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http://unionresource.blogspot.com/Portland, Oregon Mayor Charlie Hale's proposal to eliminate the Portland Police Bureau union is a reason for concern.
Police officers have a right to organize and police management should not be eligible to join the union. But a primary concern is that the mayor has no authority to simply dispense with a union because he chooses to.
The way to solve the systemic problems we have with violent officers who feel they are above the law, is to arrest officers who break the law and hold them accountable for the crimes they have committed.
The problem we have is not just with rank and file officers. And the problem is not the union. The mayor, city council, and police chief need to do their jobs. When cops take the law into their own hands, they must be fired. The union cannot contradict the rule of law. Officers who murder citizens should be fired. Officers who beat up citizens, after two warnings and mandatory retraining, should also be fired. We do not need bullies on the force. This has had fatal consequences and cost Portland citizens millions of dollars.
(http://www.ThePortlandAlliance.org/policeaccountabilty)
Blaming poor management on the union is not a solution. The solution is better training and management. And the article in the Oregonian is far from objective. This statement is a flat lie. "Our dedicated lieutenants and captains overseeing the rank and file, as well as the chief and mayor overseeing them all, are accountable every day." If our police management team, the mayor, and the chief WERE accountable, we would not have cops beating up and murdering citizens at will.
Tim Flanagan, contributing editor with The Portland Alliance
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/05/hales_proposal_to_kill_the_top.html
"Hales' proposal to eliminate the top-tier police union makes sense" (NOT)
