didn't come with any warranty and then go and try to negotiate one later. DUMB!
DeleteWhy would they realize the wording AFTER they agreed to it? Are they stupid? How any organization can agree to something before fully understand what is inside is beyond me.
ReplyDelete9:28, With all due respect, no one in law enforcement is trying to "jack the taxpayers".
ReplyDeleteThis was voted on by the taxpayers. Your Council and Executive agreed to this commitment and quite frankly ANY current and or new officer who came on board did so knowing their elected officials who represent the MAJORITY of citizens who voted in favor of this would fulfill their word.
Far too many times we have hear elected officials come out and say, what would happen IF we went against our word on this or that. I've been doing this a LONG time and quite frankly, THIS case, (more so than ANY other excuse I've heard in the past) it needs to be finalized.
Now, do I necessarily like the idea, no. However, the VOTERS said YES and that is final.
Funny how Pollitt is QUIET about EVERYTHING. Gift Cards, internal expenses, now collective bargaining. The guy is toast and I ask you, WHERE ELSE ARE YOU SEEING THIS INFORMATION?????
Your local media has absolutely 100% failed YOU. If it wasn't for Salisbury News, this too would have been thrown under the rug until AFTER the election.
Rick cannot afford this because he's BLOWN ALL of your money. He wants solar at the landfill and a facility to burn all your trash. He doesn't want to protect 1st responders. Heck, he won't even pony up the money he flat out said publicly the County owes the City for Firefighters.
Rick Pollitt needs to go and people need to elect Bob Culver.
Specifics, please.
ReplyDeleteThere are all kinds of disability plans for cops all over the country, so "comparable" is VERY disengenuous.
I wonder how small and insignificant a "disability" must be in order to say you can't "perform the duties of a police officer"?
Do you get to say your trigger finger was broken and now you collect disablility AND then get rehired as a courthouse security guard at $43,000 a year AND RETIRE from THAT job, with disability, retirement and social security?
A social security "offset" is something that a WHOLE LOT of regular citizens are subjected to....
Does anyone have any idea of how many cops retire at age 50 (or less), then use their good ole boy connections to get a job at the courthouse (at $45,000) to make peopole take their belts off as they pass through the metal detectors?
A pension, then ANOTHER pension, and social security later, too?
It's tough, I know, when you are down to just 2 houses, 3 incomes, and your ankle hurts when it rains.
Specifics. What EXACTLY are the details the Gestapo is whining about?
STFU.
Deletelol another clueless idiot^^
ReplyDelete9:28
ReplyDeleteI guess you don't want to be protected huh?
You can't tax people to death for sure the line has to be drawn somewhere.
ReplyDeleteI would think disability could
be given ONLY if the person
hurt was unable to work again & only under those conditions!
The contract wasn't changed until AFTER everyone agreed on it. Then Pollitt and company changed it, and presented it to the FOP to be signed, thinking they wouldn't notice.
ReplyDelete11:28, That's exactly right.
ReplyDeleteWorkers comp just like everyone else. let the entitled struggle like the rest of us in wicomico. We get hurt big battle with lawyers 2/3 pay and the struggle. The deputies all say this is just a job....I'm just like y'all. Until it comes to actually being just like us.
ReplyDelete9:51 you are very misinformed...the jobs you refer to at the courthouse are contract positions which provide no benefits, including pension. Most law enforcement agencies do not pay into Social Security so if a retired LEO does receive SS it is very reduced and based on any employment they may obtain after retirement from law enf.
ReplyDeleteImclain,
ReplyDeleteIf you want to be a cop, go be one. Otherwise, shut ur mouth.
Thank you,but i say get rid of the State Troopers fed up seeing them in the Salisbury and county jurisdictions stick to the HWYS.
