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Archives |
To
my brothers and sisters of Local 419,
I would like to
take this time to thank the E-Board for voting for me to fill the
vacated president's position. I would also like to thank all the
members who have approached me to offer their support and
congratulations. The process that the E-Board used was not popular
with all the members of 419,but it was the only process afforded
them under our constitution. A fair amount of credit should be given
to the E-Board for sticking with the process in the face of great
pressure to do otherwise.
The newly elected officials take over the local in a time of many
serious issues, followed of course by many rumors and words of
anger. Our jobs won't be easy but we will handle all matters of the
local with thought and concern for what is best for the local as a
whole. We will require the assistance of the whole body if we are to
be successful and encourage all members to take part in making 419 a
strong and respected local. We cannot be successful however if we
are spending our time fighting each other and spreading useless
rumors about one another. The constant bickering and arguing with
each other or behind each other's back must stop. If members have
questions or concerns ask your elected officials and we will do our
best to answer them or find the answer for you.
I and the other officials will try and keep the body informed of all
matters that concern the local. We can only pass on information,
about any topic, when we have all of the information needed to make
educated responses. To give out information in bits and pieces is
irresponsible and counterproductive to the efficient and orderly
running of the local. I welcome any and all suggestions from the
body concerning which direction the local should enter the future
and what course of action is needed to get us there.
In closing I would like to let everyone know that I am dedicated to
protecting the contract of the local and in protecting the rights of
ALL the members of Local 419.I assure you I will do all in my power
to protect the integrity of Local 419 and ALL of it's members.
Yours In Solidarity,
Thomas J. Flynn 419
To
all members of Local 419,
There is a union body meeting scheduled for Tuesday 2/5/08 at the
Teacher's Union Hall. The times for the meetings are
8:00am,12:30pm,and 3:45pm.I urge all members to attend one of the
scheduled times.
Thomas J. Flynn
President Local 419 |
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The heart bill
for County Correction Officers signed by Governor Patrick!
A Special Thanks to Mike Simpson and
Dennis Guilfoyle for their outstanding efforts to get this passed!
This past week county correction officers were added
to the "Heart bill". This wasn’t an easy task. Including us on this
piece of legislation has been talked about for as long as I’ve been
working for the dept. In most cases it would take all the stars to align
in our favor for us to be so fortunate. In this case though, that didn’t
happen. What happened was Dennis Guilfoyle. The moment Dennis decided it
was needed it didn’t have a chance of not happening.
With Mike Simpson at his side, Dennis became unstoppable. These
two have changed the lives of hundreds if not thousands of people across
the state. This benefit will now be provided for all county correction
officers, not just local 419. It took compassion, determination, know
how, and persistence. Normally these words are over used but in the case
of Guilfoyle and Simpson, they’re not enough.
Both sacrificed from their personal lives to attain their lofty
goal that some thought was a waste of time. When most people commit so
much of themselves it’s for self-gain, accolades, or awards. Dennis
Guilfoyle and Mike Simpson did it simply because it should be done. It
wasn’t their job to do this. They just knew that it should be done, so
they did it.
Neither of these men wants praise. They’ll both be embarrassed
when thanked. Please embarrass them. They deserve it. It really is the
only way to pay them back. I’m embarrassed that I can only offer them a
Thank you.
Thank you Dennis and Mike you have improved the quality of life
for probably two hundred correction officers and their families. You
have also helped protect all county correction officers in the future. I
would suggest that you sit back and bask in your accomplishment but I
know that’s a waste of time. I’m sure your already putting a target on
the back of something else to help all of us.
Danny Galvin
You did more than move a political mountain with the Heart Law,
Dennis. You added years to the lives of correction officers. Joe
Freedman would be proud. Thank you.
Yours,
T.D.
OF311
I was glad to see that the Heart Bill was signed by
Gov. Patrick. I would like to say thanks to Dennis Guilfoyle and Mike
Simpson for all of the hard work that they put into getting this signed.
Without DENNIS and MIKE pushing as hard as they did we wouldn't have the
Heart Bill. Thanks again guys and keep up the great work.
Brian Ahearn
I just heard that the Heart Bill has been signed by Governor Patrick.
Everyone in 419 deserves a huge thanks for the great service that has
been done for all the officers at both places. I just wanted you guys to
know that there are some of us at the jail who are extremely grateful
for all the hard work that was done!
Fraternally yours,
Steve Spinale
My name is Dave Bergeron. I am a member of JOEASC( Jail ). I was
informed last night Tuesday Nov 13 that House Bill 2578 To place county
corrections officers under the "Heart Bill", has officially become law.
It is my understanding that Local 419 filed this bill, and provided what
is necessary to navigate a bill through the process. I wanted to thank
you all for the work that was done in order for this bill to pass. This
bill was needed. I'm hopeful that more unions in our line of work get
more involved, and work together in legislative issues that affect us
all. You showed that it can be done. Thank you .
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To
my brothers and sisters of local 419, My name is Thomas Flynn and I am
an elected official of local 419.I am writing today to express my
disgust with the department's decision on Officer Robert Debole. The
department's "Use Of Force" specialist told them, at Rob's hearing ,that
they did not have what they thought they had in the case against Officer
Debole, but the administration didn't care or did not want to hear that
point of view (which is why that supervisor is back at South Bay). The
administration just kept asking until someone agreed with them, so they
could make the decision that they wanted to make all along.
This administration considers only two factors when making any kind
of decision. The first being "MONEY" or more directly the cost to the
department for any decision. The second factor is based on this
administration's crippling fear of being sued by inmates. The ironic
thing about this second factor is that all of their recent losses in
court (expensive losses) have been won by ex-employees who the
department wrongfully terminated or the department failed to act in the
best interest of the ex-employee. It appears that the department has not
learned it's lesson from these recent court losses! When Rob Debole and
Chris Blaney (who were wrongfully terminated) win their respective
arbitrations, it will again cost the department hundreds of thousands of
dollars. This is not a very fiscally sound way of conducting business.
Recently in Labor Management, I expressed the Local's concern with
the department's continued practice of collapsing security positions.
The department's response was "The overtime budget is out of control"
again a "money" decision. The department has always said that if the
Local has any suggestions on which positions to collapse or due away
with to help with the budget, that the department would be willing to
consider our suggestions. Well my suggestion is to collapse the
positions in the budget department that can't budget properly for the
overtime. Another cost saving idea is to cut back on the number of
administration positions. This department was once run with only two
superintendents and two deputy superintendents, and it was run fiscally
sound without collapsing security positions. Now you can't swing a six
inch rope without hitting a Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, A.D.S./Major,
or some other form of administrator. This is where they waste most of
their budget! Not on security!
In closing I wish to thank my fellow 419 members for taking the time
to read my thoughts and to apologize for any spelling or grammatical
errors, I am just a corrections officer after all. Also I wish to let
the members of this Local know that your elected leaders are in a
constant struggle with the department about all matters that effect this
Local and though it takes so much time and energy to accomplish
anything. We will not stop in our efforts to fight the department on any
changes that hurt our members. In the end Rob and Chris and all the
other wrongfully disciplined members of this Local will prevail.
In Solidarity,
Thomas J. Flynn
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To
the Brothers and Sisters of 419,
There
have been many historical events that have taken place over the past
six months. Deval Patrick was elected, Saddam was tried, convicted,
and sentenced to death. The Cardinals won the World Series and the
Colts Won the Super Bowl. The point I am trying to make is that six
months is a long time and the one thing that hasn’t happened is Rob
Debole is not back to work. I am really sick and tired of hearing
the excuse," well he still is getting paid.” That does not take away
any of the mental strain that a situation of this magnitude puts on
your home life. Take time and think if you woke up every day not
knowing if you’re going to have a job that you have done well for
the past fourteen years. I can’t imagine this feeling. I know how
much that I think about Debo’s situation so I can only imagine what
he is going through. I hate the fact that some our brothers and
sisters use lines like, “it’s a six month vacation.” I don’t know
about you but my idea of a vacation is to relax, lay back, and have
fun with your friends and family. Can any of you really tell me that
Debo is on vacation and he is having fun. I speak to Debo often and
I right now am stating fact, HE IS NOT ENJOYING HIS VACATION. The
department is really big on using the word PROFESSIONALISM when it
comes to sick calls, making role call, proper radio transmissions. I
know if I am receiving an oral warning I get that right away and
within a certain time frame. What this department is doing is
outrages and unprofessional. I don’t take solace in the fact that
Debo is still getting paid, bring him back to work so he can
continue to do the job he is good at. Once again I state this fact,
this could be any one of us, something could happen that you have no
control over and then you are sitting home on VACATION. When you see
the powers to be walking down the hallways, stop them and
respectively question them on Debo’s situation. Maybe they forgot
about Bobby but we shouldn’t because he would have our backs and you
know that. Six months is a long time when you don’t know the future
at hand. How many more historical events will take place before Debo
is back, March Madness is just about over, who knows maybe the war
will be to. Hang in there Debo, your friends and you know who they
are have your back and haven’t forgotten.
