Saturday, October 03, 2009

Cheshire Police Union, Inc. - AFSCME Council 15 - Local 1720

Many people have asked me, on this blog and in person, if it's true that the Cheshire Police union has voted "no confidence" in the Chief.

A vote of "no confidence" by town employees is a serious matter which will be taken up by the council. I withhold comment at this time.

Tim White

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was a unanimous vote by all members of the CPU. Morale is at an all time low. Note they are not seeking any raises or other benefits. Dissatisfaction runs deep in the ranks.

Anonymous said...

Surely this has been brewing for a long time. Town management has either ignored it, or they have failed to address it. Now it’s come to this. What a mess.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Tim...good enough for me.

Anonymous said...

Matt Altieri is the personnel committee chair.
This happened on his watch.

Anonymous said...

Altieri is chair of the personnel committee, but this also happened on the watch of Milone and the council majority.

They’re so busy chasing pet projects like turf and special favors for their developer and contractor-friends, that they ignored the town’s most basic business: our public safety officers.

Anonymous said...

How about dealing with the issues and correcting the problem, rather than worrying about who's watch it was?

Anonymous said...

and what would people suggest Tim do or so at this time?

This is a senstive topic that may well lead to an executive session of the TC

Not to sound like an Altieri supporter, but it's not like we appear to have the problems with the police force they've had in Madison or Middlebury

Anonymous said...

Another whining CT municipal employees union. No doubt if we throw enough money at them they'll quiet down for a couple of more months. Maybe the town can see if the state could fork over some quick cash to help. But even in the first week's of the new state budget built by our Democrat majority the state is already in the hole. Maybe the majority TC can figure some new way to raise property taxes for this too? Then again maybe the police union could seek out the attorneys representing the Pratt & Whitney union trying to sue Pratt to force them to stay in a town full of unhappy police. Those attorneys could probably concoct a law suit claiming that unhappy workers need extra compensation - - -

Anonymous said...

How about dealing with the issues and correcting the problem, rather than worrying about who's watch it was?

Dealing with the issues and correcting the problem has to include identifying the causes of the problem which, as far as I can see, is poor personnel management.

Anonymous said...

Another whining CT municipal employees union. No doubt if we throw enough money at them they'll quiet down for a couple of more months.

Cheshire's police officers are NOT seeking increased pay or benefits. It's not even contract time. This is about poor morale caused by poor leadership.

Anonymous said...

It's not just that department....

Anonymous said...

"It's not just that department..."
= poor defense.

Anonymous said...

The Chief like all other department heads report directly to Milone. If there is a problem, then Milone either caused it or failed to correct it.

This is another reason to have a true police commission of citizens and not just Milone who decides what laws to enforce and who to enforce them on. Remember the enforcement of fliers on polls, this was enforced because the developer W/S want anyone trying to inform the public.

Anonymous said...

Altieri boasts of his “outstanding working relationship with town hall.” Well, Altieri and Milone are pals, but apparently neither of them have good working relationships with the police officers or other town employees.

Anonymous said...

'Remember the enforcement of fliers on polls, this was enforced because the developer W/S want anyone trying to inform the public."

Another lefty who believes that someone has the right to appropriate someone else's private property to broadcast their political opinions.

If the mall opponents could do this, well, wouldn't the Klan or ACORN have the right to do likewise ?(and please let's not bring the "lost dog" posters into this; the fact a property owner looks the other way for that does not turn the pole into a free forum)

Anonymous said...

Digressing - but posting signs on utility poles is prohibited by state statute.

Closer to the point, the Town does NOT need a police commission. It only politicizes the one department that should have NO political influence at all.

BTW, Madison has a police commission and it really did a lot of good for them - didn't it?

Anonymous said...

So will Milone now seek to get even with the police? He has a reputation of being short tempered and taking things personally.

Anonymous said...

Good personnel managers know how to handle employee dissatisfaction, not necessarily by giving in to all demands, but by listening and making some effort to improve morale. But then, good personnel managers would have never let things go this far.

Anonymous said...

"Another lefty who believes that someone has the right to appropriate someone else's private property to broadcast their political opinions."

What a stupid comment. Guess you're a good Fox Make Believe News Network listener and contributor. Trying to preserve the character of Cheshire is not political or leftist.

