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Posted by: C73

<H1 class=red>Union objects to agency heads

</H1>

Tuesday, May 08, 2007 By FRED CONTRADA

fcontrada@repub.com
NORTHAMPTON - The members of the Massachusetts Environmental Police Association have taken a vote of no confidence in the agency's leaders, citing poor communication and an atmosphere of "threats and intimidation."
Part of the state Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the Environmental Police enforce fish and game laws, as well as laws regarding recreational boating, all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles. Officers patrol the state's seashores, parks and forests.
Lisa Fusco, of Northampton, who is president of the Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers Association, said 60 of the group's 91 members met in Sturbridge on April 24 to discuss the way Director James J. Hanlon and Deputy Director Roger Arduini have been managing the agency.
Fusco said many officers feel that Hanlon and Arduini have not been responsive to their concerns about a number of job-related issues.
"The overall feeling is that we are dealing with a management staff that doesn't want to compromise and doesn't want to listen to employees," she said.
Specifically, Fusco said, management has taken an aggressive attitude toward officers who have gone out on sick leave, handling those matters with "threats and intimidation."
The officers also object to management's decision to abolish the agency's offshore boat patrol, which has been a hallmark of the Environmental Police for more than 20 years.
Fusco also said the membership feels that Hanlon and Arduini have been inflexible about letting officers work night shifts. At present, they are under orders not to work at night, according to Fusco.
She said that officers perform important duties at night, including monitoring the annual shad run in Holyoke, patrolling the Connecticut River in the summer and preventing deer jacking during hunting season.
Fusco said the vote of no confidence was 97 percent against Hanlon and 98 percent against Arduini.
Lisa Capone, press secretary for the Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, said yesterday that Hanlon and Arduini have not been formally notified of the no confidence vote and had no comment on the matter.

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Posted by: mpd61

I applaud these Officers for getting together and doing this. Probably should have been done earlier before Patrick took the corner office though. There may be some repercussions though, hold onto your hats!

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Posted by: BrickCop

They should sic Delta784 on 'em.

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Posted by: HousingCop

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrickCop They should sic Delta784 on 'em.

Just make sure none of them have insulin pumps though!!

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Posted by: Killjoy

Quote:

The officers also object to management's decision to abolish the agency's offshore boat patrol, which has been a hallmark of the Environmental Police for more than 20 years.

They don't need a boat patrol...just call in Sheriff Gilligan and the Middlesex Navy!

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Posted by: dcs2244

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killjoy They don't need a boat patrol...just call in Sheriff Gilligan and the Middlesex Navy!

I can see where this thread is heading...

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Posted by: Piper

Good luck to the MEP guys. Great guys with a pretty good job, but stuck in a weird part of state gov't.

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