the official publication of the broward county police benevolent association
The
Broward Centurion
bcpba.org
Volume 12, Issue 12 December 2009
Happy Holidays
PBA Asks Feds To
Intervene For Deputy
No Changes To
Executive Board
T
N
Nominations Taken At BOD
Meeting
Military leave benefits in question
he Broward County PBA has contacted the U.S. Department
of Labor for their assistance with a grievance for Deputy Dennis Lichtenberg, a first sergeant in the Army Reserves, after the
Broward Sheriff’s Office denied him full pay and leave accruals while he
was deployed in Germany for 26 days.
Lichtenberg received written orders to report military service beginning
August 22, 2009. When he returned home in September, he discovered
that BSO had used vacation time rather than military leave, as prescribed by Florida law, to cover his absence. The Sheriff’s Office legal
department has taken the position that Lichtenberg was on a training
exercise and therefore not entitled to paid military leave. The PBA attempted to resolve this issue directly with Human Resources to no avail.
Both Deputy Lichtenberg and the Broward County PBA have asked the
United States Department of Labor to intervene in this matter.
ominations for spots on the Broward
PBA’s Executive Board were held at
the Board of Directors meeting on
November 10. The Board chose to have the
current Executive Board remain in place for
the next three years.
Each of our current officers were nominated
again for their positions; no other candidates
were named, so no election was necessary.
Your board is:
President
Patrick Hanrahan
Senior Vice President
The PBA maintains that the Sheriff’s Office decision is a violation of
Florida State Statutes, Sections 115.07-09 and 115.14 as well as a violation of BSO’s Policy and Procedures manual and the current Collective
Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Broward County PBA and
the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies and Sergeants’ Unit.
Jeff Marano
Lichtenberg is requesting that BSO reinstate the leave accruals it improperly docked him during his active military service.
Secretary
In this issue...
Inside BSO........................................................................... 4
Officer Deaths Trending Down For 2009..................... 5
Care Packages For Soldiers............................................. 6
Vice President
Neil Vaughan
Treasurer
Debbie Reggio
Rod Skirvin
Are You Being Represented?............................................ 8
Need To Know: Scanner Apps......................................... 9
What’s Up?.......................................................................... 12
December 2009
President’s
Letter
The Broward
Centurion
The Official Publication of the
Broward County PBA
(A Charter of the Florida PBA)
2650 West State Road 84
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312
Telephone: 954/584-7600
Fax: 954/583-0405
Megan Gordon, Editor
E-mail: [email protected]
The Broward Centurion is published
by the Broward County Police
Benevolent Association for the
sole benefit of its members. The
Broward Centurion is dedicated
to the advancement of the law
enforcement profession through
better and stronger community
relations. The opinions expressed
in the publication of The Broward
Centurion are not necessarily those
of the Broward County PBA, its
Executive Board or the Board of
Directors.
Members or readers submitting
letters to the editor or articles for
publication are requested to adhere
to the following:
• Submissions should be
sent to:
Broward County PBA
Attn: Centurion
2650 West State Road 84
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312
•
Letters or articles must be
accompanied by the
writer’s true name and
address.
•
All articles submitted for publication must be
accompanied by a
statement giving
permission to publish.
• All submissions must be
legible.
•
The Broward County PBA
reserves the right of the
Executive Board or Editor to amend or to add an editor’s comment to any
article or letter submitted.
•
Advertisement in this
publication does not imply
endorsement by the
Broward County PBA
unless otherwise specified.
I
would like to thank the Board of Directors for their confidence and support in reelecting the entire Executive Board. At the November 10 board
meeting nominations were taken and no offices were challenged.
In November Treasurer Debbie Reggio, Secretary Rod Skirvin and I appeared
before the Florida Parole Commission regarding parole for John Gombos,
who brutally murdered Deputy Joseph Conte on 6/11/79. The plan was for
Gombos and Dawn Sobel to help Gary Eaton escape during a trip to the
dentist, for which Gombos was offered $15,000. He shot Deputy Conte in
the head and chest seven times with a shotgun. Treasurer Reggio wanted to
testify, and she did an excellent job. The Commission affirmed no change in
the parole release date. Vice President Neil Vaughan and I will be testifying at Dawn Sobel’s hearing on December 2. That will be the fourth parole
hearing I have attended as your president this year. I will continue to attend
every parole hearing I can to ensure that this scum serves every day possible
in prison.