Sincerely,
David
C. Mahoney
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the Brothers and Sisters of local 419, It was a walk down memory lane
reading your archives and comments on the day to day struggle of you
all. Keep up your unsung heroics that need to be better appreciated by
all especially management. I did take an early retirement after 15 years
of service and for a short time had another career in the private sector
in Las Vegas. Unfortunately two hospital admissions in a coma both times
taught me how valuable and fragile life is. It is known that the life
expectancy of a Correction Officer is ten years well I retired in 2001
and I intend to prove them wrong.
May the wind always be at your back, you were and still are the
finest officers I had the opportunity to work with. May Local 419 be the
bastion for all.
With Fondness,
Lt.(Ret.)Frank (Scarlet Pimpernal)Ayers
At:frankandpeg11@verizon .net
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"WITCH
HUNT"
With Halloween a week away the witch hunt has begun. The ghosts and
goblins have searched high and low and still have found nothing. This
hunt may take us through Thanksgiving maybe even Easter. Bobby keep your
head up.
In Solidarity,
The V.P.
" QUESTION? "
Since the administration
frequently browses our web site I was wondering if they could answer
this question because when I put in written requests or e-mails or phone
calls I don't get any answers.
The question is:
If somebody in administration
was owed money how long would they wait to get paid?
In Solidarity,
Troy Salvetti
Vice president Local 419
IMPORTANT
To the Brothers and Sisters of Local 419, The Department is making
drastic cuts to the staffing levels and putting our members safety in
jeopardy. The Union has filed the appropriate paperwork. Unfortunately
we have to play by the rules and the Department does not. There are many
issues that concern me but the one that really disturbs me is Policy 220
and how the Department handles it. The Chief of Staff has told the Union
that Policy 220 is the same for every member of the department. Without
mentioning names we all know that officers are disciplined more harsher
than the civilian or ADMINISTRATION staff. The E-BOARD has asked the
Honor Guard to " STEP DOWN " from all events. If the Honor Guard has any
questions please any Union Official. It may be hard to believe but the
administration does not like YOU and does not care about your safety.
The Department says the staffing cuts are due to overtime costs but why
doesn't the Sheriff make cuts within her administration. Remember if you
choose to talk to the administration or maybe even sit down with them at
lunch you do so at your own PERIL. I've been with the Department for 14
years and have been through many wars with the Department, but in those
times we had the whole UNION BODY involved. Everybody can make a
difference and we need everybody to help and get involved with any
action we may take against the Department. Please check the Union Board
or Web site for further announcements.
In Solidarity,
Troy Salvetti
Vice President Local 419
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HAS ANYONE SEEN THE NEW SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
MASTERCARD COMMERCIAL:
OFFICERS
DISCIPLINE FOR VIOLATING POLICY S220 ( 1 TO 5 DAYS ) CIVILIANS
DISCIPLINE FOR VIOLATING POLICY S220 ( 0 DAYS )
KNOWING EVERYBODY'S TREATED EQUAL : PRICELESS
IN SOLIDARITY,
THE VICE
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To
my brothers & sisters of local 419.
I recently found out that my son has Autism. Through discussion with
other members I found out unfortunately; Many members have one or more
children with Autism or Autism related disorders.
Any member that has a child with Autism or an Autism related disorder
feel free to contact me. It would be great if we could stay in touch.
Help each other with question, information and pool resources.
It is unfortunate that Autism is reaching epidemic proportions. In that
some where between (1 in 122-150) kids in Massachusetts have Autism or
an Autism related disorder.
Officer John Roberts
7-3 Shift, H.O.C.
8-2 unit x-2810
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"CHANGES"
To the Brothers and Sisters of Local 419,
Sometimes changes are needed to improve lives every day struggles. These
changes are sometimes for the good and sometimes they don't work out
(but you take the good with the bad.) I started with the sheriff's dept.
in 1992 and have seen many changes, some have left me shaking my head as
to why THEY would do something like that. Many of these people making
these changes have never stepped foot inside a housing unit to see the
effect these changes have on the officers working the blocks. I believe
they should talk to the officers and let the officers have some input
and explain how these changes would effect the way the institution would
run when these changes are made.
For over 14 years, the building 4 inmates have
been eating chow in the downstairs dining hall. On October 18 THEY send
out a memo that now has the 4-1 inmates eating chow in the unit, the 4-3
inmates eating chow in the unit, and the 4-2 inmates eating chow in the
downstairs chow hall. According to the dept. this is to help reduce
inmate movement and improve the safety of the facility.
In a perfect world, this would probable work but
let's not forget the panels in building 4 have been down since July. So
how it works is: One tier eats at a time while the other tier is locked
in. The unit officer has to key every door in the unit to let them out
to eat then secure the tier that just got done eating and move on to the
other tier and repeat the process all over again. They are just creating
a lot more work for the officer. OH... buy the way, the tier that
is locked in while the other tier is eating is not allowed to use the
bathroom! (sound familiar officer Fitzbiggon.)
By bringing the food trays to the units they now
could potentially be used as weapons against the officers or even the
inmates. So how is that improving the safety of the institution. It's my
belief and that of others that this change is solely to save on overtime
in the kitchen and not to improve the safety of the institution or
reduce inmate movement as the dept. states.
There are many other issues that will come from this change but I
guess we'll deal with them when the time comes.
As always be safe and be aware of your surroundings.
In Solidarity,
Troy Salvetti
Vice President
Local 419
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HEROES
To my Brothers and Sisters of Local 419,
I would like to commend 6 of our Brothers for their bravery and
heroic actions over the past three weeks. Officers Kemp and Driscoll who
rendered first aid to an off duty Mass. State Trooper on Route 93 who
was involve in a single car accident.
We have also read about the actions of Officers Solomini, Aguilar,
Raymond, and Rondeau. Officers Solomini and Aguilar who performed CPR on
the victim who suffered a heart attack while driving on Route 95 in
York, ME. Officers Raymond and Rondeau who administered first aid to the
other victim involved in the accident.
In the commendations that these Officers received the Department
states that they relied on their training. We have all said during our
40 hour in service that the most boring day of training is the medical
day, from the time we leave our houses, to the time we start our shift
we may be called upon to use our training in any situation.
I believe that the training staff, past and present should also take
pride in what these 6 Officers have done because without your time and
effort in the classroom these 3 victims may have suffered more serious
injuries or even death.
In closing I hope the general public has a different perspective of
what correction officers really do and that we don't just watch inmates
because some day they may need our help.
Fraternally Yours,
Troy Salvetti
Vice President
Local 419
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THANK YOU
On behalf of our entire family we would like to thank all those
who helped our little girl. The support we received from the
members of Local 419 and the Sheriff’s Department was both
overwhelming and greatly appreciated as it made a stressful
situation a bit easier knowing that we weren’t going through it
alone. From those who donated blood, said a prayer or called to
see if we needed anything we simply can’t say thank you enough.
Our daughter Brigitte’s
surgery went very well. We still can’t believe that she is home
already. The Doctors and Nurses at Children’s did an amazing
job. Equally amazing was the constant stream of support we
received. From the moment we learned that our daughter needed
heart surgery not a day went by that someone from South Bay
didn’t offer us any help they could give. Looking back on the
past two weeks we know that we never would have been able to
keep it all together without the generosity of the people at
Bryan’s work. Not only did they prove to be some of the most
caring people we know but they also showed the caliber of
individual that works for the Sheriffs Department.
