Otis Sanford Memphis Police Assoc

POINT. THE UNION SAYS THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS WORKING FOR THE CITY...THAT SOME OFFICERS ARE BETTER OFF LEAVING MEMPHIS...AND IT'S GOING TO HELP THEM DO IT! THE AGENCY IS PLANNING A JOB FAIR FOR NEXT MONTH.. AND IS BRINGING IN OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO RECRUIT MEMPHIS OFFICERS. POLICE ARE FRUSTRATED ABOUT SEVERAL ISSUES...INCLUDIN G THE CITY'S CURRENT PENSION SITUATION. OUR OTIS SANFORD HAS REACTION. THE STRAINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNION OFFICIALS REPRESENTING MEMPHIS POLICE AND CITY LEADERS CONTINUES TO WORSEN BY THE DAY. YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE UNION PUT UP BILLBOARDS AROUND TOWN CALLING MEMPHIS A DANGEROUS CITY - AND WARNING PEOPLE TO ENTER AT THEIR OWN RISK. THAT WAS BAD ENOUGH. BUT NOW UNION OFFICIALS ARE ENCOURAGING POLICE OFFICERS TO SEEK JOBS ELSEWHERE. THEY ARE HELPING TO SPONSOR A JOB FAIR NEXT MONTH - AND HAVE INVITED POLICE RECRUITERS FROM ST. LOUIS, NASHVILLE AND OTHER CITIES. POLICE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT MIKE WILLIAMS TOLD NEWS CHANNEL 3 HES ALSO ENCOURAGING OFFICERS TO SEEK POSITIONS IN FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. ALL THIS STEMS FROM A DECISION YEARS AGO TO CUT THE PAY OF CITY WORKERS BY 4 POINT 6 PERCENT. THE PAY CUT WAS RESTORED IN THIS YEARS BUDGET. BUT UNION LEADERS REMAIN CONVINCED THAT THE CITYS GROWING PENSION PROBLEMS - WILL END UP HURTING ITS MEMBERS. AND THEY ARE TELLING SOME OFFICERS TO GET OUT WHILE THEY CAN. WHETHER THIS IS MERELY A BARGAINING TACTIC REMAINS TO BE SEEN. BUT THE FACT IS, THIS KIND OF ATTITUDE DOES LITTLE TO INSTILL CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC SAFETY. MOST PEOPLE WOULD AGREE THAT POLICE WORK IS STRESSFUL AND DANGEROUS. AND OFFICERS DESERVE TO BE COMPENSATED WELL. BUT THESE ARE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES FOR PRACTICALLY EVERYONE. AND IT SERVES ON GOOD PURPOSE FOR THE POLICE UNION TO BE HELPING ITS MEMBERS - TO JUMP SHIP. THATS MY POINT OF VIEW. IM OTIS SANFORD, WREG NEWS CHANNEL 3, THE MEMPHIS STATION THATS ON YOUR SIDE. A BIG HONOR