Your story is an insult to the Police officers. I worked for the city of Twin Falls and it was no prize. I now work for the city of Boise, and I couldn’t be happier. I have no regret in my move because the city of Twin Falls has no loyalty to its employees. They use threats of firing all the time to keep a thumb on their employees. The wages there are not a livable wage and I am glad that the three officers got out. Why should anyone be stuck in a job that they don’t have to. It’s fun that you poke fun at them for leaving, but isn’t that what a free market is all about. Going where you worth is the most. My biggest beef isn’t with pay. It was job satifaction. I feel the three officers will tell you that Boise is a great police force and they can be the best the can be here. Finally You don’t really know if they were or were not sick, you take some big guesses at there expense.

No one has the right to take issue with someone taking a better job or leaving an employer which treats employees poorly. That said…what’s up with LYING about the use of sick leave. That’s the issue. We are all about ethics and honor…but we hire unethical, dishonorable, dishonest officers. Gimme a break. Truth is, these three may fit right in. Ask some BPD officers about sick leave, FMLA and taking off time when their wives have a baby some time. In fact BPD may have taught the academy class on how to scam sick leave.

So Dave, Mr. Logical, and Tam never took a mental health day?! I say our police officers, who are often overworked and underpaid for their services, deserve a few days for readying their body, mind, and spirit, and helping their family with a stressful transition, for what is probably an increased workload in the coming weeks.

Ed note–The increased workload of course would be in Boise.

Isn’t that amazing!

In a state like Idaho, with an overwhelming amount of conservatives who tout the old “personal responsibility” clap-trap, the response is so negative to a few officers who are looking for somthing to improve their lives and to ensure they can contribute to their own future. They are doing what they should do; look for a better job than the one they’ve got.

You are the one interjecting wrongdoing. You are unfairly giving weight to an employer over the employee. What if the Chief is the bad egg here?

What is missing from this argument is the actual proof these officers took any time that wasn’t coming to them. You can “suspect” anything you want. You can “suspect” your way into a corner, which you have done here.

Simply put: the poster has no argument. None.

Without proof they did anything wrong, you have no story. You are simply guessing and that is all. You are trying to shine a spotlight on the three officers and make them look bad and you are trying to make the City of Boise Police Department out to be bad guys too all without the facts.

This piece should be titled “Tarnished Journalism”. I’ve come to expect an anti-law enforcement slant from Fraz (even though he denies it; “no problem with cops, used to be one”), but this piece just stinks to high heaven.

First, to suggest that moving jobs for a $5000 bonus is somehow wrong just because these 3 are officers is absurd. Not only are they getting $5000, they’re probably getting a raise in their base salary, better benefits, a better place to live (IMHO), and the protection of a contract which they didn’t have in Twin Falls. This is not wrong; it’s the Capitalist system in action! I guarantee you there’s a reason why TFPD has lost 20% of their force to other agencies – let’s look into that if we want a real story.

Second, can someone explain to me why using all leave prior to separating from employment is wrong? I was under the assumption that once you earned leave, sick or other, it was yours to do with as you please. Obviously if they’re leaving, they won’t get to use it, so why should the city of Twin Falls get to collect the windfall? Again, those officers EARNED that time, it’s THEIRS, just like a 401k or a pension – so get off your high horses!

And finally, there’s Tam. I’ve been watching Tam’s posts for quite awhile and she’s even more anti-police than Fraz! Wow, to use the word LYING without any knowledge of the facts of this case is harsh. What makes you think any of these officers pretended to be sick? Obviously they were burning their leave. I suppose if I were to make assumptions here, it would have to be that they were in the right since the outcome was in their favor. If they were wrong or LYING, then why did the city settle? Tam automatically (and predictably) jumps to the conclusion that these three are “unethical, dishonorable, dishonest officers”. And then she disparages Boise officers for using sick leave or FMLA??? Federal Law allows husbands and wives 12 weeks for the birth of a child – so what. Tam, I’m trying to figure you out, but maybe you could help… disgruntled employee, too many tickets, relative shot by BPD, what’s the deal?? (I lean toward the first only because you seem to have a great deal of “behind the scenes” knowledge about the BPD).

This story is about a Chief who got ticked that MORE of his people were jumping ship and people are starting to look at him – the sick leave was just a weak cover story. Fraz, you of all people should be jumping up and down, happy as a clown, that we’re getting these officers. After all, aren’t you the one looking for government responsibility with our taxes? (I am!) The cost savings to the City of Boise by hiring trained and Idaho POST certified officers is HUGE! Twin Falls PD has the problem; it’s not our problem. Sorry for the long rant.

Patman2u- No disgruntlement here. You hold common misperceptions about leave time and those beliefs cost taxpayers and private employers millions each year. Sick leave is not an earned right, unless it is used for the reasons stated within policy. (you know, when you’re actually sick, have a sick child etc). You don’t get paid out for your sick leave when you sever employment. Vacation on the other hand is earned and does get paid out. The BPD issue with FMLA is not that they use it…but that they get a sick leave buy out at retirement per their contract. So it behooves them to save every hour of sick leave they can. However FMLA requires the use of sick leave and makes it mandatory if the employers policy states the use is priority. So, if I take time to have a baby (12weeks) my sick leave gets burned off first, then vacation, then leave without pay. See BPD doesn’t want to use FMLA (but they want the protections that come with it) because they want to earn the sick leave at 15 dollars an hour and get paid for it at 35 dollars an hour. Bottom line is sick leave is for sick. If I need a mental health day, I’ll likely ask for a vacation day or half day. If I’m sick or when I had kids at home, one was sick, I took a sick day. I don’t hate BPD or cops in general. I do have disdain for those who purport themselves to be held to a higher standard, in order to garner better benefits and pay than others similarly situated, but then show their true colors with a sore lack of accountability.

Patman,
I think the GUARDIAN is pretty up front about things. The Title says it all: “A Different SLANT on the news.” It also says it is opinionated. How can you complain about “bias” with that much disclosure?

Did someone comment that 99% of people call in sick when they aren’t….I’m usually in the “normal” catagory but I can honestly say that in 45 years of working I never called in sick unless I was sick. Of course, I always worked for private business where you were discouraged from even calling in dead and if you wanted to take a vacation you had best leave town or you would get called back in. Those government jobs must be pretty cushy.

Actually I think various companies and gov’t agencies have different rules and in some you earn your sick time and get paid if you don’t use it and in others you use it or lose it. This is usually stated in whatever kind of employment contract you have, or company practice which would be explained at time of hire. I think someone else commented that many companies now just lump sick and vacation together so everyone gets the same benefits, honest people and liars alike.