The Police Officers Journal
New Labor Representative prepared to negotiate pandemic solutions — By Jennifer Gomori, POJ Editor
R
ecruitment, retention and retirement benefits – those are the three R’s the newest POLC/GELC Labor Representative Chris Hild is focusing on in contract negotiations. Hild has seen first-hand the implications of the pandemic on law enforcement. He hit the ground running after retiring from White Lake Township Police Command in August 2021. “The number one issue we’re dealing with is attempting to retain pension plans for our units and recruitment and retention of new officers,” he said. “It’s very difficult with the political climate we’re in right now.” Hild said there’s a lack of interest for students to go into law enforcement majors in college due to the negative press surrounding the profession. Couple that with reduced benefits and municipalities around the nation will continue to have a problem recruiting new officers. “We’re trying to incentivize jobs so we draw people with experience who will actually stay with them for a career in law enforcement,” he said. Hild served 26 years with the department, retiring as a Lieutenant, having run both the Patrol Division and Detective Bureau. He spent 17 years in Local Union leadership positions so when he was approached by two POLC/GELC Labor Reps about becoming a Representative himself, he didn’t hesitate to respond. “I was recruited by Chris Watts and Jim Stachowski from POLC labor union. I had an opportunity to work contracts with both of these guys,” he said. “I also had the opportunity to work with (POLC Director) Rob Figurski on a couple of contracts. Being that it’s such a professionally run Union, I had no issues coming to work for them. I’d like to thank the Director of the POLC for his support and offering me another career path.” Hild’s first Union position was serving on White Lake Patrol’s Grievance Committee for two years. “My Union involvement locally started for me very early in my career at White Lake,” Hild said. “I did 15 years as either Vice President or President of both Patrol and Command Officers associations.” “Because I was always doing that work for White Lake for that length of time, it was an easy transition for me and I wanted to be somewhat affiliated with the law enforcement field after I retired,” he said. “I felt like myself and the administration were able to bring a lot of good things through the bargaining agreements and I just wanted to serve in the next capacity.” Having to deal with COVID-19 during his last days on the job, he understands that being exposed to the virus is bad enough, but paying for your quarantine period is quite another issue. “We’re trying to get some relief so it doesn’t affect the member’s Sick Bank, but gives them fair compensation when they 4 • WINTER 2022
retire,” Hild said, adding that people outside their profession underestimate the importance of ample Sick Banks. “What they don’t understand is when that person retires, there’s a certain percent of that bank they can cash out. This pandemic is tapping into that unfairly.” Hild was hired by White Lake Township PD in 1995. He was a member of White Lake Police Special Response Team (SRT). He served as a Field Training Officer, firearms instructor, Taser instructor, and a traffic stops and occupant control instructor. “I taught the occupant control class at Mott’s Law Enforcement Regional Training Academy as a Sergeant and Lieutenant and at our agency,” he said. Hild was elected three years each as Vice President and President of the Patrol Union. He was promoted to Sergeant of the Patrol Division in 2010. After serving two years as Command Vice President, he was elected Local Union President for Command his last seven years with the department. “I was promoted to Lieutenant in 2017. My first assignment was to run the Patrol Division and I switched over in 2019 to the Detective Bureau,” he said. “I ran that through my retirement. Up until this past August, I was the President of the Union.” His Detective Bureau initiation was quite eventful. “In 2020, I received the Officer of the Year Award for White Lake for work done in the Detective Bureau. We had a high profile homicide that involved a poker player burned alive,” Hild said. “Within six months of being promoted there, I had two attempted homicides and then a homicide,” he said. “It was all in six months and I think it took a few years of my life off in expectancy.” Now Hild can devote his energy to helping Union members deal with their professional lives in the wake of COVID-19 so they can focus on their jobs, instead of their working conditions. “We’re seeing the COVID relief funding come to local governments and we’ve been waiting on these governments to make a decision on what kind of allocation they’ll make to public safety,” he said. “We could bargain for better raises or compensation in other areas. It’s been difficult without knowing what exactly these local governments are willing to spend out of that relief fund.” d