DeleteDid Deputies sign on to do this job while knowing the benefits? Well the answer is "sort of". The problem is, even during negotiations, the county representatives could not fully explain what the current disability was. I think that's a problem.In Law enforcement, you can get in hot water real quick if you do two particular things. Lie (perjury),or commit some act that shows negligence. Not knowing your job,(laws, policies, procedures)in Law Enforcement is negligence. I wonder how some of you feel about those in the Military? Would it be fair to not give those men and women a decent disability when they get injured, especially when they are fighting for your right to get on blogs like this and make such absurd and uneducated statements? I don't think there would be a long line out of the recruiters office.
ReplyDeleteResearch the Windfall elimination provision and the talk to a LEO who it affects.
ReplyDeleteMy brother is a retired from Baltimore City he paid into social security for well over forty years. Due to the Windfall elimination provision he gets just over two fifty a month in S.S. All cops and firefighters are subject to this. Imclain can you live on that. I don't think so. Also a twenty-one year old signing on as a police officer could not understand all the legal mumbo jumbo in the employee hand book. Hell Human resources could not tell because they never processed a disabilty in twenty years at the Sheriff's Office. I dont get what in the hell they fear the deputies never leave. Why not give the disabilty so they at least have peace of mind.
ReplyDeleteJust for the record you could not become a police officer in any form if you went out. We are talking about serious injury. I know there are some plans out there that even I find ridiculous. This plan was solid. Something stinks down town and it aint the Wicomico river. Anyone else think the county money is getting played with. I say a major audit needs to be done.
Oh by the way every cop in America pays taxes last time I checked. They by houses in the communities they work. Their children attend schools. They buy all their household goods in the community as well. pay the same county taxes. Idiots
The contract also kept the money in the county. The deputies agreed to let the very people screwing them manage their pension. They also agreed to make a contribution to the disability fund to build it into a strong financial resource still maintained by the county. Sounds to me the deputies were right on point. I wonder if the deputies still trust in down town. I know I wouldn't
Why are the deputies more important than other county employees? The teachers and deputies have got themselves separated from the rest of the step children of the county. The last raise that they got was 1 percent 3 years ago. Now the deputies are getting two steps? Since when did the county even have a step plan anymore? Greedy. Teachers get raises, deputies get raises, there shouldn't be a segment of employees that get raises unless everyone gets them. I can guarantee you that Bob Culver wouldn't be supportive of how much this is going to cost the county.... everyone is just trying to get political gains off of it. If it were up to Culver, the employees wouldn't have any benefits.
ReplyDeleteDeputies still make good money, they didn't get into LE for the pay or benefits. It's a passion, not rocket science. Deputies are acting like they don't make any money or that they get shot at all the time. Funk was in another county charging through a door when smarter cops would have waiting til the guy came out and took him. Look the county is hurting and they just need to suck it up until things at least get better. Check out most deputies homes, personal vehicles and lifestyles. They BS ING THE PUBLIC!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteImclain,
If you want to be a cop, go be one. Otherwise, shut ur mouth.
October 10, 2014 at 12:00 PM
So cops are the only ones allowed to talk>? And they are allowed to lie,
They make enough, now let's spend our taxes to create jobs for those out of work.
ReplyDeleteA few "fact" corrections that have been posted. 1. State Troopers do not pay into Social Security, the majority of other police officers do. 2. State Troopers are the only police officers in MD that are allowed to medically retire and then go work for another law enforcement agency, Wicomico is not. 3. Wicomico deputies do have a current disability, however the way it is structured no one (NO ONE) could live off it. 4. Yes the deputies at Wicomico were told a better disability was coming and a lot of political promises were made to bring a better one. 5. The county Executive could easily change the existing disability to make it better and more livable without costing any money to the taxpayers. He hasn't. The changes that he could make would still leave it well under the normal disability offered in THIS area by other agencies in THIS county and surrounding counties. 6. The FOP had to finally go to the voters and ask for Collective Bargaining Rights to be able to ask for this to be changed. In a para-military structure (as law enforcement is) you can't go "above" your boss to the county and ask them to improve it. They had to be given the right by the citizens in the form of Collective Bargaining. 7. The Citizens did by an overwhelming percentage. Far greater percentage than any elected official gained. 8. The first bargaining proceeded and the FOP asked for exactly what we already had, to establish where we are. 9. Even before the next round the started the FOP was quickly promised by county the best disability ever, even better then the surrounding agencies. 10. A few changes were made and all agreed in the bargaining process. 11. The contract was presented to be signed and it was not the same, not what discussions had framed. 12. The county started deducting money from Deputies pay starting the contract. 13. Issues were brought up about the difference in the contract. 14. County now says "Oh you don't have one" you don't have a right to address it. 15. Pollitt has not honored the voters wishes nor his word. (Maybe getting bad advice, however still his shop). 16. It was Pollitt's decision to go at this at a county level and not join the surrounding agencies of the eastern shores in their program that has disability. 18. If it is a misunderstanding, then work it out right?
