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July 14, 2010
Statement from
Edward R. Brannigan
President
Fraternal
Order of Police - New Jersey State Chapter
The New Jersey
Fraternal Order of Police respectfully but vigorously disagrees with Senate President Steve Sweeney's recent remarks that
laying off police officers does not constitute a "state of emergency" under the recently enacted 2% statutory cap
on municipal spending.
The loss of police officers has a direct impact on public safety, especially during this
period of heightened concern over terrorism. Just today we were reminded that we must remain vigilant against terrorism.
Police officers in Newark discovered a vehicle carrying what appears to be gasoline containers connected by wires to a device.
The vehicle was parked under a railroad pass that carries Amtrak and NJ Transit trains.
Our nation's terrorism
threat level is Elevated, which means there is a significant risk of terrorist attacks. Laying off police officers during
what is essentially a state of emergency will leave the public more vulnerable to both terrorism and domestic crime and should
be regarded as exempt from the new cap law.
When government can't combat crime and protect its citizens from
terrorism because of a lack of police officers, that obviously constitutes a state of emergency.
We take issue
with Senate President Sweeney's remarks while also appreciative of his successful efforts to prevent an amendment to the
state constitutional that would have strictly capped municipal spending. We are similarly appreciative of his work to
permit the public to override with a simple majority vote a statutorily imposed spending cap.
The NJFOP strongly
opposed any changes to the original 4% cap and its 14 exceptions, and worked with Senate President Sweeney on the compromise
only when it became clear that legislative approval for a newer and stricter cap was inevitable.
Steve Eckel
for
Police and Fire Retirement System
Pension
Trustee
"Your State Lodge Representative"
There is No Substitution for Experience...
EXCEPT
COMPLACENCY
2/26/2010
POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS TO GOVERNOR CHRISTIE: KEEP YOUR WORD; HANDS OFF
BINDING ARBITRATION
(Trenton, NJ, February 26, 2010) -- The Fraternal Order of Police - New Jersey State
Lodge and the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey - AFL-CIO today called on Governor Christie to stay true
to his word and leave unchanged the state's binding arbitration system for municipal police officers and firefighters.
"Our board met personally with then-candidate Christie on September 3, 2009, and he looked into our eyes and
promised he wouldn't touch the binding arbitration system," said Edward R. Brannigan, president of the NJFOP.
"We're asking that now-Governor Christie keep his word and not disrupt the only means of ensuring a fair playing
field between police officers and municipalities."
Binding arbitration is a process for labor and management
to resolve contract disputes. Unlike other labor groups, police officers and firefighters are prohibited by law from
striking. Without the ability to strike, binding arbitration is the only means police officers and firefighters have
to negotiate a fair contract.
"The legislature revised the binding arbitration process in 1996 by imposing
new arbitrator guidelines that help management and giving arbitrators leeway in crafting an agreement," said Dominick
Marino, president of the PFANJ.
Municipalities already benefit from safeguards built into the arbitration process,
including permitting arbitrators to consider the financial status of a municipality before rendering a decision.
"Binding arbitration forces management and labor to reach an agreement," said Marino. "During the last
five years there have been just seventeen firefighter arbitration rulings, which is only about three each year. The
famous phrase 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it" certainly applies here. Binding arbitration works.
The arbitration process compels both sides to settle and with only three binding arbitration rulings a year, the process must
be working."
"It was unsettling to read that the governor suggested changes to the binding arbitration
system before a gathering of mayors," continued Brannigan. "Men and women throughout our state put their lives
in jeopardy daily to protect our communities from crime, and they deserve to be treated honestly and respectfully. They
deserve the governor to keep his word."
The Fraternal Order of Police is the world's largest organization
of sworn law enforcement officers, with more than 318,000 members in more than 2,100 lodges. The FOP is the voice of those
who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving our communities. It is committed to improving the working conditions of
law enforcement officers and the safety of those we serve through education, legislation, information, community involvement,
and employee representation.
The Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey is the state organization
for the International Association of Firefighters, which represents over 292,000 firefighters in the United States and Canada.
# # #
Contact:
New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police
Edward R. Brannigan
(609) 599-1222
Professional Firefighters
Association of New Jersey
Dominick Marino
(609) 396-9766
02/23/2010
Senate Passes Bills on Pension, Health Care and Retiree Benefits
As
reported last week in Update 2/18/10, these bills have a drastic impact on current employees. The
State Senate voted 36-0 to pass these bills yesterday. There were 4 abstentions. The State Lodge is working diligently
to protect your hard earned benefits. President Brannigan and State Lodge Legislative Committee Chairman Steven Demofonte
have met with legislative leaders and offered suggestions to save our members benefits while at the same time providing reforms
to save taxpayer money. The State Senate ignored these suggestions. The State Senate chose not to accept
the resposibility of government and instead placed the blame on the hard working employees. Our members have paid 8.5%
of their base pay to their pensions all these years, honorably bargained for health benefits, and in many of these cases
contribute towards their costs. The State Senate has mandated that decades of collective bargaining be tossed aside.
