Wichita City Manager George Kolb started his job amid the last dispute over police play, a 16-month standoff ending in 2004, so he couldn’t be judged too harshly over it. But this one will reflect on his skill at keeping the peace with the city’s labor unions, as well as on the ability of Mayor Carlos Mayans and City Council members to safeguard both the public and the budget. So far, things don’t look encouraging, with the contract now expired, officers picketing, talks deadlocked and a state mediation hearing pending. To some, the union’s demand of 6 percent sounds high and the city’s offer –a 2 percent raise, in addition to 2.5 percent merit increases — seems awfully close to 6 percent anyway. A compromise should be reachable, and soon.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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20 Comments
Cops: hate em till ya need one. They deserve way more than the city is offering. 6% is small potatos compared to the increase on the arena. Give it to them and be glad they’re there when needed. Hell, give them 10%; they’re underpaid now as it is.
How appropriate! Kolb started his job during the last police “play” (RH’s word, not mine). Wouldn’t it be providence that he lost it during this one. Notice that our fine police force has not called for a strike, and don’t give me any illegality bullshit — it’s happened many times elsewhere, legality be damned. There’s been no “sick-outs”. There’s been no intentionally slow response times.
The WPD has shown itself to be nothing but the dedicated professionals that they are. They don’t deserve a pissant 6%. They need a hell of a lot more — more pay and more officers!
Many, many officers have to have second jobs on their days off just to stay afloat financially, and support their families, even if Mom works too. But, at least, on their second jobs, they can relax a little because they don’t have to wear that bullseye on their back for every scumbag gangbanger to take aim at! But they’re still required to pack their piece and their badge, and be ready for duty on the spot 24/7.
Hey, Kolb, take one week vacation and ride two shifts with each detail and on the seventh day, you can rest, and think. You’ll need the rest, and thinking might be a brand new experience for you — you sure as hell don’t have it down so far.
WPD deserve more than 6%. I am thankful they are here. They take their jobs seriously and are there when we need them to be. They are in possible danger everyday, but that doesn’t stop them from performing their duties. We need to quit being cheap with the police and the schools and start taking money from the people who want to sit on their rears and not work and collect a check for nothing. THANK YOU WPD!!!!!!
Yup, those dounts are getting expensive, so the cops need a raise, fo sho!
Viva la Raza Blanco!!
Kolb stated that to give the PD the 6% raise it would require additional mill levies. While I would gladly pay my part of the additional monies how many would moan and groad about the extra burden?
Ian – you’re just spouting silly drivel. Please add something constructive or keep you mouth shut.
I do not consider the police to be my “friend” and I have taught my kinder that as well. All that is required to be cop is a g.e.d and a pulse and even less than that if you are a minority. Is that better, Julie?
V.L.R.B!!
Which clearly explains why Ian couldn’t even qualify as a for Rader’s old job, let alone as a Wichita Police Department rookie patrolman. Fuck off and die, you ignorant bastard. Next time Muqtata al-Sadr has a rally, stand right to him — I’ll get you a ticket. One-way.
rm, please check your email.please.
I don’t know how raises work for the police, but I can tell you how they worked in the military, they sucked.
Congress would give moderate increases on things like housing, subsistence and temporary pay items.
Congress would give extremely small increases on the base pay.
What’s the difference you say?
The difference matters for the career military person. Retired pay is calculated ONLY on the base pay which is about 50 percent to two-thirds of their actual pay.
So when it comes to retire from the service,not only does one get reduced pay because they can no longer receive housing or subsistence, they will have a base pay kept small by Congress due to miniscule pay raises.
I would imagine the Police are in the same boat with Wichita Penny Pinchers squeezing any future retirement benefits by keep their base pay raises very low.
By the way, medically retired people who are injured on active duty only get their pay calculated on their smaller base pay, not the full pay they were receiving.
Nice huh?
Just wondering how much their union dues are.
The police deserve the 6% & more. What Kolb isn’t saying is that the 2.5 benefit he claims is offered, was part of the last contract negotiated in 2004 & that doesn’t even go to the officers who have maxed out after about 14-16 years on the job. Those are the very officers we should want to keep because of their experience & dedication. What the city is really offering is the 2%. Kolb & other staff got more than that each year as a matter of course- no negotiation required.
Trace: 10-4!
10-4 rm.charlie-mike.
JM, you may be onto something. Future pension liability is not a pleasant thing to behold, from a fiscal perspective; and by trying to keep a small increase in base pay, and increasing compensation in other areas not affecting the pension, the City likely feels it is saving a lot of money in the long run.
I generally sympathize with police officers. My brother was one and I formerly participated in police training programs.
