The first of many?

So Vallejo police officer Wong has quit his job because of the city's insolvency .

[Vallejo Vet]

Alun

Take your opinions, and your petitions, and go back to whatever rock from where you crawled. You have no desire to make this town better, and only seek to destroy it.

What was the purpose of the letter? Are you saying we won't lose officers? BS. They are in fact leaving. Who will we hire to replace them?

[Jus Jim]

I really don't understand how taking a large pay cut and moving is better than taking a pay cut and staying. It seems like I would rather keep my job position and benefits rather than uproot my family and still earn less money. Just wondering?

[URALL CRAZY]

ATTENTION, ATTENTION VPOA, IAFF AND IBEW MEMBERS. Its time for a BLUE FLU. Let the city council, Tanner, the old bag and Tony P.'s baby mama see how strong your unions are. Let the citizens pick up the phone and report an emergency... "Sorry there are no police or firefighters on duty today if you would like to leave a message press #1 now." "You have a broken water main, there's potholes in the street, the tree fell on your what" sorry there's no maintenance crews to come bail you out. You public safety and union haters are nucking futs. BLUE FLU I say it again. You missed the press wagon and now its time for action. The vocal minority is winning only because those that support you haven't completely woken up. I guarantee you that when joe citizen, not joe tanner, picks up the phone and doesn't get a response city council heads will roll and union support will be ten fold. I know all you wacko VIBbers out there will say "this is a scare tactic" by the unions but screw you. If I was a cop, fireman, city employee and had to listen to the likes of you I would have organized this long ago. Thank god I work in the private sector and my boss doesn't make me pay for his mistakes. BLUE FLU, it worked in 1969. Its time to do it again. Grow some cajones unions and show them what you are made of.

[Sam Kurshan]

Vallejo Vet.

Alun spoke the truth.

[Hello]

Sam Kurshan wrote:

Vallejo Vet.
Alun spoke the truth.

Sam, you wouldn't know the truth if it came and bit you on the butt.

Alun, you make very little sense. Get you're head out of the clouds.

***To the dozen or so who have posted nothing but negative lie's on here about PS. You are still the minority. Nothing has changed. You couldn't handle the truth about Vallejo and the people you admire (Gomes, Schivley, Tanner, Pearsal, and Coutier)so you choose to keep you're rage going out of hate and the pure simple fact of not hearing " I told you so". Every ugly detail will come out in court. Till than keeping spewing you're lie's and hate.If that what make's you all sleep better at night.Just do us all a favor, when you need help from one of the PS depts and at some point in you're live's you will, call one of you're buddies to help you instead. Don't call on the same people who you all have torn apart on here for months. Thank you.

[gun metal blue]

the proof ann is this: if he will go somewhere else and work for less, he and the others could do the same here and have stayed.

[Another angle]

gun metal blue wrote:

the proof ann is this: if he will go somewhere else and work for less, he and the others could do the same here and have stayed.

They probably feel there is too much uncertainty to stay here. It may be better to go to another agency where they feel a little more secure in their job. It happens all the time in the private sector.

[Vallejo Visitor]

Officers who have seniority with the department aren't likely in jeopardy of losing their jobs. Furthermore, if salary and fringe benefit reductions are put in place it is likely the reduction in force would be minimized. With the large number of public safety employees who opted for early retirement rather than risking the possibility their benefits would be reduced, there will likely be increased opportunities for advancement for those with the right skills and temperament.

Officer Wong is making a choice that appears to work for him. I hope he isn't biting his nose to spite his face. If he is as good as folks on the board have suggested, he might have had a wonderful future in Vallejo that didn't necessitate moving or taking a pay cut. Perhaps there are other reasons he is choosing to leave and the current turmoil simply offers a convenient excuse. We'll never know but I certainly wish him good fortune, which he will surely need if his ultimate destination is Oakland...

[The Sweede]

I wonder if that civilianization thing is true. What can security gards do to keep the peace when real officers can't do it? Oakland is a ruff and tumble place...no place for anyhting but cops. Wouldn't be a bad place for troops lately--haha. What if the geniuses that run this city start thinking we could save a bundle by just using security gards? Wouldn't that be nice?

Clean and oil, clean and oil, clean and oil! Keep em working right.

