| Author | Message | ||
     mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2257 Registered: 5-2001  |
Marie, What car crash? I saw firetrucks around 6:00 pm heading towrds Valley. | ||
| Former Mpd Citizen Username: Former_mpd Post Number: 4 Registered: 11-2003 |
It's amazing how anything gets accomplished in this town. I am not here to bash anybody only to bring to light the reasons why people are leaving to goto other depts. When I first got hired I had no intentions of leaving to goto another dept, actually I would have stayed if we had got a better schedule and had been fairly compensated. It took me several yrs to realize that nothing was going to better no matter how much I wanted to believe otherwise. One of the main reasons so many good guys are leaving the dept is because of the ADMINISTRATION!!! Money and a schedule are important, but I would like to believe that the people I'm following have my and my co-workers best interest at heart. Unfortunately noone has their best interest at heart, if they did then you would not have the high turnover rate. I took a paycut but just to have my sanity back is worth it. I still care about my friends and former co-workers, that's why I'm here now trying to voice their concerns. As far as the Mayor I was working that day and I know what I heard!! Correct me if I wrong the PBA tried to respond to his accusations but he would not give them the floor. As far as a schedule the Mayor would eunderstand being the product of Cop how important it is for a Cop to be able to spend time with his family whenever possible. A schedule has been discussed for years and nothing still has changed. My msg's are meant to scare the residents, if something isn't done soon the PD will never recover. When you have so many young and inexperienced Officers eventually they are going to run into problems because they don't have the experience or leadership to make the right decisions. When you call the Police you want to feel confident that they are going to be able to assist you and resolve the situtation correctly. When you have so many experienced Officers leaving to goto better depts. who is going to be there to train and teach the new Officers?? I'm only trying to open the eyes of the residents of the town, unfortunately sometimes you have to scare someone to get their full undivided attention. The Officers of MPD are a great group of guys and would lay their life on the line for each other and the citizens of Maplewood. Just because I left doesn't mean that I no longer care about them. I'm reaching out to all the guys who have left the dept and I want them to come to this forum and voice their opinions as to the reasons they left. The residents are fortunate to have a great group of men defending the town. I worked with Tim for several years he LOVES the town and did not want to leave but how long can you continue to be kicked in the face before you make a change. I have only one question to the residents of Maplewood, has crime and the type of criminal acts being commited gotten worse or better??? | ||
| sbenois Citizen Username: Sbenois Post Number: 10444 Registered: 10-2001  |
My recollection of that TC meeting is quite different than yours. I do believe that the Mayor said that he was of the belief that some of the officers were using code words to scare residents. This was followed by an officer going to the mike (the PBA President I believe) to defend the fact that his officers were not racists. But the Mayor never accused him or the officers of being racists. So let's recap: 1) Mayor Deluca never called the police racists 2) Mayor DeLuca never accused the police of racial profiling. Did not happen. ---> Brought to you by Sbenois Engineering LLC <- Please check out Fringe's Excellent Website: http://hometown.aol.com/njfabian | ||
| Copihue Citizen Username: Cop Post Number: 123 Registered: 10-2003  |
Thanks, Sbenois, for the clarification. Former MPD, thanks for getting the officers to come online to write to us about their experiences with MPD and the reasons they left. I grew up in the 60s and 70s when we had not so nice epithets for policepersons, and I really didn't like those tickets that you gave me. However, I've come to the realization that I depend on you to defend me, because my mouth is probably not going to be of much help if someone brakes into my house. I depend on you. I am trying to rethink my attitude. It is good for me to hear what it is like to be a cop, what the problems are with our police dept.. I agree that we do not want a lot of inexperienced guys on the force, or to get the reputation as being a dept. where you are not going to be building a career, that we are a stepping stone for bigger and better things. Keep talking. I am listening and a lot of other people are too. Pack your own chute. | ||
| lumpyhead Citizen Username: Lumpyhead Post Number: 513 Registered: 3-2002 |
What is the code word that the Mayor accused them of using to scare residents?? | ||
| thelight Citizen Username: Thelight Post Number: 104 Registered: 8-2001 |
