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Main Page City officials move to accept new state law for reserve officers
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Posted by: CPT Chaos

City officials move to accept new state law for reserve officers
By GORDON VINCENT news@woburnonline.com

WOBURN - Acceptance by the city of a new state law that would allow reserve police officers and firefighters to remain in that capacity instead of being forced to advance to a full-time role was endorsed this week by the City Council Ordinance Committee.

The full council is expected to vote on Sept. 25 to accept Chapter 31, Section 60A of the state's general laws, which was endorsed by Mayor Thomas McLaughlin.

In a letter to the council, McLaughlin wrote: "We don't anticipate a large number of reserve officers who will choose to be exempted from promotion to permanent positions, but I believe the flexibility offered by this statute will serve the needs of the city of Woburn and its police department.
"I have discussed this statute with Chief of Police Philip Mahoney who fully supports its acceptance and application," added McLaughlin.

Jan Cox, the city's Human Resources Director, explained the ramifications of the new law to the Ordinance Committee. Based on its population, Woburn is allowed to hire 19 reserve police officers to augment the regular, full-time force.

Reserve police officers are commonly deployed at special events like the Halloween parade and the Flag Day ceremonies and work paid details when no regular officers are available.

Most of the time, reserve officers are waiting for full-time positions, but there are some reserves who for various reasons opt not to join the regular force.
Under the old law, reserves can only reject a full-time position three times before they are forced to relinquish their spot on the reserves.

By accepting the new state law, the reserves will be allowed to retain the option of remaining on the reserve force in perpetuity. They would also no longer be counted toward the membership reserve force.

"If they do give us this notice, they are removed from the civil service list," said Cox. "Then we could hire more reserves until we reach the maximum number of 19 again. It allows us to hire a few more reserves."

In practical terms, Cox estimated only 2-3 police reserves would opt to remain as such on a permanent basis.

"We don't expect many not to try to go on," said Cox. "For most of them this is their life-long dream, but occasionally we have reserves who love reserve work and would like to remain reserves."

She expected the new regulations would have little impact on the fire department, since almost all prospective firefighters join the reserve force with the expressed intent of being hired full-time.

"They can't become firefighters until they're fully trained," said Cox.
In response to a question from Alderman at-large Joanna Gonsalves, Cox said since the permanent reserves would be removed from civil service, they would not be considered part of the collective bargaining group.

The permanent reserve option would be irrevocable, but Cox said there is a possibility a permanent reserve could opt to take the civil service exam and start at the bottom again if the reserve ever changes his or her mind.

Ward 2 Alderman Richard Gately said he had spoken to two representatives from the Woburn patrolmen's union who he said have "no problem" with the city adopting the new state regulation.

Posted by: misconceived

Did you know, it is not required in MA for a Reserve Officer candidate to attend the basic P.A.T. test?
It is up to the hiring department and there are many departments that only hire F/T officers from their reserve list.

So basically, all the fat bags who don't have a chance of making it through a F/T academy get to loosen their belts, open up another bag of cheetos and continue to waste space.

Is it just me or does this not seem like another step backwards for Law Enforcement in this great state of mASSachusetts?

Posted by: csauce777

Quote:

Originally Posted by misconceived

Did you know, it is not required in MA for a Reserve Officer candidate to attend the basic P.A.T. test?
It is up to the hiring department and there are many departments that only hire F/T officers from their reserve list.

So basically, all the fat bags who don't have a chance of making it through a F/T academy get to loosen their belts, open up another bag of cheetos and continue to waste space.

Is it just me or does this not seem like another step backwards for Law Enforcement in this great state of mASSachusetts?

I believe you are incorrect. At least prior to this new legislation, any person appointed from the civil service list to a permanent/intermittent position was required to successfully complete the medical and PAT. Towns that hire P/I officers from the list, generally appoint them as full time officers as spots open. It allows them to process the P/I candidates, and employ them part time while waiting for a full time spot to open. They do not side step the PAT requirement as you are alleging.

As for Non CS departments that appoint their reserves to full time spots (which is often the case), they are still required to complete the medical and PAT prior to attending the full time academy. Again...they cannot avoid it.

The only example that supports your post is that non civil service reserve officers are not governed by HRD and therefor, are not required to take the PAT unless the municipality requires it (which many do.) But as I said, once they are appointed FT and will be attending the full time academy, they must complete the medical/PAT prior to that.

Posted by: misconceived

I have gone through the entire hiring process. Civil circus is holding us up now.

The town said that they require us to take the P.A.T., which I passed no problem, and that it is not a requirement of civil circus.
They do it to prevent the example I gave in my previous post.

This came from the Sgt. in charge of hiring. Also verified by a few other Officers. I thought it was odd to not require it but that's what I was told.

Posted by: OutOfManyOne

When i was hired as a reserve intermittent off the civil service list, I had to take the PAT test because CS said it was mandatory. Then I had to take it again when made full time.

Posted by: pahapoika

this sounds like a good idea to keep part-timers unless it's a ruse to let the town keep a large part-time force and reduce the number of full time officers

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