Mayor Joe Ganim on Thursday was joined by Chief Roderick Porter and police union officials to celebrate agreement on a new five-year contract, retroactive two years, that provides some labor peace within the department led by a reduction of healthcare premium costs.
Chief Porter, as noted in the video above, hopes the agreement helps solidify stability in the current ranks while incentivizing recruitment.
The contract awaits City Council approval.
See additional contract details here
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“Chief Porter, as noted in the video above, hopes the agreement helps solidify stability in the current ranks while incentivizing recruitment.”
Chief (Mcgruff) Porter’s “hope” will be shot down soon as other municipalities like Shelton sweetens healthcare premium costs with a little more on the side. The Exudus will continue. It’s not a plan if there’s no back-up plan. Manpower is so low, chances are officers will need back-up that doesn’t exist. Mandating doesn’t necesarily increase manpower. So simple even a janitor can figure it out.
Well, there’s always that guy in the “financial crimes division” you can count on!
😂 😝 😆
Happy Fourth of July to all!!
Just spent more than 16 minutes watching “the signing ceremony” on tape. On what stage have I seen this drama played out previously? Autocrat or democrat?
Did you follow all of G2’s mumbo jumbo about the agreement…….with almost all parties present…….and finally some details listed?? Were you looking for an all-in budget change from old expenses to new contract? What did each element of the contract cost the City going forward and where in the negotiations were their givebacks worth funding value to City negotiators? The current budget ending June 30,2023 while the new fiscal year, starting today, July 1, 2023 and running to June 30, 2024 assuming fewer numbers of personnel(?) and greater (?) overtime expense assumed, which triggers greater pension expenses overall (?)
If memory serves me, G2 last settled the Police Contract that may have been four years overdue, so with only being two years late in this situation, can we record improvement?
I was looking for some comment, a sign of life from the Police Commission, to indicate that they provide broad oversight of Public Safety and Police Department matters in Bridgeport and some responsibility for support of Police functions in the City. Once again….no sound (crickets)?….no sight?……and their meetings are mostly (?) or almost entirely (?) spent in Executive Session, unavailable to the general public?? Where is a comment from that body, or its Chair, indicating concern, continuing oversight, and a responsibility to the public for this vital phase of City governance? Time will tell.
Happy Fourth of July 2023 – Daily actions to support democracy.
I am currently reading a text, SAVING DEMOCRACY by David Pepper, that contrasts governance behavior that is ‘autocratic’ (A) with that better described as ‘democratic’ (D). It is a simple and direct text with messaging, especially relevant to citizens who can see signs of the erosion of respect for the “rule of law,” public service accountability, citizen participation in governance, voting rights including process, respect for the service of military and police, etc. But how would you/can you practice democracy daily, effectively, and systematically?
Do you have a current license, registration, and insurance to enable you to transport yourself by personal auto, here and there? When you leave home, is it likely that you encounter during your drive, a system safeguard call a traffic signal? Is it one light with only red, amber, and green filters that emit light signals understood by drivers to be STOP, CAUTION, and GO? Or a variant of this basic light, but what if a signal is not lit, showing its message to drivers? What if it has gone dark? What is your response, as to your own safety? And subsequently to the continued safety of other drivers? Some options:
• Fail to notice the absence of light and proceed on…
• Notice the absence of light and wonder why “they” have not noticed and made repairs….and proceed along.
• Consider that you can see two such lights, only one of which is missing a signal, and consider that this provides time for “them,” in public services, to respond……
• Note the adverse system failure affecting public safety and report it, then make a driving decision based on traffic congestion and rules of the road?
Public oversight is called for in this case and many others, less obvious, that we encounter daily. The Bill of Rights has a list of civil rights that we mostly treasure. Pepper has consequent lists of practices, opportunities, and responsibilities that citizens can and must attend to if autocracy (A) is not to rule. Oversight of public systems, participation in getting them to operate effectively, and support that “best practices” are observed is basic. Fairness in administration, application, and outcomes of programs and plans becomes routine, and that the rights of all people derives from a concept of equal opportunity and pursuit of justice. Time will tell.
Chief Porter is living a pipe dream if he thinks this will keep new officers in Shitport. Why would an officer want to deal with criminals in the “Port” and risk being brought up on charges, when they can go to a neighboring department with a higher base pay and better health benefits.
And the ones to blame for the shortage of police officers are the mayor. Little Joey (Convicted Felon) Ganim never had a contingency plan for the massive numbers of officers that would be retiring. From officers hired from the test back in 1990 well over 100+ officers are eligible to retire and many have done so. Little Joey should have known this and should have been recruiting to fill the ranks since 2016, that way there would always be a standing list of candidates to be hired.
The other blame goes to former Police Union President Chuck Paris who in the previous contract gave up health insurance for retirees who came on after the contract. Retirees were already paying for health insurance so why give that up. The results are new hires have been giving the City their 2 year commitment then moving on to other departments that provided better pay and health benefits. Bridgeport you get what you pay for.
Exactly right. I wouldn’t say that Porter believes in it though. He knows what’s going on but must say what anyone in his position needs to say. As long as he doesn’t go along with bullshit numbers and mimics what politicians say to tell everyone that things aren’t as bad as they actually might be , then he’ll be ok.