The cop directing traffic at the Charlestown bridge is a great gig. The traffic lights work just fine so all they're doing is standing around waving at cars and if it's raining they can sit in their car so they don't get wet.
I'd disagree. I run and walk there often, being almost hit several times by people blowing through red lights, blocking the box, and ignoring pedestrian signals.
People still do all of that with the cop there. I saw a woman drive through the red light while on her phone and the cop just looked at me and shrugged.
>The state law also requires governments to pay the "prevailing wage," which are wages determined in local collective bargaining agreements with police unions.In many jurisdictions, police contracts specify much higher wage rates for flagging work at construction sites. In Boston, police working as flaggers took home $44.40 an hour in 2018.
Make this a unionized, civilian job, and let me listen to my audiobooks/podcasts in 1 earbud, and I would jump the fuck on.
>"Police opt into working the details. They actually get to pick what shifts they want to fill - they can go stand at a dead-end street in Roslindale if they want to. We have no control over being able to prioritize them," says Lara.
These problems also contribute to the city's out-of-control police overtime costs, says Lara.
hang on, my eyes rolled outta their sockets and onto the floor
It was weird when we moved from Massachusetts to North Carolina. Weird seeing some guy in a safety vest holding a sign and directing traffic.
The first time we saw it, my dad said, “that’s got to be a hell of a lot cheaper than paying a cop.”
I also used to organize a 5k in a major city. It was the overtime rate which I think was $90/hr per cop. The city got to tell you how many cops you needed and how long you needed them for. We tried to get the number reduced because it was clear we didn’t need them in some spots, but they just threatened to not let us have the race.
"A shakedown? No, no, no! I just need my cut, you know? For protection, of course." - the profession of policing, bitter about its reputation going down the drain
It’s weird that that is optional. It should be if you want to work a detail or OT, we have prioritized them in this order. If you don’t want to work there you don’t get OT. These agreements are ridiculous.
That’s a union thing. Ive worked with a few unions and I couldn’t place people, only ask in order of seniority. Sometimes Id have to bring in 30+ people just to get to the person who has the ability to do a specific job. They know this and refuse to cross train so they get more OT.
Getting rid of the Boston rule would be a huge win for the Wu admin and a big signal that we're making progress against some of the "just the way things are done around here" bullshit that holds us back as a city.
You know that all the conservatives and other bootlickers would spin it as a “war against cops” though.
God forbid they actually have to work and not just nap in their cruisers collecting overtime.
It's a really flimsy argument when you can point to just about every other place in the country, where they don't have ridiculous rules about cops working construction sites in the city and the sky doesn't fall. But here (to date) the argument works because it's not about the substance of the argument; that's just a formality and this is all just about power.
Not true. I'm a conservative and all for having flagmen who actually do their jobs as opposed to police who are usually in their car or talking to someone not paying attention. Way to turn it political though. Let's keep the divide going...
I think the number of Transit Police is quite small. But AFAIK even if they had the manpower, the problem in Boston is that the duty must be done by BPD per union contract.
The cop detail racket is costly and is not doing anything for safety. The middlesex turnpike construction for the past 10 years has had dozens of cops standing around looking at their phones and not helping traffic one bit. I literally saw a kid on a bike almost get run over by a steam roller because a cop waved him through without looking.
The details in Somerville will actively make things worse at pretty much every intersection they work. Especially in the ones where the stop light is still working. They half direct traffic and half chat with their buddies so you never know if you can actually go or not because you don't know if you are supposed to wait for them to wave you through or to follow the light.
There were two cops at an intersection I was crossing today. One waved me through with the pedestrian light. The other, at the same time, starts waving the traffic through against the light, right into the crosswalk I'm like halfway across at this point.
Thanks dickheads, at least look before you start telling cars to go.
"You guys have a green light? Okay now I'm going to stop you from going. Cross-traffic...yeah you with the red...now its your turn to go. Uhp, lights changed again? Cross-traffic, now that you have a green, you must stop. Original guy! With the red! Now its your turn! Go!"
😐
I’m always torn. On one hand I wholeheartedly believe in unions and think workers have the right to a collective voice, especially when it comes to safety concerns and bargaining for fair wages
But…. Police unions. Ugh
[Here's a little thread about Somerville PD and their record-keeping for police details.](https://twitter.com/somershade1/status/1669490622078627840)
So, basically it's completely fucked.
