Proposal to Congress would require police to get de-escalation training, create national use of force standard

by Ron DeLord | May 17, 2016 | Labor, Police, Politics, Unions

Legislation set to be introduced to Congress on Thursday would create a new national standard for when police officers can use deadly force and require police academies to teach officers de-escalation techniques — the latest in a series of measures to be proposed...

Is There Hope for the Chicago Police Department?

by Ron DeLord | May 17, 2016 | Labor, Police, Politics, Unions

For a long time, Chicago officials have been writing checks—big checks—to families of people victimized by city cops. According to the nonpartisan, nonprofit Better Government Association, the City of Chicago shelled out over half a billion dollars between 2004 and...

Tacoma police unions bristle at mayor’s statements after fatal shooting

by Ron DeLord | May 17, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Labor, Police, Politics, Unions

Tacoma’s two police unions have teed off on Mayor Marilyn Strickland, expressing anger at public statements regarding the fatal police shooting of Puyallup tribal member Jacqueline Salyers. Two letters to Strickland, sent Friday, rebuke her for saying “95 percent of...

Sheriff’s Office union blasts lack of competitive raises for deputies

by Ron DeLord | May 17, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Labor, Police, Politics, Unions

More than a dozen members of the Harford County Deputy Sheriff’s Union blasted Harford County Executive Barry Glassman’s administration for not funding deputy raises in the proposed 2017 budget, challenging Glassman’s claims that the budget...

Courant Community Hartford Chief: 80-90 Hartford Firefighters Expected To Retire In Coming Weeks

by Ron DeLord | May 17, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Politics, Unions

HARTFORD — As details emerge about concessions that Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin is seeking from the union representing the city’s firefighters, dozens of high-ranking veterans are putting in for retirement. Fire Chief Reginald Freeman said this week that more...

Voters asked to sign off on lower police pension raises

by Ron DeLord | May 17, 2016 | Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions

PHOENIX (AP) – Voters are being asked to sign off on a major part of a police and firefighter pension system overhaul in next week’s special election that was enacted by the Arizona Legislature earlier this year. The changes contained in Proposition 124 on...