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Pewaukee Police No More

I’m going to come off as a real jackass on this one, but what’s new?

Thursday was the apparent end of the line for the department, which no longer exists as of 11 p.m. Dec. 31. That’s when the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department began providing police services.

In a contentious decision, city officials voted to abolish the department and contract with the Sheriff’s Department. It was a move they say helps plug a big budget hole by saving at least $800,000 in 2010 as well as ends years of turmoil within the Police Department.

The police officers union is challenging the department’s dissolution in court. But it was unable to temporarily stop the city from disbanding the department while the state appeals court hears the case.

There was no fanfare Thursday, just quiet professionalism as officers and other department employees wrapped up their final shifts.

“It’s just a pretty somber mood,” Officer Craig Siegel, a seven-year veteran, said Thursday afternoon. “A lot of people have given a lot to this community and this department. And then to have your efforts being looked at and felt that there’s a better value someplace else, it’s disappointing.”

[...]

“It’s hard to feel bad about leaving a place that doesn’t want you,” said Fredericks, a 14-year veteran with the department.

Nobody likes and appreciates cops more than I do.  It’s a hard job.  And it really sucks to lose your job.  But stop the whining.  It’s not personal.  It happens.  Also, police officers do a lot for the community, but they don’t necessarily “give” it when they are on duty.  The community is paying them to do it.  They sell their services to their employer just like everyone else.  When they volunteer on their own time like everyone else, that’s when they are giving to the community.  Let’s not pretend that it’s all give and no receive.

On the bright side, it looks like many of them have a great attitude and are ending up in greener pastures. 

Officers like him who got jobs with the Sheriff’s Department are looking forward to working for their new employer, which offers comparable wages but a better benefits package, Fredericks said.

“Everybody who is going to the Sheriff’s Department is excited about the opportunity. Everybody’s been very optimistic,” said Lt. John Kopatich, with the city department since 1997 and now hired by the Sheriff’s Department.

“It’s the end of this department, but I think it’s opened up opportunities that are going to allow people to expand their professional career. They have more supervisor positions than we do, so there’s going to be more in regard to advancement that way. They have a bigger detective bureau, so there’s more opportunity that way,” said Kopatich.

Posted by Owen at 1728 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

1. I’m going to keep this simple and say that I think you took “give” a little to literally, Owen.  Of course there is a give and take.  But most police officers often leave more of themselves with the community than they receive in pay or intangibles.

   Posted by Jib on January 02, 2010 at 0047 hrs
   
   
   

2. Whatever Jib…  If cops don’t think they are well paid… walk away…

   If cops leave more of themselves then they receive in pay.  Wise-up and make a better investment in a career…

   Everyone who gets up in the morning, drops a couple legs in their pants and goes to work could make the argument that they “give more than they receive”... Its time to stop that mentality and start either seeking what you think you are worth (instead of playing the woe is me card) or appreciating what you have.  That goes for not just cops, but everyone.

   Lastly… There’s a lot more to a job than the pay.  Perhaps a dozen… perhaps a score… perhaps a hundred factors that make a job “worth” it.  No one would be a cop if the entire ‘package/lifestyle’ wasn’t worth it to them.  Cops aren’t a special class.  I understand that there are a lot of people vying for “better than you” status.  “first responders”  “cops” “firefighters”  blah blah blah…

   If your job offers you so much personal satisfaction that you think find yourself in a position of thinking your job is more valuable than others… Then count your blessings that you feel valuable…  People slinging hot tar on a roof may not get that psychological boost.  They just get a paycheck.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on January 02, 2010 at 0154 hrs
   
   
   

3. Wow, xxpilot.  That comment was only tangentially related to either the post or my comment.  Neither was about police officers not being happy with what they make or what they do.

   Posted by Jib on January 02, 2010 at 0956 hrs
   
   
   

4. Police do have a very difficult job, and I don’t think you could do it well if you weren’t dedicated. Our Germantown police do a great job with the limited resources they have.

   Frankly, if the Pewaukee department didn’t have so many personnel issues, I would bet that the vote to work with the county may not have happened. I think in part, they made their own solution.

   Those that didn’t get all broiled up in the personnel issues are probably happier working for the county.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on January 02, 2010 at 1519 hrs
   
   
   

5. Wow, xxpilot.  That comment was only tangentially related to either the post or my comment

   Let me be more succinct.

   But most police officers often leave more of themselves with the community than they receive in pay or intangibles

   I disagree. 

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on January 02, 2010 at 1849 hrs
   
   
   

6. That doesn’t say what you apparently think it does, xxpilot.  There are a lot of officers who love the job, the pay, the benefits, but for whom the job destroys their personal lives.  They see and deal with the worst in our communities every single day, and it can be tough to leave all of that at work.  That is what I mean by that quote you pulled inaccurately.

   Posted by Jib on January 05, 2010 at 0027 hrs
   
   
   

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