Date: Fri 29-Aug-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

police-union-Lysaght-morale

Full Text:

Police Chief And Commission Face Sagging Department Morale

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

It has been a little over a year since Newtown Police Chief James E. Lysaght,

Jr, gave up his job as second-in-command in the Bristol Police Department to

head the Newtown department. He believes it has been a good year.

If the town's police union were to issue a report card on their new chief's

performance, however, James Lysaght would probably get a failing grade. The

union intends to poll its members in a "vote of confidence" in the chief over

the long Labor Day weekend.

The Newtown Police Union has expressed unhappiness with the way the police

department is being run, especially with the way the police chief and the

Police Commission moved together to reorganize the department without any

discussions with the rank and file police officers.

But Chief Lysaght says progress is being made in reforming the department into

a law enforcement organization that will capably deal with the challenges of

the future.

Police union spokesman Scott Rusczcyk this week claimed Chief Lysaght violates

the department's policies and procedures and also misinterprets the union's

labor contract in running the department.

Officer Rusczcyk alleges there is marked favoritism in the police department

with some officers being treated very well and others not treated well by the

chief. Officers who are favorites receive an inordinate amount of police

schooling, said Rusczcyk.

"He's trying to mold the department into what he thinks is a good department,"

Rusczcyk said. The union spokesman complained that the number of upper level

department supervisors is being cut back.

"We want him gone," the union representative said. Rusczcyk acknowledges,

however, that Chief Lysaght is at least outwardly personable.

Rusczcyk alleged that Chief Lysaght has not made the adjustment from the

Bristol Police Department to Newtown's department. Bristol is a city with over

60,000 people with a police department of about 120 men. Newtown has a

population of about 23,000 with a police department of about 35 officers.

Chief Lysaght lives in Bristol. When he was hired, the Police Commission gave

the chief until next July to move to Newtown as a condition of his employment.

"He's not the chief for us, not the chief of the future," Rusczcyk said,

noting the chief's management style has caused an air of confusion and

uneasiness among policemen.

The union's planned vote of confidence is intended to highlight the rank and

file's assessment of the chief's leadership style, according to the union

spokesman. Rusczcyk predicted that a large majority of officers would register

a vote of "no confidence" in the chief.

Rusczcyk said the union membership does not have the power to force the chief

out of office. But the union can lobby public opinion and the Police

Commission, he said. The union wants to put as much pressure as possible on

the Police Commission, he added.

Morale at the police department is low, the union spokesman said, adding that

longtime officers are depressed about the current state of affairs and younger

officers are considering moving on to other police departments, sensing they

have no future in Newtown.

The police chief continually modifies officers' duties, leaving officers

unsure of their law enforcement roles, according to Rusczcyk.

"We're upset about being mismanaged," he said, adding the department would be

better served by another police chief.

"This is deep," Rusczcyk said of police officers' unhappiness.

Union representatives have attempted to discuss their concerns with the police

chief but have not been able to make any headway in talks, Rusczcyk said.

When the chief arrived on the job in July 1996, officers were excited that

there would be new leadership at the department, Rusczcyk said, noting that

the man made a good impression on the rank and file.

But the union spokesman alleges Chief Lysaght has not accomplished much.

Rusczcyk said his views reflect those of a majority of police union members.

The police union is a "closed shop" in which all officers, except the two

highest ranking officers, are union members. The union has about 33 members.

Officers are not treated equitably by the police chief, Rusczcyk alleges.

"We have a good department. We could have a great department. [Lysaght has]

taken us the other way. Nobody wants to work for an average department,"

Rusczcyk said.

The union spokesman said part of his job is to protect union members and make

the department better.

"He's not improving the way we do anything," Rusczcyk said of the chief,

adding that he believes the chief isn't qualified to lead the department and

is not competent in the job.

Grievance Filed

Over Reorganization

On August 8, the police union filed a labor grievance charging that a

reorganization of the police department has violated provisions of the police

labor contract.

In the grievance, the union alleges that the collective bargaining agreement,

the police department's rules and regulations, and the department's policies

and procedures were violated August 5 when the Police Commission, without

informing the police union, voted to reorganize the police department by

eliminating bargaining unit positions, and changing the duties, titles and

hours of employment of certain officers. The commission acted on a

recommendation from the police chief.

"The Police Commission and the bargaining representative for the town failed

to advise, discuss, bargain in good faith, negotiate, and act `above board'

with the members of Local 3153," according to the grievance.

As a remedy, the union seeks to have the deleted positions restored, and then

have the union and the town enter negotiations over the effect the changes

would have on union members.

The police union also is filing a "prohibited practice" charge with the state

Board of Labor Relations over the town's implementing the police department

reorganization which was approved by the Police Commission. The union

maintains it is coercive and unfair to have the town invite the union to

negotiate the terms of a reorganization after a reorganization has been

unilaterally implemented by the town.

Police Commission Chairman William Meyer was not available for comment on the

grievance.

