WOW: Charlotte Police Dept- slashes to cops, no healthcare in retirement, etc!!!!

[bucs90]

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Struggle for Fair Wages | Law Enforcement Today

A friend from ATL works there now, and shared some stories. This link is a petition from a CMPD officer's wife. Anyhow, the City of Charlotte showed it's appreciation to the cops who risk their lives to protect that city by.....starting back in 2009 all newly hired cops will have no health insurance after they retire (required 30 years of service with CMPD). Yes, thats right. When a cop is hired in, say, 2010 by Charlotte PD, and serves 30 years (required) with that agency risking his life for the people of Charlotte, he can retire in the year 2040, and will be thanked with....well, nothing. No health insurance. They now have no overtime pay, even if they do work overtime. No step-increases in pay to retain experienced officers (crucial for law enforcement to keep experience on the road). No cost of living increases. Basically, the City of Charlotte's message to these brave folks? Well, the message is "Take the job and shove it. But please protect us!".

Funny though. An independent study found Charlotte had plenty of money to meet the budget that would've included the above cuts. But they just didnt. Why? Well, then needed to donate money to pet projects. Like a Street Car project. A minor league baseball team.

OH, and forgot one big one: The NFL's Carolina Panthers want stadium upgrades, and have demanded the city pay for it, about $150 million. And the city IS GOING TO DO IT.

Just some food for thought next time you need to dial 911 and the cop who shows up isn't in the best mood in the world. Or....is hesitant to risk his ass to protect you. Because afterall, if he gets hurt, who is gonna pay for his care in retirement??????

 

[TheOldSchool]

That's a damn shame. I bet they reverse that pretty quickly if it starts making the media rounds.

 

[bodecea]

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Struggle for Fair Wages | Law Enforcement Today

A friend from ATL works there now, and shared some stories. This link is a petition from a CMPD officer's wife. Anyhow, the City of Charlotte showed it's appreciation to the cops who risk their lives to protect that city by.....starting back in 2009 all newly hired cops will have no health insurance after they retire (required 30 years of service with CMPD). Yes, thats right. When a cop is hired in, say, 2010 by Charlotte PD, and serves 30 years (required) with that agency risking his life for the people of Charlotte, he can retire in the year 2040, and will be thanked with....well, nothing. No health insurance. They now have no overtime pay, even if they do work overtime. No step-increases in pay to retain experienced officers (crucial for law enforcement to keep experience on the road). No cost of living increases. Basically, the City of Charlotte's message to these brave folks? Well, the message is "Take the job and shove it. But please protect us!".

Funny though. An independent study found Charlotte had plenty of money to meet the budget that would've included the above cuts. But they just didnt. Why? Well, then needed to donate money to pet projects. Like a Street Car project. A minor league baseball team.

OH, and forgot one big one: The NFL's Carolina Panthers want stadium upgrades, and have demanded the city pay for it, about $150 million. And the city IS GOING TO DO IT.

Just some food for thought next time you need to dial 911 and the cop who shows up isn't in the best mood in the world. Or....is hesitant to risk his ass to protect you. Because afterall, if he gets hurt, who is gonna pay for his care in retirement??????

Sorry, but what do you honestly expect from a Third World Country-type state like that?

 

[bucs90]

Its happening all over the non-union Southern police departments. Republican or Democrat led cities and states down here are using the nations anti-government sentiment to really fuck the cops and firemen over. Teachers too.

Atlanta is unionized. I think Miami is too. But they got hit a bit. The non-union PD's down here, especially the GOP led ones, are getting seriously fucked.

And, I bet there are millions of Republicans down here who would applaud such a move by the city.........but in the same breathe, cry holy hell about any cuts to military spending because the military "protects us". In fact, the same right wingers applauding such police cuts here....never once said shit about sending billions to train, equip and fund the police of Afghanistan and Iraq in the past 10 years. Fucking hypocrites.