There are a lot of people that don't trust a police department that has no oversight. Some people like that so that they can have the police apply laws against anyone they don't like.


If you're so concerned about private property and following the law, call the police and tell them to get all the political campaign signs off of town, state, and utility company property. Tell Adinolfi, Altieri, Dill and Ecke to stop breaking the law and that they should only put their signs up where they are legal and have the permission of the property owner.

Anonymous said...

Boy Anon 5:25 is confused.

Evidently now all viewers of Fox News want the Democrats to win the local election--who knew?

Back to the point: is private property private property or are you a disciple of Michael Moore, who now after he's made a few million thinks capitalism sucks and socialism rocks

Basically Anon 5;25, your opinion is SO special you can appropriate someone else's property to spread the word.

Fidel Castro sorta thought the same thing, I recall

And for the record: I'm not a mall fan

ALL PIGS SUCK said...

Good they deserve it and the morale will be even lower when these pantywaists get sued for the petit debacle GOOD GOOD GOOD!!

Anonymous said...

if you dig a little deeper into the facts, you'll see it was not the police rank-n-file who were responsible for poor judgments in responding to that incident.

(but then, 'all pigs suck' displays an immature person unlikely to dig into facts).

Anonymous said...

2:37 p.m. "...the Town does NOT need a police commission. It only politicizes the one department that should have NO political influence at all...."

It's amazing to think folks in town would not want a police commission. Some seem to believe it would politicize municipal work force issues. Was it a year ago or so that our chief pronounced he didn't need one and he would just run stuff with no outside influence from the likes of citizen voters.

Well, it is just amazing that here we sit without a police commission, even though at one time we did have one. Labor relations and municipal employee unions being what they are it is not surprising that just before a significant municipal election one of those unions is acting up.

So towns people, still happy without the visible oversight that a police commission would provide? Are we all happy that our chief said he didn't want or need any citizen oversight? Are we happier because in place of a citizen manned oversight board we are all about to be put through the tax sucking wringer of a national municipal employees labor union out for blood, whoops I mean $$$?

Bottom line, the town municipal police labor union isn't in place to make for happy, smiley, high performing police. No, it's there to enrich our local officers. Any problem, any trouble they can concoct ultimately will result in high individual pay, less hours worked per employee, more employees with less to do etc etc.

Municipal managers are notoriously incapable of dealing with labor issues. They will happily throw money and more money at their charges but cutting waste, improving productivity, putting a cap a needless spending is out of their league. How else can we explain 4% teacher pay raises compounded over 3 years during the worst economic downturn since 1929, or the take home vehicles, or the travel budgets etc?

Just take a look down on Knotter Drive at P&W. P&W is leaving for greener pastures and they are actually leaving their loyal, long term union employees back here. I wonder why? They certainly could re-settle them in Georgia but they would like them not to do that for some reason.

It is time for a local police commission made up of towns people. Residents have a stake in the town. A national labor union representing our local officers and dictating what town residents need will not result in anything beneficial for all.

police commission new said...

WE know it wasnt the rank and file who was responsible-the police commission works because that is how people in madison and southington found out about the bad cops and the no confidence vote in southington-not hiding it like here-the police commission does work-it works for the rank and file-now they can only go to the chief whom they don't like or zullo real good choices these people deserve a police commission.

Anonymous said...

We don't need no stinkin' police commission. We have Matt Altieri! Remember, he has a good working relationship with Town Hall. Oh wait, he doesn't have a good working relationship with the Police Dept.

But we have Milone...although he doesn't even know where the Police station is located.

We have the Town Council...only problem is that the majority doesn't believe in accountability.

I guess we're screwed.

Anonymous said...

Hey all pigs suck guy: are you still beating that old drum?? What would you have done--go knock on the front door and ask if everything was ok? Just because a vocal minority says the pigs screwed up doesn't make it so. The pigs put a bird in the air and cordoned off the area to handle a hostage crisis. It is not the pigs' fault it ended in loss of life. Horrific and tragic, indeed, but let's blame the creeps who planned and carried out the killings, shall we?

Anonymous said...

