I cant stress to you enough how afraid of the union these people are, he said of his fellow legislators. The County negotiated a six-year agreement with the Suffolk County PBA that would result in the lowest level of raises for Police Officers in decades. Buildings Operations, Maintenance & Custodial. One of New York Citys largest public-sector unions has been effectively taken over by its national parent after an audit revealed extensive financial mismanagement. And a bipartisan group of legislators announced they reached an agreementon Ban the Box legislation, which would restrict employers from asking about criminal histories in job applications. Suffolk County Legislature Evans K. Griffing Building 300 Center Drive Riverhead, New York 11901 Phone: 631-852-1700 Fax: 631-852-1707 Directions The Office helps facilitate each County departments mission, protects the interests of the County and its taxpayers, and promotes fairness in contracting with the business community. Sign up to receive updates about Empire Center research, news and events in your email. They also approved a healthcare cost-sharing agreement with the Suffolk County Organization of Public Employees (SCOPE), a consortium of all 11 county employee unions. personnel in 2015. a union official coaching officers to lie. The still-unreleased deal between the Hochul Administration and the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), state governments largest group of unionized workers, would award bonuses, backpay, and guaranteed raises the next three years, documents sent to union members show. Its becoming a young department and these last two tests were a lot of people being hired. Unless legislators were presented with all four documents, they had no way of seeing what they were actually committing to. None were willing to publicly refuse to accept police union donations. But thats also true of the police. New Docs Raise Big Questions About NYs Megafab Mega-Deal, Firefighter-rights bill torches local control, Still-Unreleased Union Deal Rains Cash on State Workers, Thanks to Unions, NYCs School Reopening Deal Was Costly and Educationally Hazardous, With State Officials Freeze Through 2023, More Reason To Ice All Government Pay, De Blasios (Apparent) Good Move Dissolves Into Phony Savings. Then another. The police union spoke out against the bill. You should say what I say: We would love to pay them $500,000 a year, but we just cant afford it, he told them. Villages hire anyone with a passing grade 75 or better; but must be a resident of that area.. With the legislatures vote Tuesday to approve the detective investigators contract, all the countys nine bargaining units have contracts that will expire at the end of 2024. 0000006404 00000 n He contends the payments were not voluntary, as required. In 1976, an A.F.L.-C.I.O.-affiliated union voted to admit military personnel, prompting a freakout at the Pentagon, according to Jennifer Mittelstadt, a history professor at Rutgers who wrote The Rise of the Military Welfare State. Congress swiftly outlawed union membership for soldiers. He said some elected officials visibly stiffened when police union representatives walked into county meetings. Mr. Bellone also announced new contracts with the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association and the Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees. Everybody else voted for it. Mr. Trotta and the activists did not see eye-to-eye on much. They lied like rugs, he told me. At least one officer was charged with systematically robbing undocumented drivers he pulled over. That base pay does not include other pay benefits, such as overtime and longevity pay, which are expected to add thousands of dollars to salaries.The deal approved by the County Legislatures government operations committee Wednesday would ensure that superior officers are paid between 3.59% and 17.97% more than police officers, whom they supervise, documents show. Unlike the anticipated healthcare savings, the new costs from raises areguaranteedto materialize. Just be aware the last test was told over and over again it was going to exhaust all the people that scored 95 but at the end they only made it through the first 2500 of the lottery. Language in the SCOPE deal requires the parties to find additional savings to prevent the deal from expiring in 2023 or 2024 instead of 2025, but the countys only recourse from runaway costs will be reducing expenses through binding arbitration or moving employees to the New York State Health Insurance Plan. On August 4, 2012, a new police contract restored responsibility for patrolling the LIE and Sunrise Highway to the SCPD. The Democratic and Republican candidates for the Suffolk