This shit makes me sick though. Cops are the most despised people in our government at times (unfairly usually, but occassionally the bad apples give a legit reason to be angry), but people wont hesitate to call 911 begging for someone to save them.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Struggle for Fair Wages | Law Enforcement Today

A friend from ATL works there now, and shared some stories. This link is a petition from a CMPD officer's wife. Anyhow, the City of Charlotte showed it's appreciation to the cops who risk their lives to protect that city by.....starting back in 2009 all newly hired cops will have no health insurance after they retire (required 30 years of service with CMPD). Yes, thats right. When a cop is hired in, say, 2010 by Charlotte PD, and serves 30 years (required) with that agency risking his life for the people of Charlotte, he can retire in the year 2040, and will be thanked with....well, nothing. No health insurance. They now have no overtime pay, even if they do work overtime. No step-increases in pay to retain experienced officers (crucial for law enforcement to keep experience on the road). No cost of living increases. Basically, the City of Charlotte's message to these brave folks? Well, the message is "Take the job and shove it. But please protect us!".

Funny though. An independent study found Charlotte had plenty of money to meet the budget that would've included the above cuts. But they just didnt. Why? Well, then needed to donate money to pet projects. Like a Street Car project. A minor league baseball team.

OH, and forgot one big one: The NFL's Carolina Panthers want stadium upgrades, and have demanded the city pay for it, about $150 million. And the city IS GOING TO DO IT.

Just some food for thought next time you need to dial 911 and the cop who shows up isn't in the best mood in the world. Or....is hesitant to risk his ass to protect you. Because afterall, if he gets hurt, who is gonna pay for his care in retirement??????

Yep...And guess which party runs Charlotte?....
I will spot you the open end of the wet paper bag....
That city blows more money on shiny thingys and trying to achieve that elusive image of "a World Class City", than the rest of the State put together.
The county DA's office has ADA slots that must go unfilled for two reasons. One, the pay sucks. Someone with mountains of student loan debt is not going to take a job making less than $40 per year with the amount of case load and public scrutiny that the typical DA's office receives. Second, according to State law, all DA's offices are funded by the State. As are the courts. Also it is illegal for a county or city to tax itself to fund these things without legislation at the State level. All taxes collected are sent to the State capitol for redistribution. The idea is so that less wealthy areas of the state receive their "fair share"..
And just which party has run NC for the last 100 or so years before November 2012? The democrats. As a matter of fact, NC has been run almost completely by politicians from the Eastern third of the State. The good ol' boy Eastern NC establishment has finally lost it's vice grip on State issues. However, to change the way things are done here takes forever.
Charlotte law enforcement has been understaffed and under funded for decades. The problem has gotten so bad that property crimes are virtually ignored. For example, if a person's home is broken into and items stolen, car stolen, the police do not even take a report over the phone. Residents must go on line to make a report. And of course an officer will not go the the scene of the crime.
The response to complaints from citizens such as "you spent $350 million for an arena and 130 million for a stock car museum but criminals are being set free to commit more crimes because there are not enough DA's to prosecute the criminals."....The excuse is "well entertainment money cannot be spent on law enforcement or the courts. That's the State's job."
And people still have the nerve to ask why crime is a growing problem in Charlotte.
I really don;t care about pensions or medical benefits after someone stops working. That is immaterial. Where the idea that employment in the public sector must include these types of entitlements came from is a mystery.
The fact is, Charlotte has always tried to present an image of this modern "New South" city where life is grand and problems are few. Quite the opposite is true. Charlotte has all the same problems of any large city in the US. The issue with City government is they have this mentality that if problems are ignored hopefully they will go away.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Its happening all over the non-union Southern police departments. Republican or Democrat led cities and states down here are using the nations anti-government sentiment to really fuck the cops and firemen over. Teachers too.

Atlanta is unionized. I think Miami is too. But they got hit a bit. The non-union PD's down here, especially the GOP led ones, are getting seriously fucked.

And, I bet there are millions of Republicans down here who would applaud such a move by the city.........but in the same breathe, cry holy hell about any cuts to military spending because the military "protects us". In fact, the same right wingers applauding such police cuts here....never once said shit about sending billions to train, equip and fund the police of Afghanistan and Iraq in the past 10 years. Fucking hypocrites.

