I am humbled by the position I now find myself in and thank you for the opportunity to serve you as the President of the Austin Police Association. I wanted to get some information out to you as soon as possible, now that I am in my 9th day on the job. I will be brief, but I hope to update these messages to you frequently as developments unfold.

COMMUNICATION
Look for myself or one of our APA Reps to be coming to an office near you soon to visit and obtain your home e-mail address. This will be the chosen way to communicate with you in real time. Once we have this communication system operating, all you will have to do is turn on your personal computer and there it will be. We will make sure you get just information that interests you, as our database will be designed so that detective info will go to detectives, and patrol will go to patrol. You will hear from your board reps that way and you can respond back to us. I assure you the home e-mail address you provide will be secure, and we won’t send you junk. I desperately need you to opt into this system, as we cannot achieve some of the things that are necessary unless I can keep you informed every step of the way.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REVIEW
Do not be caught off guard in reference to the DOJ report. While the 50 page report may be good bedtime reading (you will be asleep after page 3), there are some very dangerous things recommended within. Your APA leaders are studying this document and will be prepared to make our position known in regards to the most damaging recommendations. You will know our position on these items, because I am going to let you know what they are.

THE BUMP
It’s coming, and at this point there is nothing we can do about it. I was troubled to find out that there is still some confusion out there about schedules that each shift will have, come March 29th. I have been assured by the Chief’s office that the schedules are on APD Net and that they are definitive enough for you to begin making your plans. If you have problems accessing the schedule, please contact your supervisor. If you still have problems call me and we will make sure the department makes them available to you. I do not yet have access to APD Net from my office, so I have to take their word for it. As for the overall purpose of the bump, I guess we will just wait and see what the results tell us at the end of this experiment.

TONE ALERTS
Patrol, there was some confusion about a request I made concerning tone alerts. I requested that they be reserved only for ONA’s and armed robberies in progress, and not missing pets etc. Somewhere in the translation, the administration cut off all tone alerts, INCLUDING ONA’S. We made our position clear within the hour, and hopefully the tone alerts will be initiated for those serious safety situations only. Let me know if there still is a problem with this. As of this writing I have been assured it will be corrected.

DETECTIVE NIGHT SHIFT
The APA’S position on this is that to do it right, it should be centralized with a unit of detectives and their own supervision. The detectives should be on permanent nights/evenings. This in our position is better than a rotating night shift for detectives in various area commands in which detectives work a regular day job and rotate every few months into a night position. For one thing, the night shift detective unit will probably be staffed with detectives who prefer to work those hours. For another, it would just make sense to have a unit centralized to do this work. For those of you, who disagree or have better ideas, please call me. I do not know what the final decision is going to be on this, but the latest is that it will occur sometime in mid 09. I will keep you posted.

For individual concerns or questions please feel free to call me or send me an e-mail.

Wayne A. Vincent
Cell 589-7162
waynevincent@austinpolice.com

I am pleased to announce that thanks to the hard work of Val, Gina, and Hayley, along with the APA Board of Directors, we are rolling out the new home e-mail system to our members this week. As of this date, we have not received everyone’s home e-mail, but we currently have enough of them to start putting information out to the members on this new system. Please call the office and give us your information, so you too, can receive updates in areas that concern you. I just sent out an update to everyone who has signed up for the e-mail. The topics of that update are as follows:

APD Reorganization

Income Protection Insurance

The Bump

Please get on this new e-mail system today!

TREATMENT OF OFFICERS INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY

As I communicate with members across the department, I have come to realize that there are some real serious concerns about how officers injured in the line of duty are being treated in reference to Worker’s Comp and JI Specialties, (the company that manages the city’s claims). I need any officer who has experienced difficulties with this system to contact us and let us know your story. We are currently meeting with the appropriate officials, and will be looking at some way to provide any member having difficulty, some sort of advocacy and support. This is a very complicated area, but we are working at first identifying the problems that are occurring, and then creating a way to appropriately respond to these problems on behalf of the member. We need to know your experiences, so please call me.

Detective Backfill

As Mardi Gras approaches, detectives are getting their assignments for backfill. We are aware of the problems associated with this cost savings measure. We know that some of the detectives will not have all of the normal equipment carried by regular patrol officers. We also are aware that working patrol is not like riding a bicycle. You cannot work patrol, leave it for a year and pick up where you left off. This job has become too dynamic for someone to just come and go. We have made our position clear that using detectives for patrol backfill is not an ideal situation, and that it should just be done when absolutely necessary. There are certain events that require a large police presence, and therefore when these events occur, the added police presence should be funded by the event itself so that patrol officers can fill in the vacancies with overtime, and not use detectives for this purpose. In any event, we hope and pray you detectives who must have to wear two hats make it through Mardi Gras safely.