County legislative seat currently held by Al Krupski have been selected. A whos who of leading environmental advocates joined elected officials in Riverhead last week to discuss and Long Island-wide 7555 Main Road Historically, in Suffolk County, you cant win a major office without the police unions endorsement, said Gus Garcia-Roberts, a journalist with The Washington Post who is writing a book about Mr. Burke. The AME contract runs through December 2024 and the PBA and SCOPE deals run through December 2025. He was a Republican who had predicted in a radio interview that police reform wouldnt amount to much. And it said in it, Investigate any department you wish. My eyes lit up. Photographs by Getty Images. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney's press office, CENTRAL ISLIP WOMAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER, MANHATTAN MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO STEALING MONEY FROM TWO VICTIMS IN ELDER SCAM, COMMACK WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO EMBEZZLING MORE THAN $250K FROM SUMMER CAMP, BABYLON MAN SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY, Alleged Bloods Gang Member Floyd McNeil Was Out on Bail on an Attempted Murder Charge When He Was Caught with a Loaded and Defaced Firearm, District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced the retirement of Mega, Dionicio Calderon Faces Up To 75 Years to Life in Prison, District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the indictment of Jaquan Casserly, 34, of Holbrook, who is accused of selling fentanyl, District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Michael Gonzalez of Brentwood was sentenced to 7 years in prison, QUARTERMASTER SECTION CLOSURE AND PROMOTION PROCEDURE 3.3.23, ANTICIPATED POLICE OFFICER VACANCY-PROPERTY SECTION 3.3.23, ANTICIPATED POLICE OFFICER VACANCY-IMPOUND SECTION 3.3.23, PROPERTY-EVIDENCE ROOM MANAGEMENT COURSE 3.3.23, BODY-WORN CAMERA END USER COURSE AND INVESTIGATOR-SUPERVISOR COURSE 3.3.23, IN CAR VIDEO CAMERA-ALPR LIVE DATE-FIRST, FOURTH, FIFTH PRECINCT 3.3.23, SENIOR OFFICE ASSISTANT VACANCY-APPLICANT INVESTIGATION SECTION 3.3.23, BODY-WORN CAMERA LIVE DATE-THIRD PRECINCT 3.3.23, DEPARTMENT RECOGNITIONS-FEBRUARY 2023 3.3.23. He pointed out his fellow county legislators on the screen and rattled off how much the police union had spent to help each one get elected. A lot of cops knew what kind of guy Mr. Burke was. Andrew Cuomo for communities that want to remain eligible to receive state funding. All times are GMT-6. You never know. They helped organize and create the making of over 3,000 Valentine cards for our heroes who serve and protect us. Curious to hear some of your weekly routines to stay sharp for the PAT, It was said on another forum it would be 2 weeks prior to Christmas we would be mailed results. Those contracts, however, were never filed with the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), as required by state regulations, nor were they posted on the county website. The County Legislature released a single-page analysis of top-line costs for each of the three deals, without providing a cost breakdown for specific provisions. Donald Trump gave a speech there in 2017, encouraging officers to rough up suspects and drawing cheers. Just giving my best advice for anyone that will take it, Civil Service has removed the old eligible list from their websiteexpect the new one soon, They usually post it before Christmas. A sheet of paper in his office hangs above his desk with the number 62 on it, showing that Suffolk County ranks 62 out of 62 New York counties in fiscal stability. I can finally do toes to bar so core is strong. If one person smokes in the building, everyone smokes, said Paulette Orlando, who works for the American Lung Association Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island. Without unions, they argued, the police would never get the funding and legal protections needed to keep crime in check. H[k0 /Pd]ABG}X&JqN%g$efYEysMKQD2,HCa8Zdhv4A]_(;8("ZaNshHT9;2n:]o(GApuQ_sqH,|-%Ti$8oDB0HpmTg9KMq`. It has not only a PAC, but also a super PAC that spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on local elections. Previously, there was a second tier of top pay that Mr. Kaiman said likely would not have made it through arbitration. Lawmakers waived a county charter-required seven-day waiting period to vote on the deals before more details emerged or could be scrutinized, and approved each measure nearly unanimously. AME is the exclusive representative of about 5,000 workers, with whom the county has agreed not to bargain directly, or to let any other union bargain on their behalf. