| President’s
Message
Thursday, September 27,
2007
12 Hours
Shifts
I have recently fielded a number of inquiries as to
PANO’s position on the 12 Hour Tour Issue, and to clarify
that position, would like to point out the following events.
On September 5, 2007, PANO Executive Trustee Dwayne
Scheuermann posted on the PANO website forum, a request for input
as to the 12 Hour shifts, so that we could better represent our
members and the accurately reflect their position on working the
extended tours. While I, and the rest of the PANO Board have our
own opinions on the matter, we thought it would be best to have
as much input as possible from the membership directly. From the
posts that followed, from the opinions relayed through email, calls,
and during the subsequent PANO General Membership meeting on Tuesday,
September 11, 2007, it was evident that no one who offered a response
to question was in favor of the 12 Hour tours. Outside that meeting,
I did a brief interview with ABC 26 news, and told them that the
general consensus was that the members of the NOPD were against
the 12 Hour Tours, and that PANO did not support the
implementation of such a plan.
On September 13, 2007, the Times Picayune printed
a front page article entitled “ Chief: Fighting Crime Takes
Time," with a continuation of the article on page A-9, entitled
"Rank and File Not Pleased, PANO Says”. In that article,
under the subtitle “PANO Opposes Plan”, the following
appears: “The Police Association of New Orleans does not support
the proposal, said its president Capt. Michael Glasser.” Further
on, I was quoted as saying, “At this point, the rank and file
are not exactly pleased at the prospect”, he said. “However,
if it is implemented, we are dedicated to making it work as best
we can. But that does not mean we approve of it”
My point in that statement, was to inform the press
that PANO members I have heard from did not approve of the 12 Hours,
but that like any instructions we may be given that we don’t
like or approve of, we will try to do as good a job as possible,
in spite of our personal opinion. However, even in doing so, we
do not approve.
On Sunday, September 23, 2007. I did another interview
with FOX 8 news on the 12 Hour Tours. I spoke on camera for about
15-20 minutes, which was subsequently cut and edited to less than
a minute. The portions of the interview which eventually were aired,
seemed to have left some people with the impression that I, and
PANO, support the 12 Hour Plan. This is not true. From the moment
this plan was suggested, my personal opinion was against its implementation
and all of the feedback from the officers I have received, served
to corroborate that same position. As such, my opinion, and that
of the PANO Board, has been, and remains, against the 12 Hours.
Unfortunately, I have no control over the editing privileges of
the media, and although they broadcast what I said, they change
the context by omission and deletion. For example, I was asked whether
any other departments utilize 12 Hour
shifts, or 60-hour work weeks. I said that many local area departments
use 12 Hours shifts regularly, but no one uses 60 hour work weeks.
They cut and omitted the part about the 60 hour weeks, and only
used the part about other departments using 12 Hour Shifts, making
it sound like an endorsement since other departments currently use
it. That was not at all my intent. I told them at least five times
during the interview, that we did not favor the 12 Hour Shifts,
based on the following:
• Police work in New Orleans is significantly
more stressful than in most other jurisdictions, and 8 hours is
arduous enough. 12 hours is excessive. The extra time will result
in fatigue and errors, which will result in more vehicle accidents,
and a diminished level of alertness, which will be a safety issue.
• Extra police service will likely result in
more arrests, summons, and citations, which means even more time
spent in court, on the officers’ off-time.
• Greater fatigue will eventually cause more
sick time or furlough requests, which may actually lower the number
of officers who end up actually working.
• Although NOPD officers are accustomed to working
12 Hours tours, and sometimes more, for short term events, like
Bayou Classic, Jazz Fest, and even Mardi Gras, they are only for
days, perhaps two weeks at most, not three months.
• And after three months, should the National
Guard and/or State Police leave as they area scheduled to do, it
is unlikely we will revert back to 8 hours. That will mean many
more months of 12 Hour tours, with officers having already been
subjected to three months of it already. And without National Guard
and State Police backup.
Almost of that was cut and edited, except for part
of the last paragraph.
On Wednesday, September 26, 2007, I did still another
interview with 99.5 Clear Channel Radio, again reiterating that
we are against the 12 Hours Tours.
The point of this long explanation was that some people
heard that FOX 8 interview and drew the wrong conclusion from the
highly edited comments that were broadcast. To set the record straight.
I am not, nor have ever been, in favor of the 12 Hour Shifts and
have publicly said so on radio, television, and in the newspaper.
That is, and remains, my personal opinion, and that of PANO.
ONE NOPD
Michael Glasser, President PANO
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