City of Coral Gables holds Impasse on Coral Gables FOP; results released

The City of Coral Gables and the Coral Gables Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #7 have reached the following agreement as a result of the Impasse Hearing held on August 31, 2009.

The agreement calls for members to contribute 5% of their salary towards the Coral Gables Retirement Fund.

For the use a police vehicle, the members will begin paying a sliding fee based upon the distance from their residence to the police department.

Upon retirement from the city, members will no longer be allowed to use the sale of compensatory time towards their final retirement average.

Members will only be able to calculate the first 300 hours of overtime each year towards their retirement average.

Employee merit increases will be reduced from 5% to 2.5%.

The members will be eligible for entry into the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) upon reaching 25 years of service or when the member reaches the "Rule of Seventy".

A full press release will be forthcoming.


This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

Coral Gables FOP provides factual Information concerning current contractual issues

Coral Gables FOP Lodge #7 released a factual comparison of salaries from various law enforcement agencies in South Florida. The comparison spans both Dade and Broward County and reveals an alarming disparity between the perception of what members of the Coral Gables Police Department are paid in yearly salary and what the true actual comparative number is. Of the 16 agencies surveyed the Coral Gables Police Department ranked well below the bottom third in maximum pay at 13th. There is only a $1354.00 difference between the Coral Gables police department sliding even further down to position 14. At the current maximum pay grade of the Coral Gables Police Department there are literally thousands of police officers in the South Florida region who are either paid more than the highest Coral Gables Police Officer or will potentially eclipse the maximum paid Coral Gables Police Officer at some point in their career

Any doubts? Check the links below for verification:

http://www.miami-police.org/wages_benefits.html

http://www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/police/employment.shtm

http://www.sunrisefl.gov/sunrisejoblisting.html

http://www.coralsprings.org/employment/csjobs/

http://www.miramarpd.org/cityEmployment.asp

http://ci.north-miami-beach.fl.us/index.asp?Type=NONE&SEC={4E4D764F-B590-4E20-A587-DB312D5FF2BD}

http://ci.ftlaud.fl.us/jobs/cityjobs.htm

http://www.miamidade.gov/mdpd/careers-officer.asp

http://www.hallandalebeachfl.gov/index.aspx?nid=17

https://jobs.sheriff.org/JobDetails.aspx?Postings=2296

http://www.ppines.com/police/recruitment.html


This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

Irony strikes Coral Gables FOP; as FOP struggles with City, independant blogger writes of the death of a Coral Gables Police Officer

The Coral Gables FOP Lodge #7 "Walter Stathers Memorial Lodge" is locked in a fierce contract battle with the City of Coral Gables. While conducting research to further their cause FOP members discovered that an independent blogger has not forgotten our deceased brother Officer Walter Stathers. Ironically, the blogger posted a lengthy account of the death of brother Stathers while the current Coral Gables FOP membership struggles with the City of Coral Gables. "I can't account for the timing of this blog all I know is Officer Stathers has never been forgotten and to have this appear on the Internet while all of this is going on really hits home." said FOP Vice President Randy Hoff. "he's still a part of us and always will be."

Link to blog article on Walter Stathers is HERE

This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

Support your local Coral Gables FOP; addresses and telephone numbers are provided

Support your Coral Gables FOP by cutting and pasting the below paragraph into an email to the elected officials whose addresses have been provided below. Your time and effort can help to secure the quality professional law enforcement that you and others have come to expect from the Coral Gables Police Department

cut & paste address as BCC & put paragraph into body from below

BCC:
donslesnick@coralgables.com, wkerdyk@coralgables.com, manderson@coralgables.com, wwithers@coralgables.com, rcabrera@coralgables.com


I am sending this email to you today to inform you of my support and alliance with the Coral Gables FOP Lodge #7 in their quest for a fair and supportive labor contract. I do not want to see a reduction in wages nor do I want to see a reduction in current or pensionable issues. I am seeking your attention as an elected official to understand that I support the Coral Gables FOP and am firm on this resolve.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Mayor Don Slesnick
donslesnick@coralgables.com
Direct telephone line: 305-460-5220

Vice Mayor William Kerdyk
wkerdyk@coralgables.com
Direct telephone line: 305-569-1817

Commissioner Maria Anderson
manderson@coralgables.com
Direct telephone line: 305-460-5223

Commissioner Wayne Withers
wwithers@coralgables.com
Direct telephone line: 305-460-5323

Commissioner Ralph Cabrera
rcabrera@coralgables.com
Direct telephone line: 305-569-1817

This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

The Dangers of Policing South Florida: Miami officer who works neighboring Coconut Grove bit by HIV+ drifter; has his liife upended

By David Ovalle
Miami Herald

For threatening to kill with his illness then biting a Miami cop, HIV-positive drifter Johnson Jamerson will serve 15 years in prison, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Jamerson, 35, was convicted in June of attacking Miami Officer Matthew Hall while trying to escape a police bus bound for jail. He bit through Hall's pants, drew blood and caused a permanent bruise.

