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APRIL 1, 2015
VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1
About the Newsletter
This past year the DC Police Union has worked hard to inform its members about Union
news, upcoming Union events, and issues affecting our membership. We have created
a new website – www.DCPoliceUnion.com – and updated our social media presence to
give our members every opportunity to learn more about how they can get involved.
While our work is far from over, we will continue to take steps to maintain a high level of
transparency and update our membership about the latest news and events.
We believe that our Union is at its strongest when our entire membership is actively
involved and informed about the road ahead… CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Being the Police
Online Presence
By: Delroy Burton, Chairman
By: Gregg Pemberton, CID Shop
Steward
During the past year, it has been a privilege
and an honor to represent the members of
the DC Police Union locally, nationally and
internationally.
As most of you are keenly aware, policing in
the United States is under attack.
Politicians, members of the media, and
activists… CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
All Hands on Deck Initiative
The DC Police Union believes that All Hands
on Deck (AHOD) breaches the collective
bargaining agreement, and for this reason,
the DC Police Union has been very…
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Office of Police Complaints (OPC)
By Ucrania Paniagua-Santana, OPC
Union Representative
The Office of Police Complaints (OPC)
reviews and resolves complaints filed by
civilians
against Metropolitan Police
Department Officers… CONTINUED ON
PAGE 3
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One of the chief complaints I've heard over
the years is that the union wasn't keeping
its members informed. I used to agree
with this sentiment wholeheartedly,
however, under the leadership of
Chairman Burton and the insight of
Secretary Marinos, the union has made
great strides in transparency and has
finally moved into the 21st century. The
DC Police Union now has an amazing
online presence… CONTINUED ON PAGE
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Court Automated Notification
System (CANS)
Have you or a coworker been subpoenaed
by a defense attorney via CANS because
of your official duties as DC Metropolitan
Police Officer? If so, the DC Police Union
believes you should be compensated in
accordance with the contract and the law.
Recently, the DC Police Union learned…
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Arbitration Updates……….....pg. 4
Health Benefits Update.......pg. 4
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About the Newsletter
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1… It is for this
reason that we have compiled our first
Newsletter of the year. By addressing the
All Hands on Deck Initiative, Court
Automated Notification System, Office of
Police Complaints, the Union’s progress,
and the state of policing in our country, this
documents recaps this past year’s events
and offers insight about the road ahead.
We hope you enjoy reading the Newsletter
and reference it if there is ever a need.
Thank you for the work you do as police! We
hope that you will continue to be active
members of our Union, and you check out
our Facebook and Twitter pages, which we
regularly update throughout the day.
Online Presence
By: Gregg Pemberton, CID Shop
Steward
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1… Not only can
you stay informed through mainstream
social media like Facebook and Twitter, you
can also visit our flagship website at
DCPoliceUnion.com. The site has a public
page with tons of information (including an
interactive crime mapping app), but more
importantly, it has a private members side
that contains mountains of data like pay
scales, information about raises, links to
media articles about legal action with the
department, the most up-to-date facts
regarding all the hot button issues affecting
us, and tons of other relevant resources the
union can provide, from health benefits to
personal legal assistance. Please make it a
point to like, follow, and bookmark our new
lines of communication. It's the easiest way
to stay up-to-date and get involved. And we'd
also love to hear your feedback. See you
there!
Being the Police
By: Delroy Burton, Chairman
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1… are using
speculation, false information and race to
widen existing divides and deepen distrust
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between minority communities and the
police departments that serve and
protect them. Often those are the same
communities experiencing the highest
levels of crime and need police services
the most.
It is with this as a backdrop that I want all
of you to remember why you became
police officers in the first place. The pride
you felt upon graduation, and the oath we
all swore to protect and defend the
constitution of the United States against
all enemies foreign and domestic and to
administer the law in a just, impartial, and
reasonable manner is what matters most.
In time of crisis when our collective
impartiality, integrity and judgment is
being challenged and defamed, it is more
important than ever that we remember
our oath and our duty to administer the
law impartially in the face of provocation.
Please remember that although there are
very loud anti-police voices at the moment,
the vast majority of Americans appreciate
and support your efforts to keep them
and their families safe.
Thank you all for everything you do and
please be careful.
All Hands on Deck Initiative
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1… active and
aggressive in fighting the AHOD Initiative.
See below for a complete list of the steps
the DC Police Union has taken:
2009: The DC Police Union filed a Class
Grievance and prevailed in arbitration. The
MPD did not appeal the Arbitrator’s
decision. The MPD and the Union are
scheduled to return to the Public
Employees Review Board (PERB), so the
PERB can determine what type of
payments should be ordered for the
Enforcement Order in DC Superior Court.