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Welfare funds are an outmoded and inefficient approach to benefits that prevents the county from using its size advantage to get better deals from vendorsand from making sure the money is being spent appropriately. %PDF-1.3 % P.O. In November, the Long Island Law Enforcement Foundation spent nearly $500,000 attacking two state senators who had voted for the repeal. In other news, both the PBA and AME will soon issue endorsements in upcoming races for county executive and county legislature. Empire Center for Public Policy The news is full of stories of the sacrifices police officers make, most recently the officer who lost his life responding to a mass shooting in Colorado. They will present the bill at a later meeting. Mr. Burke was still a powerful police chief that year when Mr. Trotta decided to run for office. It seems the P.B.A. Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) abstaining. Suffolk County is home to some 1.5 million people, many of them current or former New York City police officers. 0000001377 00000 n Tom Cilmis (R-Bay Shore) bill would restrict smoking in building common areas. Current Audit Reports - Released in 2019 Contact: Acting Chief Deputy Comptroller: Phone: 631-853-5040 Email: douglas.sutherland@suffolkcountyny.gov H. Lee Dennison Building 100 Veterans Memorial Highway Hauppauge, NY 11788 Douglas Sutherland Acting Chief Deputy Comptroller Finance and Taxation: Suffolk County Comptroller 330 Center Drive Click the graphic above for the full interview. But his reasoning the police unions political donations caught the ear of an activist named Emily Kaufman. The Suffolk County Department of Human Resources, Personnel and Civil Service is responsible for overseeing personnel actions taken by some 241 employing jurisdictions including towns, school districts, villages, library districts, water districts, etc. Tara Smith is a multimedia reporter who joined the Times Review Media Group in 2018, covering everything from local government and environmental issues to breaking news and features. Catching thieves who stole copper pipes out of abandoned homes. General Inquiries: Info@EmpireCenter.org While every contract is the result of negotiation that will leave either side wanting more, this is a fair contract and moves our county forward, Suffolk AME president Dan Levler said in a statement. Dec. 12, 2019| NewsdayHigh-ranking Suffolk County policeare set to get 11.25% raises over six years under a tentative $53 million deal reached with the Superior Officers Association, officials said Wednesday.Sergeants, lieutenants, captains and other senior officersat top step would have base salaries ranging from $183,000 to$273,000 a year by 2024, officials said. Similar Job Titles: 0000001156 00000 n Thats one reason police reform so often gets announced at news conferences but so rarely seems to occur in the real world. Suffolk County Probation Officers Association, Sufollk County Detective Investigator's PBA, National Association of Police Organizations. The PBA MOA modified a2012 MOA, which modified terms set in a2010 arbitration award, which were based on a2004 contract. Those contracts, however, were never filed with the state Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), as required by state regulations, nor were they posted on the county website. After he won, they got their expressway back, along with a new contract. Mr. Trotta kept in touch with the feds, feeding them things hed learned and trying to keep the case alive. The deals were negotiated outside public view by County Executive Steve Bellonestandard practice for New York public employers. Departments > Public Works > Bids and Contracts. But it didnt shock the loved ones of Kenny Lazo, a Black man who got pulled over by Suffolk County officers in 2008 and wound up beaten to death in a case the medical examiner ruled a homicide. The activists saw racism as the reason people in Black and Latino communities got stopped at higher rates. * The final vote count has not yet been posted but at least 16 of the 18 legislators voted for the three measures. 