This shit makes me sick though. Cops are the most despised people in our government at times (unfairly usually, but occassionally the bad apples give a legit reason to be angry), but people wont hesitate to call 911 begging for someone to save them.

Umm...the Charlotte police ARE unionized. They just do not have the right to collective bargaining.
BTW, 39 out of 50 states have laws barring public employees from staging job actions or strikes...Why Public-Sector Strikes Are So Rare
82% of all public employees are NOT represented by unions.
5 states bar collective bargaining for public employees. 10 more permit is, but it is rare. Ironically ALL of those 16 states are "right to work" and therefore employees are not required to join the labor collective.
Non unionization of public employees is nothing new. The issue has gotten more attention because in the union heavy northeast and midwest, public worker unions are finally being challenged.
Look, the deal is this. Citizens in general have no issue with public servants being properly compensated. Over the last 30 or so years, the balance has tipped so far in the favor of public workers, that taxes used to fund their wages and benefits have gone stratospheric. And still budgets come up short.
The taxpayers have had enough. The very idea that this is confined to those "republican" states, is pure falsehood. NJ is the most unionized state in the land AND has more government employees per capita than any state in the union. And even there, taxpayers and the state government have finally grown a big enough "pair" to take on long entrenched unions.
This is not a GOP or democrat thing. This is a taxpayer survival thing.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Struggle for Fair Wages | Law Enforcement Today

A friend from ATL works there now, and shared some stories. This link is a petition from a CMPD officer's wife. Anyhow, the City of Charlotte showed it's appreciation to the cops who risk their lives to protect that city by.....starting back in 2009 all newly hired cops will have no health insurance after they retire (required 30 years of service with CMPD). Yes, thats right. When a cop is hired in, say, 2010 by Charlotte PD, and serves 30 years (required) with that agency risking his life for the people of Charlotte, he can retire in the year 2040, and will be thanked with....well, nothing. No health insurance. They now have no overtime pay, even if they do work overtime. No step-increases in pay to retain experienced officers (crucial for law enforcement to keep experience on the road). No cost of living increases. Basically, the City of Charlotte's message to these brave folks? Well, the message is "Take the job and shove it. But please protect us!".

Funny though. An independent study found Charlotte had plenty of money to meet the budget that would've included the above cuts. But they just didnt. Why? Well, then needed to donate money to pet projects. Like a Street Car project. A minor league baseball team.

OH, and forgot one big one: The NFL's Carolina Panthers want stadium upgrades, and have demanded the city pay for it, about $150 million. And the city IS GOING TO DO IT.

Just some food for thought next time you need to dial 911 and the cop who shows up isn't in the best mood in the world. Or....is hesitant to risk his ass to protect you. Because afterall, if he gets hurt, who is gonna pay for his care in retirement??????

City council and mayor of Charlotte, 8 Democrats, 2 Republicans, and 2 that I couldn't find out which part they belong to by looking for less than 10 seconds each because I didn't want to waste more time on a tirivial bullshit thread.


My guess is you assumed they were all Republicans, and you started this thread to create outrage over the Republican war on cops.

 

[Katzndogz]

This is what happens when prioritization is based on what feels good rather than what is necessary. Charlotte isn't doing anything different than obama is doing to the nation.

 

[bucs90]

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Struggle for Fair Wages | Law Enforcement Today

A friend from ATL works there now, and shared some stories. This link is a petition from a CMPD officer's wife. Anyhow, the City of Charlotte showed it's appreciation to the cops who risk their lives to protect that city by.....starting back in 2009 all newly hired cops will have no health insurance after they retire (required 30 years of service with CMPD). Yes, thats right. When a cop is hired in, say, 2010 by Charlotte PD, and serves 30 years (required) with that agency risking his life for the people of Charlotte, he can retire in the year 2040, and will be thanked with....well, nothing. No health insurance. They now have no overtime pay, even if they do work overtime. No step-increases in pay to retain experienced officers (crucial for law enforcement to keep experience on the road). No cost of living increases. Basically, the City of Charlotte's message to these brave folks? Well, the message is "Take the job and shove it. But please protect us!".