Apparently there is talk again at BSO about another group. Perhaps they
have forgotten November 11, 2007: PBA 758, other group 331. They say the
PBA “dropped the ball” on our last contract: a 3% COLA each of the three
years (2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10), a new 2% twenty-year longevity step
effective October 2009, and a 2% first responder pay effective April 2009
and again in October 2009 (this one has not taken effect yet), and our health
insurance cost remained the same. Apparently this other group is still asking
questions about the 2% longevity, which went into effect in October. Given
the economy, if this contract is dropping the ball, I’d like to drop it again.
The bargaining unit voted to accept this contract 1140 to 63. That vote says
that the PBA attorneys did a good job and that my membership wanted that
contract.
This other group’s president, who is not a PBA member, did not refuse these
“bad” pay increases and in other unions, a person who is not a union member
but takes advantage of union benefits is called a SCAB!
As for “where was the PBA when budget cuts were going to force deputies
to be laid off for the first time in BSO history?” I would ask, “ Where were
you?” If you look at the County Commission budget hearing and workshop
videos, you will see me and others in PBA shirts. In the October Centurion,
I thanked Treasurer Debbie Reggio, BSO Rep Bob Lahiff, and members Nick
Masters, Jeff Beculhimer, Steven Briggs, and Lorainne Szczepanic for attending. I believe Walt Dix (Firefighters Pres.) and Dan Reynolds (FOPE Pres.)
can verify my presence.
Lastly, I will not be president for 29 years; that would make me 96 years old.
And, by the way, how many of you voted for him to be president of the other
group?
Pat Hanrahan
2
The Broward Centurion
December 2009
Executive Board
President
Patrick Hanrahan
Treasurer
Senior Vice President
Debbie Reggio
Jeff Marano
Secretary
Vice President
Rodney Skirvin
Neil Vaughan
General Counsel
Barbara Duffy
Assistant General Counsel
Claudia I. Estrada
Board of Directors
BSO (Support)
Paul Weiss
BSO – At Large (LE)
Jonathan Bailen
Michael Joseph Catalano
Ronnie DeAngelo
Armando Enrique
Robert Lahiff
Jay Leiner
Jim Pendergast
Rich Pisanti
Jeff Poole
BSO – District (LE)
Craig Bachan
Matt Baldwin
Christopher Bradley
Michael John Catalano
Joseph Capua
Kelli Covet
James Demato
Ian Doriot
Rich Engels
Tom McPartland
Dean Mirra
Robert Petoskey
James Snell
Mike Sweeney
Osvaldo Tianga
Jerry Vosburgh
Eric Weiner
BSO (Lts)
Linda Canada-Stuck
Broward Schools
Investigative Unit
Gary Rowe
Bobby Spence - Alt.
Coconut Creek
Dan Eberly
Jason Kohlhorst
Coconut Creek (Sgts)
Curt Cuddeback
Hallandale Beach
Gary McVey
Michel Michel
Alex Vera
Ralph Matias - Alt.
Hillsboro Beach
David Clark
Hollywood
Steven Bolger
Chris Christianson
Billy Ferguson
Keith Wadsworth
Wilbur Fernander - Alt.
Lighthouse Point
Daniel James
Laura Tyler
Margate (Spvrs)
Andy Zettek
Miramar
Wayne Dunlap
Marc Greenstein
George Mankowski
Ro Durney - Alt.
Adam Lerner - Alt.
Pembroke Pines
Andrew Brooks
Adam Feiner
Al Xiques
Sea Ranch Lakes
James O’Brien
Mike Tarr - Alt.
Sunrise
John Jaslowski
Sunrise (Lts)
Bob Dorn
Wilton Manors
Shawn Chadwick
Grant Gundle
Chuck Howard
Welcome
New Members
Gordon A. Black
Steven Fernandez
Richard Hennery
Jess A. Horn
Steven R. James
Louis Kattou
Michael Malone
Raul Toledo
Dwayne Valentin
BSO
Hollywood PD
BSO
Coconut Creek
Coconut Creek
BSO
Hollywood
Hollywood PD
Hollywood PD
Retired
Abraham Brevda
Thomas Harvey
Eugene McCloud Jr.
