from Sep 22, 2014
Category Archives: Policing
Shores of Erie wine festival and Sobeys charged in connection with fatal Amherstburg crash
Guest column: OPP makes its case
would ‘local’ officers take a 0% increase for two full years?
and give up their negotiated generous severance packages if OPP policed the community?
Discriminatory Language In Amherstburg Police Service Contract
Commentary by Linda Saxon
The Amherstburg Police Services Board and the Amherstburg Police Association negotiated contracts that include retirement at age 60, contrary to the Ontario Human Rights Code.
The Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, advised all Chiefs of Police on January 15, 2007 of the proclamation of the Ending Mandatory Retirement Statute Act.
On March 5, 2012, Chief Tim Berthiaume advised then-Sgt. Saxon that he had no benefits since he just turned 60, that the town hall staff advised him. The town switched from Great West Life to Sun Life in February 2012 to save an approximate $52,000.00 annually. The town hall staff handles payroll/benefits for the police service and AON Hewitt, a benefits management company, was under contract as the named broker of record for the town.
Health Benefits cease at 60 in the collective agreement, but the Board arbitrarily amended it by deleting the age 60 reference in that section.
Chief Berthiaume provided the Board with 2012 proposed rate increases for discussion of life, AD&D, short and long term disability coverage. Life insurance was secured to age 65; there is no reference to age in the collective agreement with respect to that benefit.
The Association and Board never met to discuss this matter; they ‘negotiated’ through correspondence and no record of a formal grievance was disclosed. The Board’s position was that the appropriate time for discussion would be during the 2015 contract negotiations.
An unsuccessful Conciliation Hearing was held on December 5, 2012.
The Association did not pursue Arbitration; Saxon was told it was a human rights matter, although Arbitrators can interpret and apply Human Rights legislation and there is no fee for a Rights Arbitrator.
The Association had previously been involved in two Interest Arbitrations; in 1990 when it obtained historical parity with Windsor Police (unlike Windsor, retention pay has not been negotiated in Amherstburg) and in 2008 for a 2.5% rate increase for one officer’s position.
Saxon filed a Human Rights Tribunal Application; the Association hired a lawyer to defend its position while the Board relied on the town lawyer. The Board requested dismissal, suggesting the matter was appropriately dealt with at Conciliation and alternatively, requested deferral, pending the 2015 collective agreement negotiations. No documentation was filed indicating negotiations were ongoing. An Interim Decision was issued on June 23, 2014 by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal; “the Board’s requests to dismiss or defer the Application are denied.”
In January 2014, Chief Tim Berthiaume inquired about rates for long term disability and referenced the 2015 collective agreement. Despite a 0% rate increase to extend short and long term disability benefits for officers above age 60, no change was made.
A new request has been submitted to the Board for the cost to the taxpayer to defend itself against the age discrimination complaint because, as posted previously, Amherstburg Police Services Board Ignored Question About Legal Fees.
Shame on the Board and the Association for not changing the collective agreement to reflect legislative changes to mandatory retirement and the human rights code regarding age, but negotiating the OPP takeover clause from 1998 to the current collective agreement and negotiating protection from discrimination because of Association membership.
Passionate About Policing
Commentary by Linda Saxon
The idea of regional policing, amalgamated services and/or OPP policing has surfaced many times, but official costings were not always obtained so that a true comparison of ‘apples to apples’ could have been made.
In the meantime, for decades, Amherstburg taxpayers have paid a hefty price for a top heavy ‘local police service’ while elected officials disregarded the opportunity to reduce debt, provide increased accessibility or amenities with an estimated annual savings of a million dollars with an OPP option.
Historically, there has been an emphasis on the ‘local‘ officers by politicians and Chief Tim Berthiaume, who boasted that over 50 per cent of the officers are native to Amherstburg, including himself – a fact that has very little, if anything, to do with qualifications or efficient and effective policing.
Are the less than 50 per cent not native to Amherstburg less valued?
