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Right of first refusal

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Posted by: 4ransom

Just wondering how your departments handle desk overtime. Do your patrolmen have first opportunity to work the shift, or do they call the dispatchers first? In my dept, the patrolmen have the right to refuse the shift first, however we are allowed to work private paid details, so we have plenty of opportunity for overtime. But for depts whose dispatchers aren't allowed to work details, it must be difficult to get OT if you get called last for shifts.


Posted by: Curious EMT

Part timers get the first call, then either a re-assignment from patrol, or an OT for full-time Comm guys, depending on the mood of the supervisor, and how many patrolmen are scheduled. Patrolmen would never be called in to work OT on the desk in this dept. We do not work details.

In my past life I worked for a dept where Full time shifts went to full timer's first, part time shifts (2 per 6-day rotation) went to part timers. Then it opened up to the other groups if it couldnt be filled by the appropriate employee, and lastly an officer could take it as OT, but that was rare, also there was only a handful of officers qualified to work the desk. Ordered-in's were very common there.

This 'subject' should be addressed when you negotiate contracts. Officers have endless oppertunities for OT and details, especialy since other towns call for coverage. Desk guys make a lot less and have less op's for the extra cash... We still have to live, it'd be nice having some op for a little extra cash, rather than have to work doing something totaly different part time... If a reserve officer cant have first 'whack' at a full time officer's vacancy, why should it be any different for any other divison of a department?

Here's an add-on related question, for the smaller and mid-size departments, are all of your officers 911 certified? Every dept I have worked for (up to about 40 patrolmen) have had all officers 911 certified before they finished FTO. Helps when it gets REALLY crazy, and also if a dispatcher needs to leave in the event of an emergency, the dept will still function, they're not tied to the desk until another desk guy can come in.


Posted by: 4ransom

yes all of our patrolmen are 911 certified. i posted this because currently the ptlmn's union is negotiating their contract, and the town wants to take right of refusal away from patrolman and give it to us. we are against this because the patrolmen have openly stated that they will never work the desk again if this happens (i guess a way to rebel against the town), which will lead to us being held over on a regular basis. we do not currently employ any part time dispatchers. we have 6 full time comm officers.

we've considered going union, however that will not make our chief happy and will probably be the end of us working private paid details.


Posted by: j809

Part-timers with no FT academies should do nothing but work inside the station doing prisoner watches or working the desk. Of course after every FT union guy gets caleld first. It kills me to see part-time guys wanting the world to be given to them. I was a part-timer and I did whatever I was asked and only worked when asked adn when it did not EVER screw a FT guy.


Posted by: Curious EMT

Quote:
Originally Posted by j809
Part-timers with no FT academies should do nothing but work inside

I was a part-timer and I did whatever I was asked and only worked when asked adn when it did not EVER screw a FT guy.
So it was cool for you, but no one else? yea, no...


Posted by: screamineagle

Originally Posted by j809
Part-timers with no FT academies should do nothing but work inside

What about the small towns with no fulltimers or only a few fulltimers? should they all sit at the desk?




Posted by: j809

Quote:
Originally Posted by ladderman508
Originally Posted by j809
Part-timers with no FT academies should do nothing but work inside

What about the small towns with no fulltimers or only a few fulltimers? should they all sit at the desk?
No, they should all be FT or at least FT academy trained before they go on the streets and play COP.


Posted by: Curious EMT

Quote:
Originally Posted by j809
No, they should all be FT or at least FT academy trained before they go on the streets and play COP.
OK. Write a letter to your congressman...


Posted by: SPINMASS

Hell as a part timer I would love to get the Full Time academy before going out on the road, you tell my town that. They put their full time officers on a year waiver before they send them to the academy.


Posted by: MrJim911

Is this "right of first refusal" a Mass thing? I've never heard of it in Illinois. And when you say work desk do you mean Dispatch?

Here, officers don't do dispatch, OT is handled in-house per our lengthy policy.


Posted by: Curious EMT

"Right of first refusal" just refers to who they offer OT desk ( yes, dispatch ) shifts to.

Do the Full Time dispatchers get the first option to take the open shift?

Its nothing Mass specific, just a little name we gave it.


Posted by: MrJim911

Quote:
Originally Posted by Curious EMT
"Right of first refusal" just refers to who they offer OT desk ( yes, dispatch ) shifts to.

Do the Full Time dispatchers get the first option to take the open shift?

Its nothing Mass specific, just a little name we gave it.
Thanks.

We only have full timers.


Posted by: Curious EMT

Do officers get to take desk shifts?

Are they offered them first before the other dispatchers?


Posted by: mpd61

If it's a dispatcher shift that needs filling, then the dispatchers get first crack, and then the blue shirts next.




Posted by: MrJim911

Quote:
Originally Posted by Curious EMT
Do officers get to take desk shifts?

Are they offered them first before the other dispatchers?
If by desk shifts you mean dispatch, our officers don't dispatch. They don't have the training.


Posted by: FRPDConstable

Our department has 30 Full time dispatchers and no part time dispatchers. Way back officers could work the desk but not anymore.. I think it would be good when they need something to do when injured. If we can not fill overtime oh well... We have a min staffing level of 5 dispatchers per shift. If there is only 5 and they can not get a 6th we get no lunch break but otherwise we all get an hour paid lunch. Not a bad system. Usually someone always takes OT.




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