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| Scranton police file grievance after chief makes off-duty arrest |
| 2011-04-20 |
| The Scranton police union has filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the city for an off-duty drug arrest made by Police Chief Dan Duffy in March. The complaint, which was filed with the state Labor Relations Board on April 14, takes issue with the chief arresting a man who was allegedly in possession of marijuana because the chief is not a member of the collective bargaining unit and was "off duty" when the March 20 arrest was made. "I think it's absurd. I'm not going to turn my head on crime that takes place," Chief Duffy said. "I took the same oath (as a police officer) that everyone else took. "On my day off and I'm driving around as the police chief, and that's wrong?" he asked. The complaint states that "the work of apprehending and arresting individuals has been the sole and exclusive province of members of the bargaining unit," and that the city did not inform or negotiate with the union that the chief would be "performing bargaining unit work." |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #6 "I took the same oath (as a police officer) that everyone else took." Yes, but apparently this oath becomes null and void when you are part of a collective bargaining unit. |
| Posted by: gorb 2011-04-20 21:24 |
| #5 This article makes me think we are in trouble. Better arm yourselves if you are not already armed in these areas--the rank-and-file police might not show up if they are negotiating an union contract. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2011-04-20 14:37 |
| #4 Darth that's the way Savannah, GA does it's fire protection today or did when I lived there. I liked it. If you didn't pay they came and made sure your neighbors' homes didn't burn, that had paid the fee, then sent a bill for making them respond. |
| Posted by: Beavis 2011-04-20 12:51 |
| #3 I saw a SciFi story once where the police would help, as long as your police bill was paid. Otherwise you were on your own. Reality isn't too far off if the Unions have anything to say about it. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2011-04-20 12:44 |
| #2 I guess this does away with Citizens' Arrest, too. I'm no longer surprised by what Unions do. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2011-04-20 12:04 |
| #1 This is probably a very ill considered move as both houses of the State legislature and the governor are Republican. This is not a time for unions to be irrationally arrogant. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2011-04-20 11:54 |