The River Town Times reports that A petition is being circulated to keep the police force local: “Meloche said her encounters with local police officers have been “very friendly” and “whenever you call them, they are there.” She said she didn’t want to see a situation where out-of-town officers are rotated into Amherstburg and not have an understanding of the community.”
Out of towners would be expected to provide professional policing services; wouldn’t suggesting otherwise be just as illogical as touting local employees as the best and only option despite the high cost?
In another RTT article, Mayor Aldo DiCarlo mentioned that Chief Tim Berthiaume as well as the Amherstburg Police Association could be utilized to gather input and analysis of the bids. Would anyone be surprised if either the Chief or the Association found fault with any proposal but the local option?
I disagree with DiCarlo, who said the police budget is “cut and dry” and that the current force is a “lean” one. Compare any OPP detachment to the local department and the difference in cost is due to the hierarchical structure and costing method.
The community needs to decide if it’s worth paying the cost to keep it local for tradition sake or if it’s time to admit that tax savings are needed, not tax increases.
Some would argue the safest community in all of canada designation is due to the Amherstburg Police efforts. I disagree; firstly, the statement is not factual and secondly, the caveat is that the statistics are only as good as those that were submitted; for example, if crime/incidents were not investigated, and therefore not submitted, they would not be included in the statistics.
Regardless, community input is needed and an objective decision has to be made. I, for one, can not support a local option that, in my opinion, handcuffs ratepayers and influences any decision because of unrealistic severance packages.
I have been a vocal critic of the Amherstburg Police for a long time; some of the reasons can be found at bullying in policing.
See also Discriminatory Language in Amherstburg Police Service Contract.
Guest column: How do we choose our policing partners?
Toronto can’t afford another sweetheart deal with its police union
According to The Star’s editorial on policing costs in Toronto, “The base salary for a first-class constable is now more than $90,000. But there’s more. Officers enjoy perks exceedingly rare in the private sector, including permission to bank up to 18 sick days a year and cash them out for tens of thousands of dollars; lavish “retention pay” bonuses; city-funded massages, and even having taxpayers cover the cost of doing their laundry.
Salaries and benefits gobble up 90 per cent of Toronto’s $1.15-billion police budget. And they’ve frankly become unaffordable, especially in light of falling crime rates across North America.”
Comment by Linda Saxon: fortunately, Amherstburg Police Service is one of those rare services in Ontario that did not negotiate ‘retention pay;’ it would have cost the taxpayers more, but nowhere near what the feared OPP takeover clause has cost us – an estimated million dollars a year to ‘keep it local.’
Double Dare Issued Regarding Police Contract – OPP takeover clause
I dare the Amherstburg Police Association to remove this clause in the collective agreement and go to Arbitration on the matter. The members should recognize that it is the community, its ratepayers and council that decide what policing option is chosen.
Likewise, I dare the Amherstburg Police Services Board to remove this clause in the collective agreement and go to Arbitration on the matter. The members should recognize that in the best interests of the community and its ratepayers, policing options that may provide for optimal cost savings should not be limited based on a clause in a collective agreement.
I do not believe an Arbitrator would decide in favour of such a payout, considering the economy and established severance practices.
Commentary by Linda Saxon
Niagara Regional Policing Costs Inequitable Claims Councillor
As reported in the Niagara Advance, Niagara-on-the-Lake Councillor Collard would like to see Niagara Region look at the new OPP billing model as one option for fixing the inequities to the way Niagara municipalities pay for policing.
For example, he says, Niagara-on-the-Lake pays about 7.2% of the cost of policing, with only 1.8% of the calls.
The NRP budget for this year is $142 million. Of that, Niagara-on-the-Lake residents pay $10.2 million – almost $2.5 million more than it costs to run the Town.
And that figure has risen 25% since 2011, he says.
Police service costs translate to $1,713 per household or $662 per person, in NOTL, with less than 2% of the calls.
Regional Policing Costs – Worth Reading Again
From the CBC January 15, 2013: Could a Windsor-Essex regional police force lower costs?
It didn’t happen then and it shouldn’t happen now.
the burg watch 