For the State Senate to do this after the state has not make any of its required payments for 11 of the last 15 years
is outrageous!
Your legislators in the State Assembly need to hear from our
members immediately to stop this attack on your rights.
12/01/09
Today's editorial in The Star-Ledger points out significant limitations to the Attorney General's new policy permitting police officers use
of so-called stun guns. Only one officer on an entire department is permitted to use a stun gun if the department's
municipality has fewer than 25,000 residents. For municipalities with at least 75,000 residents, only four officers
are permitted to use stun guns.
The Star-Ledger's editorial accurately describes the shortcomings of the new
policy. Although it is a step forward, the new policy is far too small a step.
For several years the New Jersey
Fraternal Order of Police has been the leading advocate for equipping police officers with a non-lethal alternative to firearms.
Your NJFOP will continue to work with the outgoing and incoming administrations to ensure that New Jersey's police officers
have access to the latest and most effective tools necessary to perform their duties while minimizing serious injury to suspects.
Fraternally,
Edward R. Brannigan
President
New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police
Nover 12, 2009
Updated 11/12/09
Leadership
When It Counts!
National Fraternal Order
of Police President Chuck Canterbury credited New Jersey State Lodge President Edward Brannigan and Massachusetts State Lodge
President Arney Larson with the final victory in opposing the invitation of a convicted terrorist leader to sit on a panel
discusssion. Ray Levasseur's "United Freedom Front" was responsible for countless bombings and bank robberies.
One of its members killed New Jersey State Trooper Phillip Lamonaco. The F.O.P. urged all its members to
join with President Brannigan in sending letters of opposition to Chancellor Robert C. Holub University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
President's Brannigan and Larson were "diligent and determined in their demand to keep a convicted terrorist
from subverting the values of our impressionable youth."
July 23, 2009
Chuck Canterbury, national president of the Fraternal
Order of Police, today released the following statement in response to President Obama's comments on the Gates case.
I am very concerned
by President Obama's statement made last night in connection with the Gates matter. President Obama, in his remarks,
stated that he had not been on the scene and did not know what had happened; having said that, he then characterized the arresting
officer as having acted "stupidly".
Police officers, like all Americans, rely on President Obama's leadership
to guide us through an extraordinarily difficult period of change in a variety of areas: to be successful in this effort,
he will need the help and support of all of us. Statements of this nature, made without the facts, do little to narrow
the void of distrust that too often separates the community from the men and women who work to keep it safe.
Sergeant
James Crowley and the men and women of the Cambridge Police Department have our full support as they work their way through this matter.
In
the short time he has been in office, President has taken a number of steps which have been very well received by the law
enforcement community, such as additional funding for law enforcement grants, rejuvenation of the COPS Program, and a strong
commitment to the Public Safety Officers Benefit Program, to name just a few. The President's Justice Department
and Department of Homeland Security have actively solicited our counsel on public safety issues.
I
have advised the White House and the Justice Department of my disappointment with the remarks, and look forward to an appropriate
resolution.
President Canterbury's statement is also available on the Grand Lodge website.
Sincerely,
Edward R. Brannigan
President
Fraternal Order of Police - New Jersey State Lodge
NJ FOP Announces Plans for Next Annual George Bowman Survivors Fund Golf Classic
(Trenton, NJ) -- The Fraternal Order of Police - New Jersey State Lodge (NJFOP)
announces that registration and sponsorship opportunities are open for annual George Bowman Survivors Fund Golf Classic, Monday,
August 3, 2009 at the Burlington Country Club, 170 Burrs Rd., Mount Holly. The George Bowman Survivors Fund is a fund organized
by the NJFOP, intended to compensate the survivors and immediate families of police officers killed in the line of duty.
Named after veteran Pennsauken Patrolman George Bowman, who lost his life on duty in 1995, the Fund recognizes the commitment
of law enforcement personnel to survivors' rights and benefits. The George Bowman Survivors Fund encompasses several events
connecting FOP lodges throughout the state. After 9/11, Fund monies were stretched to the breaking point as they supported
the survivors of Port Authority Police personnel lost that day. The cost is $175 inclusive of lunch, golf and dinner for the
day. The NJFOP is offering sponsorships at several different levels. The deadline for ordering a sponsorship is July
15, 2009. Donations to the George Bowman Survivors Fund are tax-deductible, and all of the proceeds from the golf tournament
will go the Fund. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.njfop.org or contact Steve Szypulski at 609-599-1222.
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