A Rat in a Housing Project? Shocking!
I really don't know if I agree with this. A group of sergeants are publicly protesting the actions of their commanding officer in PSA 9 Queens. Before I go on, please let me explain about the giant rat. The inflatable giant rubber rat is a fixture in downtown NYC labor politics. The rat magically appears in front of locations where union rules are being flouted. I don't know who owns the rat but it must be a very lucrative business renitng it out like that. What is interesting about this case is that it is highly unusual for the rat to enter the management/labor fray in police circles. What is even more striking is that this protest activity is being carried out not be police officers, the grunts of police work, but by sergeants--supervisors! The allegations are very serious and I'm sure they will get a fair investigation, but this just begs the question, how awful could this captain have been to have caused a walkout by his supervisors? I don't think I agree with the tactics of the sergeant's union though. The Department cannot possibly discipline the captain. To do so would invite all the rank and file unions to try the same thing with any commanding officer. It is almost as if the union has forced the Department to back Capt. Howard even if he is wrong simply to prevent the floodgates to open. I have a lot of respect for Commissioner Kelly, but I wonder what--if any--action he's going to take about this? My guess is the Department will simply ignore this incident in the short term and hope it does not recur.
- posted by Base10 @ 5:45 PM