Meyer has said Police Commission members carefully reviewed the changes which

they made to improve the police department's operation. The commission has the

right to organize the department as it sees fit for its efficient operation,

he added, asserting that the changes are positive ones.

The changes made by the Police Commission make for a more equitable

distribution of the police department's workload, Meyer said.

The changes do not involve any layoffs but do reorganize the structure of the

police department. A lieutenants's post is eliminated; the lieutenant who

formerly ran the detective bureau is replaced by a sergeant; the lieutenant

who has run the patrol division would handle administrative duties; and the

lieutenant who formerly ran the detective bureau will oversee the patrol unit

and the detective bureau, among other changes.

The Chief Responds

In response to police union unhappiness over the department's reorganization,

Chief Lysaght said he had solicited comments from union members during recent

months about how the department can be improved. Based on those comments and

his views on reorganizing the department, he made recommendations for action

to the Police Commission, he said.

"The union has the absolute right to negotiate the impact of the changes [with

the town]," he said. The town will sit down with the union to discuss the

matter, he said.

Of the grievance's substance, he said, "I cannot comment about ongoing

grievance arbitration."

In response to the various claims by the police union, Chief Lysaght said

"Scott Rusczcyk has the right to have his opinions." Rusczcyk's views reflect

the adversial attitude of the union which was prevalent when the police union

was headed by former patrol officer John Kotch, Chief Lysaght said.

"I don't know what [Rusczcyk's] personal goals are for these comments," Chief

Lysaght said.

Although the chief and Rusczcyk apparently disagree on quite a few things,

they agree on one thing.

"I agree with Rusczcyk on one thing. I'm a tinkerer," the chief said.

Constant review of the police department's functioning is necessary to make

the department run more efficiently, the chief said.

"Is there something we could do a little differently to make it a little

better?," the chief said of his management approach.

The adversial attitude of the police union will pass, he said.

"I'm trying to develop win-win situations, not win-lose, or lose-lose

situations," he said.

"I just have to do the best job I possibly can," he said.

"Many problems existed before I came here and there's no way they're going to

go away within a year," he said.

It takes between five and seven years to improve the overall functioning of a

police department, he said.

"I can't change things on a dime. It takes time, and we are doing that," he

said.

Chief Lysaght pointed to his accomplishments since becoming head of the

department and his plans for the future.

Immediately after starting his job he obtained new rechargeable walkie-talkie

batteries for the officers and informed them on the proper use of the

walkie-talkies, he said.

The chief said he has steadily worked on plans for the installation of a new

police radio antenna atop United Water's water storage tank on Reservoir Road.

The police department is cooperating with fire officials and the ambulance

corps for improved emergency radio coverage, he said.

"We are making steady progress," he said.

The police station is much cleaner than it formerly was due to improved

cleaning methods, he said.

Chief Lysaght said he is striving to obtain better computers for the police

department.

The police department will soon a new four-wheel-drive Ford Expedition, he

added.

Since he arrived there has been a 75 percent increase in police school

training, he said. A new sergeant's post was created, a new records clerk was

hired and new equipment has been purchased, he said.

Since he arrived in July 1996, the issuance of summonses and infractions

tickets has increased 29 percent, Chief Lysaght said. He added that motor

vehicle warnings have increased 39 percent, all enforcement has increased 33

percent, and the enforcement activities per officer has increased 41 percent

on average.

Noting his desire to stop drunken drivers, Chief Lysaght said the police

department has increased its drunken driving arrests by 55 percent.

"It's my officers on the street that are doing the job," he said. "I've got

good people here that are doing a good job," he said.

Police officers in the field are using new forms when collecting information

which will help the detective bureau in its investigations, he said.

Chief Lysaght said he is seeking to have the detective bureau and patrol

division interact better to improve the overall performance of the police

department. "They have different roles but they have to work together," he

said.

Currently, the patrol and detective units are working together to solve the

case of the nocturnal intruder in the Riverside section, he said. In recent

weeks, a man has entered occupied houses there at night. Police are

investigating.

When an officer makes a good suggestion on improving the police department,

it's implemented as soon as possible, Chief Lysaght said.

When the next police contract goes into effect in July 1999, the police chief

wants to have in a new rank in place known as "master patrol officer."

"I think I bring a different orientation" to the police department, Chief

Lysaght said.

Bristol police are heavily patrol-oriented, he said. The patrol division is

the "backbone" and the "muscle" of a police department, he said. Patrol

officers directly deliver service to the community, he added.

Chief Lysaght's predecessor, Michael DeJoseph, had been a detective for many

years before becoming the police chief.

"I have certain perceptions and I want my organization to reflect that," Chief

Lysaght said.

This fall, the police chief plans to conduct a DARE-type program for the

parents of sixth graders to educate them about youth drug abuse issues.

Within the next five years, the police chief said he wants to build a new

police station.

Chief Lysaght said he is looking to broaden the training provided to police

officers. The officers will be receiving training in cardio-pulmonary

resuscitation and emergency medical techniques, he said.

"My door is always open ... for any members of the [police] union to come in

and sit down [to talk]," the chief said.