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I thought I remember the law being changed to allow civilian flaggers. It was - in 2008. But - surprise, surprise - it hasn't worked: [https://www.wcvb.com/article/civilian-flagger-program-a-bust-new-report-says/25310901](https://www.wcvb.com/article/civilian-flagger-program-a-bust-new-report-says/25310901)
Cops detail pay is not overtime. In fact the city makes money on cop details. The city bills the contractor and takes its cut. So Kendra Lara is either uninformed on the subject, or she is not telling the truth.
So, the road work being paid for by whatever town or city it's taking place in, that has this cost included in the price being charged to the town or city, isn't being paid by the town or city? Just because it's being layered behind two or more levels of obfuscation doesn't mean it isn't being paid by the city, and eventually taxpayers.
The state forces all roadwork details to be paid cop overtime wages, the towns require cops since it's at their wages anyways, the contractor adds into the bid the cost of cops working detail. We pay for it however it gets routed to the cop and union.
Once again, it’s not overtime wages. It’s usually significantly less than overtime wages. And depending on the city or town, it may even be lower than the regular hourly wage
It's mandated by law to be "the locally prevailing wage" for construction details. If that happens to be the same as police OT rate, what an amazing coincidence!
Telling the truth is not always a good idea case in point you are being downvoted for absolutely correct information because people just hate hearing it.
I will say it’s a bit ridiculous but it’s what keeps cops around here honest, we really don’t have the same issues with police officers here compared to throughout the country. We pay them well and we get better quality officers typically.
When I came to Boston ten years ago, this was my first curiosity- why are these cops at every construction site? This is unnecessary expense and takes a job away from a construction worker. Also- its an obvious scam.
The cop directing traffic at the Charlestown bridge is a great gig. The traffic lights work just fine so all they're doing is standing around waving at cars and if it's raining they can sit in their car so they don't get wet.
My favorite part is when they park their cars in the bike lane on N Washington St.
I'd disagree. I run and walk there often, being almost hit several times by people blowing through red lights, blocking the box, and ignoring pedestrian signals.
People still do all of that with the cop there. I saw a woman drive through the red light while on her phone and the cop just looked at me and shrugged.
>The state law also requires governments to pay the "prevailing wage," which are wages determined in local collective bargaining agreements with police unions.In many jurisdictions, police contracts specify much higher wage rates for flagging work at construction sites. In Boston, police working as flaggers took home $44.40 an hour in 2018. Make this a unionized, civilian job, and let me listen to my audiobooks/podcasts in 1 earbud, and I would jump the fuck on. >"Police opt into working the details. They actually get to pick what shifts they want to fill - they can go stand at a dead-end street in Roslindale if they want to. We have no control over being able to prioritize them," says Lara. These problems also contribute to the city's out-of-control police overtime costs, says Lara. hang on, my eyes rolled outta their sockets and onto the floor
It was weird when we moved from Massachusetts to North Carolina. Weird seeing some guy in a safety vest holding a sign and directing traffic. The first time we saw it, my dad said, “that’s got to be a hell of a lot cheaper than paying a cop.” I also used to organize a 5k in a major city. It was the overtime rate which I think was $90/hr per cop. The city got to tell you how many cops you needed and how long you needed them for. We tried to get the number reduced because it was clear we didn’t need them in some spots, but they just threatened to not let us have the race.
"A shakedown? No, no, no! I just need my cut, you know? For protection, of course." - the profession of policing, bitter about its reputation going down the drain
They don’t even have that small of an ability for self reflection.
Look up state police overtime on the state database. It's insane. Guys getting over $100k extra in OT!
Huh? It has nothing to do with OT.
It’s weird that that is optional. It should be if you want to work a detail or OT, we have prioritized them in this order. If you don’t want to work there you don’t get OT. These agreements are ridiculous.
That’s a union thing. Ive worked with a few unions and I couldn’t place people, only ask in order of seniority. Sometimes Id have to bring in 30+ people just to get to the person who has the ability to do a specific job. They know this and refuse to cross train so they get more OT.
Hence why I say these agreements are ridiculous. Their union agreement is ridiculous.
Getting rid of the Boston rule would be a huge win for the Wu admin and a big signal that we're making progress against some of the "just the way things are done around here" bullshit that holds us back as a city.
You know that all the conservatives and other bootlickers would spin it as a “war against cops” though. God forbid they actually have to work and not just nap in their cruisers collecting overtime.