We would like to extend a
special thank you to Chris Page for organizing a last
minute blood drive for Brigitte and to Brian McPherson, Tim
Frates, Brian Stack and Pat Cadigan for all they did as well
as to the many other persons (too many to list) that made our
family part of their thoughts and prayers. Although we can
never repay what we received we will always be here if you ever
need us.
Thank you,
Bryan,
Shannon, Brenna, Jake, Sean & Brigitte Kaiser
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A ball club wears slain correction officer's name with pride
By Brian R. Ballou, Globe Staff | May 25, 2006
A new team in a crowded city boys' league is set to take to the
baseball diamond today for its first official game.
Expected to throw out the first pitch is Kathleen Dever, the mother
of slain correction officer Richard Dever, for whom the team is named.
``Just to be playing on this team, it is special," said Michael
Sartori, 16, a pitcher for the Dever Club, based in Dorchester. ``It's
an honor to have my cousin's name on my uniform," he said.
Richard Dever, 35, a correction officer at the Suffolk County House
of Correction at South Bay, was stabbed four times in the chest March
19, 2005, outside a Charlestown Pub. Dever, who was off-duty at the
time, had tried to escort Francis X. Lang, 30, a freshly released felon,
out of Sullivan's Bar on Main Street after Lang was asked to leave,
authorities said. On the way out, Lang allegedly fought with Dever and
fatally stabbed him. (Lang has been indicted on first-degree murder
charges. )
Dever, of Dorchester, was hailed as a hero for his actions. Suffolk
Sheriff Andrea J. Cabral called him ``an exemplary officer." The loss
devastated the department, a colleague said. Dever's family set up a
scholarship in his name.
Then, Randy Brooks, who worked alongside Dever for 15 years as a
correction officer, came up with a unique way to honor his friend.
Brooks quit coaching in the Cedar Groves Baseball League in Lower Mills,
where he had been since 1986, and launched a youth baseball team in
Dorchester.
After getting approval from Dever's family, Brooks named the team the
``Dever Club." He found a sponsor in Jack Dougherty and Joe Foley,
co-owners of College Hype Sportswear in Dorchester, who knew Dever.
With a name and a sponsor to provide uniforms and equipment, Brooks
inserted the team into the RBI League in Boston, which has three
divisions for 15- to 16-year-olds. Tonight at 6 at Garvey Park in
Dorchester, the boys will take the field with Dever's name in white
letters and blue trim on spiffy red uniforms. They'll compete against
the Boston Broncos.
``This is all very humbling to me because he was such a good guy,"
Brooks said. ``It was the least I could do. All the kids, they come from
the same area where Ricky was living, so they know about the name and
what happened."
``We all learned about Ricky being killed at the same time," said
Sartori. ``We know what this is about."
His mother, Karen Sartori of Dorchester, said, ``It's an unbelievable
feeling for someone to do this for Richard. We went to pick up the
uniform for Michael, and he was the last one to get his. The only number
left was 14, which was Richard's birthday. That was kind of weird," she
said.
Brian R.
Ballou can be reached at
bballou@globe.com.
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A tribute by and for Boston police
Monument honors 150 years of
duty
By Russell Nichols, Globe
Correspondent |
October 4, 2005
Six words are etched in gray granite: In Tribute
to Boston Police Officers.
After a decade of planning, the Boston Police
Department's legacy of more than 150 years was thus
immortalized.
In tribute to Boston police officers -- from the
first watchmen in 1854 to the newest recruits --
city officials unveiled the memorial yesterday
afternoon at Boston police headquarters in Roxbury.
The dedication, which paid homage to the nation's
oldest police department, drew about 500 residents,
officers, and survivors who came to honor the men
and women in blue, whom Police Commissioner Kathleen
M. O'Toole said selflessly serve the city.
''We have a great legacy to serve and to honor,"
she said.
A pictorial history of the Boston Police
Department lines the granite wall that serves as a
backdrop to the memorial plaza. It includes a time
line with a stainless steel Boston police shield in
the center. On the right side sits a steel sculpture
of an eternal flame that gleams with blue police
light, which officials said symbolizes the
department's around-the-clock commitment.
Captain Robert M. Flaherty of district D-4, the
project's executive director who presided over
yesterday's event, said the $500,000 memorial --
funded by officers, civilian employees, and private
grants -- will ''serve as a place of reflection" for
officers past, present, and future.
After 10 years of planning with the Boston Police
Relief Association, facing down those who thought
the fund raising was impossible, Flaherty said
yesterday's unveiling was a relief.
The struggle, he added, paralleled the officers'
daily call to duty.
''Retreating wasn't an option," he said, ''and
that's how it is out in the street. I don't think
police officers realize how difficult their job is."
Rita Gallagher, 76, of South Boston, sat in awe
with her mouth agape yesterday afternoon as the
memorial was unveiled. It had been 43 years since
Gallagher's husband, John, was shot and killed in
the line of duty, answering an alarm at a Shawmut
Bank in Kenmore Square. He was 33 and the father of
three young children.
''That is beautiful," she later told Bob Shure of
Skylight Studios in Woburn, who created the
memorial. ''I just had to say that to you."
Brendan Dever, 32, of Dorchester entered the
police academy last May, six weeks after his brother
Richard, a corrections officer for the Suffolk
County Sheriff's Office, was fatally stabbed outside
a Charlestown tavern.
''My brother, Ricky, he loved the department and
had a lot of friends in the department," Dever said.
''He would be proud, too."
Mayor Thomas M. Menino, who spoke during the
unveiling, said the memorial honors the dedication
and bravery of Boston police officers.
Built across from the Ruggles Street Station, the
public will be able to see the memorial and learn
more about the department's background, O'Toole
said.
About 3 p.m. yesterday, as families and friends
gathered in the memorial plaza after the unveiling
to admire the sculptures, O'Toole looked around.
Attendees shuffled past, smiling and offering
congratulations. A boy walked across the street and
snapped a picture with his camera phone. Some
officers in uniform read the time line and the
events that had indirectly impacted what they do.
''There's such great history in this department,"
O'Toole said.
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Officers
file suit against Cabral
Embattled sheriff said to strike back for their
activism
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff | August 12, 2005
Ten officers at the Nashua Street jail filed a
federal lawsuit yesterday against Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea J.
Cabral, alleging that she stripped them of their deputy sheriff
positions because they are union activists and supported her political
opponent.
The officers assert that Cabral retaliated against
them for backing Stephen J. Murphy, an at-large member of the Boston
City Council, in last year's race for Suffolk County sheriff, which
Cabral won by a solid margin.
Cabral's decision to take away the officers' badges
seven months later meant that they no longer had police powers beyond
the jail. Those powers allowed them to earn from $10,000 to $40,000 a
year by working private details, according to their lawyer.
''It's a very real punitive act," said Boston
lawyer Douglas I. Louison, who filed the suit in US District Court in
Boston on behalf of the officers, describing them as avid supporters of
Murphy's bid for sheriff.
Louison said Cabral's action was ''transparently
retaliatory," because she had reappointed all 10 officers as deputy
sheriffs in January 2003 and they had remained good employees since.
Cabral is meanwhile being investigated by a federal
grand jury over whether she lied about the firing of a longtime nurse at
the Suffolk County House of Correction.
She is also the target of a series of civil
lawsuits brought by former employees.
ccording to the suit filed yesterday, the officers
received a letter from one of Cabral's superintendents in April saying
they were losing their positions because they were not ''members in good
standing," but offered no additional explanation.
Steve Tompkins, a spokesman for Cabral, said
yesterday that he couldn't discuss why the 10 officers had been stripped
of their deputy sheriff status because of the pending lawsuit, which he
said had not yet been received by the Sheriff's Department.
But he called the claims of retaliation
''absolutely untrue."
''All commissioned officers serve at the pleasure
of the sheriff," Tompkins said. ''The sheriff does not have to deputize
any of these guys if she doesn't want to, so they're suing to get
something back that the sheriff doesn't have to give them."
Tompkins said that the Sheriff's Department employs
about 900 officers and that nearly 400 are commissioned as deputy
sheriffs, meaning that they carry badges, have the authority to arrest,
and enjoy other police powers that extend to other jurisdictions in the
state.
The sheriff also deputizes roughly 400 other
officers outside the jail system, most of whom are police officers
working at colleges in Suffolk County.