Funny though. An independent study found Charlotte had plenty of money to meet the budget that would've included the above cuts. But they just didnt. Why? Well, then needed to donate money to pet projects. Like a Street Car project. A minor league baseball team.

OH, and forgot one big one: The NFL's Carolina Panthers want stadium upgrades, and have demanded the city pay for it, about $150 million. And the city IS GOING TO DO IT.

Just some food for thought next time you need to dial 911 and the cop who shows up isn't in the best mood in the world. Or....is hesitant to risk his ass to protect you. Because afterall, if he gets hurt, who is gonna pay for his care in retirement??????

City council and mayor of Charlotte, 8 Democrats, 2 Republicans, and 2 that I couldn't find out which part they belong to by looking for less than 10 seconds each because I didn't want to waste more time on a tirivial bullshit thread.


My guess is you assumed they were all Republicans, and you started this thread to create outrage over the Republican war on cops.

Notice in the OP I mentioned both parties. And yeah, the Dems run Charlotte, and things like this are why most cops historically have NOT voted Democrat, but now, stuff LIKE this is happening in traditionally Southern GOP strongholds, like South Carolina and Alabama.


And for the idiot who said "I dont care about pensions and retirement benefits", well, sure YOU dont care about a cop's retirement. You aren't him. But if you were risking your life daily, working shitty rotating shifts, and dealing with the stress of seeing the worst side of humanity every single day......and the stress that puts on the mind and body over the course of 25 years......then yeah, you'd worry about if you are gonna have a stable retirement.

 

[bucs90]

Look, the deal is this. Citizens in general have no issue with public servants being properly compensated. Over the last 30 or so years, the balance has tipped so far in the favor of public workers, that taxes used to fund their wages and benefits have gone stratospheric. And still budgets come up short.
The taxpayers have had enough. The very idea that this is confined to those "republican" states, is pure falsehood. NJ is the most unionized state in the land AND has more government employees per capita than any state in the union. And even there, taxpayers and the state government have finally grown a big enough "pair" to take on long entrenched unions.
This is not a GOP or democrat thing. This is a taxpayer survival thing.

Tipped so far "in favor" of the public sector? I cant speak for Parks and Rec types, or shithead local politicians or DMV workers.

But to see and do the shit cops have to see and do, day in and day out, for 25 years??? 90% of cops are underpaid for that lifestyle. I do agree, places like Cali and Jersey overpay. That has to be fixed. But if the general public truly knew what goes on after dark in the unpopular streets in their cities, or, in their neighbors home, they'd be shocked. People are so shielded from the reality of the darker side of humanity. And thats good, thats what the PD's are for in part. But nothing has tipped "in favor" of police officers in this nation when compared to the lifestyles and earning potential of the private sector. Which again, is perfectly fine, they signed up for that job. But taking benefits and retirement away, for doing THAT job, baffles me.

I can honestly say I dont know how or why anyone would be a cop these days. Getting compensation attacked from both sides, getting every single decision you make in your personal and work life second-guessed, and having literally no representation in politics? Just not worth it anymore. But, when people call 911, they're still there, still showing up to help or save a complete stranger.

 

[initforme]

nobody should apply for those jobs...leave the citizens without police for awhile. The taxpayers dont want to pay them? Fine. But then dont expect good service? Can any of you actually argue this? I would hope cops from other cities would point this out and make charlotte a place for cops to avoid wanting to work.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Maybe the US Army can come in and conduct "Peace Keeping" Operations like they do all around the World?

Remember guys whatever you do DON'T buy a gun for self defense, that's NOT what they're for.

Countdown to the US begging for U.N. Police Forces: 10, 9, 8...

 

[thereisnospoon]

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Struggle for Fair Wages | Law Enforcement Today

A friend from ATL works there now, and shared some stories. This link is a petition from a CMPD officer's wife. Anyhow, the City of Charlotte showed it's appreciation to the cops who risk their lives to protect that city by.....starting back in 2009 all newly hired cops will have no health insurance after they retire (required 30 years of service with CMPD). Yes, thats right. When a cop is hired in, say, 2010 by Charlotte PD, and serves 30 years (required) with that agency risking his life for the people of Charlotte, he can retire in the year 2040, and will be thanked with....well, nothing. No health insurance. They now have no overtime pay, even if they do work overtime. No step-increases in pay to retain experienced officers (crucial for law enforcement to keep experience on the road). No cost of living increases. Basically, the City of Charlotte's message to these brave folks? Well, the message is "Take the job and shove it. But please protect us!".

