So, what’s on the Radar Screen this month?

The Fires
Well, in last month’s article, I had intended on mentioning the recent fires, but with the magazine deadline, personal time constraints, and the fact I had probably already bored you to tears with all the details on the VEBA, I didn’t get around to it. So, here’s my chance.

Unfortunately, over the last few years, our department has become all too familiar with platoons, mobile field forces, and the entire SEMS process. These activations are becoming more routine, and, as we know from experience, usually occur only when the s%#t has hit the fan. At that point, our personnel are asked to give their all towards the mission at hand.

I can tell you, as a supervisor, I’m always impressed and honestly taken back somewhat by the consistent professionalism displayed by our members in spite of the ever present dangers. Despite the department requiring more and more of our time and energy, our people always manage to dig a little deeper to provide whatever service is necessary. My hat is off to each and every one of you. You are truly the best at what you do!!!

Having spent the last ten years of my career in an East County command, where we’ve been in the mix, if not on the front lines, of virtually every wildfire calamity since 2000, I’ve seen our people develop into a finely tuned machine. One of the areas I’ve seen major change, innovation, and incredible expertise, is in our airborne operations, or ASTREA. I’ll use this as a segue into an area I wish to discuss this month—premium pay.

Premium Pay
First of all, let me say, I in no way want to demean or downplay any particular unit’s attempt to get fair compensation for the work they perform. I agree, we all deserve more than what we receive, and the negotiation process can resolve most of these issues, but there are a few unit’s within the department that by virtue of their particular job requirements and/or expertise—like cream—rise to the top of my list of units that need immediate attention. At the top of my list are ASTREA and Homicide.

When I worked ASTREA in the 1980s, we had just transitioned into the jets, or turbine powered helicopters. That transition, allowed the unit to expand its operations to include Medivac, SWAT team insertions, and water drops, just to mention a few. Now, with the new, larger helicopters, increased training requirements, necessary certifications, and a workload demand that has probably tripled in the last five years, the entire complexion of the unit has changed. Unfortunately, the premium paid to our pilots and observers has not, and in terms of other agencies, we’re paying our people peanuts and not even attempting to meet the industry standard for similar public safety operations. Some of these other public safety agencies are paying their pilots up to $120,000 a year. I can tell you, I saw these air operations work miracles in the recent fires, and I can’t imagine where we would be today without the dedicated members assigned to the unit.

Homicide is another unit that is way overdue for an increased premium. Yes, they’re paid their detective premium, just like any other investigator, but all investigators are not created equally. If you’re not aware, homicide personnel are really never off call. With the increased workload of their unit, even the technically “off call” investigators are routinely called out by the department. Their phones go off around the clock, they respond to all corners of the county, and unlike most other investigators, they don’t receive their three-hour callback pay for having only spent an hour on the job or just answering their phones.

Their callouts can last for nearly 24 hours at times, depending on the situation. Because of their unique demands and unit responsibilities, homicide investigators, even when off duty, can’t really travel with their families. They must always take two cars to every function, for the inevitable unexpected callout. Even while off-duty, they must limit their activity, so as to not impair their ability to respond to a scene and perform their duty in a competent manner.

These requirements are not really unique to our department and many agencies have recognized the problem and have attempted to right the wrong. Some of these “progressive” agencies pay their homicide investigators an increased premium or offer paid standby time, while in an on-call status. Did you know our department pays it’s professional staff assigned to homicide and the crime lab standby time? Why would they do this for professional staff, but not for our sworn staff? Probably a good question!

I can tell you, homicide is really a thankless job, which considerably impacts the personal lives of its members and their families, for which they get the same minuscule premium as an investigator who never even gets an after hours telephone call. This is wrong! Like ASTREA, this inequity with homicide needs to be corrected and corrected now!

Many months ago, and long before the last two big fires, the DSA had conversations with the department on the premiums for ASTREA and homicide. Our recommendation was for a 10 percent premium increase for those units. Let me tell you straight. The department has the ability to make this change today, outside of the formal negotiation process, as they did back when we first discussed the issue with them. For whatever reason, they don’t want to address it until the next negotiation’s process.

How many fires, callouts, or other critical incidents will we have to endure until that future negotiation process not only begins, but is completed and implemented? You’re talking at least 18 months! I say No, it needs to get addressed now.

The department sends it’s supervisors and leaders to classes that teach us to “do the right thing, even when nobody’s looking.” Great message; I can’t agree more. I can tell the department and the county, if they’re listening too, people are looking at this issue. Yep, they’re looking at taking our employees away from us—and from where they’re needed—by offering them fair and reasonable compensation for their services. If the department is not careful, we could lose these valuable people to other agencies. So, now that everybody’s looking, I call for the department to “do what’s right” and pay these people what they deserve.

I know I’m running long, so I’ll be short on my other two issues…

Medicare
What’s up with Medicare for our pre-1987 employees? Can anybody tell me what we were smoking when we agreed to stop paying into Medicare for these folks? I’m trying to get an answer, but there aren’t that many of us out there anymore. If anybody can shed any light on the subject—what we may have given up or gained by the agreement—when it happened, I would be interested in knowing. The post-1987 employees have the deduction, and it’s very small considering the benefit, so I’m curious what was so compelling, we gave up the benefit for the older employees.

We asked the county, but with personnel changes there, they didn’t have a history dating back that far, so they didn’t have an answer. Now that I’m nearing my retirement date, like many of you, I now realize I’m without the necessary Social Security quarters to provide me with a Medicare benefit. Sort of ironic, after having spent 30-plus years in public service. Honestly, not a position I thought I would be in when I started my career in law enforcement.

Promotability Process
In closing, I wanted to follow-up on the topic discussed back in October, which was the promotability process and the mystery matrix used for law enforcement sergeant. So far, nobody’s responded. Apparently, either nobody read the Silver Star article, knows the answer, or cares enough to share it with us. We know it exists, and it’s a shame we won’t share with our employees the very things the department looks at in terms of true promotability.

Also, I tried to get an answer on this subject from personnel, before submitting this article, but had no success. Unfortunately, certain employees have a track record of not talking to me on issues, even though I speak in generalities without mentioning names. Anyway, looks like the only way to get it answered is by going to the masses. I’m trying to determine if more than one person was told they were not going to get credit for an EPR to use in a recent CAP Score, which through no fault of their own, was submitted late to personnel. This may be an isolated case, but as I said, at this point, I have no way of knowing because of my informational black out. If you are or were one of these candidates, please drop me an e-mail.

Famous quote: “Personnel!!!!! Personnel is for a$$&?@#*”
- Dirty Harry (The Enforcer 1976)

Until next month!! 