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PBA vs. the new chief Part III, and some clarifications
Looks like we need to make a couple clarifications to Monday’s Talespin.
First, we don’t think all cops are bad. Actually, we think the great majority of them are in the business for the right reasons, earn their keep, work hard everyday and earn their pension too.
We are just saying that police overtime is way out of bounds and its crushing municipalities across the country, not just in Troy. When overtime is out of bounds pensions get out of bounds too, and we pay for those for years and years.
Half the city’s budget goes to pay for the police and fire departments. And yet the police department cost the city $1.3 million in overtime, $625,000 more than was in the budget.
Something is wrong when that happens, and it’s been happening for years.
The new chief, John Tedesco, wants to shake it up a bit. The Police Benevolent Association doesn’t like it and it’s president, Bob Fitzgerald, made an allegation that is just bizarre – that Tedesco wants to disband the Special Operations Section of the department because it was conducting a drug investigation into employees at City Hall.
It was a press event orchestrated by the PBA and it was nothing more, nothing less. There might be an investigation into city employees. There might not.
One thing is for certain: a cover up is not the reason Tedesco wants to shake up the department. The PBA knows it, and should respect the fact he is the chief and now runs the show and not them.
Also, looks like we’re batting two for two this week, the position Troy Comptroller Deborah Witkowski wants at the Troy Housing Authority is a Civil Service position, not a patronage job. Witkowski has been comptroller for the city through two administrations, of two different parties, and has been nothing but a stand up employee and an honest, competent numbers cruncher.
It’s long been expected that Deputy Mayor Dan Crawley will be the next THA executive secretary thanks to the fact Mayor Harry Tutunjian, his longtime friend, appointed the board. We were surprised to hear Witkowski would head over there too. If she does, it’s a loss to the city but we can’t blame her. She survived through two administrations and there is no guarantee the next one will keep her on.
We’d be more than happy, though, to hear what she has to say should she get the job and has a chance to have at it with the THA books.
First, we don’t think all cops are bad. Actually, we think the great majority of them are in the business for the right reasons, earn their keep, work hard everyday and earn their pension too.
We are just saying that police overtime is way out of bounds and its crushing municipalities across the country, not just in Troy. When overtime is out of bounds pensions get out of bounds too, and we pay for those for years and years.
Half the city’s budget goes to pay for the police and fire departments. And yet the police department cost the city $1.3 million in overtime, $625,000 more than was in the budget.
Something is wrong when that happens, and it’s been happening for years.
The new chief, John Tedesco, wants to shake it up a bit. The Police Benevolent Association doesn’t like it and it’s president, Bob Fitzgerald, made an allegation that is just bizarre – that Tedesco wants to disband the Special Operations Section of the department because it was conducting a drug investigation into employees at City Hall.
It was a press event orchestrated by the PBA and it was nothing more, nothing less. There might be an investigation into city employees. There might not.
One thing is for certain: a cover up is not the reason Tedesco wants to shake up the department. The PBA knows it, and should respect the fact he is the chief and now runs the show and not them.
Also, looks like we’re batting two for two this week, the position Troy Comptroller Deborah Witkowski wants at the Troy Housing Authority is a Civil Service position, not a patronage job. Witkowski has been comptroller for the city through two administrations, of two different parties, and has been nothing but a stand up employee and an honest, competent numbers cruncher.
It’s long been expected that Deputy Mayor Dan Crawley will be the next THA executive secretary thanks to the fact Mayor Harry Tutunjian, his longtime friend, appointed the board. We were surprised to hear Witkowski would head over there too. If she does, it’s a loss to the city but we can’t blame her. She survived through two administrations and there is no guarantee the next one will keep her on.
We’d be more than happy, though, to hear what she has to say should she get the job and has a chance to have at it with the THA books.
Labels: PBA Tutunjian, THA
posted by Talespin at
Monday, April 26, 2010
7 Comments:
You are right, and the police chief is right; overtime needs to be controlled. Think back to the last recession in the early 90's: the cost of the public safety contracts, negotiated in better times, drove the city into a deficit. As I recall, the firefighters made concessions but the police did not. Does anyone want to go back to the days of layoffs, trying to sell City Hall, a 30% tax increase, and a financial oversight board? Anyone involved with the NYS pension system knows that overtime has been used to drive up pensions. It's not just police officers - that's why they are changing the rules at the state level. The police unon has a good PR strategy - any mention of these facts is portrayed as "unsupportive" of the police, but that strategy won't cover payroll when the city is broke again.
you know what this is all about some high ranking police officer was busted and was given a pass!!!
actually you are refering to a son of a high ranking police officer
Bob Fitzgerald thinks that he is some big time union leader. He is NOT, he is a CRIMINAL. He is a self serving boob ONLY motivated by being left alone for the majority of his year and getting his kids off the bus. He does not have to work, answer calls, investigate anything...etc.. The union is not in step with his lies but we know we will all suffer for them. I have been telling people for years that he is no good but the union could not pull together to vote him out.
Bob Fitzgerald never arrested anyone, the people he did when he hid behind his badge and confront them filed complaints.
He is the classic kid who got his lunch money stolen and now he represents "us" wearing the same badge without earning it. God help us from this idiot "Leader" Fitzgerald.
What are his work hours?
Who does he report to?
What is he costing the city?
WHAT DOES HE DO?
Is the city going to continue to fund his lies? The city pays this criminal to make the city less safe!!
Real, I would think that a real cop would be able to document some of these claims and at least get them to a reporter. While I find Fitz to be obnoxious and not very bright, exactly how is he different from the head of most public employee unions?
One of the big problems in Troy PD is that the Supervisors and the cops are in the same union. How can a Sergeant dicipline a Patrolman if they are in the same union? It does not make any sense.
"In an interview seven years ago, Finn said it's inappropriate for police supervisors to be in the same union as officers they supervise and discipline. The supervisors subsequently formed their own union and Finn was posthumously named their honorary first president"
Troy police are now at war w/ each other a lot worse than you can ever imagion there are alliances being formed and lots of hate in the station when you lead by example and see high ranking officers drunk on a bar stool w/ kids who get passes when there arrested or being investigated its very troubling to other officers!
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