PAX Centurion - March / April 2013

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • March/April 2013 • Page 7 Secretary’s Spread: Patrick M. Rose, BPPA Secretary Around the BPD and the City of Boston A s we were going to press with this edition of the PAX, the breaking news of the day was about the Mayor. Mayor Thomas M. Menino informed the world that he would not run for re-election. After five terms as the Mayor of the City of Boston, Thomas M. Menino decided enough is enough. One of the last ‘old time’ pols , a man that still worked the neighborhoods, went to wakes and funerals and knew thousands and thousands of constituents by name. A regular guy from the city that made it to the top of his game and decided to leave it all behind, because he is still at the top of his game. Make no mistake, this man could have walked back into office for a sixth termwithout batting an eye, but at seventy, maybe he’s de- cided to spend some precious time with his family. Mr. Mayor, it is well deserved. For more on the Mayor, please read my ‘Veteran’s Corner’. Negotiations Q uestions still arise daily about the state of contract negotiations. By the time you read this article we should be well on our way towards the last of many meetings between the City, theArbitrator and the Bargaining Committee. Just in case the business of the day isn’t finished in the allotted eleven meetings, we have secured an additional two dates in May. It is no secret we are three years without a contract and depending how many years you have been with the de- partment, between sixteen and twenty thousand dollars a year behind the base pay of a fire fighter. With any luck we should be hearing the results by July, ( unless the City team decides we deserve what we have been fighting for and settles out with us prior to end game). I am not going to re-hash our goals and or arguments, suffice it to say we wish our bargaining team good luck! New Equipment S peaking of what’s going on, I am very happy to report out that the department, (specifically Superintendent Fong), has reached out to me and our union and asked us to be part of a team (made up from members of each union and grade), working towards the purchase of new body armor. The goal of the team will be to identify merchants that can supply the best product for our identified need. In addition to being an effective bullet resistant vest, we will be looking specifically for a merchant that will not only supply properly fitted equipment, but supply our female officers properly manufactured vests fitted by woman. We will be looking for a merchant that is local and we can deal with directly to ensure speedy resolutions to problems. A merchant that is going to supply inner and OUTERAUTHORIZED carriers to the Patrol force without any cost to the Patrol force. The team, and selected individuals will personally wear test and shoot test the products to our satisfaction. This is not going to be one of ‘ those ’ committees that goes on forever with no results. We will be time driv- en and sensitive to each union’s specific need. Whether it be tactical carriers, under garment carriers or so called ‘Dragon Skin’Uniform carriers, all will be taken into consideration and the final results will be to issue a vest that not only protects but is user friendly. Our goal is to insure that every officer of this department is outfitted with a com- fortable, user friendly department issued vest and equipment for their protection. The Chief of the Department has been working hand in hand with the unions attempting to and authorizing uniform products that will allow us to comfortably wear what is necessary to protect us, our next step is to get it issued at no cost to the individual. BPD Peer Support M ost of you know that I believe we have the finest, most profes- sional and motivated ‘Peer Support Unit’ in the entire Nation. The men and woman assigned to the Peer Support Unit are there to help. They have been selected and allowed to be a part of the unit for their knowledge, experience and expertise. This is not a unit with so called political appointees. This is not your father’s old ‘stress unit’. This dedicated group practices complete confidentiality and discretion. Brian Fleming may be a Sergeant by rank, but not by trade when it comes to being there for someone, rank has NO PLACE in this unit and it is staffed by men and woman of various ranks, grades, or other titles that are not used or associated with when dealing with us. These men and woman make themselves available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and there is no such thing as a holiday. They make themselves available to not only you, but your family as well. Why am I going on about it, well to be perfectly frank we recently suffered another tragic loss of a brother Officer, a friend to many, a son, a father and a husband. This is a very stressful job and sometimes we need someone to talk to, maybe get a little advice or help from. Brian has recently gone to great strides in supplying a little self diagnostic tool to us, for us. In complete confidentiality you can access this tool on line, just to get a small measure of where you are at a specific time, maybe point something out to you that you may or may not recognize. In this day and age, it would be a little silly of any of us to pass up a free diag- nostic. Please take the time to log onto: www.bostonpeersupportquiz. org and take this completely confidential self diagnostic test that has been developed for you, the Boston Police Officer. I assure you that absolutely no one is going to contact you, call you or harass you. The test if completely confidential, just follow the prompts. Politics N ever gets boring, just when you think politics has taken a back seat, a Mayor opens up the field or a Senator decides to step into international affairs becoming the Secretary of State and opens up a U.S. Senate seat. Congratulations to our departed Senator John Kerry, best of luck, you’re gonna need it. Congratulations to our Congressman Stephen Lynch for deciding to go for the Senate seat. All but two of your Union Representatives voted on March 20 th to endorse Stephen Lynch for the United States Senate. I know some people believe that Union endorsements aren’t what they used to be, so I am asking that each and every Union Member follow your Union’s lead and stand with Stephen Lynch and support him in his run for the U.S Senate. Prove the pundits wrong, contact your friends, neighbors and relatives and get the vote out to make Steve our next U.S. Senator. Born and bred in Boston from working class roots, Stephen epitomizes theAmerican dream. A moderate Democrat, who hasn’t forgotten where he comes from, Stephen Lynch is the best man running and deserves our support. As always, please be safe out there, back each other up. Don’t forget, your first duty is to come home safe and sound to your family.