Funny though. An independent study found Charlotte had plenty of money to meet the budget that would've included the above cuts. But they just didnt. Why? Well, then needed to donate money to pet projects. Like a Street Car project. A minor league baseball team.

OH, and forgot one big one: The NFL's Carolina Panthers want stadium upgrades, and have demanded the city pay for it, about $150 million. And the city IS GOING TO DO IT.

Just some food for thought next time you need to dial 911 and the cop who shows up isn't in the best mood in the world. Or....is hesitant to risk his ass to protect you. Because afterall, if he gets hurt, who is gonna pay for his care in retirement??????

City council and mayor of Charlotte, 8 Democrats, 2 Republicans, and 2 that I couldn't find out which part they belong to by looking for less than 10 seconds each because I didn't want to waste more time on a tirivial bullshit thread.


My guess is you assumed they were all Republicans, and you started this thread to create outrage over the Republican war on cops.

Notice in the OP I mentioned both parties. And yeah, the Dems run Charlotte, and things like this are why most cops historically have NOT voted Democrat, but now, stuff LIKE this is happening in traditionally Southern GOP strongholds, like South Carolina and Alabama.


And for the idiot who said "I dont care about pensions and retirement benefits", well, sure YOU dont care about a cop's retirement. You aren't him. But if you were risking your life daily, working shitty rotating shifts, and dealing with the stress of seeing the worst side of humanity every single day......and the stress that puts on the mind and body over the course of 25 years......then yeah, you'd worry about if you are gonna have a stable retirement.

Becoming a public servant is a CHOICE.
You appear to believe that an after retirement benefit package based solely on public service is some sort of entitlement.
Newsflash. All these things are "fringe benefits" And as such, they are available only if they are fiscally sustainable. Remember, the taxpayers and no one else.
The fact of the matter is these fringe benefits in their current form are no longer sustainable. Taxes simply cannot be increased further to cover the rising out of control costs. How did it get this way? Easy, the unions' demands were rubber stamped on every contract negotiation because the politicians had no power to fight them and the easy solution was "just raise taxes". It's OVER. The taxpayers are struggling while the public sector unions keep making demands..The taxpayers have had it.
The only way the employees can keep their fringe benefits is if the workers themselves contribute a much higher percentage toward their benefits.
This is a good deal for everyone. The workers get to keep their bennies while the taxpayers are not seeing yearly tax increases.
In your mind, is there something wrong with that?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Struggle for Fair Wages | Law Enforcement Today

A friend from ATL works there now, and shared some stories. This link is a petition from a CMPD officer's wife. Anyhow, the City of Charlotte showed it's appreciation to the cops who risk their lives to protect that city by.....starting back in 2009 all newly hired cops will have no health insurance after they retire (required 30 years of service with CMPD). Yes, thats right. When a cop is hired in, say, 2010 by Charlotte PD, and serves 30 years (required) with that agency risking his life for the people of Charlotte, he can retire in the year 2040, and will be thanked with....well, nothing. No health insurance. They now have no overtime pay, even if they do work overtime. No step-increases in pay to retain experienced officers (crucial for law enforcement to keep experience on the road). No cost of living increases. Basically, the City of Charlotte's message to these brave folks? Well, the message is "Take the job and shove it. But please protect us!".

Funny though. An independent study found Charlotte had plenty of money to meet the budget that would've included the above cuts. But they just didnt. Why? Well, then needed to donate money to pet projects. Like a Street Car project. A minor league baseball team.

OH, and forgot one big one: The NFL's Carolina Panthers want stadium upgrades, and have demanded the city pay for it, about $150 million. And the city IS GOING TO DO IT.

