Playing politics with public safety
As a 25-year veteran police officer and a member of the Bakersfield Police Officers' Association Board of Directors, I take issue with Councilman Zack Scrivner's Community Voices May 27 article, "Police union miscasts benefits debate."
Councilman Scrivner suggests that he is working hard to put more police officers on the streets. Why, then, has Scrivner led a Bakersfield City Council majority in reducing police employee staffing levels by over 45 positions during the past year?
Scrivner claims to "support the Bakersfield Police Department," but that support apparently does not extend to the rank and file officers who he merely considers "unfunded liabilities" and who are constantly asked to do more with less. The council's goal of 1.3 officers per thousand of population has never been close to being achieved and we are currently at .8 officers per thousand, 100 officers under the council's goal. How is that supportive?
Scrivner suggests that BPOA turned down an 8 percent pay raise similar to that offered to other city employees. Untrue! BPOA tentatively agreed to city proposed salary increases. What is noteworthy is the very day after Scrivner's Community Voices opinion was published, the city withdrew all previous offers.
Bakersfield police officers have worked without a contract now for almost two years (since June 30, 2007). Our last raise was 1 percent in March 2007. Currently, city parks technicians and traffic signal technicians are paid more than Bakersfield police officers.
Bakersfield police officers are some of the lowest paid big city police officers in California. In fact, our officers are the lowest paid of the 11 agencies the City Council mandates that we compare to -- by over 21 percent. As an example, a Kern County deputy sheriff is compensated more than $1,250 per month more than a Bakersfield police officer.
Scrivner continues to attempt to create class envy regarding police pensions. BPOA negotiated for, and made huge concessions for, the 3 percent at 50 safety retirement plan. Over 250 agencies in California provide this benefit for their law officers, which has become the industry standard. If we are going to be able to retain and recruit well qualified police officers, the city must provide competitive wages and benefits. Otherwise, the city will have to prepare to lower candidate standards and suffer the consequences.
Scrivner states that City Manager Alan Tandy follows the council's direction. This is confusing, because other council members have told us that they have been kept out of the loop.
On behalf of the BPOA, I appeal to Scrivner or whomever is really in charge. Stop playing politics with public safety. Let's provide competitive wages and benefits to the brave men and women who selflessly protect our community, day in and day out.
Todd Dickson is the secretary of the Bakersfield Police Officers Association. Community Voices is an expanded commentary that may contain up to 500 words. The Californian reserves the right to reprint commentaries in all formats, including on its Web page.