[Not a bit surprised]

The Sweede wrote:

I wonder if that civilianization thing is true. What can security gards do to keep the peace when real officers can't do it? Oakland is a ruff and tumble place...no place for anyhting but cops. Wouldn't be a bad place for troops lately--haha. What if the geniuses that run this city start thinking we could save a bundle by just using security gards? Wouldn't that be nice?

Of course it's true, there is a goal of privatizing many civil service jobs- look at the State of California, solving their 'prison crowding problem' by shipping prisoners to privately run prisons in other states. It's cheaper, employees get no benefits and earn about 1/4 of what a california correctional officer makes. It's a horrible idea because the goals of police and fire are no longer set by the community they serve, but rather what leads to a bigger profit for the corporate owners. I won't argue the issue of whether Vallejo Police and Fire are paid too much, but I will warn them that this is the time for all them, and all civil service employees in this political climate to make serious concessions to avoid the privatization of their jobs

[Fed Up]

Alun,

I can understand the criticism of the fire department, but why the Police?

There are totally two different issues here. You know it and I know it. We have talked about this in the past.

I was surprised to see your letter regarding the police.

The police do not deserve the attacks from a few people out there. They probably just don't like cops or safety folks to begin with.

Alun, the city is about to destroy what has taken years to build in this town. A strong and competent police force.

You know better than most, this city will start to fall about with crime if we lose the officers who know this city and have worked here for years.

The fire department needs some work, but they are changing.

Alun, I know you better than this. Stay with a good fight. Don't jump on the stupid wagon.

[WhatEver]

Vallejo Visitor wrote:

Officers who have seniority with the department aren't likely in jeopardy of losing their jobs. Furthermore, if salary and fringe benefit reductions are put in place it is likely the reduction in force would be minimized. With the large number of public safety employees who opted for early retirement rather than risking the possibility their benefits would be reduced, there will likely be increased opportunities for advancement for those with the right skills and temperament.
Officer Wong is making a choice that appears to work for him. I hope he isn't biting his nose to spite his face. If he is as good as folks on the board have suggested, he might have had a wonderful future in Vallejo that didn't necessitate moving or taking a pay cut. Perhaps there are other reasons he is choosing to leave and the current turmoil simply offers a convenient excuse. We'll never know but I certainly wish him good fortune, which he will surely need if his ultimate destination is Oakland...

Typical response from Doug Keener.

We know he does not like firemen, we don't understand why he hates the police so much.

The police did not sue his wife or his best friend Tony. Maybe it is because a police officer makes more money than Doug. But still, that really is not a good reason to talk crap about the police.

History repeats itself Doug, I have heard time and time again, you were never a good prosecutor, you treated your employees with disrespect and you now are turning your back on some close friends.

One thing is for certain, you will always have a close friend in Tony and his squeeze.

[Vallejo Visitor]

WhatEver wrote:

Typical response from Doug Keener.
We know he does not like firemen, we don't understand why he hates the police so much.
The police did not sue his wife or his best friend Tony. Maybe it is because a police officer makes more money than Doug. But still, that really is not a good reason to talk crap about the police.
History repeats itself Doug, I have heard time and time again, you were never a good prosecutor, you treated your employees with disrespect and you now are turning your back on some close friends.
One thing is for certain, you will always have a close friend in Tony and his squeeze.

Clearly this poster is suffering from a psychotic disorder since his sense of reality is profoundly distorted. We're talking about officer Wong and this person who keeps changing his identity insists on talking about someone who apparently is an attorney and whose wife Patti happens to be someone I know from my tenure with the City of Vallejo. I certainly hope this person isn't asked to strap on a weapon as part of his job. When you're working as a police officer it is critical to maintain a sense of reality.

Of course, it is also possible that he is a police officer who suffers from that other malady recognized by professionals called upon to work with public safety employees... alcoholism. Perhaps he's simply three sheets to the wind after a long shift and unable to control himself. You know, the wife is long gone since she couldn't handle the violence and booze. She took the kids with her and all he is left with is a rather shabby room and a bottle of bourbon... his one true friend.

I take it all back. Our friend here deserves our compassion for his suffering. I hope he locked that gun away when he got home. I wouldn't want him to do anything stupid in his despair...