I will keep this short and sweet. If the Maplewood Police Departments labor contract is not settled quickly, and if we are not given a sustantial increase in pay, we will ALL witness the TOTAL collapse of the Police Department! Thank You, The Light. | ||
| Duncan Citizen Username: Duncanrogers Post Number: 1117 Registered: 12-2001  |
The Light..If you are so miserable as your posts often hint at.. what keeps you here. Why not leave and join another force that will treat you right "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" Wayne Gretzky | ||
| uncleelmer Citizen Username: Uncleelmer Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2002 |
From what I hear the police are not the only employees of the town having contract problems | ||
| thelight Citizen Username: Thelight Post Number: 105 Registered: 8-2001 |
duncan, You may feel that when the going gets tough, then you quit, I don't share that belief. I signed on many years ago because Maplewood is a beautifull Town. I am in for the long run, and when I see the assinine manner in which this Town operates, It pisses me off! The total lack of honor and professionalism that is shown by the Township Committee is a disgrace! The world is promised,yet seldom delivered. Everything the Committee does is "Hurry up and wait". I truly believe that if the Township wants to, it can begin doing business above board, and with a good deal of professionalism. So duncan, it may be part of your makeup to "just leave", but if all the Towns' Cops "just leave",the residents will be up Sh**s creek, and a paddle will be nowhere in sight. Thank You, The Light. | ||
| Duncan Citizen Username: Duncanrogers Post Number: 1119 Registered: 12-2001 |
I asked a pretty reasonable question Light, did not require the smartass "it may be part of your makeup to just leave" bit. You come out here and complain..alot. It would not be seen as a failure to move to a place where your talents and dedication were more appreciated. I respect your being in law enforcement and the obvious troubles inherent in that line of work. But at some point your being pissed off is going to effect your work, whether you think it will or not, and that is pretty frightening. "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" Wayne Gretzky | ||
| Copihue Citizen Username: Cop Post Number: 124 Registered: 10-2003 |
A lot of officers have left, and a lot of experience has been lost, Duncan. If it were a few officers, well, then that wouldn't matter much, but there are many officers leaving and that is troublesome. A few years ago I supposedly crossed Springfield Avenue on a red light; I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. FOUR CARS came to give me a ticket. People came out of their homes to see what I had done! ridiculous. Why four cars for one ticket?! don't they have anything better to do???? I'll never forget that for as long as I live. It looked like one cop with a supervisor and two other cops to see what the other one had caught. They caught me; I felt like a fish. I am surprised that they didn't practice their fingerprinting skills on me too. No, we don't want inexperienced officers in Maplewood. Pack your own chute. | ||
| thelight Citizen Username: Thelight Post Number: 106 Registered: 8-2001 |
duncan, You are reading my post wrong. I said "You May feel" and "MAY be part of your makeup". I was just implying a possible outlook that you MAY hold out towards the subject at hand, that's all. And as far as me "coming out" and complaining...Well if you read many of the posters earlier posts, many of them were trolling the waters of this Board for certain Posters (Police Officers), to give lists of reasons for the slow and steady decline of the Maplewood Police Dept. So, all in all duncan, I really don't feel that my direct response to your question was at all "smart ass" in its nature. Just to reiterate, When the going gets tough, I don't quit. Thank You, The Light. | ||
| Rebecca Raines Citizen Username: Robin_realist Post Number: 48 Registered: 10-2003 |
It is true that the PD isn't the only contract up in the air. The library staff contract expired the first of 2003 also and it's going nowhere in negotiations. The township wants more for less everywhere you look. We have been cut down to the bone already and any more will require cuts in services to you. The budget is a tug of war in which no one really wins. People like me end up paying my own raise with the tax increase required to make it happen. Maybe library staff are characteristically a little more patient than police officers, but I don't feel that getting upset makes it go any faster, whatever contract is signed will be retro-active. I'm glad the officers mentioned are happy in their new positions. They exercised their right to choose and left. I really prefer to hear from the officers we've got. Preferably from a number of them with reasonable statements, not one or two. I believe that when people feel they have no control, that's when they do outrageous and uncharacteristic things. It seems that's a big part of the problem, the officers don't feel like they have any control over their situation. R | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2186 Registered: 9-2001 |