Cabral, who took office in December 2002, was
chosen by former acting governor Jane Swift to overhaul the Sheriff's
Department, which faced allegations of abuse of inmates by jail guards
under her predecessor, Richard J. Rouse. She won the election last year
after switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party, and her
victory made her the first African-American woman to hold countywide
office in Suffolk County.
The US attorney's office is investigating whether
Cabral lied to a federal grand jury about the firing of a longtime nurse
who worked at the Suffolk County House of Correction and provided
information to the FBI about inmate abuse by guards, according to two
sources with direct knowledge of the investigation.
The nurse, Sheila J. Porter, filed a civil suit in
federal court last year alleging that Cabral fired her for being an FBI
informant. Cabral's office contends that Porter, who worked for a
private company that provided medical services to inmates, was barred
from the jail for violating ''departmental policy and contractual
obligations."
Two weeks ago, Cabral was slapped with another
federal civil lawsuit, this one from her former top training officer,
Martin Michelman, who asserts that he was wrongfully fired from his job
as a deputy superintendent last year because he expressed concern about
whether the department was prepared for the Democratic National
Convention.
Tompkins declined to comment on the Michelman suit
or the federal investigation.
Yesterday's lawsuit was filed by David Bergeron,
John Grennon, Lorne Lynch, John Barnes, John Ellis, Timothy Turley, Al
Moscone, William Peneau, Eric Dilibero, and Paul Giglio.
All of the officers are involved to some degree in
union activities, according to the suit. Louison said the Jail Officers
and Employees of Suffolk County, the union to which most of them belong,
endorsed Murphy and has been public in its battles with Cabral.
Bergeron, a secretary for the union, held a Murphy
sign outside Holy Name School in West Roxbury during the primary last
September as Cabral was campaigning there.
''The union has been aggressive in trying to
negotiate a contract, and they saw an opportunity to support Murphy to
change things," Louison said. ''And when Cabral got reelected, she plain
and simply retaliated against those in the union."
Louison said that the officers had received
commendations for their work and that others who had been disciplined
and didn't support Murphy or the union continue to serve as deputies.
None of the officers, according to the suit, were
subject to discipline between the time Cabral reappointed them as deputy
sheriffs in 2003 and the time she yanked their badges in April.
Turley, however, was given a 20-day suspension in
January 2004 but later successfully won his pay back after a hearing.
The case involved an allegation of excessive force, which Louison said
had been refuted, and is now on appeal before the state Civil Service
Commission.
Moscone, who is president of the superior officers'
union, is appealing a letter of reprimand he received in December after
he filed a written report about a Cabral supporter for sleeping on a
paid private detail.
In addition to losing their positions as
deputy sheriffs, the officers were also transferred to different, less
desirable jobs that often meant working weekends or nights, according to
the suit. |
|
Officers sue Suffolk County sheriff
The Associated Press
BOSTON— Ten officers at the Suffolk County jail
sued Sheriff Andrea J. Cabral in federal court on Thursday, claiming
they were stripped of their deputy sheriff positions because they are
union activists who supported her opponent in last year's election.
Cabral's decision to take away their badges
essentially removed their police powers beyond the Nashua Street jail,
costing them up to $40,000 a year in private detail work, their lawyer
said.
The move was "transparently retaliatory," said
Douglas I. Louison, the lawyer for the 10 officers.
Cabral had reappointed all 10 officers as deputy
sheriffs in January 2003 and none of them had been disciplined between
their reappointment and when their badges were revoked, he said.
Their badges were taken after they backed Boston
City Councilor Stephen J. Murphy in last year's Democratic primary,
which Cabral won with 60 percent of the vote.
The officers received a letter from one of Cabral's
superintendents in April saying they were losing their positions because
they were not "members in good standing," without offering additional
explanation, according to the suit.
A spokesman for Cabral said the retaliation claims
are "absolutely untrue."
"All commissioned officers serve at the pleasure of
the sheriff," spokesman Steve Tompkins said. "The sheriff does not have
to deputize any of these guys if she doesn't want to, so they're suing
to get something back that the sheriff doesn't have to give them."
Tompkins said he could not discuss why the 10
officers had been stripped of their deputy sheriff status.
The department has about 900 officers, about 400 of
whom are commissioned as deputy sheriffs, meaning they have police
powers, including the authority to arrest, Tompkins said.
All 10 of the officers named in the lawsuit are
involved in union activities to some degree, Louison said. The union to
which most of them belong supported Murphy last year.
"The union has been aggressive in trying to
negotiate a contract, and they saw an opportunity to support Murphy to
change things," Louison said. "And when Cabral got re-elected, she plain
and simply retaliated against those in the union."
In addition to losing their deputy's badges, the
officers were also transferred to less desirable shifts that often meant
working nights and weekends, according to the suit.
The suit was filed by David Bergeron, John Grennon,
Lorne Lynch, John Barnes, John Ellis, Timothy Turley, Al Moscone,
William Peneu, Eric Dilibero and Paul Giglio.
The suit is the latest in a series of legal
troubles for Cabral, the state's first female sheriff and the first
black woman to hold countywide office in Suffolk County. She was
appointed to the position in 2002 by former interim Gov. Jane Swift to
overhaul a department plagued by allegations of inmate abuse.
The U.S. attorney's office is investigating whether
Cabral lied to a federal grand jury about the firing of a jailhouse
nurse who was reportedly cooperating with an FBI investigation into
inmate abuse. The nurse sued Cabral, claiming she was fired for being an
FBI informant. Two weeks ago, the department's former top training
officer sued Cabral, claiming he was fired last year because he
expressed concern about whether the department was properly prepared for
the Democratic National Convention. |
|
Hero
killed in pub clash
As printed in the
Boston Herald
By Laurel J. Sweet, Franci
Richardson, Jessica Fargen and Peter Gelzinis
Sunday, March 20, 2005 -
Updated: 12:54 PM EST
A heroic Suffolk County
deputy sheriff trying to keep the peace in a landmark Charlestown bar
was stabbed to death yesterday morning by a mentally disturbed hood
who'd been out of jail only 22 days, authorities and sources said.
Police captured Francis Xavier ``Kicker'' Lang, 31 - son of Deborah
Lang, beloved by townies as ``the mayor of Charlestown'' - hiding out at
a friend's house on Elm Street after a 16-hour manhunt by Boston police.
``Losing a child is the worst thing that can happen,'' slain Sgt.
Richard T. Dever's father, Bill Dever, told the Herald through tears.
``(Richard) was in the wrong place at the wrong time.''
``Richard
Dever was an exemplary officer,'' said Sheriff Andrea Cabral, her voice
quivering. ``His absence will be felt very deeply. He will be missed.''
Dever, 35, was allegedly murdered by Lang outside Sullivan's Pub on Main
Street around 12:20 a.m. ``I don't think he even knew he'd been
stabbed,'' said a shell-shocked friend of Dever, who declined to give
his name.
Lang, also
know to Dever's friend, had been barred from Sullivan's ``for a long
time- for years,'' he said. ``He came in to try and get a drink. They
wouldn't serve him.'' Sources said when Lang lost his temper,
Dever tried to help get him out. What Dever got was a knife through the
left side of his chest. Dever worked at the South Bay Correctional
Facility where Lang was jailed several times since the early 1990s, but
it was unclear if the two recognized each other. ``He stood out amongst
inmates,'' a jail source said of Lang, infamous for his bad behavior.
``He was always in segregation. Think of the worst and that's him.''
Sources said police
searched Deborah Lang's triple-decker and found two large submarine
sandwiches and hair dye they suspect was meant to aid his escape. His
mother declined comment.
Bill Dever
said he was told his son didn't know that Lang had a knife when the
fight broke out. ``I guess he just took out his frustrations on
(Richard),'' Bill Dever said. Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen
O'Toole said Dever was found in the back of the bar, where he was
carried by patrons trying to save his life. ``We're all incredibly
saddened by the loss of this extremely professional young law
enforcement officer,'' O'Toole said.