Just some food for thought next time you need to dial 911 and the cop who shows up isn't in the best mood in the world. Or....is hesitant to risk his ass to protect you. Because afterall, if he gets hurt, who is gonna pay for his care in retirement??????

City council and mayor of Charlotte, 8 Democrats, 2 Republicans, and 2 that I couldn't find out which part they belong to by looking for less than 10 seconds each because I didn't want to waste more time on a tirivial bullshit thread.


My guess is you assumed they were all Republicans, and you started this thread to create outrage over the Republican war on cops.

Notice in the OP I mentioned both parties. And yeah, the Dems run Charlotte, and things like this are why most cops historically have NOT voted Democrat, but now, stuff LIKE this is happening in traditionally Southern GOP strongholds, like South Carolina and Alabama.


And for the idiot who said "I dont care about pensions and retirement benefits", well, sure YOU dont care about a cop's retirement. You aren't him. But if you were risking your life daily, working shitty rotating shifts, and dealing with the stress of seeing the worst side of humanity every single day......and the stress that puts on the mind and body over the course of 25 years......then yeah, you'd worry about if you are gonna have a stable retirement.

They signed a contract, not a declaration of slavery. If they don't like it they are free to get another job. If, on the other hand, they aren't complaining, why they fuck are you whining about it?

 

[thereisnospoon]

Look, the deal is this. Citizens in general have no issue with public servants being properly compensated. Over the last 30 or so years, the balance has tipped so far in the favor of public workers, that taxes used to fund their wages and benefits have gone stratospheric. And still budgets come up short.
The taxpayers have had enough. The very idea that this is confined to those "republican" states, is pure falsehood. NJ is the most unionized state in the land AND has more government employees per capita than any state in the union. And even there, taxpayers and the state government have finally grown a big enough "pair" to take on long entrenched unions.
This is not a GOP or democrat thing. This is a taxpayer survival thing.

Tipped so far "in favor" of the public sector? I cant speak for Parks and Rec types, or shithead local politicians or DMV workers.

But to see and do the shit cops have to see and do, day in and day out, for 25 years??? 90% of cops are underpaid for that lifestyle. I do agree, places like Cali and Jersey overpay. That has to be fixed. But if the general public truly knew what goes on after dark in the unpopular streets in their cities, or, in their neighbors home, they'd be shocked. People are so shielded from the reality of the darker side of humanity. And thats good, thats what the PD's are for in part. But nothing has tipped "in favor" of police officers in this nation when compared to the lifestyles and earning potential of the private sector. Which again, is perfectly fine, they signed up for that job. But taking benefits and retirement away, for doing THAT job, baffles me.

I can honestly say I dont know how or why anyone would be a cop these days. Getting compensation attacked from both sides, getting every single decision you make in your personal and work life second-guessed, and having literally no representation in politics? Just not worth it anymore. But, when people call 911, they're still there, still showing up to help or save a complete stranger.

yes..When it comes to benefits and pension negotiations in big union states, the balance is indeed tipped far in favor of the public sector.
Look, if the thrust of your focus in on the difficulty of the urban police officer's job, you are stating the obvious.
Was it really necessary to refer to me as an "idiot" simply because I have a different point of view?
Policing has been made a shitty job because of overbearing politicians who kowtow to kneee jerk reactionary factions and political correctness.
Everyone wants a cop around when all hell breaks loose but at the same time they are there with a cell phone camera just waiting like a vulture for the cop to make a mistake.

 

[rdean]

Fewer police. I thought that was part of the Republican "Plan"?

 

[bripat9643]

Its happening all over the non-union Southern police departments. Republican or Democrat led cities and states down here are using the nations anti-government sentiment to really fuck the cops and firemen over. Teachers too.

If they don't like the deal, they're free to go work somewhere else. It's better than the deal I get when I retire.

 

[bripat9643]

Notice in the OP I mentioned both parties. And yeah, the Dems run Charlotte, and things like this are why most cops historically have NOT voted Democrat, but now, stuff LIKE this is happening in traditionally Southern GOP strongholds, like South Carolina and Alabama.

