July 28, 2010
My fellow officers and friends:
By now you have probably seen the news reports concerning possible misconduct by our department leadership.
Shortly after Hurricane Alex hit, it was brought to the Board’s attention that a Commander had ordered on-duty city maintenance workers to take sandbags to his personal residence and the personal residence of our Chief of Police. The information came directly from the maintenance personnel themselves. The Board feels that this information was true and accurate. As a Board, we contacted CLEAT for guidance concerning the issue and they have provided direction and support for us every step of the way.
The Brownsville Police Officers’ Association and CLEAT’s decision to call this matter to the attention of the Grand Jury Foreperson, the District Attorney and City Manager's was twofold. First, it appears that a few top Brownsville Police Department officials are using their position and authority to direct public resources for their personal benefit. It is morally wrong, and possibly illegal, for any police department official to use city workers and/or property for anything other than the benefit of our citizens, whose tax dollars support these workers and property.
Second, the administration has reminded us time and time again that as police officers, we are held to a higher standard. The elected representatives of your Brownsville Police Officers’ Association feel the same must apply to our management leadership. If any other officer had taken the same actions they did, there would be hell to pay – the officer would most likely already be on paid leave while the investigation was ongoing, and the administration would not think twice about it.
Our decision to report the misconduct, with the guidance of CLEAT, was not taken lightly; and it was the right decision. We agonized over it as a board, but in the end, realized that we had no other choice but to take action. The board voted unanimously to move forward with the assistance of CLEAT.
Remember: Nobody is above the law, no matter how long they have been an officer, nor how high in rank they are. As a matter of fact, the higher in rank they are and the longer they have served, the more accountable they should be. Also, please remember that it is the duty of the Brownsville Police Officers’ Association to uphold the law as well as the rights of its members.
We appreciate all the support we have been getting from you, the members. Please know that we are doing the best job we can and will continue to do so. We will be holding a General Meeting as soon as this situation clarifies itself at the Grand Jury. We will post the date, time and location on the bulletin board at the main PD and I will also follow up with an email with the information. CLEAT representatives will also be attending the meeting and we will answer any questions that you may have.
Respectfully,
Kurt Hines, President
Written on Wednesday, 28 July 2010 17:02 by Kurt Hines