``He
didn't deserve it, that's for sure,'' said Dever's friend, who attended
a private gathering at Sullivan's yesterday in Dever's honor. ``The
kid's a great kid. He had a lot of friends.'' Dever grew up in
Dorchester and graduated from Don Bosco High School. He had been with
the Sheriff's Department since 1991. Among the friends gathered to mourn
him were the family of murdered state Trooper Mark Charbonnier, whose
brother Steve, a Boston cop, Dever formerly roomed with. The
Charbonniers knew the Langs, as well. ``Debbie is one of the nicest
people I know - very involved with youth,'' said Pauline Charbonnier.
``She's a lifeguard at the Bunker Hill pool. I'm just shocked by all
this.''
Lang grew up a street
tough in Charlestown and ``had an awful struggle with drugs,'' including
PCP, as well as wild mood swings and depression, sources said. He spent
much of his adult life in jail after pleading guilty to armed bank
robbery in 1993 and violating his probation several times. He was
released three weeks ago from federal prison after serving nearly five
years on a charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
The conditions of
Lang's probation included mental health counseling and drug treatment.
The federal judge thought seriously of banning him from Charlestown as a
condition of his probation, a source said. Dever is survived by
his parents, two brothers, Brendan and Tim, and a sister, Sheila. ``(He)
lived everyday to the fullest,'' said Tim Dever. ``He had more friends
than anyone I know.''
|
FREE BRIEFLY, INMATE CUTS 2 OFFICERS WITH A PEN
Author (s):
Michael Levenson, Globe Correspondent Date:
November 15, 2004 Page: B1 Section:
Metro/Region
An inmate who broke open his
cell door at a maximum-security prison Saturday night allegedly used
a sharpened plastic pen to slash two correction officers, leaving
one with a serious eye wound, authorities said yesterday.
The attack occurred about 9:45
p.m. on the Department Disciplinary Unit at MCI-Cedar
Junction in Walpole, a facility with 120 cells where
dangerous offenders who have histories of attacks behind bars are
locked 23 hours a day and closely monitored. The inmate, whose name
officials declined to release, broke open the door and slashed two
officers who tried to restrain him, said Diane Wiffin, a Department
of Correction spokeswoman. Several other officers then subdued the
inmate.
Wiffin declined to say what type
of weapon was used, but David Traub, a spokesman for the Norfolk
district attorney's office, said the inmate had a sharpened pen.
Inmates are allowed to write letters in their cells, Wiffin said.
One of the injured officers
sustained several cuts and was treated at a local hospital and
released, Wiffin said. A union official said the officer was in his
first month on duty after graduating from the officer's academy. The
other officer, a veteran, suffered a serious facial injury and
remained hospitalized yesterday, Wiffin said.
After the attack, the inmate was
locked in another cell, uninjured, Wiffin said. He has a history of
attacking prison officers, as do many of the prisoners on his unit.
Originally convicted in 1988 of
armed robbery and sentenced to nine to 10 years in state prison, the
man was convicted again in 1997 for seriously assaulting two
officers with a weapon at Cedar Junction. For that crime, he was
sentenced to 36 to 40 years, Wiffin said, and confined to a cell on
the disciplinary unit, where his access to telephones, outside
visitors, and property were tightly controlled.
He had been ordered to remain in
the unit for three more years and then serve the rest of his
sentence in a standard cellblock, Wiffin said.
Following the attack, prison
officials and engineers inspected the disciplinary unit's doors for
faults and vulnerabilities, and the Norfolk district attorney's
office launched a criminal investigation, with the help of State
Police. As of 3 p.m. yesterday, Traub said no charges had been filed
while the investigation continued.
Prison officials declined to
comment on the officer's condition. But Steve Kenneway, president of
the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union, which
represents the officers, said the seriously injured officer
underwent surgery yesterday at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
for a stab wound to the eye. Kenneway said the officer was at risk
of losing his sight in that eye.
Kenneway reacted angrily after
the attack, saying Cedar Junction officers had repeatedly complained
to prison officials about inmates breaking open the solid metal
doors on the disciplinary unit, either by kicking them or shoving
them off their tracks.
While Wiffen said the problem
with doors had been rectified, Kenneway said prison officials began
to fix the problem this year but abandoned the job for lack of
money. He said correction officials had a responsibility to seek
more funds from the state, if they needed them, to secure the doors
at Cedar Junction.
"It's very, very aggravating for
us to report things, the way we're supposed to, and then things
don't get done and an officer gets stabbed," Kenneway said. "They
fixed the electrical aspect with the doors, but they never fixed the
structural problem. I'm very upset. They need to be held accountable
for their lack of action."
Kelly Nantel, another correction
spokeswoman, said Cedar Junction officials had received complaints
about the doors and had fixed them all quickly. She said money was
never an issue. "Each and every issue that has been brought to the
attention of management has been addressed," she said. "This
situation is unique, and we have a team of engineers evaluating and
inspecting every door in the unit."
Kenneway, whose union has often
contested staffing and management issues with state prison
officials, also said 12 officers should have been patrolling the
unit at the time of the attack, though 10 were on duty. Nantel
disputed that assessment, saying the prison superintendent is
allowed to set officer levels and was satisfied with 10 officers at
the time.
The attack, Nantel said,
underscores the daily dangers faced by prison officers in
high-security settings.
The last time a state correction
officer was cut on duty was Aug. 20, when an inmate slashed an
officer on the face with a razor at Bridgewater State Hospital.
At Cedar Junction, officers
regularly check the doors, grates, windows, and walls for safety in
the disciplinary unit, but with 23 hours behind bars every day,
"inmates spend an exorbitant amount of time trying to find ways they
can circumvent the system," Nantel said.
She said prison officials hoped
to press charges against the inmate, once the investigation is
completed.
~Hopefully the caseworkers, teachers and other
civilians that work at South Bay read the article about the two
officers that got slashed by sharpened pens. For the last 6
months I've been assigned to 1-2-1, and for the last 6 months
I've been taking away from inmates; pens, pencils, markers,
computer disks, CD's, metal ring binders, etc. etc. And guess
where they get them from???? It's not that difficult for these
inmates to bring these items up to the segregation units when
they do their segregation details. It would suck if one of our
segregation superstars gets a hold of one of these items, and
one of us gets hurt. I came to the clear conclusion that it's a
waste of time bringing this to the attention of these teachers
and other certain individuals, because after 6 months of doing
so haven't changed a thing. I just hope this tragedy opened the
eyes of these staff members, so this would never happen to one
of us.
John Amate |
Ex-captain faces
embezzlement, drug charges
By John Ellement, Globe Staff |
November 23, 2004
Yesterday was not a good day for Stephen M.
Donnelly Jr., who until recently was a captain in the Middlesex
County sheriff's department.
The 37-year-old Winthrop resident spent the
morning in East Boston District Court, where he pleaded not guilty
to charges that he sold small amounts of cocaine to undercover state
troopers across the street from Winthrop High School. Donnelly faces
additional charges because of his alleged proximity to a school.
Later in the day, Donnelly was accused of
embezzling money from the sheriff's office when he worked there.
Mark Lawhorne, spokesman for Sheriff James V.
DiPaola, said Donnelly kept some of the cash judgments he was
supposed to collect for civil lawsuits.
"He retained some of that cash for his own
purposes and tried to fake the logs, so to speak," Lawhorne said.
Donnelly's arrest last week on the drug charges
capped a five-month investigation by Winthrop police, State Police
assigned to the Suffolk district attorney's office, and the
Middlesex County sheriff's department. Donnelly has worked in law
enforcement for the past 16 years, prompting Suffolk District
Attorney Daniel F. Conley to say yesterday that Donnelly ought to
find a new line of work.
"This is clearly someone who should not be working
in law enforcement and should not have access to weapons," Conley
said, pointing out that police found three rifles and a handgun in
Donnelly's apartment on Veterans Road in Winthrop.
Donnelly was licensed to own the weapons, Conley
said. "This is a huge breach of trust," he said.
Conley said in an interview that there was no
evidence that Donnelly had sold drugs to inmates in Middlesex County
during his time with the sheriff's department.
Donnelly, whose former job paid him $880 a week,
has fallen on hard financial times, particularly since DiPaola fired
him Oct. 22 after an internal investigation found what Lawhorne
called irregularities in the civil process office. Yesterday in East
Boston, Donnelly could not afford his own lawyer. Milton lawyer
Nitin Dalal was appointed to represent him.
Dalal persuaded Judge Paul Mahoney to let Donnelly
stay out of view of news cameras at the East Boston courthouse.