And for the idiot who said "I dont care about pensions and retirement benefits", well, sure YOU dont care about a cop's retirement. You aren't him. But if you were risking your life daily, working shitty rotating shifts, and dealing with the stress of seeing the worst side of humanity every single day......and the stress that puts on the mind and body over the course of 25 years......then yeah, you'd worry about if you are gonna have a stable retirement.

When I worked construction, I risked my life daily. On every big project I was on, someone got killed. Lot's of jobs are dangerous, but no one goes around whining about how they are risking their lives. Only slugs sucking off the taxpayers think everyone is supposed to kiss their asses because they're doing something dangerous.

 

[bripat9643]

Tipped so far "in favor" of the public sector? I cant speak for Parks and Rec types, or shithead local politicians or DMV workers.

But to see and do the shit cops have to see and do, day in and day out, for 25 years??? 90% of cops are underpaid for that lifestyle.

Bullshit. If they were underpaid, there would be a shortage of applicants for the job. The fact is there is a long waiting list of applicants. You just can't get those kinds of benefits and pay in the private sector for a job that really doesn't require much education or training.

I do agree, places like Cali and Jersey overpay. That has to be fixed. But if the general public truly knew what goes on after dark in the unpopular streets in their cities, or, in their neighbors home, they'd be shocked. People are so shielded from the reality of the darker side of humanity. And thats good, thats what the PD's are for in part. But nothing has tipped "in favor" of police officers in this nation when compared to the lifestyles and earning potential of the private sector. Which again, is perfectly fine, they signed up for that job. But taking benefits and retirement away, for doing THAT job, baffles me.

cops spend most of the day handing out traffic tickets. They only time they ever bust actual criminals is if by some chance they happen to witness an armed robbery occurring right in front of them. Most the time the cops arrive long after the villains have gotten away, or after the proprietor has shot them dead.

I can honestly say I dont know how or why anyone would be a cop these days. Getting compensation attacked from both sides, getting every single decision you make in your personal and work life second-guessed, and having literally no representation in politics? Just not worth it anymore. But, when people call 911, they're still there, still showing up to help or save a complete stranger.

No they don't, turd. Even the cops will tell you that it takes 7 minutes for them to arrive on the scene. It only takes 5 minutes for an armed thug to hold you up and clean out your cash register.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers Struggle for Fair Wages | Law Enforcement Today

A friend from ATL works there now, and shared some stories. This link is a petition from a CMPD officer's wife. Anyhow, the City of Charlotte showed it's appreciation to the cops who risk their lives to protect that city by.....starting back in 2009 all newly hired cops will have no health insurance after they retire (required 30 years of service with CMPD). Yes, thats right. When a cop is hired in, say, 2010 by Charlotte PD, and serves 30 years (required) with that agency risking his life for the people of Charlotte, he can retire in the year 2040, and will be thanked with....well, nothing. No health insurance. They now have no overtime pay, even if they do work overtime. No step-increases in pay to retain experienced officers (crucial for law enforcement to keep experience on the road). No cost of living increases. Basically, the City of Charlotte's message to these brave folks? Well, the message is "Take the job and shove it. But please protect us!".

Funny though. An independent study found Charlotte had plenty of money to meet the budget that would've included the above cuts. But they just didnt. Why? Well, then needed to donate money to pet projects. Like a Street Car project. A minor league baseball team.

OH, and forgot one big one: The NFL's Carolina Panthers want stadium upgrades, and have demanded the city pay for it, about $150 million. And the city IS GOING TO DO IT.

Just some food for thought next time you need to dial 911 and the cop who shows up isn't in the best mood in the world. Or....is hesitant to risk his ass to protect you. Because afterall, if he gets hurt, who is gonna pay for his care in retirement??????

The cost to recruit, test, complete the background investigation and train a police officer is expensive; officers who have completed probation in an agency which hopes to save money by cutting pay, working conditions and/or benefits will soon find their officers working elsewhere.

Eventually such an agency will become a minor league one, filling open jobs all over the East Coast with men and women trained and experienced in Charlotte and putting on their streets individuals who could not secure employment in police work anywhere else (such as George Zimmerman).