Internal Discipline Meetings

We have made every effort to request notification when an officer is scheduled for a disciplinary meeting with their chain of command, or a DRH with the Chief’s office. In most cases, we are getting those notifications, however some of them are falling through the cracks. Please make sure to notify us in the event you are scheduled for one of these unpleasant meetings. We have made a pledge to be there for you in your time of need. We can only do this however, if we know about it in advance.

Detective Night Shift

There is some movement on this but no definite plan has been approved as of this date. The Detective Representative Anthony Nelson is on top of this and will keep you informed in detail through the home e-mail system. Please get in this system so Anthony can communicate with each of you directly in reference to this important change to your work environment.

A Welcome To New Members

At the January Board Meeting, it was decided that all fees and penalties for re-joining the APA will be waived for a three-month period of time. Several officers have already signed up and are back in the family. I will be reaching out to the rest of you and personally inviting you to come back home. Any questions or comments, please call me.

Every day is a challenge to me as your new president, however I would not have it any other way. I am excited about upcoming projects and am very optimistic about our future. Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive and understanding as we develop a foundation for our ambitious projects in 2009.

Wayne Vincent

589-7162

As February ends, I felt the need to update you on some issues your association has been dealing with. The most pressing issue over the last couple of weeks has been the city’s response to the downward trend in the economy. As most of you are aware, City Manager Mark Ott presented his plan for midyear budget cuts to City Council on Thursday. The items slated to be cut are indeed bad news for the police department, and our members.

The 2009 budget cuts call for a postponement of the 116th cadet class until September. This class, originally scheduled for January of 2009 has already been pushed back to March, and now will not start until September. This means no new officer will be on the street until the summer of 2010, Even then, the number of cadets filling that class is in doubt. Some applicants have already found new jobs during this time of uncertainty, and it is likely that more will follow. There is a very competitive market out there for qualified diverse applicants, and they will find jobs if we do not hire them.

The delay in training new police officers is not the only bad news coming out of city hall. Another reduction in operational overtime used at the command level for backfill is also on the chopping block. I have made it clear to our city leaders that as more of our eligible members retire this year, the more our vacancy numbers will be a factor. As shortages occur, there will be no overtime to fill the gaps. This leaves but two options. Have patrol staffing at dangerously low levels, or dismantle existing specialty units and put them into patrol slots. Either option is not acceptable. The bottom line here is the city has cut the budget to reflect a willingness to now jeopardize public safety services. The fat is gone. They are now cutting into the muscle and the bone of the department.

As financial troubles increase across our nation and begin to adversely affect Austin, do not be swayed by the rhetoric of some who call for the police to make sacrifices as if we have somehow escaped the crisis so far. We are already making those sacrifices, and have been doing so for some time. Detectives leave their caseload to work patrol shifts. Patrol officers rush from call to call in an effort to keep up, mostly due to the relaxation of the 80% staffing policy. Specialized units must be burdened with take home car restrictions. Crime fighting teams such, as Metro Response must now put aside their highly effective tactics and do crowd control, write traffic tickets, or other duties in order to fill the holes. They have no set work schedule, and are deeply frustrated with the fact that the open-air drug markets will soon be in full operation with little fear of interference from those response units. In addition, officers on patrol are facing massive changes to their shift schedules although this is certainly not for cost savings. On top of all this, when we add the fact that a monumental reorganization of the department is occurring from plan approval to implementation in a matter of 51 days, It is clear that you have been and still are making those sacrifices today. Rest assured when those who want to attack our commitment to the city and the department talk about sacrifices, your APA will speak up about what you are currently doing with little complaint.

Your APA has voiced concern over some of the items mentioned above, but our response to these things have been measured for the most part simply because we all understand that tough economic times call for some cut backs. Those cutbacks you have endured with an attitude that is commendable. Our response to Thursday’s budget cuts however, will not be as measured. If these cuts take place as described by the City Manager, the safety of you and the public will be at risk. We are currently making that clear.

In other news, we are almost at the 800 member mark for home e-mails. If you have not registered your home e-mail with us on the website, please do so. It is the best way for us to communicate with you in real time.

We are also currently working to correct the deplorable way in which some of our officers have been treated by the city and JI Specialties (a city vendor) in regards to on duty injuries. I have made it clear to those individuals involved in worker’s comp issues, that some officers are receiving inferior medical care, and are being denied medical procedures that are necessary for recovery. I am still requesting contact from any one of you who have a horror story concerning worker’s comp or JI.

As we approach the March 29th “bump” I want all of you to know the APA’s position on this endeavor has not changed one bit. As of this date, there has been no reason given that justifies the instability this scheduling change has created for our members. Some of you are currently going through financial hardships of your own as we enter into the “bump” period. I talked to an officer the other day whose spouse was laid off, and now that officer will realize the loss of his night shift differential pay as well. In spite of the unpopularity of management’s decision, I know you will continue to give 100% to the job, and you have accepted this challenge as you do any other. Because of the commitment you demonstrate every day to the citizens of this great city, you make my job representing you very easy.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any issues or concerns.