Tim, “As far as I know I'm the only one that didn't take a pay cut when I left. These officers deserve substantial pay raises.” I’m happy for you, and I agree it would be nice to see all the other officers get a substantial raise. But, I think we all know that’s not going to happen. FWIW, I'm sure most of us agree that Maplewood will survive without all these so-called experienced officers we’ve lost. Seeing that you seem to know what’s happening, would you please tell us how much experience each of these officers had that left for “Greener Pastures”? How many were sergeants, captains, lieutenants, or above? Thanks, Art | ||
| thelight Citizen Username: Thelight Post Number: 107 Registered: 8-2001 |
Art, I'm surprised at your stance, you being a former Marine! The Military and the modern-day Police force are very similar. If experience leaves, so does a strong presence for the hoodlums to notice. And Art, I am quite certain that we (The Police) will get our raise when this contract is settled, "and you can take THAT to the bank". Thank You, The Light. | ||
| Duncan Citizen Username: Duncanrogers Post Number: 1121 Registered: 12-2001 |
The Light, my apologies for misinterpreting. Thanks for the level response. "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" Wayne Gretzky | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2265 Registered: 5-2001 |
Copihue, I'm sorry about your experience with going through the red light on Springfield, and I understand how you feel, but please try not to take it personally since Springfield Ave is where a lot of the stolen cars speed through, and if the officers heard about a car going through a red light there they were probably concerned about it possibly being a stolen vehicle. This is very difficult and dangerous part of an officer's job, because a lot of people could get hurt, especially at times when the schools are letting out. | ||
| Copihue Citizen Username: Cop Post Number: 125 Registered: 10-2003 |
Thanks, Mem. Your interpretation makes sense. It never thought of it like you described it. I was daydreaming, ran a light, and I get four cars coming at me. I was embarassed. Pack your own chute. | ||
| Alex Christou Citizen Username: Christou1 Post Number: 21 Registered: 9-2003 |
The way our police are being treated is a disgrace. I have found them to be nothing but professional and courteous. A manager's role is to facilitate their employees' jobs (in this case highly skilled professionals), not get in the way by creating barriers. Goals should be set (e.g. reduce crime in the Maplecrest area by 50%), and the officers should be able to use their professional judgement to get the job done without being questioned about things like racism. We should be providing our officers any and all tools they need to get the job done. We as citizens should be outraged, and demand the resignation of the administration that created this mess!!! | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2189 Registered: 9-2001 |
The Light, Don't be so surprised by my stance, BTW, I was in the Navy. I’ll agree that today's military and the police force are similar in many respects, but that has nothing to do with the present issue of our police officers leaving the department. In the military, these officers would AWOL. A simple fact of life is when experience leaves, new replacements are trained to take their place. You should be around long enough to know, no one is irreplaceable, in any field, for anything! And, I’m also quite certain the police will get a raise when this contract is settled, and you my friend are welcome to take it to the bank for yourself. FWIW, there’s no draft presently in the military, or anywhere in our police forces. Anyone who joins these organizations knows that all government employment has some form of basic salary guidelines for everyone. I left the military life because I wanted what I wanted, no salary guidelines, no restrictions, no uniforms, no rules and regulations that are associated with government and civil service employment. I’m not sure, but I hope our police officers “joined” the force for the same reasons myself and others “joined” the military. I hope it was more about “Service Above Self”, then working conditions and income they can earn. There are always advantages and disadvantages no matter what we do for a living. I totally respect our officers leaving the force for whatever reasons they decided to go. I don’t feel sorry for them, or our town. They need to get on with their life, not like some officers posting on line... I'm sure the senior officers remaining, and the new ones being trained will take care of business, just like all the others have before them... Now, in case anyone missed it, would someone please answer my questions: Please tell me how much experience each of these officers had that left for “Greener Pastures”, and how many were sergeants, captains, lieutenants, or above? Thank you.... Ajc |