[WhatEver]

Vallejo Visitor wrote:

<quoted text>
Clearly this poster is suffering from a psychotic disorder since his sense of reality is profoundly distorted. We're talking about officer Wong and this person who keeps changing his identity insists on talking about someone who apparently is an attorney and whose wife Patti happens to be someone I know from my tenure with the City of Vallejo. I certainly hope this person isn't asked to strap on a weapon as part of his job. When you're working as a police officer it is critical to maintain a sense of reality.
Of course, it is also possible that he is a police officer who suffers from that other malady recognized by professionals called upon to work with public safety employees... alcoholism. Perhaps he's simply three sheets to the wind after a long shift and unable to control himself. You know, the wife is long gone since she couldn't handle the violence and booze. She took the kids with her and all he is left with is a rather shabby room and a bottle of bourbon... his one true friend.
I take it all back. Our friend here deserves our compassion for his suffering. I hope he locked that gun away when he got home. I wouldn't want him to do anything stupid in his despair...

Doug, Doug, Doug, you are what you write.

Nothing has changed from the past. The true you comes out when you are faced with the truth.

Again, you have taken your battle with Henke to a new level. You have now involved incident people

Remember what you told your friends in confidence many years ago and within a few months. Be careful what you write, others know way too much about you and your good friend, you know who.

Have a pleasant evening. Did I mention again, I am not a cop or firemen. Hummm, who could this be?

A long time friend who knows a lot.

[SOS]

Jus Jim wrote:

I really don't understand how taking a large pay cut and moving is better than taking a pay cut and staying. It seems like I would rather keep my job position and benefits rather than uproot my family and still earn less money. Just wondering?

Jim,
Simple math: the short cut in pay will be nothing compared to the proposed cut plus the long term slipping in their job market. Within 4 years Vallejo will be out of the market and earning less than Napa Sheriff Dept. or any other agency in the area. They will become a last ditch department by the bottom of the barrel recruits to get hired somewhere, anywhere, do their probation, and move on, just a training ground for retards or problem characters to build their resume. That is the plain and simple truth...

[CasualObserver]

The Sweede wrote:

I wonder if that civilianization thing is true. What can security gards do to keep the peace when real officers can't do it? Oakland is a ruff and tumble place...no place for anyhting but cops. Wouldn't be a bad place for troops lately--haha. What if the geniuses that run this city start thinking we could save a bundle by just using security gards? Wouldn't that be nice?
Clean and oil, clean and oil, clean and oil! Keep em working right.

Maybe the "security guard" comment was directed at the Vallejo pOlice officers leaving Vallejo for his fine city by the bay.

[WhatEver]

CasualObserver wrote:

<quoted text>
Maybe the "security guard" comment was directed at the Vallejo pOlice officers leaving Vallejo for his fine city by the bay.

You get what you pay for in any profession.

[Not a bit surprised]

I just had a conversation with a Police Sgt. who is the Union Pres. for the PoA in a City near Portland Oregon, they ran into some financial problems a few years ago and yes, they have binding arbitration. They froze their wages, but most importantly- they negotiated a two tier pay/benefit system, with existing employees retaining most of what they have and new hires getting lower pay and a lesser retirement package. Has this even been brought to the table?

[Bill]

Not a bit surprised wrote:

I just had a conversation with a Police Sgt. who is the Union Pres. for the PoA in a City near Portland Oregon, they ran into some financial problems a few years ago and yes, they have binding arbitration. They froze their wages, but most importantly- they negotiated a two tier pay/benefit system, with existing employees retaining most of what they have and new hires getting lower pay and a lesser retirement package. Has this even been brought to the table?

A two tier system is the way to go in my opinion. I really don't want to loose ALL of our veteran officers. If we can keep a number of them here in Vallejo, they can mentor the younger people coming into the system. Same goes for the Fire fighters. We need to try to find a way to keep a core of our experienced people so they can pass on the local knowledge to the new recruits.

[Vallejo Visitor]

WhatEver wrote:

...A long time friend who knows a lot.

Quite honestly, I find it hard to believe you have ANY long-time friends, but IF you do, I'm certainly not one of them. I haven't seen a friend from Vallejo in many years and the last time that happened was at a memorial service for someone who had been killed in an auto accident. So dream your dreams about Doug Keener. If I've ever met him I certainly don't remember the occasion. Perhaps he came to City Hall for one of the Christmas parties when Helen Intintoli would play the piano and we'd all sing carols. Whatever... ;-)