Message from the Vice President:
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Ronald MacGillivray
BPD detective’s test interviews, evaluations and rankings upcoming
he interview process is currently ers to petition fellow officers to donate sick sick leave bank is meant to be inclusive as strophic illness or injury and need treatment scheduled for late October with the days in time of need. The term “need” has opposed to exclusive but there will be cer- for prolonged incapacity and rehabilitation. evaluation and ranking not far be- extended beyond catastrophic illness or in- tain criteria to be met to gain entry. IndiExisting sick banks in the Department hind. As everyone is well aware the final jury and currently encompasses most offic- viduals will have to accrue a pre-existing allow for 30 to 60 days to be granted in any marks will no doubt be the subject of much ers who have exhausted individual benefits number of days in their personal sick bank given calendar year…the BPPA would be banter especially with the amount of dis- for numerous reasons. The Department has before admittance. No firm number has looking for more flexibility regarding the cretion that is built in to the process. One granted most if not all requests that the been set at this time but having sick time maximum number of days per year and in can only hope that the subjective scoring is BPPA is aware of due to exhausted ben- equal to 25% to 50% of the total number of some cases maybe up to a calendar year. on the straight and narrow given Medical documentation from a lithe amount of time that individucensed health care provider will be als have committed to the test and The Quality of Experience section appears to be the make or required. Any time donated will not re-test. Many have questioned the break segment with the Commissioner or designee(s) having adversely affect the annual buyback changes added to the process such up to 25 points to use in evaluating the abilities, skills and of sick time. as the interviews and resumé. Our Another important issue is capcontract calls for a competitive personal characteristics of each individual. Getting this right ping the number of days once the exam consisting of a (1.) written in providing a level playing field for all is not going to be easy Bank has hit an acknowledged sum examination which shall consist i.e. the number could be a 1,000 or of at least 60% of the total exami- if any predetermined numbers are in play. Integrity and 1,500 days…if on December 31st of any given year the Bank has a nation mark; and (2.) training, credibility should be all important within the vetting process greater number of days than reeducation and experience. The with objective, measured criteria trumping all else. Quality of Experience section apquired there would be no contribupears to be the make or break segtion in that year and the donation ment with the Commissioner or designee(s) efits. One of the reasons that the BPPA does sick days accrued by the officer since the of a day would not be revisited till the folhaving up to 25 points to use in evaluating not have a sick bank is because the BPPA is date of first employment with the City or lowing year. The reason for capping is obthe abilities, skills and personal character- looking to take as much discretion out of 30/40/50 accumulated sick days in an vious in that it would limit any surplus and istics of each individual. the determining factors as possible. The officer’s sick leave account will certainly allow members to keep their benefits. Getting this right in providing a level City/Department on the other hand was be discussed. The reasoning is simple in that A Sick Leave Bank Committee would playing field for all is not going to be easy looking to have continuity and conformance attracting and retaining officers that have be appointed and be equally representaif any predetermined numbers are in play. within all the sick banks. There appears to sensibly accrued 100 to 150 days is impor- tive of both the Department and the BPPA Integrity and credibility should be all im- be a willingness of both the BPPA and the tant. An officer that blows through his an- with the Union having final say on cerportant within the vetting process with ob- Department to address needs that will be of nual allotment by June every year would tain tiebreakers and agreed on issues jective, measured criteria trumping all benefit to both parties. Deliberations will be a disincentive to join for those having needing a committee vote for acceptance. else. likely include certain conditions discussed accrued 10 times that. Attempting to elimi- Many members have on more than one Sick Bank occasion donated time to their co-worknate abuse of the benefit is of great concern. in this article. he “Sick Bank” for the BPPA has Any number of days that are required ers. In quite a few cases the individual There is never going to be definitive, been on the drawing board for a long cover-all language that would take into ac- will certainly take into account the number officer was assigned to a small unit netime in fact the Detectives and the count every questionable circumstance that of years an individual has on the job along cessitating a department wide request for Federation have a sick bank. In the last should be included in the policy. But the with any extenuating circumstances or more assistance. Some individuals may have couple of years there have been many settle- BPPA would like to add some pre-requi- recent hardships affecting the number of contributed a half dozen days based on ment agreements entered into between the sites that have to be met to attain admission days in that officer’s account. The Bank is their assignment or relationships over the Department and the BPPA allowing offic- and access to the benefits. This extended meant to assist those who have a cata- last few years. This Sick Leave Bank is long overdue and would allow for a more equitable way to assist our members. Be vigilant on details.
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Boston Police Department’s Honor Guard at the dedication of the Roy Sergei plaque at D-4 9/23/1988
www.bppa.org
The rumors stop here (continued from page A2) ZENSHIP in a REPUBLIC;” “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.” PAX CENTURION • September/October 2007 • Page A3