Mahoney set bail for Donnelly at $25,000 cash, an amount Donnelly
could not post.
Natal said it was unfair to hold Donnelly. "The
only reason he is being held is because he is from the sheriff's
department," Natal said. "He's been cast in the worst possible
light."
Donnelly is due back in East Boston District Court
on the drug charges on Dec. 15.
Today, he is due in Cambridge District Court to
face one count of larceny over $250. Middlesex prosecutors say that
on Sept. 10, Donnelly pocketed $30,000 in cash from a Belmont
business that had lost a civil lawsuit.
Donnelly has a history of financial problems. In
2002, he filed for personal bankruptcy, reporting about $19,000 in
assets and $202,500 in debt, including $70,000 he owed to federal
and state governments in income taxes, according to US Bankruptcy
Court records.
State records show that Donnelly did not file
income tax returns in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1988, and 1999, state
Department of Revenue spokesman Timothy Connolly said yesterday.
Connolly said that may have been a bad decision by
Donnelly, given that 70 percent of taxpayers get refunds each year.
Donnelly has also worked as an assistant
harbormaster in Winthrop. But he was not reappointed to the
$8-an-hour part-time job this summer at the request of Harbormaster
Charles Famolare 3d, according to Richard DiMento, chairman of the
Winthrop Board of Selectmen.
"It had nothing to do with this garbage," DiMento
said, referring to the drug investigation and Donnelly's arrest. "He
didn't show up for patrol duties . . . and the harbormaster didn't
recommend that he be reappointed."
Meanwhile, Lawhorne said DiPaola has hired a
national accounting firm, DeLoitte & Touche, to audit the books of
the department's civil office.
The same office was at the heart of a federal
corruption probe that landed former Middlesex sheriff John McGonigle
in federal prison in the 1990s.
|
| |
| |
|
Cops, jakes heat up ice: Hockey game
benefits ill boy
By Phillip C. Naslund
Friday, November 5, 2004
The Red Sox are on a hiatus.
The Patriots are out of town. The Bruins are nowhere to be found.
When looking for sports this weekend, the pickings appear to be
slim.
Unless
you consider the Spencer Murray Hockey Challenge at Steriti Rink in
the North End.
The
charity tournament, which features teams from various New England
and New York police and fire departments, benefits Spencer Murray, a
9-year-old West Roxbury boy who suffers from a hypoplastic left
pulmonary artery and dextrocardia, which has required 10 surgeries
in his short life.
``It is
his dream to be a policeman. He remembers me in my uniform,'' said
Spencer's father Dan Murray, a part-time Suffolk County Deputy
Sheriff.
Spencer
Murray, whose mother Susan was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last
year, has been deputized by several local police departments,
including the MBTA, state police (major), and Boston PD (sergeant).
He has full uniforms from all departments, and plans on being in
uniform for this weekend's festivities.
Lt.
Colm Lydon, who works in homicide, has befriended Spencer and is
looking forward to the weekend.
``My
brother Sean first told me about Spencer and how he always wanted to
be a policeman,'' Lydon said. ``So we suited him up and have taken
him out on patrol.''
``He's
a wonderful guy with a big heart. He sets things up for Spencer,''
Dan Murray said of Lydon.
Spencer
has also made friends on the mounted police, has guarded Mayor Tom
Menino, and has met Governor Mitt Romney and Red Sox president/CEO
Larry Lucchino.
``Spencer had his last operation in August and Larry Lucchino
called to ask how he was doing,'' Dan Murray said. ``They treat him
like a million bucks.''
In
addition to meeting the Red Sox, Spencer has also had visits from
the Bruins and Celtics.
``(Spencer's story) was brought to my attention by Captain
Parlon in West Roxbury,'' said Elliot Feldman, the Boston PD team
coach and exective director of the Boston Police Athletic Activities
League. ``He said he knows the family and both of Parlon's sons play
for the Boston Police hockey team. It took a nanosecond to decide to
help. You just have to be a member of the human race to want to help
out.
``The
first two teams I thought to call were NYPD and FDNY, and they said,
`Absolutely. When do you want us?' Boston Fire and the other police
and fire teams were great as well. It speaks volumes about those
involved.''
Boston
police commissioner Kathleen O'Toole and Suffolk Sheriff Andrea
Cabral will also be in attendance.
In
addition to Boston and New York fire and police, there will be teams
from Suffolk Sheriffs, the Massachusetts State Police, DEA New York,
Weymouth PD, Quincy PD, and the Vermont State Police.
|
|
It
comes down to the cops
By Shimon Soferr/ Sitting In
Friday, October 8, 2004
as seen on
www.TownOnline.com
In my line of work, I meet daily with incarcerated men and
women who are doing time because of their antisocial behaviors and violent
acts. Many of them have graduated from the juvenile into the adult system
of criminal justice. What unites them now, as adults, is a profound
animosity towards the system, and abysmal fear and hatred of police and
other law enforcement agencies. The depth of these sentiments is
discouraging, and the bleakness of their futures, filled with police,
courts, parole and probation, is disheartening.
Hate is rooted in fear, and violence is the behavioral culmination of
both. In a society in which the victimized public expects a quick end to
injustice through harsh means, fear and hate dominate the world of law
enforcement. Thus, offenders hate and fear police, and the police hate and
fear them. Both invest their time and efforts in outsmarting and defeating
each other - and the "war" continues without any victories.
It is, of course, important to create, provide or prolong 1,400 jobs
for youths who otherwise might make the summer simmer, or to invest more
in community corrections, restorative justice or faith-based initiatives.
It is equally important to show our youths that the police are more
interested in respecting the law through understanding it than in
enforcing it through fighting them. When we allot additional time, effort
and money to a more serious understanding of the partnership between youth
and police, only then can reducing delinquency become more achievable.
Unfortunately, this kind of thinking seems unavailable to us. So
afraid we are of any large public assembly that we seem to lose our head
and think of nothing but police measures in handling such symbols of
democracy as the two recent conventions in Boston and New York City. So
afraid we are of delinquents that our police now seem to resort to a
military style of intelligence gathering in order to predict hostile
movements, as if no other methods exist, as if the police are engaged in
clandestine operations behind enemy lines.
It can be plausibly argued that these are necessary steps in times of
harrowing threats to our national livelihood. Such steps, however, may
also be the advantageous outcome of a certain mindset that is no less
threatening.
Police conduct is a major factor in the distribution of democracy. It
is possible that in cases where society has democratically wrung the joys
of life from some people, their natural resentment of authority has turned
into hostility against it. Social authority is represented and facilitated
by the police, who are authorized to implement democracy through power.
When power is undermined, it resorts to violence and to violent implements
to restore itself.
Thus we have an almost perpetual cycle of violent activities, as both
sides attempt to gain the upper hand in the struggle for power.
Unfortunately, this struggle has become a contest of violence against
violence rather than an attempt to truly establish law and order. Though
the police did not start this somewhat insane cycle, they certainly play a
role in perpetuating it.
Perhaps it is still possible to break out of this cycle, and, through
a different approach to training, start a new direction. Without it, the
war on criminals will continue to yield the same results without ever
achieving peace.
The reduction of violence depends not only on arresting violent
people, but also on eliminating violent ideologies and discouraging
violent sentiments. It depends on trying to save, not to scare, the
not-yet lost, the not-yet hardened career criminals.
Lamentably our schools are not yet equipped, and therefore not
likely, to embark soon on educating toward such civility that would
increase social cooperation and reduce the wish to get a break by breaking
the law. Therefore, the police academy may be the place to start. Since we
cannot expect much from nonthinking criminal minds, we must begin to
expect much more from police officers who can, and ought to, think.
Shimon Soferr lives in Beverly and works for the Suffolk County
Sheriff's Department., running the Freedom From Violence Program, teaching
incarcerated offenders how futile and unwise violence is in any form and
for any cause.
|
|
It
comes down to society, not cops!
By Daniel Hickey
Also of the
Suffolk County Sheriff's Dept.