Thomas W. Murray
Stephen P. Walker
Associate
Karla McCurley
Office
Staff
Immediate Past President
Dick Brickman
bcpba.org
Charter Secretary
Linda
Receptionist/Membership
Lynn
Secretary/Detail Coordinator
Kim
Legal Assistant
Maryann
Communications Director
Megan
Information Technology
Chris
3
The Broward Centurion
Inside BSO
R
ecently many issues have come up at the Broward Sheriff’s Office. The PBA has been trying to work these issues out without
filing for arbitrations or unfair labor practices, but there comes a
point when these issues must be resolved. Here’s what we’re currently
dealing with:
Holiday Pay
The Sheriff/District chiefs have been ordering members who are regularly scheduled to work on holidays to take the day off; some that did
work were denied their choice of getting paid or accruing time. This
started with Memorial Day and continued with July 4th, Labor Day,
Veteran’s Day and probably Thanksgiving. The PBA has filed for arbitration on this for the Deputies/Sergeants Unit and the Lieutenants Unit has demanded impact bargaining.
Tuition Reimbursement Program
The Sheriff reduced the budget for the tuition reimbursement program; PBA has demanded impact
bargaining. The first meeting was October 13th. We
have requested financial information which BSO
has not provided yet. No other meetings have been
scheduled.
Lieutenants’ Annual Leave Buy Back
In August, this contract article which is “at the sole discretion of the Sheriff” was denied to the lieutenants.
Hazardous Duty Pay
Human Resources determined that certain members could receive
supplement pay and hazardous duty pay. The Sheriff ordered that
hazardous duty pay will not be treated as a salary supplement but as an
assignment pay. Additionally those assigned to SWAT, Dive Team, K-9
and Field Training Deputies will receive hazardous duty pay in addition
to their salary supplement. The issue now is the amount of the hazardous duty pay. We are waiting for a response from BSO before filing for
arbitration.
Policy Chapter 9
The Sheriff has proposed changes to internal affairs investigations policy
due to the PBA’s new LEO Bill of Rights Legislation. Part of BSO’s
proposed changes: “employees may be required to... submit to various
tests, (…chemical, blood analysis, urinalysis, etc.) whenever it is material to an administrative/Internal Affairs investigation or evaluation of
fitness for duty.” The PBA has filed objections to some of the proposed
changes. BSO has not yet responded.
Shift Vote
The Sheriff asked the PBA bargaining unit to vote on whether they
wanted to work 8-hour or 12-hour shifts (12 hour shift won overwhelmingly). The Sheriff then asked the PBA bargaining unit to vote
4
December 2009
between the North Lauderdale 12-hour shift
or the Pompano Beach 12-hour shift (the
Pompano 12-hour shift won). The Sheriff
chose to go to the Central Broward 12-hour
shift because he believes it is important to
honor seniority. Under Article 3—Management Rights—in the current CBA, the Sheriff has the right to determine “the number
of hours and shifts to be worked per week,
including starting and quitting times of all
employees.”
First Responder Pay
Earlier in the year, during the
budget process, the Sheriff
asked if the PBA would delay
the 2% First Responder Pay
that was to have taken effect in Octoer 2009. The
sheriff first asked about delaying it for three months.
With the possibility of layoffs coming, the PBA stated
that the membership would
have to vote on that issue but
the PBA could support that to
the membership.
After calculating the financial impact, the
Sheriff asked about delaying the 2% for six
months. In October when the vote to delay
went out, the BSO/PBA Reps determined they
could not support the delay due to the many
outstanding issues that had not been resolved
at BSO. The vote was 809 not to delay and
234 to delay. The PBA is filing an unfair labor
practice against the Sheriff with PERC.
Pompano Beach
There have been meetings, a workshop, a
study and the Sheriff’s rebuttal to the study on
the possibility of the City of Pompano Beach
returning to their own city police department.
A staff study is currently being prepared while
negotiations continue between the city and
the Sheriff.
The Broward Centurion
December 2009
bcpba.org
5
The Broward Centurion
December 2009
Officer
Fatalities
Down
For
2009
Preliminary reports show encouraging trend
T
he National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
Fund (NLEOMF) has released a report that shows
LEO deaths down seven percent
from last year.
The numbers, gathered through October
1, show 92 fatalities this year compared
with 99 in the same time period in 2008.
Last year saw the lowest annual total,
133, since 1960, when the count was 127
officer deaths. If the current trend continues, the NLEOMF estimates that the 2009
numbers would break a fifty-year low.
According to NLEOMF:
• Traffic-related incidents, the leading
cause of LEO deaths in the U.S., have declined more
than 12 percent.
6
• The number of officers killed by gunfire is up slightly,
from 34 in 2008 to 36 during the same time period this
year. The jump may be due to three multiple-officer shootings in California, Pennsylvania and Florida.