However, I feel here in Wichita, we compete with various large public fields for police officers: with teachers, firemen, military, etc.
Speaking of “first line of defense,” teachers and firemen are also in the first line of defense in Wichita.
So, in my opinion, raises for these large groups of Wichita public employees should be on par with each other.
“First line of defense”
WPD is one of the first lines do defense… Private security guards are also among the first lines of defense but we don’t have anyone out there chanting to get them more money. Most security guards make less than $10 an hour and more often than not are in more danger than traditional Police officers.
I believe some officers deserve more money but I also think WPD needs to start doing some real work.
Sitting out on Kellogg running speed traps isn’t work. Letting people go who private security guards arrest is not work. WPD has become complacent and needs to take a look at themselves and find out if they really deserve that raise or not.
My opinion, some do, but ALOT DONT.
What on earth are you talking about? First of all, comparing Police Officers to security guards is crazy. We pay Police Officers more for the qualifications they bring to the table. They are professionals. Many have a college degree and all are trained at a much higher level because they have much more responsibility.
Your comments on the “speed traps” on Kellogg make little sense as well. You need to look at the stats on how many people have been killed in traffic accidents this year. I bet it is higher than the homocide rate. I know the news has reported traffic deaths are up this year from last and many are on Kellogg where speed is a factor. As a law enforcement entity, isn’t it their job to ensure the safety of everyone in the city? They see a trend or problem and are trying to correct it.
I do not see how the Police Department has become complacent in any sense of the word. They work nights, weekends and holidays to make this city safer for our friends and families. They are true professionals that do the job for the satisfaction as much as for the pay. I think it is in our best interest to pay them a competitive salary so we can attract the best quality officers and retain the fine ones we already have.
ok Guss,
Question for you… Last week, who was the first one who responded to the robbery at Quiktrip? Who was it that the Police Tazed at that robbery?
IT WAS A SECURITY GUARD!
Who is it that is the first to respond to a fight at a club or at a concert, the security guards…
Who is it that protects the front of the stage at the concerts at riverfest or the Coliseum… Security Guards…
You say “Many have a college degree and all are trained at a much higher level because they have much more responsibility.” I call BS on you… I will say basic security guards dont have the same training, but in most cases, Advanced Guards w/ Weapons Training and/or Private Investigators have as good or better training than WPD.
WPD depends on groups, large groups of officers that travel in packs. Advanced guards are taught for one on one confrontation. They have to pass the same gun tests that WPD has to.
And in most cases, Security Guards has more rights on private property than WPD.
I see what WPD does and doesn’t do. They have been letting suspects go that Private Security arrests, just because they don’t want to do the paperwork.
Who was it at Riverfest really working? Security Guards… WPD stood around in their costumes looking like ken dolls all dressed up with no place to go…
WPD is complacent. I will stand by that A MAJORITY OF WPD DOES NOT DESERVE A RAISE until the drug dealers and gang members are off the street, not playing radar games on Kellogg.
First of all, I do not know all the details of the incident where the security guard was tased, but neither do you. It is very easy to second guess someone after the fact when you were not standing in his/her shoes. Officers have to make decisions that are sometimes difficult and with little time.
Secondly, A fight that happens inside a club is handled by a bouncer. We do not pay our Police Officers to stand inside a drinking establishment and wait for the first pair of drunks to start throwing haymakers. The same can be said for a concert or event not sponsored by the city. It is the responsiblity of a private business to provide security for an event if he/she feels the event may have problems. As far as Riverfest goes, there are many Police Officers at that event and I have seen numerous arrests made by the Police.
The training that Police Officers have far exceeds a security guards. Anything you say to try and refute this only makes you look very ignorant. The firearms and use of force training they recieve is far superior. Until you show me how many more hours a security guard gets in training than the Police, I will say you are just making it up.
The only thing I will agree with you is that private people do have more power on private property than the Police in some situations. That is only because the Police are bound by the Constitution to uphold the law in a fair manner.
Bottom line is that you are trying to compare two completly different occupations. If you want to champion a drive for better pay for security guards, go for it. Otherwise your rants here are way off base and should be withheld for a different discussion.
Kolb should put up or shut up. Let the people vote on the police raise. In Tulsa, the citizens voted for a 8% raise for police.Kolb is the highest paid City Manager in the state, how dare he say not to compare police wages to other Departments in the state.Kolb also gets $600 a month vehicle allowance from the City. What does he drive? A foreign vehicle!!! Your tax dollars!! thanks for supporting the US workers, George. You’ll be real convincing when you try to talk local businesses to not out source jobs to foreign countries in order to save jobs here! HYPOCRITE