VAPBA Prince William County Chapter Update

Jul 8, 2013

A lot has been going on in the last few weeks and in the spirit of open communication, I'd like to share these and future events with you.

Two weeks ago, Hector, myself, and a chapter member-at-large, met with BOCS Marueen Caddigan.  We had a very productive meeting and I look forward to continuing the relationship with Mrs. Caddigan.  We stressed to her our ability and desire to express your thoughts and issues to her in a respectful manner, even if those thoughts aren't always positive.  We talked at length about the gaps in communication which we feel exist.

Mrs. Caddigan continues to be a driving force with the WTC Beams project.  Construction has begun and is expected to be completed in September.  We have been asked to support the project during the landscaping phase.  Your chapter board will be discussing this matter at our July meeting.  

Secondly, many members have contacted me about several issues with compensation within the PWCPD.  The concerns could be summed up as "What is the PBA going to do about....."  My answer is not as simple as the question.  We have made no statements or encouraged any actions concerning compensation changes which recently affected the PWCPD.  That does not mean we are doing nothing.  We are taking what we feel is the most responsible appropriate action that represents all members in the most favorable light.  If you feel your compensation has not been in compliance with law; follow the direction of your supervisor first, and document the situation for future reference.    

We have a meeting scheduled with the chief of PWCPD on July 19th.  It continues to be our effort to build a positive relationship with Chief of the PWCPD.  We will continue to seek the same recruiting and communication opportunities offered to other civic groups in PWC.  However, we seem to be climbing uphill on this, I remain optimistic the Chief will accept our organization and treat us in the same light as other public safety organizations operating within the county. 

Lastly, please continue to recruit.  The PBA is not the rogue group some make us out to be.  We are an open, transparent organization and we ask questions through any and all available means.  We have had a few members take advantage of our legal benefits through critical and non-critical incidents.  Please feel free to share this email and refer prospective members to our webpage at www.sspba.org .