Hall was not infected -- but doctors did not clear him for eight anxious months.

``He could not have any contact with his wife or children for fear he could severely affect them,'' Miami-Dade prosecutor Ankur Sevak told Circuit Judge Daryl E. Trawick.

Jamerson, a former furniture delivery man who suffers from schizophrenia, was arrested in January 2008 for trespassing after he was found sleeping under the Interstate 395 bridge at North Miami Avenue.

On a police bus later, Jamerson slipped out of his handcuffs. Hall grappled with him. Wile struggling on the ground, Jamerson yelled out that he had HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, threatened to kill Hall and then sank his teeth into the officer's right shin.

``For three months afterward, I had to take a cocktail of medication three times a day, causing diarrhea, vomiting, nausea -- everything you can think of,'' Hall, a Coconut Grove patrolman, said after the sentencing.

Jamerson, who sports a long criminal history, was originally charged with attempted murder. Jurors found him guilty of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.

This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

New Video release of citizen outcry and disparity against Coral Gables' proposal to the Coral Gables FOP

AP
MIAMI-A news video released after the Police Union of the City of Coral Gables held a silent protest at their city hall has people signing petitions and talking about the proposed deal the city has in store for its police department. To see the video just click HERE

This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

Coral Gables Police protest proposed pay cut

WSVN Fox News Miami
Some area police officers are taking part in a budget battle.

Officers from the Coral Gables Police Department protested at a city commission meeting Tuesday.

The group is upset over a plan to cut their salaries.

The city manager has proposed a 7.5 percent reduction in pay for city employees to make up for a $2 million deficit in its pension.

A meeting between union leaders and city commissioners to discuss the proposed plan is slated for next Monday.



This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

Video of Coral Gables FOP silent protest at City Hall Commission Meeting

To see video story from CBS4 Miami just click HERE

This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

Coral Gables Police FOP union displays strong presence and opposition to proposed contract issues at Coral Gables City Commission meeting

The membership and supporters of Coral Gables FOP Lodge #7 arrived at Coral Gables City Hall and their presence and displeasure of potential contract issues was clearly seen and felt. The Coral Gables FOP is strongly opposed to a proposed 7.5% wage reduction as well as other contractual issues the City of Coral Gables has intimated it wants to cut from the police department union contract. All levels of the rank in file to include investigations, specialized units, and patrol were in attendance demonstrating that these issues are department wide and affect the Coral Gables Police Department and the City as a whole. "The large turnout is a sign that the FOP of Coral Gables rallies for itself. When the call came to show our position the membership stepped up quickly and decisively. This is not an issue that any resident or business in Coral Gables should take lightly." said one t-shirt wearing FOP member. The Union members were civil, polite and often times in the bursting at the seams chambers were seen holding doors for attendees and giving up their seats to residents. FOP President John Baublitz spoke briefly before the City Commission before leading his membership out of the chambers.

This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

Coral Gables Police Protest Proposed Pay Cut: Silent Protest Held Outside City Hall

By Gio Benitez
CBS4 Miami

Talk of a pay cuts for the Coral Gables Police Department is not sitting well with the rank and file.

On Tuesday dozens of officers and members of the police union marched into City Hall in a silent protest during the city commission's budget meeting. They're protesting a proposal which would cut their salaries by seven and a half percent, their pensions by half.

Fraternal Order of Police union spokesman John Baublitz said if the cut goes through it would have a negative impact on the city.

"There'll be less patrol men on the streets, less detectives investigating crimes," said Baublitz. "You'd have less safe neighborhoods and city."

Coral Gables Mayor Don Slesnick said he shares their concerns but the city is facing a $13 million budget shortfall for next year.

"It is true that we have to put in the proposal," said Slesnick before the budget meeting. "We are asking from higher contributions to pension plans and wage reductions."

Fraternal Order of Police spokesman Sergeant Randy Hoff said the Coral Gables Police Department is one of the lowest paying police departments in the county and a lot of officers are considering going to other agencies.

"We're concerned it's not going to attract the quality of officers it has in the past, we already have some of the most stringent hiring requirements," said Hoff. "We require a college education and now we won't even be close to competitive with other agencies."

Elena Linares, who owns a barber shop in the Miracle Mile, is worried that if the cuts go through there won't be officers to protect her business at night.

"We can't afford, we can't afford to have that happen," said Linares.

Commissioners will hold their final vote on the police contracts on August 31st.

This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.

Coral Gables FOP has large turnout at Coral Gables City Commission Meeting

Coral Gables FOP Lodge #7 had a huge turnout of current and retired members at the City Commission Meeting held at Coral Gables City Hall. "We greatly appreciate the support of the membership and the community." said FOP President John Baublitz

This message has been posted by the Coral Gables FOP, Lodge #7.