Sorry, but cops need pay freeze
Last week there was a cop in the paper saying he was looking around for jobs elsewhere because the budget problems here are so bad. "We're crime fighters, we're...

Danny Westneat

Seattle Times staff columnist

Last week there was a cop in the paper saying he was looking around for jobs elsewhere because the budget problems here are so bad.

"We're crime fighters, we're police officers," a King County sheriff's detective told Seattle Times reporter Keith Ervin. "With all these cuts we would have to say we're not able to do our jobs. We can't protect the people we're paid to serve."

That is a nice sentiment. You do the job mostly because you love it. The money is a side benefit.

If only, when it comes to King County, there was evidence this was true.

It turns out these same police officers are in the middle of getting a 27 percent pay boost, spanning five years. Their bosses at the county asked the police union to consider forgoing some of that massive raise in the final two years of the five-year contract, as part of an emergency, countywide pay freeze.

So far, no go.

"The indications are, they clearly are not interested in doing that," says Fred Jarrett, deputy county executive. "At all."

Yet the county just announced plans to lay off 30 cops. There's pain like that across every department. This week the county said it would cut its core social-services funding all the way to zero.

None of this is the workers' fault. But they are the largest expense, by far. So they were asked to take a one-year freeze in pay. It isn't even a complete pay freeze, because they could still get step raises by seniority.

But so far, only 600 of the county's 10,000 unionized employees — 6 percent — have agreed to this modest step.

The cops' contract is so rich, with guaranteed 5 percent raises every year, that if they went along with a one-year freeze the savings would erase the need to lay off any cops at all.

"I would give up my 5 percent raise to save the job of another deputy," said Sgt. John Urquhart, the sheriff's spokesman, whose pay is covered under the contract. "But then again I live in King County because I can afford to, my kids are grown and out of college, and my wife works. Most deputies don't have those luxuries."

Except that last year, 330 of the roughly 750 members of the King County police force made more than $100,000, including overtime. Twenty-five made more than $140,000.

Some of those are chiefs and high-rankers. But most are police out on the county beat. The highest paid was Deputy Mike Miner. He made $228,000 — $128,000 in overtime pay alone.

I get they have demanding jobs, way tougher than most of us. But 27 percent raises are the stuff of bubbles that popped long ago. Would it kill to freeze these whopping pay levels for a year — especially if it meant protecting the public at full force, as is said to be so important?

I called the union to ask, but haven't heard back (yet!). Jarrett said he thinks many of the unions still don't get it.

"I would say, with some exceptions, that most seem more interested in maintaining their compensation packages than in saving jobs," he said.

This was confessed, bluntly, by the head of the union for Metro bus drivers, Paul Bachtel. He recently told Times reporter Mike Lindblom: "They [drivers] don't expect to give up wages, benefits, working conditions, when the transit agency could cut some of its services, and not take away pay."

Got that? Cut services first. Services to you.

I'm in a union, so I understand this is part bluster. You talk tough now to make a better deal later. It's also ultimately management's fault. It was the Metropolitan King County Council, in December 2008 — well after the financial system collapsed — that awarded the 27 percent police raises.

But forget about them. There's a third party at this bargaining table: Us. And in six weeks we're being asked to raise our taxes. Supposedly to save the cops and courts and the rest of King County from what they're calling economic Armageddon.

Twenty-seven percent raises? They can save themselves first. Then we'll talk.

Danny Westneat's column appears Wednesday and Sunday. Reach him at 206-464-2086 or dwestneat@seattletimes.com.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/da....

Get the word out. 5% raises every year. That is bull****, unfortunately these clowns do not understand math and think that everyone in the private sector is getting 10% raises. Bull****.

Our city paid for the highway patrol overtime and they still wont show up for a special event.

With or without the California Highway Patrol's help, the Lake Tahoe Marathon will go on as planned Sunday, according to race director Les Wright.

Wright was more encouraged about his options to hold the event following a meeting with marathon volunteers Wednesday night and learning that South Lake Tahoe Mayor Kathay Lovell had contacted California State Assemblyman Roger Niello and California State Senator Dave Cox regarding Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's recent budget cuts that directly impact the marathon. Both are working with Schwarzenegger's office to put a stay on his executive order, according to Wright.

The California Highway Patrol informed Wright on Wednesday morning that his encroachment permit to allow runners/walkers on Highway 89 had been revoked, and the nine patrolmen assigned to ensure safety and control traffic were no longer available to him.

“The fact is we have paid the CHP in advance for their services,” Wright said.

Wright indicated that if the CHP is unable to staff the biking events on Saturday or the running events on Sunday, the El Dorado County Sheriff and Placer County Sheriff Departments will police the event for several thousand participants.

Quote:

But so far, only 600 of the county's 10,000 unionized employees — 6 percent — have agreed to this modest step.

Interesting.

If I'm not mistaken, it's generally accepted that 6% of the population was actually for prohibition. They got it passed anyway.

6% is cops voting the wrong way by mistake.

It could be the ones that can't read that voted wrong.


I would fire them all if I were boss and hire people who were not overweight and pay then 70% of what the people they replace average salary is.

Lat night while driving home from the store i saw two unmarked cars pull people over for traffic stops,its just getting odd around here,they put those speed cameras at two intersections by my house and cameras are on the way in my only other direction.

Most towns/townships/villages/small cities do not need police forces and could cut them from the budget entirely.

Sounds to me that Seattle is attempting to out Commiefornia, Commiefornia!

Fire them all and let the City Manager straighten it out! My new battle cry.

Even the city council for the Republic of Santa Monica is starting to get the message.

As the guy above says, it is a tough job. He left out riding around in a squad car eating doughnuts.

The worse thing about all of these police officers and fireman is when they retire they declare disability and end up not paying taxes on a big chunk of their retirement leaving all the other shmucks having to pay for everything.

Police pay should stay the same but the number of employees cut in half.

One thing that most people do not know is LA has the lowest number of police per capita of any major city in the US. If most cities just went to staffing of LA think of the savings.

Now tell me, who needs more cops per capita, LA or Seattle. Oh, I know those grunge rockers are going to riot when they don't get their latta fixed just how they want it.