City Council Budget Committee Hearing Postponed
 
The New Orleans City Council Budget Committee meeting, scheduled for tomorrow (04/17/2013) to review ordinances submitted by the Office of Police Secondary Employment, has been postponed.  The meeting has been rescheduled until Thursday, April 25, 2013.
  
It is our understanding that the meeting was delayed because the City Administration was unprepared to answer questions submitted to the Budget Committee members by the Fraternal Order of Police.  This is the second time a committee hearing on this issue has been postponed at the request of the administration.
  
FOP Meets with Councilperson Clarkson on OPSE
 
This afternoon, FOP representatives Donovan Livaccari and Raymond Burkart, III met with New Orleans City Council Vice President Jackie Clarkson.  Councilperson Clarkson chairs the Council's Budget Committee, scheduled to review ordinances proposed by the Office of Police Secondary Employment.  The Fraternal Order of Police has been granted 10 - 15 minutes to make a presentation to the Committee at that hearing.
 
Based on our discussions, it is apparent Councilperson Clarkson shares our concerns about the hourly rates being suggested by the OPSE, the fee scheduled being proposed, and the plan to rotate officers out of permanent detail assigments.  She indicated she would like to see a detailed explanation of the OPSE budget proposal for the remainder of this year as well as next year.
 
Councilperson Clarkson asked for our assistance outlining the requirements of the Consent Decree as it relates to paid details, as well as our suggestions for improving the proposed paid detail system.
 
City-run Paid Detail System not always Best Practice
 
Click on the below link to review a story on the "Detail Mafia" operating within the Pittsburgh, PA Bureau of Police "city-run" paid detail system.
 
It is our understanding that the Pittsburgh PD is one of the
 
"15 other police departments across the country that have centralized or somewhat-centralized police secondary employment systems that are close enough to what our new system will be that it's fair to compare..."
 
to the New Orleans Office of Police Secondary Employment.
 
From the below article:
Sgt. Michael LaPorte, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 1, said he understood the secondary employment system was being "rigged." The union brought the matter to the bureau's attention in the fall, but he said he had not received a status update about the inquiry.
 
Enjoy the read:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Article on Detail Mafia

FOP MEETING REMINDER
 
Our April 2013 FOP meeting will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2013 at Our Lady of the Rosary School Cafeteria, 1342 Moss St.; entrance and parking from Esplanade Ave or Moss Street.
 
Dinner will be served at 6:30PM, and the meeting will begin at 7:00PM.  Chef John Schluter will be serving shrimp creole over rice.

FOP NEWSLETTER - April 2013
 
      Click Here to View/Print FOP Newsletter 

LETTER FROM FOP PRESIDENT WALTER POWERS
Brothers and Sisters:
   I come before you with concern. There has been word about boycotting the Jazz Festival. This would be premature. Let me explain.
   We are engaged in a dispute over how paid details will be administered. Like any dispute, there are stages. We are currently in the "Boots on the Ground" stage. The FOP has engaged in diplomatic efforts.   We have attempted to influence negotiations at every turn. The FOP filed an Intervention in Federal Court in an effort to participate in the negotiations.   The Judge ruled against us. We have appealed that decision and the appeal is still pending.
   The FOP has met with Lt. Col. Salomone to discuss paid detail policies. What we found was a retired Army officer who was tasked with implementing the terms of the Consent Decree. I understand he will continue to work toward that goal until he has different marching orders.
   If police officers boycott the Jazz Fest, the organizers simply will hire deputies or security guards and NOPD will supplement coverage with officers on city rolls. A boycott may send a message, but what will we accomplish?
   Let's take the best case scenario. If enough people participate and the Jazz Fest is adversely impacted, the message will be delivered loud and clear that the rank and file are dissatisfied with the proposed plan for paid details. Where would that leave us? The Consent Decree would still be in place with provisions on how paid details will be administered -- you don't think Judge Morgan really cares whether or not you work details, do you?
   I am not suggesting we give up. What I am suggesting is that we look at risk versus reward. The risk seems unusually high and the reward unusually low. We still have other options.
   As I mentioned earlier, we are in the "Boots on the Ground" phase. We need to mobilize troops and attack points of weakness. In order to facilitate the new paid detail plan, it will be necessary for the Office of Police Secondary Employment to convince our City Council to pass two ordinances. The OPSE will not be able to function at all without these ordinances. That is a point of weakness that presents us with an opportunity.
   The current plans for the OPSE present numerous legal questions -- questions the City Council will want answered. The FOP has been engaged in discussions with the City Council regarding those questions. We know that the two ordinances will be presented for consideration at the upcoming meeting of the City Council Budget Committee on April 9th. We need your boots on the ground.
   I can promise you that the FOP Board will be present at the Budget Committee meeting. I can also promise that the FOP lawyers will be there ready to argue our position. We have been preparing and we are up for the fight. What we will need is you. It is one thing if our Board and hired guns make arguments and it is another thing if you, the people directly affected, are present -- even if you leave the speaking to us.
   What is the risk? None. What is the reward? The Council could make it very difficult for OPSE to move forward. As an added bonus, our nuclear option of detail boycotts will still be available if we need it.
   Think about it like this. North Korea recently threatened to launch a nuclear attack on the United States. They engaged in no diplomacy and have no boots on the ground. What have they accomplished?   The United States is not concerned. Other countries with embassies in North Korea aren't even evacuating. The world is simply looking and wondering why they would do something so stupid. Unless you are Kim Jung Un the nuclear option is rarely the best option.
   If you want to make a statement, show up at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 in a show of force - on behalf of those who want to keep the public safe and receive a fair wage without adding extra expenses to those who hire detail officers. Work the Jazz Festival. Talk to the citizens and visitors. Work your normal details and ask your detail employers to come to the City Council meeting and share their opinions. Write your elected officials and tell them how the Office of Police Secondary Employment will move us backward and not forward.
   We hope you will join us on April 9th at 10:00 a.m. at City Hall for the City Council Budget Committee meeting. We also urge you to come to the FOP meeting on April 11th at 6:30 p.m. at Our Lady of the Rosary School cafeteria, located at 1342 Moss St.  We will be discussing strategies and options.
                             Walter Powers, Jr.
                             President
                             FOP CCL2
 