• No female officers have been killed in 2009;
nearly 10 percent of fatalities in 2008 were
women.
For more information on these preliminary
figures, visit lawmemorial.org and click on
“Facts & Figures.”
Source: NLEOMF, The Rose & Shield, Winter 2009-10
The Broward Centurion
December 2009
Club Donating Care
Packages To Troops
Notre Dame Alumni Association
looking for recipients
T
he Notre Dame Club of Ft. Lauderdale has prepared over 100
care packages with toiletries,
food and goodies for our men and
women serving in Iraq, Afganistan
and other areas overseas. They are
requesting APO names and addresses for people serving whom you
think should receive a care package
for the holidays.
One man with
courage makes a
majority.
—Attributed to
Andrew Jackson
You can forward the information to Harry Durking, Notre
Dame Senior Coordinator, at [email protected] or call him
at 954/771-6773.
Executive Board
Meets & Greets
Above: Broward PBA Executive Board
Members with Florida Attorney General Bill
McCollum.
Above: President Pat Hanrahan and Vice President Neil Vaughan thank Humana’s Rosanne
Robertelli for their sponsorship of the Memorial Golf Tournament.
Above: Broward PBA Executive Board Members with Florida
CFO Alex Sink.
bcpba.org
7
The Broward Centurion
December 2009
Board of Directors
Meeting Attendance
June
09
BSO (Support)
Paul Weiss
Hallandale Beach
X
BSO – At Large (LE)
Are You
Being
Represented?
Jonathan Bailen
X
Michael Joseph Catalano
Ronnie DeAngelo
Armando Enrique
Robert Lahiff
Jay Leiner
Jim Pendergast
Rich Pistanti
Jeff Poole
X
E
X
X
X
E
X
X
BSO – District (LE)
X
X
N/A
U
U
Kelli Covet
James Demato
Ian Doriot
Rich Engels
Tom McPartland
Dean Mirra
Robert Petoskey
James Snell
Osvaldo Tianga
Jerry Vosburgh
Eric Weiner
E
E
X
E
U
E
X
U
X
X
E
BSO (Lts)
N/A
Broward Schools
Investigative Unit
Gary Rowe
X
X
Coconut Creek
X
X
Coconut Creek (Sgts)
Curt Cuddeback
X
X = Present E = Excused
U=Unexcused N/A = Not a rep
8
X
X
X
E
Hillsboro Beach
David Clark
U
Hollywood
Steven Bolger
Chris Christianson
Billy Ferguson
Keith Wadsworth
Wilbur Fernander - Alt.
Daniel James
Laura Tyler
X
E
X
X
E
X
X
Margate (Spvrs)
Andy Zettek
X
Miramar
Wayne Dunlap
Marc Greenstein
George Mankowski
Ro Durney - Alt.
Adam Lerner - Alt.
E
X
X
X
X
Pembroke Pines
Andrew Brooks
Adam Feiner
E
E
Al Xiques
E
Sea Ranch Lakes
James O’Brien
U
Mike Tarr - Alt.
U
Sunrise
John Jaslowski
Bobby Spence - Alt.
Dan Eberly
Jason Kohlhorst
Gary McVey
Michel Michel
Alex Vera
Ralph Matias - Alt.
Lighthouse Point
Craig Bachan
Matt Baldwin
Christopher Bradley
Michael John Catalano
Joseph Capua
Linda Canada-Stuck
June
09
E
Sunrise (Lts)
Bob Dorn
N/A
Wilton Manors
Shawn Chadwick
Grant Gundle
Chuck Howard
X
X
X
Immediate Past President
Dick Brickman
X
The Broward Centurion
December 2009
Need To Know:
Scanner Apps
S
everal smart phone applications
make it possible for people to
listen in to law enforcement and
emergency radio transmission anywhere they have an
Internet connection.
Applications like
Police Scanner,
EmergencyRadio, 5-0
Radio, Scanner911
and others can tap
into live streams of
local police dispatch
frequencies. Some applications use locationaware technology to help users find
streams close to their location.
The apps make cell phones act like traditional police scanners and often are
able to work in the background, letting
users listen in while using other phone
functions.
BSO and Ft. Lauderdale are
among the agencies whose
frequencies are being monitored on these applications,
with more being added regularly.
The PBA is concerned that
these applications are a safety
hazard for our members.