Wayne A. Vincent
President Austin Police Association
589-7162

As we approach the month of May, we are taking the opportunity to reflect upon the more positive aspects of our careers in law enforcement within the city of Austin. May 5th of this year marks the 60th anniversary of the birth of the Austin Police Association. As the struggle continues during difficult economic times and adjustments are being made in the wake of unrelenting change, it is important that we take a moment to celebrate where we come from and who we are. Let’s pause ever so briefly to be proud of what we stand for and what we have achieved.

In 1948, the citizens of Austin granted civil service protections to their police officers. The idea behind civil service was in part, to shield police officers and other emergency responders from fear of political reprisals for merely performing their duty. A year later, presumably as a direct result of bringing police civil service to Austin, forward thinking police officers formed the Austin Police Association. Since that time, the association has adapted to changing times. Formed primarily as a fraternal organization fostering social and professional unity among its officers, it has evolved into much more of a service delivery organization for its members. Today, our association bargains on behalf of members for wages and working conditions. The association serves as a conduit for public outreach on behalf of her members, and strives to be an effective player in the local political arena so that our police officers are not left out of the discussions on matters that directly affect them. The association has earned the respect over the years from various administrators, which results in having a seat at the table whether to mediate on behalf of a member in conflict with bosses, or provide a voice for the working cop when decisions from executive staff negatively impact their work environment. The association does not always achieve success when advocating for her members, but the fact that we have an organization with such access and credibility would astound those who came before us.

As we pause to put our careers here in perspective, let’s not forget that the national reputation of the Austin Police Department as a premier organization is a direct result of the men and women who do the actual policing within our community. Over the years Administrators have come and gone. Some have lead APD towards progress and modernization, and some we have simply endured. Through it all however, the working cops who perform heroic acts every day are the ones that have made our department what it is and what it will be in the future. I think that calls for a pause to celebrate the rich tradition and culture that we are all a part of. The struggles will still be there awaiting us after this pause, but for the month of May, let’s take the time to be proud of those who came before us, and oh yes, proud of ourselves for carrying on in that fine tradition of Austin Policing.

On May 4th, we will be honoring Texas Peace Officers here at home and all across the state who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The Texas Police Memorial ceremonies at the Capitol which occurs every two years while the legislature is in session is an excellent opportunity for all of us to honor and remember those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Please make a special effort to participate in uniform on that day. We will be putting our more information on that as the day draws near. In the meantime, please plan on being part of this inspiring ceremony.

On May 7th at our regularly scheduled general membership meeting we are planning a special celebration of the 60th birthday of the Austin Police Association. We are inviting all of our friends from in and around the community to celebrate with us. We will also hear from our heroes who climbed the UT Tower to neutralize Charles Whitman on that fateful day. I personally am looking forward to hearing them speak about how it was as an Austin cop in the sixties. There will be others present too, who have contributed to the progress we have made as an association and to the enviable reputation we have as a police department. Please make plans to attend. Details will be forthcoming very soon.

Again as a reminder, if you have not done so by now, please sign up for the home e-mail system so we can keep you up to date on information that is critical to you. Also, if your work assignment has changed, please register that change from the website as well. As always, please call me anytime you have a concern or question. We are here for you!

Wayne Vincent

Through the hard work of PAC Chairman Chris Perkins and the PAC Committee, we can claim total victory in the city elections last March. We have assisted our new APA members from consolidation through the transition into the department and our association. We have assisted in the 2009 Legislature when appropriate, and thanks to you our membership, have navigated our way through the economic downturn in a way that brought you overwhelming community support and secured your financial security as we ride out the rest of the financial crisis. We have endured sweeping changes in the department such as the reorganization from area command structures to the bureau concept, the detective night shift, and who can forget the famous bump? In regard to these changes, we may not have won on every issue, but your voice was heard, and it is clear the administration now sees a value in listening to the workforce earlier in the decision making process. I expect that trend to continue, particularly in light of the contract provision that the membership approved. Your APA leadership and you, the membership worked together in developing a communication system that has proven to be very effective as we struggled through these various events. Our home e-mail now reaches a large majority of the membership, and provides real time information and a format for you to communicate directly with the APA at the touch of a button. We have assisted many members going through disciplinary investigations and having conflict within their chains of command. We are constantly looking for ways to reach out to the membership so that in time of need, they will seek our assistance.

These things are just the beginning, however. There is much that needs to be done. We have wounded officers struggling through a very cold and calculated Worker’s Comp system here in Austin that needs reform. In the short term, our goal is to develop a true advocate for the wounded officer so that officer will know his/her rights and have someone there to assist in the struggle to get the medical care without obstacles that the officer deserves. Long term strategies for the problem will involve legislative change.