2020 through December 15, 2020, AEM 2020-19 Coverage and Dependent Eligibility Audit (1) 8.4.20, AEM 2020-18 EMHP Tele-medicine Provider (1) 7.31.20, AEM 2020-14 Out-of-Network Annual Physical Changes (1) 5.22.20, AEM 2020-13 COVID-19 EMHP COVERAGE CHANGES (1) 4.24.20, AEM 2020-06 Tele-Medicine - Coronavirus (1) 3.13.20, AEM 2020-06 Part 2 ADHC_coronavirus_stop_the_spread 2 (1), AEM 2020-01 EMHP Important Change to your Acupuncture & Occupational Therapy Benefits 1.29.20, Eligibility Audit for Coverage and Dependents 8/04/20, Prescription Reimbursement PBA Benefit Fund, Important Information Regarding the Cyber Attack, Outside Resource: LEO Support Group offered as a resource to SCPD officers, Self-Care Videos- Exercise, Yoga, Meditation, Time Managment Technique and Goal Setting. In New York, many elected officials did just that. Thats a major point, he told me afterward. Some say the unions corrupt, he told me. Ms. Kaufman called him. Looking to comment on this article? The 10-to-12-step pay scale for detectives promoted after 2013 will be reduced to nine steps. Susan Berland (D-Dix Hills) and Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst). Establishment Democrats avoided Mr. Trotta, but the socialists were intrigued. The Suffolk County Legislature on Tuesday night ratified* new contracts with the county's Association of Municipal Employees (AME) and Police Benevolent Association (PBA), which together represent more than half of the county workforce. Nowhere is that dynamic more clear than in Suffolk County, N.Y. Its a place where the residents are well off, crime is relatively low and the Police Department has made national news for a huge corruption scandal. SCDSPBA Donation Page. Conducted legal research and drafted memoranda on a variety of family and criminal law topics, including custody and visitation, neglect . Mr. Trotta was skeptical: What if a mentally ill person turns violent on a dime?. Since then, the average salaries of the police and firefighters have risen far faster than other government employees, and well above the rate of inflation, according to E.J. That means the winners of the next two general elections for county legislature will already be committed to the terms. Mr. Trotta watched the rollout on Zoom at his office desk in Smithtown. Mr. Trotta had loved being a cop. Suffolk County Police Memorial Service: 11 AM on Friday, May 10th at SCPD HQ, Yaphank. The Suffolk County Legislature on Tuesday night, with the countys Association of Municipal Employees (AME) and Police Benevolent Association (PBA), which together represent more than half of the county workforce. In 2019, more than 1,200 officers nearly half the force took home over $200,000 a year. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/26/opinion/police-suffolk-county-unions.html, Illustration by Erik Carter. Dennis Brown, of Huntington, will bedirector of the Real Property Tax Service Agency after serving as county attorney. Emergency Housing Program, Suffolk County Department of Audict & Control, Registration of Nonprofit Veterans Organizations, A Performance Audit of Association for Mental Health and Wellness, Inc.'s Emergency Housing Services Program, A Performance Audit of Federal Forfeiture Funds, A Performance Audit of Single Audit Subrecipient Monitoring, Suffolk County District Attorneys Office, A Performance Audit of Adelante of Suffolk County, Inc. Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program, A Performance Audit of Pathways to Recovery, Inc.s Emergency Housing Services Program, A Performance Audit of Pathways to Recovery, Inc.s Emergency Housing Services Program, A Performance Audit of the Sheriff's Office Forfeiture Funds, Suffolk County Department of Probation, Department of Social Services, and Youth Bureau. 0000005120 00000 n He was convicted in 2019 and sentenced to a year in confinement. Union leaders always outlast them. The county had been considering asking employees to pay 15% of their total health care costs. Others say, As long as Im making $250,000 a year, I dont care.. Questions though; my test didn't say Spanish speaking or indicate it was different but I know when I signed up I out Spanish speaking. Please help support the brave men and women of the Deputy Sheriffs PBA and the great work they do for the people of Suffolk County! AEM NO. Pigott has worked for the department since 2009, including as director of the Minority Health Office and Emergency Medical Services.Dr. Suffolk is an extreme version of the same problems that are elsewhere.. Other politicians, particularly those allied with Mr. Bellone, call Mr. Trotta a toxic character, a bomb-thrower, a hypocrite or a loon. And being that Im already LE, which villages dont require you to go through the academy again? It was true. 41 0 obj <> endobj xref This officer is a brother of all law enforcement professionals and the Suffolk County PBA is praying for him and his family during this trying and difficult time. Brownwill be paid $145,560 in the new role, down from $173,226. The legislature voted to allow Long Island University to use part of the Suffolk County Farm in Yaphank for raising livestock and for agricultural education for students and the public. We highlight PBA members' work; we recognize their heroic actions, and we educate the public regarding the sacrifices police officers make each day.