ReplyDeleteAnd in all the mumbo limbo the citizens had no idea how in depth this went. If so the vote would have went the other way. Ask any citizen in this town and they will all agree. No deputy deserves to be treated better than anyone else in any manner.
DeleteIn Pollitt's press release, he makes reference to Sheriff Lewis'
ReplyDeleteauthority and that the Sheriff did not attend any of the negotiation meetings and therefore had no
first-hand knowledge of what occurred at those meetings.
Mr. Pollitt, shouldn't you acknowledge the fact that you did not attend any of the meetings, therefore how could you have first hand knowledge about what occurred?
Who was the human resources employee?
ReplyDeleteSorry, just don't feel sorry for deputies, they took the job knowing what benefits and pay was being offered. Now they want the tax payer to foot the bill. Sorry, to many people out of work, deputies aren't making any difference in the crime stats. I respect them for the service they provide, but not willing to pay more taxes.
ReplyDelete2:09 crawl back under your rock.
ReplyDeleteWe the people are crawling out of our rocks. And we see the injustices greed and corruption. We do not agree. We were blind sided by technical terms no one out side le understood. But we back our deputies. No more. Things have changed in eight years.
Delete2:09 sorry can't, we both won't fit.
ReplyDelete9:55, I'm easy to find. OTHER cops have. Come on over and MAKE me shut up. Bring some friends because you'll need 'em. But, with cops, bringing frends to a fight is standard procedure, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAnd I can tell 9:55,12:00, and 12:11 are cops just by the intelligent response they've given. LOL---- THAT'S all you three can come up with?? AND anonymous, too? Like I said before, they wouldn't let me be a cop --- my aim is too good.
I have much more respect for 9:51 even though his response was a bit misleading --- whats the hourly rate for these poor contract workers, and have they or have they not retired already with a lucrative pension from a PRIOR government job? NONE of them live in the ghetto or take the bus to work, believe THAT (I KNOW some of them...).
WITH health benefits already in place, too?
You are not finding much sympathy from "we, the people", who PAY for our life insurance, cars, gas, and don't get to violate each and every law ever writen (with the States Attorney behind us saying "good shot", no matter what), nor complain that their job (MANY of which are far more dangerous than "cop") doesn't pay them enough if they are hurt.
You think 7-11 clerks or coal miners, or cab drivers, etc. get the treatment injured or dead cops get? There's NEVER been a 4 mile long procession for the 52 year old woman who was killed over $18 in the register (cops protected her pretty well, huh?) Take a closer look at what some cops have been allowed to call "disability"...Things that "we, the people" get up every day and go to work with with the SAME "condition" or "injury". But the part about changing a contract that has been agreed upon and then sneaking changes into it IS a low-down, dirty, nasty, cheap, political, slimy move. I'm on the cops side on THAT one.
If I was Politt, I'd be making sure I was't driving at night too much (could be mistaken for a wanted felon (the Michelin Man, maybe?) reaching for a weapon, or "moving too fast", or "resisting").
But do you REALLY expect a POLITICIAN to deal HONESTLY with ANYONE? They'd rape their own mother for a big enough campaign contribution.
Keep cheering, boys. It's kinda funny to see you (cops) on the OTHER end of getting F'd by the system. Karma.
Cheer louder!!!