Upon reading the article authored by Shimon Soferr ("It comes down to the
cops"), I initially was irritated by his ideal logical opinion. Shimon
does meet with many antisocial people as a part of his occupation. The
work he does is admirable in his efforts to reduce the violent behavior of
the inmates at the Suffolk County House of Correction. However, Shimon
either doesn't realize what is taught at law enforcement academies or is
blinded by the same stereotype suffered by the antisocialists he is
teaching. During the 1960's, law enforcement agencies may have been
intolerant of criminal behavior, indifferent to social responsibilities
and probably did not care about how the same criminals hated or feared
them. Today's academies are predicated upon the use of non-lethal
alternatives in the force continuum and different physical techniques to
restrain the antisocialist without causing permanent injury. Unlike most
gang members who do not carry pepper-spray in order to subdue rival gang
members, then render assistance in the decontamination of the same
affected rival gang member.
The expectation placed upon law enforcement by this article is unrealistic
and somewhat naive. In my 19 years in law enforcement, I have come to
realize most of the antisocial people we deal with are that way due to the
lack of good parenting, substance abuse and or violence suffered during
their youth. Today's youths place too much glamour upon ill-gotten riches
from the drug trade and prostitution. This is the social evil that must be
addressed in order to reduce violent behavior. A kinder and gentler law
enforcement officer would pale in comparison to the monstrous epidemic of
drug and sex abuse.
Law enforcement agents are not trained to be psychologist, teachers or
public parents to at-risk youths on their beat. They are trained to be
first responders for the sick, protectors of the weak and keepers of
the peace. Today's law enforcement provide social programs like D.A.R.E.
and other outreach programs. There is a place and a time for these program
and during a tour of duty is neither the place nor the time. An officer is
taught to be aware and alert of his surroundings not to hand-hold a
troubled youth that may in fact be carrying the gun that could end his or
her life. This is key to surviving a career that so often and sometime
deliberately places an officer in harms way.
In closing, I would like to express my admiration to Shimon for his
efforts in lessening or ridding the violent behavior of his students. I
understand it is a difficult and long process. I sincerely hope that
someday soon his ideal logical opinion will materialize and the world be a
better place.
|
|
VERBAL SPARRING
Cabral and Murphy take it to the mat
BY ADAM REILLY
Andrea Cabral and Steve Murphy didn’t physically tussle during
their televised debate Tuesday evening, so the event won’t make
the cover of the Boston Herald. But the back-and-forth between
Cabral, the Suffolk County sheriff, and Murphy, the at-large
Boston city councilor looking to unseat her, still had
considerable entertainment value. During an hour’s grilling by
Boston Neighborhood Network TV’s Joe Heisler, Cabral painted
Murphy as a perpetual candidate and a corrections greenhorn.
Cabral also argued that, as chair of the council’s public-safety
committee, Murphy should have been aware of the illegal strip
searches that plagued the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office under
her predecessor, Richard Rouse, and left the department with a
$5 million lawsuit debt (see "No Love Lost," News and Features,
May 7). For his part, Murphy cast Cabral as an incompetent
manager and hinted that — given the responsibility the sheriff’s
office has for aiding the re-entry of prisoners into society at
large — she bears some responsibility for the recent rash of
violent crime in Boston.
So who won this verbal smackdown? Cabral, going away. She was
stronger on substance, demonstrating a mastery of legal and
criminal-justice detail that Murphy was unable to match. Cabral
also had effective rejoinders for virtually every one of
Murphy’s salvos. For example, Murphy tried to deflect Cabral’s
assertion that he should have known about the illegal strip
searches by responding that Cabral, as the third-ranking member
of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, should have
known as well. Cabral’s rebuttal — that Murphy apparently
doesn’t understand the difference between criminal and civil law
— was simple and effective.
Given Cabral’s dominance, the Murphy campaign may think twice
about participating in any more debates before the September
Democratic primary — which, given the lack of a Republican
candidate, is the de facto election. (A WHDH-TV debate that will
air in September is scheduled for taping this Friday.) But just
in case, here’s some unsolicited advice for both candidates.
Steve Murphy: First off, don’t fidget. There was way too much
hand-rubbing, shifting in your seat, audible sighing, etc., on
Tuesday — and not just while Cabral was speaking. Remember,
you’re the political veteran here. Also, bone up a bit on the
facts so you can offer a more-detailed vision for the SCSD,
instead of resorting to platitudes like "I want to take the
Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department to places it’s never been
before," or whatever it was you said Tuesday. Remember: a group
of three is a trio, not a triage, and the plural of crisis is
crises, not crisises. Finally: do not keep referring to Cabral
as the sheriff! You want her job, after all. Go with Ms. Cabral,
or, better yet, Andrea, since being a likable guy is one of your
strong suits.
Andrea Cabral: Talk less. You nailed Murphy with a few great
lines Tuesday, then undercut them by droning on about some
related point that, truth be told, wasn’t nearly as interesting.
Slow down, keep your ears open, and pause for effect when one of
your barbs hits home. While you’re at it, look a wee bit less
disgusted when Murphy speaks. A few times on Tuesday, the camera
cut to you during one of his responses and caught you looking
like you wanted to pound him into the ground. Go for a lighter
touch; practice a look of good-natured but strained patience.
And while you’re at it, work on your politician’s smile. The BNN
viewers saw a few too many grimaces Tuesday.
Issue Date: August 27 - September 2, 2004
Back to the News & Features table of contents |
|
Jail
employees endorse Cabral's opponent
Group backs Murphy, 122-1
By Thomas C. Palmer Jr., Globe
Staff | August 22, 2004
An association of employees working for Suffolk
County Sheriff Andrea J. Cabral has voted overwhelmingly to endorse
her opponent in the Sept. 14 primary, Boston City Councilor at Large
Stephen J. Murphy.
The Jail Officers and Employees Association of
Suffolk County voted, 122-1 over a two-week period to support
Murphy, saying he ''will bring the stability and the fiscal
accountability our department currently lacks." The association
represents 274 employees.
In a news release, the association, the local
branch of the International Union of Police Associations Local 900
of the AFL-CIO, cited among its concerns low morale, lack of a work
contract, lack of training, financial issues involving dental and
eye care, its pension fund, and denial of benefits for members
serving in the military.
''We're ecstatic to have this support," Murphy
campaign manager Daniel F. Cence said yesterday. ''It's hugely
important to get some insight as to the mindset of the folks working
in the office Councilor Murphy seeks to lead."
The race for the Democratic primary is an
increasingly competitive one in which Cabral and Murphy are the only
two candidates. Cabral, a former assistant district attorney and the
first woman sheriff, was appointed to the position in November 2002
by Governor Jane Swift. Murphy has served on the City Council since
early 1997 and is chairman of its public safety and labor
committees.
''There's a whole notion that a politician isn't
supposed to be a good sheriff," said John J. Ellis, executive
secretary of the employees association. ''Part of what our needs are
[includes] having connections at the State House. Our observation is
that Sheriff Cabral has taken things very emotionally and maybe
burned some bridges."
Cabral's supporters include Senate President
Robert E. Travaglini of East Boston, and last spring she won $2
million from the Legislature to help cover $2.3 million in pension
fund payments that she owed. But Cabral, who is Suffolk County's
second black sheriff, is in the middle of a battle over whether she
owes vacation and sick leave to those on military duty. And she
faces serious budget challenges, as well as additional pension fund
shortages.
Cabral was not available for comment yesterday,
but her campaign manager, Matt O'Malley, said, ''She's not surprised
and not concerned about the endorsement." He noted that AFSCME Local
419, a union with 530 members, and the National Association of
Government Employees, which covers 230 civilian employees, recently
agreed to new contracts.
The number of votes to endorse Murphy among
members of the Jail Officers & Employees Association ''doesn't
represent the majority of the department or even a majority of the
jail," O'Malley said.
The association broke away from AFSCME about a
year and a half ago. Its employees work at the Suffolk County Jail
on Nashua Street. AFSCME employees work mainly at the Suffolk County
House of Correction at South Bay.
With 1,100 employees responsible for the custody
of inmates in the county, the office of the sheriff also runs the
Suffolk County Women's Resource Center in Pemberton Square and two
halfway houses.
The association that endorsed Murphy was critical
of Cabral's handling of the current $90 million budget, but O'Malley
said, ''I'm not comfortable commenting on the budget."
Ellis, of the employees association, said,
''Already, we're $1.5 million in the hole for this year, so the
process continues."