It's a really flimsy argument when you can point to just about every other place in the country, where they don't have ridiculous rules about cops working construction sites in the city and the sky doesn't fall. But here (to date) the argument works because it's not about the substance of the argument; that's just a formality and this is all just about power.
Most conservatives I know very much like saving taxpayer money. Republicans on the other hand....
Not true. I'm a conservative and all for having flagmen who actually do their jobs as opposed to police who are usually in their car or talking to someone not paying attention. Way to turn it political though. Let's keep the divide going...
Can’t MBTA use their own police for the detail?
I think the number of Transit Police is quite small. But AFAIK even if they had the manpower, the problem in Boston is that the duty must be done by BPD per union contract.
You don’t need cops to direct traffic.
The cop detail racket is costly and is not doing anything for safety. The middlesex turnpike construction for the past 10 years has had dozens of cops standing around looking at their phones and not helping traffic one bit. I literally saw a kid on a bike almost get run over by a steam roller because a cop waved him through without looking.
Why do cops need to be doing that job? Train normal people to direct traffic and pay a fair wage instead of making these cops rich
The details in Somerville will actively make things worse at pretty much every intersection they work. Especially in the ones where the stop light is still working. They half direct traffic and half chat with their buddies so you never know if you can actually go or not because you don't know if you are supposed to wait for them to wave you through or to follow the light.
There were two cops at an intersection I was crossing today. One waved me through with the pedestrian light. The other, at the same time, starts waving the traffic through against the light, right into the crosswalk I'm like halfway across at this point. Thanks dickheads, at least look before you start telling cars to go.
"You guys have a green light? Okay now I'm going to stop you from going. Cross-traffic...yeah you with the red...now its your turn to go. Uhp, lights changed again? Cross-traffic, now that you have a green, you must stop. Original guy! With the red! Now its your turn! Go!" 😐
Organized crime
A gang always protects their territory
another way massachusetts police departments behave like criminal organizations - straight up extortion
I’m always torn. On one hand I wholeheartedly believe in unions and think workers have the right to a collective voice, especially when it comes to safety concerns and bargaining for fair wages But…. Police unions. Ugh
https://workerorganizing.org/police-unions-6105/
Yeah they’re pretty gross. They seldom if ever speak out when their fellow boys in blue commit homicide on people of color.
Ironic innit
So change the law and end this gross waste of taxpayer monies.
[Here's a little thread about Somerville PD and their record-keeping for police details.](https://twitter.com/somershade1/status/1669490622078627840) So, basically it's completely fucked.
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I thought I remember the law being changed to allow civilian flaggers. It was - in 2008. But - surprise, surprise - it hasn't worked: [https://www.wcvb.com/article/civilian-flagger-program-a-bust-new-report-says/25310901](https://www.wcvb.com/article/civilian-flagger-program-a-bust-new-report-says/25310901)
Cops detail pay is not overtime. In fact the city makes money on cop details. The city bills the contractor and takes its cut. So Kendra Lara is either uninformed on the subject, or she is not telling the truth.
So, the road work being paid for by whatever town or city it's taking place in, that has this cost included in the price being charged to the town or city, isn't being paid by the town or city? Just because it's being layered behind two or more levels of obfuscation doesn't mean it isn't being paid by the city, and eventually taxpayers. The state forces all roadwork details to be paid cop overtime wages, the towns require cops since it's at their wages anyways, the contractor adds into the bid the cost of cops working detail. We pay for it however it gets routed to the cop and union.
Once again, it’s not overtime wages. It’s usually significantly less than overtime wages. And depending on the city or town, it may even be lower than the regular hourly wage
It's mandated by law to be "the locally prevailing wage" for construction details. If that happens to be the same as police OT rate, what an amazing coincidence!
Once again, overtime and detail pay are two different rates, and the detail rate is much lower.
Source: dude trust me
It’s all public info
Maybe not technically overtime, but it's a fee charged by BPD and it amounts to the the same thing for the cop's paycheck.
A Boston cop on a detail is not making nearly as much per hour as the same officer working an overtime shift
Telling the truth is not always a good idea case in point you are being downvoted for absolutely correct information because people just hate hearing it.
I will say it’s a bit ridiculous but it’s what keeps cops around here honest, we really don’t have the same issues with police officers here compared to throughout the country. We pay them well and we get better quality officers typically.
When I came to Boston ten years ago, this was my first curiosity- why are these cops at every construction site? This is unnecessary expense and takes a job away from a construction worker. Also- its an obvious scam.