The Police Union has moved to stall the city's reorganization plan until contract concerns are addressed. The union filed improper labor practice charges against the city, a move that will maintain the status quo while the charges are investigated by the Public Employment Relations Board.
The reorganization reopened contracts between the city and the union, and Locust Club President Mike Mazzeo says they still have a lot to work out. He says the city is participating in what he calls "surface negotiating."
"We raised concerns that we have to address to go forward and we were told, 'We hear your concerns, but we're going ahead.' "
Mazzeo says under these circumstances, the March 30th start date seems unrealistic. He also has concerns about the logistics of the plan itself, and says it would be hard to run a five-section policing model out of only three buildings.
Even though this reorganization plan has garnered a lot of support from the public, Mazzeo says he's not worried about this dispute between them and the city affecting public perception of the police.
"I would see a bigger problem being that, they're told that a reorganization is taking place and they're not seeing any better benefit out of that. And the reason why they're not seeing it is because it's not genuine. It's not a reorganization, we're not back in the neighborhood. And we don't need that."
Mazzeo says that he is ultimately for the reorganization plan.
Chief of Police Mike Ciminelli says he has not yet had an opportunity to go over the charges filed, but will address them in due time. He says the plan has been underway for several months, and that he expects to move forward as planned.