Both Ellis and Cence were critical of about
$470,000 in raises that Cabral gave to her administrative staff last
year. ''We're not getting a raise; there's a problem with the
pension fund; we're having dental fund problems. They're getting
raises, yet the bills aren't getting paid," said Ellis.
Many of those who received raises ''came with the
sheriff from the DA's office," Cence said. Murphy's campaign has not
taken any polls and is spending its money largely on mailings,
signs, and phone calls, he said.
Reports at the end of July showed Murphy with
about $48,000 in campaign funds. Cabral had $8,000 at the end of
July and recently loaned her campaign $40,000 from her personal
savings. The sheriff's job pays about $107,000 a year.
Cence said the endorsement from the Jail Officers
& Employees Association was important because its members do some of
the most difficult work in the sheriff's office. ''These are the
guys who are on the line every day, the folks dealing with the
baddest characters and baddest actors," he said. ''They have
murderers and rapists in there. Those are the guys whose safety we
care about."
The Suffolk County Jail houses inmates awaiting
trial. The House of Correction is for those who have been convicted
of misdemeanor crimes.
The employees association has no work contract now
and voted down the last offer, Ellis said. Starting jail employees
make about $34,000 a year, and after nine years can make about
$50,000.
Thomas C. Palmer Jr. can be
reached at tpalmer@globe.com. 
|
Sheriff
loans her campaign $40,000
By Heather Allen, Globe
Correspondent | August 12, 2004
Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea J. Cabral announced
yesterday that she is reaching into her personal savings for a
$40,000 loan to boost her campaign against Councilor at Large
Stephen J. Murphy, acting a few weeks after her campaign account
dipped to $325.55.
Campaign reports released at the end of July show
Murphy with more than $48,000 in the bank and Cabral with $8,000, as
the two head toward the Sept. 14 state primary. Cabral had
previously loaned her campaign committee approximately $5,000,
before the loan announced yesterday, said campaign manager Matt
O'Malley.
Murphy and Cabral, both Boston Democrats, are
battling one another for the Democratic nomination for Suffolk
County sheriff in one of the most closely watched races of this
election year.
''The sheriff, to show how committed she is, is
loaning $40,000 to the campaign committee," O'Malley said. ''She'll
stop at nothing. The campaign is not hurting at all. She is showing
her commitment."
Cabral announced the loan shortly after the Globe
inquired about a $500 fine her campaign paid after the state's
Office of Campaign and Political Finance found that she had
improperly used the names of five public employees to solicit
campaign funds earlier this year. O'Malley said the $500 has already
been deducted from Cabral's account.
In April, Cabral's campaign mailed postcards to
homes throughout Boston endorsing the sheriff and asking residents
to ''please make a donation." The names of five public employees
were listed on the postcard, including three employees of the
Suffolk County Sheriff's Department, a city of Boston employee, and
an MBTA employee.
Murphy dominated in contributions in the month of
June, receiving a total of $850 from five of Cabral's own employees
at the sheriff's department, as well as checks from two Boston
police officers, a Boston firefighter, and a Boston School
Department employee.
Cabral has received contributions from
Representative Corinne Atkins, a Concord Democrat, and from the
managing partner for Winn Development, Lawrence Curtis. Cabral also
received $1,250 from three employees of Keith Construction.
This is Cabral's first run for office. She was
appointed to her current post by Governor Jane Swift in November
2002 as a Republican.
Six months later, Cabral switched to the
Democratic Party.
O'Malley said that soliciting funds is challenging
because Cabral does not have a ''preestablished base." Murphy, on
the other hand, has been on the City Council since 1996 and is
currently chairman of the council's Public Safety Committee.
Murphy previously worked as an aide to former
Senate president William M. Bulger, as assistant personnel director
for the secretary of state, budget analyst for the state Senate, and
as executive assistant for the attorney general's office. He has
participated in a number of political campaigns, including state
treasurer, School Committee, and state representative.
Murphy, who formally announced his candidacy in
May, has raised more than $225,000, according to his campaign
manager, Daniel Cence.
Cabral has raised approximately $150,000 since
October, when she began ''seriously campaigning," O'Malley said.
|
|
Not
very re-fined! Cabral keeps paying for finance blunders
By Ann
E. Donlan
Boston Herald Thursday, August 12, 2004
Suffolk County
Sheriff Andrea Cabral's campaign is becoming quite accustomed to
doing business with the state's campaign finance watchdog - and
so is its checkbook. Cabral's campaign mailed fund-raising
postcards in April to potential supporters that listed
endorsements by five public employees. The state Office of
Campaign and Political Finance conducted a review that led the
campaign to recently pay the state a $500 fine. ``This office
considers political fund raising by non-elected public employees
to be a matter of serious concern,'' wrote OCPF Director Michael
J. Sullivan in a letter to Cabral. ``The campaign regrets the
error that it made,'' said campaign spokesman Matt O'Malley.
Cabral has come under fire for refusing to award vacation and
sick time to members of the armed services employed by her
department while they serve overseas, and withholding payments
from the Boston Retirement Fund. Cabral also recently suspended
an employee for using a department truck to deliver office
furniture to her campaign office during work hours. The OCPF's
letter noted that Cabral's campaign paid the Sheriff's
Department $150 to resolve that incident. ``I think she knows
the law. She just simply flouts the law,'' said Cabral's
opponent in the Sheriff's race, Boston City Councilor Stephen
Murphy. |
|
|
Vets
steamed about dispute over benefits with sheriff
As appeared in the Boston
Herald
By Elisabeth J. Beardsley
Thursday, August 5, 2004
Suffolk jail officers are threatening to sue Sheriff Andrea J.
Cabral for refusing to shell out vacation and sick time to employees
who return from active military duty. Twenty-one employees have been
called to service since Cabral took office in November 2002, and
many returned late last year to find they had zero vacation and sick
time for this year - despite a state law that protects benefit
accrual for state worker veterans. ``This isn't fair,'' said John
Barnes, head of the jail officers' union. ``Why are these guys being
treated as second-class veterans?'' The union says ex-Sheriff Robert
Rufo set a precedent when he paid full benefit accrual to returning
veterans of the first Gulf War. Cabral aides insisted that as a
county entity, the agency is exempt from the state law, and said the
sheriff offers ``just due'' to vets by paying the difference between
their military and public salaries and preserving their seniority
and banked benefits.
``We are not penalizing anyone for going away to the military,''
said Cabral spokesman Steve Tompkins, who added that vets also
receive federally funded vacation time from the military.
Cabral contends the state law would not apply
to her agency until the city councilors adopt it, but the city's
lawyer says the law automatically applies because the sheriff's
office is a de facto state agency - funded and supervised by the
state. |
|
Sheriff
denies wartime benefits
Vacation, sick time will not accrue
By B Rick Klein, Globe Staff |
August 5, 2004
Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea J. Cabral is not allowing employees who
serve in the military to accrue vacation and sick leave while on active
duty, despite a ruling by Boston's chief counsel that they are entitled
to the benefits.
About 25 employees of the Nashua Street Jail and the Suffolk County
House of Correction have returned from service in Iraq or Afghanistan to
find that their vacation and sick time did not build up while they
served. Veterans of the first Gulf War who worked for the sheriff's
deparment did accrue such benefits, and all state workers are guaranteed
similar treatment under a law passed by the Legislature last year.
''They're being punished for their service to the country," said Tim
Turley, chief steward for the Jail Officers and Employees Association of
Suffolk County. ''We're looking to resolve this matter as quickly as
possible."
The jail officers' union has formally asked the state Department of
Veterans' Services to intervene in its dispute with Cabral, which has
lingered since March. But Thomas G. Kelley, the secretary for veterans'
services, said the disagreement hangs on highly technical legal
interpretations, and said he does not plan to step in.
''I believe that's going to have to be settled in the courts," Kelley
said. ''I don't even have an opinion on it, to tell you the truth."
Last November, Governor Mitt Romney signed a law guaranteeing the
benefits of state workers called into active military service since the
Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. But Cabral has argued that her
department is a county agency, and its employees therefore are not
covered by that law.
''That is applicable to state employees," said Steve Tompkins, a
Cabral spokesman. ''We are city/county employees. And that is the
sticking point."
Besides, Tompkins said, Cabral is compensating her active-duty
employees in other ways. For example, they are being paid the difference
between their m | |