2010: The DC Police Union filed a Class
Grievance
and
prevailed
in
arbitration.
The MPD delayed its
obligations to provide members with
compensation that they are dues under
the award by appealing the decision to the
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2… Public
Employee Relations Board (PERB). PERB
upheld the arbitrator's decision and
award. Despite not appealing the PERB's
decision any further, the MPD has failed to
provide members with the compensation
provided for in the award, forcing the Union
to file a Petition for Enforcement of the
Award with PERB. The DC Police Union has
also filed a grievance for interest on this
overdue award under Article 46.
2011: The DC Police Union filed a Class
Grievance and prevailed in Arbitration and
was upheld by the PERB Board. However,
MPD appealed PERB’s decision, which is
currently pending on appeal in DC Superior
Court.
2012: The DC Police Union filed a Class
Grievance and is awaiting a date for
arbitration.
2013: The DC Police Union filed a Class
Grievance and is awaiting a date for
arbitration.
2014: The DC Police Union filed a Class
Grievance and is awaiting a date for
arbitration.
Court Automated Notification
System (CANS)
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1… that
members attending court as the result of a
subpoena issued by the Department via
CANS at the request of a non-government
attorney (for duty related testimony) will not
be compensated in accordance with the
Time and Attendance General Order
206.01.
The Department’s failure to
properly compensate members for court
attendance relies on a General Order that
was unilaterally imposed upon our members
without bargaining as required by our
Contract and District law. That bargaining
demand is still pending and will be
addressed in the future.
The General Order improperly requires
members ordered to court by the
Department to accept a “witness fee check
or voucher” if the CANS is from a nongovernment attorney. Remember that a
CANS subpoena is the same as those
issued by prosecutors mandating your
attendance in court. The Department’s
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attempt to make a distinction between
the two is improper and designed as a
cost saving measure at the expense of
our members; particularly when the
CANS
are
for
off-duty
court
appearances. The Department is
required to compensate members
according to the contract and
applicable to the law when its members
are summonsed, subpoenaed or
ordered to court by prosecutors using
CANS, but the Department refuses to
do the same when members are legally
subpoenaed
by
non-government
attorneys for duty related testimony.
In the future if this occurs, or if you have
been subjected to this practice, we
encourage you to contact your Chief
Steward and file a grievance.
Office of Police Complaints
(OPC)
By Ucrania Paniagua-Santana, OPC
Union Representative
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1… All DC
police officers are subject to receiving
complaints, and it is important for you
to know your rights as a police officer.
Please see the information below that
can help you deal with complaints from
OPC.
1. If you have been requested to
respond to OPC:
Notify a DC Police Union
representative of the district,
unit or division you are assigned
to. If you cannot find anyone
notify the Executive Steward
Russell Mullins or myself at
202-548-8300 or 202-2768080.
2. If you receive a Report of
Investigation Letter from OPC
and do not agree with
allegations that are being
brought forth against you:
You have approximately 15
business days to complete an
appeal to the investigation. It is
essential that if you want an
appeal done bring it to the DC
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3…
Police Union immediately and
meet with me so that we can start
your appeal.
If you have any other questions about OPC
please feel free to call me at my cell number
202-276-8080.
Arbitration Updates
1) The DC Police Union has gone to
arbitration concerning Union members
with prior DC Government time, we are
hoping to receive the decision within the
next three months. Once we are
notified we will notify the affected
members.
2) The DC Police Union is currently
working with FMCS and the MPD to
schedule an arbitration date for the
group grievance filed for the lateral
officers, whose pension contributions
were not properly ported over from
their old law enforcement agency to the
MPD’s retirement fund.
Health Benefits Update
•
Effective November 1, 2014 your
dental coverage changed.
•
If you had a HMO plan, you now have
Dominion Dental HMO. If you have
questions or have not received your
cards, please call Member Services
at 1-888-518-5338 or visit
www.DominionDental.com/UHCDe
ntal
•
If you had a PPO plan, you now have
United Healthcare PPO. If you have
questions or have not received your
cards, please call Member Services
at 1-877-816-3596 or visit
www.MYUHCDental.com (National
Options 20) CONTINUED FROM PAGE
4
•
Effective January 1, 2015 your
vision
plan
changed.
•
You now have United Healthcare
Vision. UHC does not issue cards
for this plan. Simply let your
provider know that you have
United Healthcare vision and that
it is a National Option PPO plan.
You can also visit their website
(www.MYUHCVision.com) to print
a temporary card.
If you need further assistance you can
contact the union office, Monday – Friday,
8:30 AM – 5:00 PM.