Police to challenge sheriff (Frederick, MD)

FrederickNewsPost ^ | 7-5-07 | Kate Leckie

[JZelle]

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 102, which represents the deputies of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, plans to fight Sheriff Chuck Jenkins' moonlighting policy in court.

Set to take effect Sunday, the policy prohibits the county's roughly 175 deputies from wearing their sheriff's office uniforms or having their patrol vehicles with them while doing secondary security jobs, practices that have been permitted for more than a dozen years.

The decision to take legal action occurred Thursday night during a special meeting in Middletown called by FOP President William Folden to discuss the new policy.

"After full deliberations, a motion was made to undertake all necessary legal action to prevent the new policy from staying in effect," Patrick J. McAndrew, the FOP's lawyer, said Friday.

The decision was unanimous among the 34 deputies who voted, McAndrew said. Two of 36 deputies who attended the meeting abstained.

Deputies who do secondary employment did not sway the vote. Of 28 deputies who participate in secondary employment, five attended the 2 1/2-hour meeting, McAndrew said.

[Gay State Conservative]

I’m not sure that I disagree with the Sheriff here.Imagine the lawsuit that could be brought against the Sheriff’s Dept by the family of some shoplifter that was being chased by an off-duty...but still in uniform...deputy if the shoplifter trips and falls during the chase and dies or suffers some sort of brain injury.

[magslinger]

Set to take effect Sunday, the policy prohibits the county's roughly 175 deputies from wearing their sheriff's office uniforms or having their patrol vehicles with them while doing secondary security jobs, practices that have been permitted for more than a dozen years.

That does not seem like an unreasonable policy. How many employers would permit employees to moonlight using company uniforms and vehicle?

[BearCub]

The one and only reason for these cops to wear their uniform when doing side jobs is to make people think they are acting in their official capacity with the powers that go along with that. I’m with the Sheriff.

[herMANroberts]

I like the patrol cars and uniforms for security jobs. The company gets the upgraded look and I think it's safer for everyone involved. I wouldn't make decisions on liability issues. I would make it on public safety.

But enough about me..................he's the sheriff and he gets to set the policy. I think sheriffs are electable, if they want to fight his decisions.

[sgtbono2002]

These guys get paid a pretty good salary dont they?

Dont most of them get overtime?

It is nice to have a police car to drive home ,burning the County’s gas ,instead of your own, to get back and forth to work is a nice savings that most citizens dont get. Now they believe it is their right to drive that car to their part-time work?

I wonder how they would like it if the County started hiring rent-a-cops to do their jobs.They dont seem to mind taking the jobs from the rent-a-cops.
I would venture to say that these guys get paid a lot better for their part-time work than most of the other Wal-Mart workers. From their reaction to the Sherriff’s new rule it must be pretty lucrative. Do they expect an injury while arresting a thief to be considered “Line of Duty” and the County pays the freight?.

Now I realise that its nice to have a professional cop on the job to stop the pilfering,but is it really professional for the County’s police force to be renting themselves out as guards for shoplifters?

This isnt about safety and a back up for on-duty officers,its about lucrative part-time work for police officers. No matter how the FOP plays it,it comes
back to M-O-N-E-Y. If they need to work part-time they should shoot for more money,or go out and find a job laying bricks or painting like the rest of us have to do.

[perez24]

I’m not a deputy, but I do know Frederick County deputies do not make a ton of dough, particularly when you take into account that Frederick is not a cheap place to live compared to most of the country. It’s cheaper than most of the DC area, but not in comparison with bigger cities in other regions. Secondary is probably a large supplement to their salaries.

That being said, I agree with the sentiment that the sheriff sets the policies and if he doesn’t want them wearing uniforms on secondary then they can’t. If they don’t like it, they can vote for the other guy next time.

I also think that the FOP might have endorsed his opponent last year...but I could be wrong.

[-=SoylentSquirrel=-]

In Houston it seems every cop moonlights. They guard buildings, direct traffic (for private entities), and work security in clubs.

You can tell the ones in the clubs are moonlighting because they oftentimes have a cocktail in their hand.

I may be wrong though; this is a weird town for law enforcement, in that there are multiple overlapping jusidictions all interacting and in the same area: Houston Police, Houston METRO police, Sheriffs, etc.; and I still haven't wrapped my brain around the constable's specific task. Before I moved to Texas I thought constables were extinct, something from olde England. I was wrong.

[sgtbono2002]

No person working in public service is likely to get rich.

But just think what it would cost if the State road guys could take their trucks home. What if Firefighters got to drive the Fire truck or the Ambulance home.

Taking their vehicles home with them is a great perk.

[perez24]

A “company car,” whether it’s a sedan or a police cruiser is a nice benefit I will admit. I just wish one of deputies who drive the car home lived on my cul-de-sac and parked the car out front every night!!!

[sgtbono2002]

Buy a K-9 and a Glock and be your own cop. LOL