We will Never Surrender.

(Posted: April 30, 2012) We find it necessary to respond to State Rep. Jeff Thompson (R) of Bossier City and his attack against the SPOA in last week’s Fax-Net. We are sure that Mr. Thompson is proud of his rookie year in the legislature and has jumped in with both feet as new employees often do. 

We find it a little ridiculous that Mr. Thompson would try to call out Michael Carter, President, of the Shreveport Police Officers Association. Mr. Thompson shows a feverish pitch and tone of someone that was offended by the truth. We stand by every word in the article published by the Fax Net update, but wonder why Mr. Thompson decides to take on the local police while taking the side of ALL the politicians down in Baton Rouge? Never mind, everyone knows why he’s doing that. 

Mr. Thompson arrives on scene in Baton Rouge for his first legislative session with grand ideas and wearing his beautiful, new rose colored glasses. He assures us that there will be no bill harmful to Louisiana’s Finest passed this session. In fact, he assures us that no harmful bills have even been filed. Mr. Thompson doesn’t seem to be able to read or his comprehension level is mighty, mighty low. Apparently he hasn’t read all the bills or doesn’t understand the legislative process well enough to know that every single one of these bad pension and retirement bills are one amendment away from impacting many of his constituents who wear badges. 

Upon our first conversation with Rep. Thompson he specifically says that he wants to change the retirement systems for Louisiana Municipal Police, granting that upon that change the local councils and Mayors will simply have to pay a more competitive wage to attract police officers. Without a guarantee of that competitive wage, one of statute, then we would ask Mr. Thompson and all Louisiana Legislators to leave the defined benefit retirements intact. Another bad proposal is changing of the retirement for those with less time invested in the system (11 years or less) was one example given, and that is another bad idea. How do we call for backup on a police radio to a fellow officer in a life threatening situation asking for back-up with he or she knowing that the politicians sold their retirement out for the sake of a few bucks. Do you think they are going to make that 100 mph drive and jump into a shoot-out with criminals and risk their lives for a retirement package equal to the folks working at Wal-Mart? Police officers work together, and sometimes we die together, but we do not cut one another’s throats on a political deal. 

We do appreciate Mr. Thompson taking the time to sit down and hear our concerns while we were in Baton Rouge. We take issue with the fact that Mr. Thompson states that we have no retirement bills filed in the governor’s package that affect hazardous duty personnel. We would ask Rep. Thompson and all readers to reference HB 14 by Rep. Talbot. It is an active bill that we have repeatedly asked Mr. Talbot to withdraw. It is still active. 

We are not rookies to legislative procedure and tactics. An amendment to a bill and further amendments to amendments are long standing tradition in the political process. Sometimes cops are greatly underestimated and perceived to be naïve or ignorant to the political process. I can assure you, we are neither. We have been to this rodeo year after year since 1968. We will be there every year as long as there are police officers in Shreveport. 

I would ask Mr. Thompson and all legislators to do some research before trying to remap the entire defined benefit retirement plan. If you only look at fiscal numbers, you will clearly miss the common sense issues of someone that is researched in the field. We keep hearing the word “portability” in retirement. We understand that the civilian world works upon that system and has for many years. That system is not applicable to Louisiana Civil Service, specifically Fire and Police. We are set in a strict and unforgiving departmental seniority promotional system that begins on our hire date and carries thru the entire tenure of a police officer’s career. Everything is based upon a long term, solid commitment, by every man and woman that takes the oath and dons a badge in the State of Louisiana. Without detailed knowledge of Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 33, no legislator should be allowed to file a bill in reference to Municipal Police Officer’s in this State. Without that knowledge, they are simply not capable or competent to affect a positive change for law enforcement families statewide. 

We acknowledge, as we have for years that MPERS and its management needs a major overhaul. Elected leaders like Mr. Thompson need to do their homework and read the long standing confrontations SPOA has had with MPERS publicly and in the press. We have begged legislators to fix MPERS for years. However, the legislators continue to blame the non voting police officers on the streets everyday, for the fiscal disaster that was brought on by the board of only a few. We have expressed our concerns to every legislator and continue to do so. We have also been the only police association to ask for, and receive a meeting with the Governor’s staff in regards to correcting the mismanagement of our defined benefit retirement plan. 

We have done our research and have found many defined benefit retirement plans in other States as close as Arkansas that have thrived with strong fiscal management even during our hardest financial times. Again, more research into the problem, and not a statewide money grab, would yield a greater collaborative result for all involved.

