Notes from the March 1, 2025 Weekly Police Commission Meeting

•    Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman said he was able to observe first-hand the work that went into policing the Academy Awards which were held this past Sunday.  He added he was very impressed with the intra-agency communication and the professionalism of everyone involved.

•    Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger informed the Board the deployment for the Academy Awards came off very well.  He said it has been a difficult last few weeks in regards to schedule and commended the rank and file officers for a job well done.

•    The Department’s report, dated December 8, 2010, and Inspector General’s report, dated February 24, 2011, relative to the Department’s Quarterly Discipline Report for the third quarter of 2010, as given by Inspector General Nicole Bershon, was approved.  Ms. Bershon said the over-all quality of the report was appropriate.  The main issue she had was with the lack of guidelines to distinguish the difference between an Official Reprimand and a Conditional Official Reprimand.  The Board ordered the Department to return in 45 days to update them on the status of the guidelines.

•    The Department’s report, dated January 26, 2011, relative to status report of Department audit and inspection plan – third quarter, fiscal year 2010/2011, was approved.

Comments

[citizen]

End collective barging for all public employees. Do away with all union's. The unions are the reason the city is broke. Everyone should have their own 401 and pay 1/2 of the medical insurance.

[citizen]

End the DROP Program and city will save a ton of money.

[BWop]

If you're going to make comments about something, we assume you know the facts. What does DROP cost the city and taxpayers? How many "tons" of money will the city save by ending DROP?

As soon as you, Mr. Citizen, answer the above questions, we can have a discussion.

[citizen]

The drop program allows for cops and firemen to get part of there pension while still on the job. That costs the city and the tax payer.

[citizen]

There is nothing to talk about. Whatever the amount is I don't want to pay for it. I'm sick and tired of fees, taxes.

[BWOp]

Again, you are talking out the side of your mouth without facts. When an officer decides to retire and enter DROP, his pension payment is locked in at the date of retirement, and he begins getting his pension payments. DROP allows the city to retain this officer and all the years of experience he has for the same salary. Even if he is promoted while in DROP, his pension payment won't change. He can now give the city up to 5 more years of service AND he also continues to contribute 9% of his pay to the pension fund. His pension checks go to a savings account instead, while he stays in service to the city. If he decides to leave before the 5 year mark, he can.

Unlike some other unions, fire and police personnel contribute more or less 9% of their pay into their own fire/police pension fund, which, unlike other pensions funds in the state, is about 92% funded. Fire and police employees don't pay the 8% Social Security tax because they have a pension plan. The city, as an employer, can either pay into the Social Security fund like all other employers, or they can pay into the pension fund as a match to the employee contributions.

You see, Mr. Citizen, either way, the city has commitments that it must abide by like any other employer. The police and fire employees PAY FOR IT, unlike some other union members who are now crying because they are being asked to pay a little more for their pensions (which are less than the 9% police and fire employees pay).

DROP is revenue NEUTRAL to the city, and a benefit for both the city and the retiree.

So, Mr. Citizen, DROP or no DROP won't affect the bloated budget the city can't seem to fix.

[T]

So citizen, then you must be a conservative and against all these entitlement programs that the leftists in city hall and this state have over burdened us with!

[dogwanderer]

No, during DROP, the employee's pension is frozen at the time he enters the program. That is, no add'l accrual as he works for 5 more years. The employee does not draw from the frozen pension for the 5-yr duration of DROP. The pension contributions go into a privately managed account. When the employee leaves DROP and the workforce, he gets the pension at the rate he left 5 yrs prior, and gets the payout of the DROP bank account, which he managed and which the City has no commitment/liability toward. It's cost at least cost neutral and historically advantageous to the City, to keep specialized and/or valued personnel. Not everyone qualifies.