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King County Police Officers Guild General Membership Meeting October 31, 2007 Shoreline MEMBERS PRESENT: Steve Eggert – President Pat Bowen – Vice President Ron Kierce – Sec/Treasurer Thad Frampton – Board Member # 1 Don Dougherty – Board Member # 2 Mark Lemoine – Board Member # 3 Mark Rorvik – Board Member # 5 M. Brown – RJC M. Toner – RJC DB Gates – RJC K. Larson – Shoreline
Board Members Absent: JK Pewitt (excused) Marcus Williams (unexcused)
CALLED TO ORDER: The General Membership Meeting was called to order at 1400 hours by President, Steve Eggert. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES: The September General Membership Meeting minutes have been posted on the website and at worksites. They were submitted again for review. A motion was made by Mark Lemoine to approve the minutes as submitted. The motion was seconded by DB Gates. Motion passed. PAC – NON RECOMMENDATION: THE KCPOG Political Action Committee discussed if they should forward Richard Pope’s request for endorsement to the General Membership. For the uninitiated, Mr. Pope is challenging Incumbent, King County Councilwoman Jane Hague for a spot on the Council. KCPOG has supported and endorsed Jane Hague in the past, but is troubled with her recent legal troubles. Mr. Pope, on the other hand, has sued one of Jane Hague’s staff members in a campaign that has become particularly volatile. These are just some of the issues involved in this campaign. In light of so many problems and issues with this race, the KCPOG P.A.C. has decided not to forward Richard Pope’s candidacy to the General Membership. OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING IN SHORELINE: Mark Toner informed the Board of an apparent new policy direction on behalf of KCSO when dealing with officer involved shootings. The recent shootings involved many jurisdiction issues with officers from two jurisdictions and using force in a third jurisdiction. This added much confusion and delay with the investigation while the Command Staff decided who would investigate. It was ultimately decided that the Seattle Police Department would investigate because the shooting occurred in their jurisdiction. Sgt. Toner advised that this is a change in the past practice of giving an outside jurisdiction the first right of refusal to investigate, which has always happened in the past. The past policy also allows our Major Crimes Unit to overrule an outside agency if they feel the agency is not up to task. The CID Command Staff has informed the Major Crimes Unit that investigatory authority for Officer involved shootings will now be decided on a case by case basis where incidents occur in outside jurisdictions. The Board feels this policy direction, again, provides political insulation for the Sheriff and also gives the perception that the Sheriff is not 100 percent supportive of her own Major Crimes Unit. KCPOG feels our personnel in the Major Crimes Unit that investigate Officer Involved Shootings are the best the region has to offer. People may disagree with the current approach the Major Crimes Unit takes when investigating officer involved shootings, but you are hard pressed to take issue with the professionalism, method and quality our personnel provide with these investigations. The investigatory policies and procedures have been examined and established with prosecutorial involvement and are tried and true. Sgt. Toner also informed the Board that the KCSO is looking at forming a type of Officer Involved Shooting Response Team that would involve personnel in outside agencies assisting with KCSO investigations. This is clearly a subject of mandatory bargaining and will have to be negotiated. Sgt. Gates inquired if the policy for replacing weapons for Deputies involved in shootings has changed. There has been a change in the process, but not the policy. Deputies involved in a shooting will still have their firearm replaced before they secure from duty. The method for delivering the weapon has changed. Each Precinct, Shoreline and SeaTac have had gun lock boxes installed that contain a replacement Glock model 22 and a left handed and righted paddle holster for the weapon. Written instructions have been provided to each location with a lock box. The weapons in the lock boxes are there to give deputies an immediate and temporary weapon when securing from duty. The deputy will then contact PMU the next day or shortly thereafter to see if Property Management has a similar weapon on hand to replace the deputy’s original weapon. Deputies should be aware that PMU does not have every conceivable make and model weapon on hand to replace firearms involved in shootings. PMU will make every effort to find a like weapon. A copy of the gun box procedure will be sent to CID to clear up any misunderstanding. NOTE: PMU Personnel are still available for call outs, should other problems arise with replacement weapons. TWO HOUR CALL OUT MINIMUM FOR PHONE CALLS ULP: The Two Hour Callout ULP, as past notes have indicated, is back in the hands of PERC after an arbitrator review. The arbitrator did find that the past practice exists but did not address many issues. It looks like PERC will make the final decision and remedy. The membership should be aware that most divisions have continued to honor a two hour minimum and retro pay will apply if PERC gives the KCPOG a favorable ruling. PTO/FTO PROGRAM: Don Dougherty asked the KCPOG if they are going to sign a Memo of Understanding with the County over the proposed new PTO program. No MOU will be signed. Instead, an Unfair Labor Practice is being considered for the County’s direct dealing violation with the KCPOG membership. The PTO/FTO program has also not been brought up in a timely manner for this negotiations period, therefore any change in Wages, Hours and Working Conditions will result in action by the Guild against the County in any such changes. RADIO RECEPTION/TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS: Doc Dougherty inquired if there is anything the KCPOG can do to improve the abysmal radio reception and transmission problems along the I-90 corridor between exits 42 and 47. Ron Kierce advised the Radio Shop is in the beginning of a process that will replace the entire system due to new Federal Mandates. The new system, once in place, is supposed to be vastly superior to the current system and should alleviate the “dead spots.” The implementation of this system is running behind schedule and is most likely a year or two away from implementation. Ron will check with the Radio Shop to see if improvements can be made in the interim. SERGEANT’S EXAM: The same ULP is pending before PERC (Public Employment Relations Commission) in Olympia. To date, there has been no change. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS: Doc Dougherty informed the membership that the Tacoma Police Department just received a 17% pay raise and asked if there is a chance we will see something like that. Unfortunately, the City of Tacoma is not a comparable jurisdiction for negotiation purposes and thus their raise has very little relevance to our negotiations. **After checking with Aitchison & Vick, the Tacoma PD did NOT receive a 17% increase and is currently in the midst of Interest Arbitration. Our wages have not been discussed in negotiations at this point and the details of any such negotiations would not be discussed outside negotiations under the auspices of “good faith” while negotiating. PORTAL TO PORTAL: Jim Laing informed the membership that Labor and Industries has declined to classify Donn Potteiger’s injuries as occurring “On Duty.” As you may know, Deputy Potteiger was struck by a drunk driver after leaving his assignment at Seattle’s Torch Light Festivities. KCSO and Labor and Industries have determined that Donn was off duty despite traveling to and from work on a furlough day to work a special event. KCPOG feels the Contract is clear, that Donn was On Duty and working Portal to Portal. Donn has also told Jim Laing that he was on the way to the Precinct to submit his overtime, per Department policy, when he was struck. Steve Eggert met with KCSO and told the issue of Portal to Portal overtime was solved. Apparently not. Pat Bowen is working with OHRM and Virginia Kirk on this issue. EXECUTIVE SESSION: The KCPOG Board closed the meeting for an Executive Session to discuss an employee disciplinary issue. The Board Unanimously decided not to pursue arbitration on the case. ADJOURNED: The General Membership Meeting adjourned at 1520 hrs. |