Just before Hurricane Ike, all were warned of possible gas shortages. We were wondering if Bolton would do the right thing by parking all the nonessential take home cars during this difficult time. (WILL BOLTON DO THE RIGHT THING?) The answer should have been easy enough.
As of now, the gas pumps at the Burgess Building, the main supply for emergency vehicles, are empty. Surrounding county and city agency leaders have ordered all nonessential vehicles parked until the gasoline supply is reestablished. Yet everyone issued take home cars in DeKalb County are running around like there is no tomorrow.
Keeping with Bolton's pattern of ineptness, he failed to initiate a contingency plan for the worse case scenario. He nor anyone in his command staff have yet to issue a directive or even appear they are aware of the situation.
Bolton is an absolute embarrassment to the citizens and officers of this county.
The Madness Continues
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
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15 comments:
I bet these officers and detectives are saving 500 dollars a month in letting the county pay for their gas.
So just how many cars does DeKalb County furnish to employees to drive back and forth to work? I bet if someone started putting the numbers together, it would be in the hundred of thousands of tax payer dollars wasted. But its government money so who cares, only the people who pay taxes I guess.
If this is an example of Bolton's leadership during a potential crisis, God help us if we should really have a disaster like in the 90's.
The funny thing is, Vernon Jones went out of his way to hire Bolton, in spite of warnings otherwise. Still wondering why you lost the Senate primary, Vern?
He's probably not aware that there was a hurricane or that there is a gas shortage.
"I bet these officers and detectives are saving 500 dollars a month in letting the county pay for their gas."
I think you may have hit on something. If we take the cars from detectives with on call responsibilities, then the citizens can investigate their own crimes. Now follow me here...If we do this, we won't need detectives and all those officers can be returned to the street. Ta-da, manpower issue solved and I'm not making anywhere close to what the Chief is.
Now look, I don't have a take home and have to spend my hard earned change to get to work, but I'm sure as heck not going to be hating on these officers who have cars. The problem is with the administration and not each other.
This is why nothing ever gets accomplished. We always start with a common goal but in the end we fall apart due to backbiting and shortsightedness. The powers that be know this and all they have to do is wait until we turn on each other and implode. Happens everytime.
Are there any spouse situations where there are more than one take home car in one family?
To Just Me: The compliant is not with the detectives that are considered essential like Major Crimes. The complaint is with having aides, civilians, crime analysis, 55 ICP officers and the like who are never called out, driving take home cars. It is a waste and nothing more.
The department should not be in the business of handing out perks, especially at taxpayer expense.
Need you happen to catch Center Precinct scrambling for gasoline? The Watch Commander came on North radio asking if we had any gas.
Shame on Bolton for not staying on top of the fuel situation!
Im one of those you refer to as "these officers and detectives saving 500 a month on gas," Im on call during the month and respond from home multiple times a week sometimes well before my shift begins. I also live in the county and the majority of the gas I use is at work not driving to and from work, so please dont put everyone with a take home car in one bunch. Many detectives with take home cars actually need them...And yes I do save money on gas and wear and tear on my car, but Im also charged with much more responsibility when it comes to a case load that never goes away, constant off duty court appearances, and the aforementioned on-call duties.
Lets see; "More responsibility handling a case load" than what? A uniform officer walking up to door of a domestic with a person armed with no backup? An armed robbery in progress with no backup?
Careful my detective friend, you're going to make some folks upset. Last time I checked, most case loads are stored in a desk in the comforts of your office, not in some business on a cold darken night with an busted out window and the alarm sounding in the background.
Is this really a fight in which you want to engage? Bickering over who has the more difficult/dangerous job doesn't help the department; it just makes you look bitter.
Detectives work their asses off under the constant eye of direct supervisors and brass. They sometimes get more overtime in a single pay cycle than many street officers get in an entire year. The take-home is not a "perk" for detectives, it's a tool.
Officers work their asses off in all weather conditions, and place themselves in danger every day. Their job is difficult and thankless and they don't even have the satisfaction (often) of seeing what happens to the cases they upload into cyberspace.
Don't turn the issue into infighting. We're on the same team, and the contributions of all members of that team are important and vital. I don't think the original poster ever intended to suggest that take-home cars are not necessary for some positions, just not all the positions for which they are currently issued.
Obviously you took my response completely out of context....i did more time on the street than I have been in CID. I havent forgetten where I came from. Im talking about take home cars and not refering to whose job is more dangerous. My responsibility comments were aimed a justifying a take home car and were also aimed at the person putting all with take home cars in one bunch. I in no way meant that my job was more responsibility laden, but simply stating that a take home car in my situation is needed based on what Im tasked with doing.
ou812, understood. But, if you look at the post I was sarcastically replying to, it mentioned detectives.
I was also including ICP in the group that I'm not hating on. Whether people like it or not, ICP is a unit of this department and the ICP guys don't deserve the vitriol that some are directing their way. Yes, I think it is a waste of time, money and manpower but it is here and someone has to do it. I know that some of those young guys who signed up actually thought they could do some good. I don't blame anyone for taking advantage of an opportunity to better themselves or their situation. Some people sound jealous when they blast the ICP guys. We all are the same color: blue, or gray or gray with a greenish tinge. Whatever. We should be rallying together and not attacking each other. We didn't cause these problems, but we sure as heck are having to suffer through it.
To wesixcampers: I know uninformed (not uniformed, in case you are reading this fast)people think CID does nothing but sit around and watch TV, but au contraire. Try working weeks with constant overtime, then up comes your weekend duty and from Friday to Monday morning you have about 8-9 hours of sleep. Or how about those 20+ hours days in CID. Or how about you can't take more than a few days off at a time because when you come back your case load has been steadily building, as have your emails and voicemails from victims and their family members wanting to know why you haven't solved their case yet. Or the unending number of followups you have to do with other detectives before you can work on your own pile of stuff. Been there, done that and got a plaque or two.
Bottom line is, uniform is the backbone of this department and have an extrememly difficult job that is not made any easier by the fact that there are too many calls and not enough people. If we are to succeed, we need to be on the same page, be informed and stop frigging sniping at each other.
Sorry to be so long winded, but ou812, I agree 100% with you. Unfortunately, we don't make the decisions.
The argument is not whether detectives should have take home cars, the argument is whether the nonessential employees should have take home cars. Particularly aides, civilians, crime analysis and ICP People who are not on call or never called out do not need take home cars. Detectives are essential. Is it essential Keisha Williams have a take home car? Is it essential that Bolton have 13 cars assigned to his office?
Hey TeBo!, I'm out of gas. Can you have one of your drivers give me a ride to work? Or how about one of them ICP guys, I'm sure they have time in between calls.
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