By William Abernathie
Created: 04/14/2011 06:51:24 PM PDT
There has been a lot of talk lately about the salaries and retirement benefits of public employees. I have been listening not only as the President of SEBA, the San Bernardino County Safety Employees’ Benefit Association, but as someone who has worked my entire adult life in law enforcement in California. I am a sergeant with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, with more than three decades of experience working in my community.
I also have experience in law enforcement at the statewide level, serving on the Executive Committee of the Peace Officers Research Association of California, PORAC, representing 62,000-plus public safety members.
San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies and public safety members in our community do our job because we love it. We are there to protect the public in our neighborhoods, from gangs, guns and violence. We believe that if your families aren’t safe, nothing else matters.
Peace officers put our lives on the line every day. Recently an officer in the Los Angeles area was shot in the face by a suspect after responding to a domestic violence 9-1-1 call. Another officer in the Cathedral City area died in a vehicle accident while pursuing a wanted subject. Our job is not easy. But the rewards far outweigh the risk.
We agree that California is facing a major budget deficit as our country is just beginning to recover from the worst economy most of us have seen in our lifetime. Policy leaders are being forced to pare the services being offered in all of our communities.
However, we believe that the attacks on hardworking people are wrong. The financial problems in California are shared by all of us and peace officers in San Bernardino County want to be part of the solution. We agreed to concessions two years ago that represent a step backward in our compensation package.
Last year changes were made within the county public safety organizations which resulted in pay cuts and changes in working conditions for many of our members. These changes saved the county millions of dollars. Safety members are currently deciding on whether additional concessions are warranted or not.
It is important that we have these discussions at the bargaining table. We need to ensure that we offer benefits that keep us viable in the marketplace. It is critical to our community that we are able to recruit and retain well-trained, effective officers, who are willing to risk everything for the good of the community.
We urge the county to work with employee organizations, such as ours, to come to an agreement that will not hinder the recruitment and retention of officers, or the safety of the public. Our main goal is to ensure our families have a safe place to live and can live their lives without fear. By making sweeping cuts to the pay and benefits of officers, it is increasingly hard to keep officers on the streets and not out looking for a job where they are not constantly lambasted in the media.
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Yawn!!!! This is the only time you see Abernathie come out of his shell. He has lost more members through political corruption in the County than through issues on the street.
Why didn’t he mention in his credits when he was a criminal defendant in the state rape of a teenage explorer. He really knows law enforcement inside and out.
This mindless propaganda makes me sick, like someone was saying on another thread, these cops aren’t exactly rocket scientists are they. Instead of “Where’s the Beef?”, Abernathie’s new name is now MEATHEAD.
Hey Meathead, ever heard of public (especially safety) employee ENTITLEMENT? You must realize the public is getting sick and tired of having to pay all this money to have it pissed away by your politician and bureaucrat bosses, just trying to keep their jobs or get reelected. Stop your whining and get ready to take one for the Gipper cause you and the Chicken already sold your member’s souls to the Devil last negotiations season.
P.S. Meathead, I thought you retired as Pres. of SEBA? Did the Devil make you a deal like he did for County employee Sharon over on ieGossip.com, and you (both) are delaying those plans until after the “transition”? More like the Devil has Meathead and the Chicken in a compromised position for the upcoming negotiations and the employees groups are reduced to pleading to the public to support their cause. Don’t look for a lot of sympathy from the general public on this one, the private sector has had to suck it up over this CONTINUING ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, it’s about time we take a bite out of bloated government to help cure our ills. And Meathead, thanks for bending over and placing a huge target on your SEBA ass with the brilliant commentary you have offered with the above Op-Ed “piece”. As if the Devil didn’t need some more ammunition to do his upcoming hatchet-job on the San Bernardino County organization. The people therefore thank you for your fine service (we will know the retirement is for reals when you get a plaque from the BOS).
What you are all missing is the silence from Bob Blough! I am sure he has sold his union members down the river. Atty union has polled members and is formulating steps to be taken, but they are also quiet on the next step. I think they all should tell Greg to pound sand and take their PAC money to three BOS candidates that are willing to cut government and have services reduced.
SBPEA doesn’t have to do a damn thing. They were smart enough to give up a raise they didn’t have yet and lock in a contract until 2014
I think I remember SBPEA talking its members into giving up contractual obligations prior to this fiscal year so what is to stop Bob from selling workers down the river again under the guise of a mission of mercy for fellow workers facing layoffs?