Finally, Mr. Thompson mentioned or praised the legislature’s current bend toward “reform” for teachers and educators statewide. We remind him and all legislators that not all constituents feel that their so called “reform” bills will have positive effects. They will be evaluated over the next four years, and a reckoning will come. The teachers are angry and they should be. Lawmakers, who know think they know everything, fail to seek input from subject matter experts that have spent lifetimes in their field of expertise. When the time comes, they will have their voice heard. 

I will say to Rep. Jeff Thompson, and all Louisiana legislators that we (the police) are not prone to being bullied by ink or by legislation. We fight for a living, and we are survivors for a reason. We survive the criminals on the streets trying to take away our life and we survive the politicians the government trying to take away our retirement because unlike the criminals and politicians we stand tall for good every day. The vast majority of Louisianans admire men and women who risk their safety everyday for people they don’t even know. We will watch every bill; we will attack every bill that attempts to hurt the future of our families. We will never surrender to those timid, go-along, get-along souls who are afraid to stand and fight for what is right. Back to Top

Anti-retirement bills hurt police families

(Posted: April 15, 2012)

SHREVEPORT-Surviving spouses and children of fallen Louisiana law officers could soon be robbed of benefits if any of the proposed anti-retirement bills are passed by the state legislature in Baton Rouge and signed into law.

"This is just another by-product of a hate-filled legislative session aimed at hurting law enforcement families," said Corporal Michael Carter, President of the Shreveport Police Officers Association. According to Carter the politically popular bills that propose changing law enforcement retirements from a defined contribution system funded by both officer and public contribution to a 401K savings account would only give the surving spouse and children of a slain police officer the money that had accumulated in the savings plan.

"While an officer was taking their last breath on this earth, they believed their family would be provided for, they believed the promises we made to them when they raised their hands and took the oath to serve and protect their fellow citizens would be kept if they were called upon to give the ultimate sacrifice and give their lives in the line of duty. These politicians are going back on their word to the fallen heroes of this state," said Carter.

Currently, under Louisiana law, the surviving families of slain law enforcement officers eventually receive the full amount of the earned retirement of the fallen officer. It is placed into a trust that produces interest and other accumulative funds that pay out over time to the fallen officer's surviving family.

"Another slap in the face by those who want to steal from the hardworking men and women of Louisiana law enforcement while hording taxpayer dollars for themselves and their pet, political projects," he said.

While Carter has spent time this session in the Louisiana state Capitol he says he hasn't found one lawmaker who has been able to justify changing the state's retirement and pension system for officers.

"The politicians have it in their heads that a police officer's retirmeent is some kind of welfare program. Instead, it's an investment in the people who embody and carry out the economic development of this state," he said. "You can't recruit businesses to Louisiana if you don't have cops protecting the investments.

"Police officers are part of the solution. We work hard, we protect the communities, families and businesses of this state. We do this stressful, dangerous, job working for less in the public sector, giving our lives in the process--and pay into our retirment systems twice. First, as a taxpayer and then, directly from our paycheck each week as a participant in the system," stated Corporal Carter.

Carter says most officers see their current retirement system as being very small and cost effective for the taxpayers and believes law officers across the state are bewildered by the current political environment and do not understand why political leaders would choose to hurt them. Back to Top

POLICE OFFICERS ARE FIGHTING BACK AGAINST THE POLITICIANS SEEKING TO DESTROY WORKING OFFICERS' RETIREMENTS

(Posted: March 26, 2012)

BATON ROUGE-The Shreveport Police Officers Association leaders are in the state Capitol this week asking lawmakers not to destroy police officer’s retirement in Louisiana.

"Police officers fund their own retirement twice,” said Corporal Michael Carter, President of the SPOA. “We fund it first by contributing directly from our paycheck and then we contribute again as local taxpayers.”

“There seems to be a national trend of millionaire, political contributors pushing an anti-police officer agenda when it comes to our very modest retirement incomes. I guess some folks have forgotten that we help fund our own retirement plan and we won’t be eligible for social security and other retirement benefits,” said Carter.

“Louisiana police officers face a world of violence and crime every time we put on the uniform and walk out the door to face another dangerous shift,” stated Carter, president of the 500-plus member union representing rank and file officers in Shreveport.

Particularly troubling to law enforcement officers is the political rhetoric and legislative intent of Governor Bobby Jindal and measures sponsored by State Representatives Kevin Pearson and Kirk Talbot as well as State Senator Barrow Peacock.

“Proposed legislation that destroys a law enforcement officer’s already small retirement plan is an insult to the job we do and the wealth we help create for thousands of businesses across the state,” said Carter.

Carter says the Executive Board of the SPOA plans to see each lawmaker or their staff this week. Back to Top