Milone is the first Town Manager; to get involved with police matters. Maybe if he did not micro manage everything and let the police chief do his job, the police officers would of supported the chief. I look at this as a deserving vote of no confidence against Milone. Matt Altieri; remember the town manager works for the town council and you chair the personnel committee. Matt Altieri: "Wise UP" do your job or resign

Knocked Up said...

Hello 5:38 no I would not have knocked on the door I would have called the house then knocked down the door.

Anonymous said...

I live in town over 30 years and never heard of a vote of no confidence under a Republican watch

Anonymous said...

12:58 You're wrong--the 1st/2nd gen of cops in Town would have knocked the door down; but now we have "procedures" to foller...I mean, follow...

Anonymous said...

"...we have "procedures" to foller...I mean, follow..."

You are describing a failed management organization if ever there was one. Procedures are supposed to work and work every time. They are supposed to written by those who are experts and they are supposed to tested and re-tested and not released for use until they work.

And one last thing, both those making and those using the procedures need to be adequately trained and they need to demonstrate their qualifications and ability to follow procedures through the training process for starters.

Failure tied to procedures, especially serious failures reflects very poorly on all levels of management in an organization experiencing procedure failures.

Time to re-write the procedures or maybe is it time for a major top down reorganization?

Anonymous said...

The last post is a fool.

"Procedures" don;t work "each and every time". They , however, are intended to maximise the chance that innocent people and police officers survive the ordeal.

Police officers can deal reasonably well with criminals who are angry or greedy.....they are still rational and can be waited out. Irrational psychos who wantonly murder strangers are thankfully still uncommon.

Assuming the next hostage situation is ala the Petits is likely to provoke a well armed criminal to react rather than think, and get someone innocent killed

Anonymous said...

6:56 p.m. - - - Organizations need to have good procedures in place so that work can be accomplished in productive and safe fashion. Procedures need to work each and every time. That is especially true in businesses that are complicated and very technical and detail oriented, such as police work. Anything less is courting disaster.

Spend some time studying failures in any number of organizational activities which have a level of complication like police work and you will come away understanding that procedures and policies need to be good enough to work each and every time. If they are not sooner or later a major failure will happen. And the same goes for training, poor training equals poor outcomes, each and every time.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the last bean counter could explain how a procedure can be developed to deal with absolute evil.

The "knock on the door" approach has led to an awful lot of police funerals over the years; which is why gaining full control over the premises prior to attempting entry is what is generally done. Once the perps know escape is impossible the situation can be deescalated. Example: the divorced guy in South Windsor.

Dunno, last time I checked Wall Street was convinced their procedures would handle any contingency. How's that work out for 'em?

Anonymous said...

"... last time I checked Wall Street was convinced their procedures would handle any contingency. How's that work out for 'em?..."

Sounds like an attempt at comparing our town management to Wall Street management.

Let's see, Wall St management no doubt contains some really nasty, greedy, even sociopathic figures , with the likes of Bernie Maadoff at the top of the list for starters. The best plans, policies, and procedures cannot protect anyone from dishonest or incompetent managers.

Maybe for starters comparing Cheshire's problems to Wall St isn't really a good comparison?

Here's another thought if you don't believe in work procedures too. Without some sort of visible, legitimate external oversight function with teeth such as a town police commission there may really not be any way to determine what is working and what is not working. Actions necessary for improvement may never be developed either. One thing will be certain, as time goes by there will be more and more whining unhappy workers at all levels.

Anonymous said...

So the "procedures" that failed to prevent Bernie Madoff (a sociopath) would have prevented the two sociopaths at the Petit home.

The fundamental problem, Mr. Beancounter, is usually "procedures" anticipate rational actors. The scum that committed this crime were far beyond that.

Remember , too, the Parole Board had "procedures" that determined both men were safe to release early.

Police work is not like the freakin "Lethal Weapon" movies, folks

Anonymous said...

9:44 a.m. - - -

A lack of active, strong oversight combined with a bunch of crooks were able to eliminate correct business outcomes for Wall Street recently. However, in the end the system did find Madoff and effectively deal with him by jailing him. Better late then never.

Cheshire needs a police commission and along with that our police need to have policies and procedures in place for any and all police operations. If management can't effectively develop policies and procedures for anything the world can throw at the police then indeed neither the police or town residents are safe. I don't think that is the case, do you?