Attention candidates: If you do not have the wherewithal to overcome the Yakima police union’s objection to drug testing, your candidacy is gravely undernourished. As I have stated in previous posts, law-enforcement personnel are more subject to bribes, are more exposed to drugs, illicit money and weapons, risks that layman citizens might not take; and some have a sense that they have unquestioned authority–a dangerous mindset. Please do a little research–it’s easy and appears on Sunday’s (October. 25th, 2009) page 3A Yakima Herald-Republic. The headline reads, Report Details Offenses, Misconduct… . The story details activities by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) personnel.
Granted, the Yakima Police are not ICE. They are however law enforcement and are engaged in some of the same activities and investigational efforts as the ICE community.
The cited offenses and misconduct include pornography, illicit sex, enabling smuggling of illegal immigrants, drunken driving in government vehicles, lying to other investigators, and misusing their position for personal gain.
I am not aggrandizing–read it for yourself.
I have no idea why the police union in our fair city, balks at the idea of drug testing for law-enforcment people. The muted, but very apparent take by the public, is “What are the police and their union trying to hide?” Maybe one of the union officials would like to explain it to me ???
I don’t know what it will take to override the stand taken by the police union and their objection to open-drug testing. But, somebody does. Whoopeedo
Will the council and the city manager submit to the same? I don’t understand your hard-on against the police union. They are doing what unions are supposed to do, oppose management over a controversial decision or a violation of their contract.
Whoopeedo
I agree with you…police officers are held to a higher standard, and should not feel threatened by random drug testing. Most of our police officers in the Yakima area would also agree with you, they have no problem with the drug tests. As Mainstreeter said “They are doing what unions are supposed to do, oppose management…” **this is the problem with unions, they should not be opposing management, but working with management, to negotiate what is best for both the workers and the management. In this case the police union is not looking out for the best interest of the public, and are not speaking for the Yakima police dept. The police have nothing to hide and they are not fighting the push for drug testing.
Mainstreeter is right, the union is doing what they do, they get in the middle of things and make a mess out of it…there was a time when unions were good, but now they have their own agenda and it is not always what their members want. If only they would get out of the way and ask what the Yakima police dept. wants to do, you would see a very willing attitude toward the drug testing policy.
There have been 5 homicides in Yakima in the last month. Does it occur to anyone that maybe something else is more important right now?
Very well stated, Jason. Very well. And if the union is not acting in the best interest of the citizens, then something is way, way wrong with that organization. I see no reason they cannot act as buffer for the police and still maintain what is in the best interest of the public. If what you say is true, and the police favor drug testing, then again as you say, the union should get out of the way. And mainstreeter you really surprise me…I expected a better thought-out comment. It was not your usual-dignity-with-intelligence trip.
I expected you whopp dee do not to be a one-note johnny. Your last posts seem to be all about the “police union”
As far as you Jason, you cut and paste to your liking. You took what I wrote out of context like a true republican piece of shit. This is what I said.
“oppose management over a controversial decision or a violation of their contract”
You left out the controversial decision, which is what this is and possibly a “violation of their contract”
Does anyone care besides Sonia about the 5 homicides in Yakima this month or are you content with yakivegas becoming yakidetroit?
Whoopeedoo…I’ve agreed with everything you’ve saisd, except the part about expecting Streeter to have a “dignity with intellgence trip”.
Just read his rants…
I agree with both you and Jason… I think the vast majority of YPD is clean of any drug abuse. But, as the person paying the bill, I think we can justifiably ask them to prove it at any time. I do think they should be paid during any time they are asked to test, rather than having it be on “off-time” as many CDL drivers have to do it.
And as far as more murders this month? What did anyone expect? The 80 grand ran out.
Sonia would have shown me something had she proposed an ongoing program to get and keep kids out of gangs. She just threw one-time money at it. Showed ME nothing.
Streeter…answer me this one time…
Do you get to vote in Yakima council elections?
mainstreeter
I see you are back to the name calling…makes you sound real intelligent!
what is controversial about maintaining public trust of our police dept? and as far as a violation of their contract…the union is involved in writing the contract, so if the police officers are ok with the policy, why turn it into a “controversial decision”? The union should butt out and let the police do their jobs while maintaining public trust.
The union is the rank and file Jason, they represent the officers. I have to wonder if you were ever in one as an ‘officer” Your leaving out the context of my quotes will get you busted so don’t be a crybaby when I call you on it.
Neal as far as living in Yakima, hows the weather in Florida?
I’m in Yakima, Streeter…I knew you were way too chickenshit to answer.
mainstreeter
Do you know anything about unions? I have attended union meetings, and the members have no say in who or what the union supports or opposes. I never contributed to the political fund (called the ABC fund) because I knew that they would give that money to candidates that I do not support, or give the money to support issues that I do not agree with. They do not represent all the officers, that would be impossible, so they represent themselves and their agenda, not the agenda of the police dept. (which is to serve and to protect the public)
I’ll tell you what…next time I will copy the whole paragraph just for you, so you don’t think you are being taken out of context. What you said is still false, the unions are not supposed to oppose management, whether it is on a controversial issue, violation in the contract, labor dispute, or anything else you can think of. What the union is supposed to do is work with management, and negotiate, not oppose management. If there is a dispute of any kind, that is what the lawyers are for, they represent the police dept. and the union, but the union should not oppose management for any reason. The reason for this is to maintain a civil negotiating relationship.
“the union should not oppose management for any reason”
Really Jason? You’ve never been in a strike? A union should never oppose a management offer?
Mainstreeter:
I refer to your comment about how I feel about the police union’s decision to oppose drug testing for Yakima police. In that same light, I will ask “What is your soft-on for the citizens of Yakima?” And, “Are you a citizen of Yakima?” And, if asked, the council and city manager should not have the slightest objection to a good clean catch and a subsequent urine test. What is good for the order is good for the gander. Whoopee
The union is supposed to negotiate a contract that is mutually beneficial between two parties. If they fail to negotiate an acceptable contract, the employees go on strike. Ultimately it is the employees that make the final decision to strike or not…the union goes to the employees and tells them what is being offered, and they vote on whether to strike or accept the offer. The union is supposed to be the middle man, but I know that it isn’t working out that way…the union is getting too political and they are opposing “management” and in the case of the drug testing, they are opposing the citizens of Yakima.
Whoopeee…
You didn’t actually expect Streeter to answer your questions, did you?
He is just as likely to vote for Pope as he is to vote in Yakima city elections.
He’s a keyboard coward.
Neal, being a full time hypocrite like yourself working both coasts is typical of gutless republicans.
Note to Whoopeee
Your question to Streeter about being a citizen of Yakima is too painful for her to answer.