There are some serious concerns surrounding the department’s investigative/disciplinary process. While all eyes, (including ours) are focused on the outcome of the Springdale Shooting, there are many cases we are reviewing that demonstrate a tendency towards overkill in discipline on minor issues. The result is a workforce that is increasingly paranoid about doing their job, and a lack of trust between employees brought on by a system that punishes those that don’t initiate complaints of a formal nature on others, regardless of how minor the perceived infraction may be. The distrust among our membership for the current system is not lost on us, I promise.

We have not forgotten our desire for an enhanced community outreach, and we are committed to making that happen. This is one of our more long term goals that frankly from time to time we have to put aside to handle today’s issues. Rest assured however, that you will see movement in this area as well. Whether it is our barbeque team at a function, or an APA member giving a presentation about police officers on the beat, we will be out there as soon as we can. In the meantime, please help support the main hub of our community outreach, which will be the Austin Cops for Charities Program. In the last year and a half, this organization has spent over $44,000 on special needs for the community and our own police officers that have faced personal crisis. You will hear much more about this program in the near future from us.

The importance of providing services to you has not diminished in our minds either. These things don’t happen overnight, but we are developing ideas for your consideration, in the areas of an eventual APA facility, or increased family activities throughout the year. I wish we could do it all right now, but staff constantly reminds me of the virtue of patience.

I want to thank each and every one of you. The membership has been extremely supportive as we struggled through some of these issues. Your patience and feedback has been instrumental in the successes we have had thus far. With that said, it’s time to get back to work. As always, do not hesitate to call for assistance at any time.

Wayne Vincent

President, Austin Police Association

512-589-7162

2009 was a year filled with unique challenges and opportunities.  From the economic crisis and budget shortfall emerged an opportunity to show city government and the public that our officers are a vital part of the community, capable of sitting at the table with city leaders and being part of the solution.  We endured a massive patrol shift rotation with dignity, knowing that the hardships placed upon you during that time were neither necessary nor logical.  For your professionalism, you procured a promise that this experiment will not occur again.  We weathered the storm of another controversial police shooting in the spring by engaging the press, the community and the administration throughout the entire process.  We did not merely sit on the sidelines and hope the players in the political arena would be kind to one of our own.  We are a stakeholder in these events, and I believe your APA took that role seriously and effectively. 

Most if not all of you were uprooted in some form or fashion last year as rapid changes were made to almost every segment of the police department.  From bureau changes to detective night shifts;  From detectives taking on periodic patrol shifts to patrol officers driving different cars every night and the dangers associated with that.  Although the chaos has died down, I suspect that to be temporary, as we brace for a new set of “best practices” changes.  We have also tried to use these events as an opportunity to convince those in charge that the best ideas are those accepted by the ones who have to implement them.  Time will tell if our message resonates. 

We have had some disappointments along the way as well.  Detective Chris Dunn’s now famous awkward e-mail was used to make him the scapegoat in the Quintana investigation which was characterized with distractions and distortions.  It was indeed sad to see Detective Dunn’s character and reputation attacked by our own administration in the media.  Hard ball political tactics are a reality, but we don’t have to like it.  We were also saddened but not defeated by the denial of promotion to three of our members this year.  They were caught up in a so called “culture change” agenda.  The good news is we are optimistic we will prevail in the fight to maintain fairness in the promotional process. 

As we continue to face the challenges of some over zealous personnel actions, your APA is enthusiastically looking forward to 2010.  We are concentrating on two areas of importance.  The first of these is enhanced membership services to you, and secondly, community outreach on your behalf.  Both of these initiatives are not new.  All through last year, we have been in the planning stages, and with a little bit of luck and determination, you will see the results this year. 

Membership services will be primarily a dedicated effort to have the APA more accessible to you, the member.  We plan various fraternal events for you and your family, and are committed to be more visible in the work place.  We will have an APA day at each of the six major facilities this year, and three picnic type events for you and your family.  We are also going to serve meals on several special events that officers are working downtown.  In addition, look for us to start venturing out into the community and participating at fairs and festivals under the APA name. 

The centerpiece of our community outreach will be a new website that we are desperately trying to launch in the very near future.  The website will be the vehicle by which we reach out to the neighborhoods and explain in detail what you go through every day.  I can’t tell you how many times our members have expressed frustration in terms of how our message, our truth, never seems to get out into the public.  This website is our first strong effort to do just that.  I believe once you see this launched, you will be pleased. 

As we settle into 2010, I want to thank each and every one of you.  The support and encouragement you have given us is tremendous.  We never take for granted the trust you have shown us and more importantly, we never forget what an honor it is to represent Austin’s Heroes.