NOLA.com article about police detail changes

http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2013/03/new_orleans_police_detail_chan.html#incart_river

FOP MEETING REMINDER
Our January 2013 meeting will be held on Thursday, January 10, 2013 at Our Lady of the Rosary School Cafeteria, 1342 Moss St., with entrance and parking from Esplanade Ave. 
 
Dinner will be served at 6:30PM, and the meeting will begin at 7:00PM.
 
We will hold our annual installation of officers at our January 2013 meeting.

 
F.O.P. BIKE EVENT A GREAT SUCCESS!!!
 
This past Saturday, the Fraternal Order of Police Crescent City Lodge partnered with the NOPD and Bike Easy NOLA to hold a bicycle registration event.  The event was a great success with over 100 bicycles registered.
 
We would like to offer our special thanks to NOPD Sgt. Chris Prochaska, Community Coordinator (COCO) sergeant for the 3rd District. 
 
Sgt. Prochaska was assisted by officers Patrick Smith and Henry Newton.
 
Sgt. L. J. Smith of NOPD's Crime Prevention Unit arranged for an appearance by McGruff the Crime Dog; and Orlando Matthews, representing NOPD's Bicycle Patrol officers was on hand for assistance and instruction.

We would also like to thank Officer Eddie Branch, who designed and implemented the web-based bicycle registration program.
 
This was our first FOP COPS and KIDS event.  We look forward to holding more events in the future.

BICYCLE REGISTRATION / SAFE RIDER EVENT
 
 
On Saturday, January 5, 2013 from 9am-1pm the Fraternal Order of Police and Bike Easy NOLA are teaming up with the NOPD 3rd District to hold a Bicycle Registration and Safe Rider Course event.
 
The purpose of this event is to allow children (and adults) to register the new bicycles they received as gifts on Christmas at no cost,  and to educate the new bicycle owners on the safe operation of their bicycles.
 
The Fraternal Order of Police will be sponsoring the bicycle registration portion by donating the entire cost of registering the bicycles, and Bike Easy NOLA will have instructors on hand for their Safe Rider safety course.
 
The event will be held at the NOPD 3rd District station, 4650 Paris Ave., in New Orleans and is being coordinated by 3rd District Community Affairs Coordinator Sergeant Christopher Prochaska.
 
Special Guest McGruff the Crime Dog will be on hand for photographs.
 
Additional information is available at www.bikeeasy.org/events or by calling or emailing Sgt. Prochaska at (504) 658-6399 / This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

FOP MEETING REMINDER

Our December 2012 meeting will be held on Thursday, December 13, 2012 at Our Lady of the Rosary School Cafeteria, 1342 Moss St., with entrance and parking from Esplanade Ave.
 
This is our annual Christmas meeting and Chef John Schluter is preparing a traditional Christmas dinner, choirmaster Emile Goettz is warming up his vocal chords, and Santa Walter Powers will have gifts for the ladies.
 
Dinner will be served at 6:30PM, and the meeting will begin at 7:00PM.
 
Each member is invited to bring a guest to the festivities.