Fewer
Troopers On
The Road
State police forces
down across the
country
T
he number of highway patrol
officers has shrunk in about
twelve states—including
Florida—in the past 13 years.
Budget cuts and trimming of state
government are to blame for the
diminishing number of state police.
Fewer cops are being hired and
remaining forces are being stretched
thin.
The shortages have left highways
unpatrolled during the late-night
and early morning hours. Some
states have limited how many miles a
trooper can drive in a day, while others have cut down on 24-hour patrol.
Job
Available
Miami-Dade Police Academy looking for
Director
M
iami Dade College’s School
Of Justice, which houses
the largest police
academy in South Florida,
is looking for a Director of
Basic Training.
The position is full-time and
entails the management and
administration of all functions of the academy, including oversight of recruits and
training.
Applicants need a Master’s Degree in
a related field and at least five years of
administrative/managerial experience
in criminal justice or public safety.
For more information about
the job or to apply, log on
to the school’s Web site at:
https://wape.mdc.edu/MDCJobPositions/. The position is
listed under Director of Basic
Training, School of Justice.
Further straining patrols are federal
regulations that require the assignment of troopers to duties such as
truck safety and weigh stations in order to receive federal highway funds,
leaving fewer police on patrol.
Other states with shrinking state
police forces are Georgia, Kansas,
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Oregon,
South Carolina and South Dakota.
Source: USA Today
Please pass this information on to anyone you think would be
interested.
bcpba.org
9
The Broward Centurion
10
December 2009
The Broward Centurion
December 2009
What’s Up?
In Memory
?
T
he Broward County PBA sends condolences to
the family of retired Wilton Manors detective
Tony Lewis, who lost his battle with cancer in
November.
be missed.
Tony served 26 years with the department. He will
Pines Announces Promotions
T
New Baby?
Promotion?
Award?
Let us know!
[email protected]
he Pembroke Pines Police Department
held a promotional ceremony during the
November 17 city commission meeting.
The following members were promoted:
Captain
Sgt. John Sammarco
Sgt. Bryan Davis
Book Your Next
Event At
The PBA Hall
Sergeant
Ofc. Jose Vargas
Ofc. Christopher Sengelmann
Congratulations to all.
Hollywood Officer Of The
Month
Weddings • Birthdays • Reunions • Retirements
C
2009.
ongratulations to Detective Bryan Roussell on his selection as Hollywood PD’s
Officer of the Month for September
Detective Roussell was recognized at an awards ceremony held on November 18 in the City Commission Chambers.
Special Rates For
PBA Members
For reservations, call 954.584.7600
2901 SW 26th Terrace • Dania Beach
(behind the PBA office)
bcpba.org
11
The Broward Centurion
Letters & Thanks
12
December 2009
“
The Broward Centurion
bcpba.org
December 2009
13
The Broward Centurion
December 2009
Member Marketplace
NTTI
Notice That Tee, Inc.
• Silk Screening
• Numbering
• Custom Work
• Personalized Gifts
• Fundraising Items
Kevin Bolling, President
Cell: 954-520-5087
[email protected]
14
20% Off For
PBA Members
2501 NW 34th Place, Suite 27
Pompano Beach, FL 33069
Office: 954-971-1018
Fax: 954-971-1019
The Broward Centurion
December 2009
Reminder...
Are You Up To Date?
Unlawful Use of Badges, Etc.
817.311, Florida Statutes
To update your personal information,
please contact the PBA office Monday
through Friday between 8:30 am and 4:30
pm at 954.584.7600 or stop by in person.
(1)(817.311 SS) from and after May 9,
1949, any person who shall wear or
display a badge, button, insignia or other
emblem, or shall use the name of or
claim to be a member of any benevolent,
fraternal, social, humane, or charitable
organizations, which organization is entitled to the exclusive use of such name
and such badge, button, insignia or emblem either in the identical form or in
such near resemblance thereto as to be
colorable imitation thereof, unless such
person is entitled so to do under the laws,
rules and regulations or such organization, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of
the first degree, punishable as provided
in S.75.082 or S.775.083.
(2) This section shall be cumulative to
any and all laws now in force in the state.
Florida Statutes (1987)
Prepaid
Legal
Services
Michael Braverman, P.A.
2650 West State Road 84
Fort Lauderdale, FL
33312
954/791-2010
For Broward
PBA Members
bcpba.org
15
Broward County PBA
2650 West State Road 84
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
©2009 Broward County PBA
Non Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit #1677
Fort Lauderdale, FL