Monday, March 25, 2013

3 Months After CMPD Takeover Questions Remain at CDIA

Months ago Cedar Posts first reported that Jerry Orr was doing an end run on Charlotte and the City Council in order to pry control away of Charlotte's airport from the City.


We also introduced you to Herbert Judon the CDIA no. 2 who lead the push at the city's expense to fact find the idea of creating an airport authority. It was during this time that we also learned that CMPD Command Staff were in a "tit for tat" ongoing battle with Jerry Orr.

We now know that Jerry Orr prevented CMPD Officers from having complete access to the airport and then photographed CMPD Officers lounging around the concourses, later using the photos to claim that CMPD was doing nothing as far a Airport Security.
We also now know that CMPD is playing hardball as well, leaving more than a dozen former Charlotte Airport Police Officers in the dark and confused as promises are made and then withdrawn.  According to several sources Charlotte Airport Officers were sworn in as CMPD Police Officers on December 15, 2012. But as of this past week they have still not been placed on CMPD's payroll nor are they being paid at the same rate as CMPD Officers.

A check of online records show CDIA Officers are on a pay scale that is less than competitive with the CMPD pay scale based on the same rank and years of service.

Yet a number of former Airport Officers were reportedly given a salary proposal by a CMPD Captain that showed what increases in pay and benefits the former CDIA Officers could expect when CMPD took over law enforcement operations at the Airport. Apparently those proposed increases were later rescinded by some unknown higher ranking member of CMPD's Command staff.

According to sources The City of Charlotte runs two payroll systems, one referred as "broad band" and the other "Public Safety".

Chief Monroe reportedly told CDIA Officers that they would remain on broad band pay system and would not be placed on the public safety pay system, unless they re-applied to work with his agency. In doing so the chief  inferred that former Charlotte Douglas International Airport Officers would make less on the broad band system.

However it is reported that Chief Monroe along with CMPD staff above the rank of lieutenant are ALL on broad band.

CP doesn't understand why the City has two different payroll systems and has emailed interim City Manager Julie Burch for an explanation.

When the merger process began CDIA Officers were told the transition would be seamless, but weeks into the merger/takeover CDIA Officers are now being told they must complete an entire application process. A process that earlier CMPD Chief Monroe personally told the group they would not be required to complete.

As far back as November city staff were calling the change a "merger" and using terms like "integration" and "security increase" but neither seems to be the case.

According to sources CMPD Command swore the airport officers in and had each officer sign the required F5 forms which should have completed the hiring process and made every signed CDIA Officer a CMPD Officer. The F5 forms that each former Airport Officer signed clearly classified them as “Charlotte-Mecklenburg Patrol Officers”, but that may not be the case.

Turns out CMPD staff did not submit the paper back in December and Officers two week ago Officers were required to be sworn in again. Seems there is a 10 day limit to file the forms and apparently CMPD withheld he forms for some reason.  The folks at Training and Standards in Raleigh were unwilling to talk about the paperwork process or confirm if the former CDIA Officer paperwork had arrived in time.

Other irregularities have been exposed, for instance, all "new" Airport Division Officers “required” to attend a shift briefing 15 minutes prior to their shifts. They are not paid for this 15 minutes yet all CMPD officers are paid for their shift briefing time at the airport. A review of pay rates discovered that many former Airport Officers are doing the same jobs as and in many cases training newly assigned CMPD Airport Division officers and call-back hires brought in to fill the vacancies, but at a rate of but  $15,000 to $20,000 less per year.


A walk through the Airport last Friday found CMPD badges and insignia, as well as Charlotte Airport Badges and insignia. It is not clear why if CMPD took over that the two groups are not unified 3 months later.

Many are questioning if the change is even permanent despite the word of CMPD Chief Monroe that the old Airport Police "don't exist anymore"

According to the Training and Standards personnel at the North Carolina Justice Department, former airport Officers are certified to exactly to the same standards as CMPD Officers.

Which mean they should be treated the same and paid the same as current CMPD Officers.

Sources tell Cedar Posts that CMPD Human Resources staff, Miriam Hannon blamed the confusion and frustration that former Airport Officers are dealing with, on the City saying that the city is backing Chief Monroe's decisions and there is nothing that HR can or will do to address the concerns of former CDIA Officers. Ms. Hannon reportedly suggested that Airport Officers file a lawsuit.

In speaking with former Airport Officers they note that CMPD call back and overtime officers not required to take reports, answer alarm calls and are pretty much not expected to engage in police actions of any type while at the airport. In most cases they are just bodies roaming about the airport.

One of the key reasons CMPD wanted to take over Airport Policing was that they could do a much better job in light of the Delvonte Tisdale event. Yet at trip around the airport perimeter shows little change from two years ago. A visit to the general aviation ramp proves it is easy as ever to enter the tarmac and have easy access to aircraft and given a rather long walk access to departing aircraft as young Mr. Tisdale did.
Many current CMPD/Airport Police Officer report being concerned that should the Airport be removed from City of Charlotte control, and turned over to an airport authority they will lose their jobs.

Sources state that Jerry Orr wasn't very encouraging when asked about this scenario and that he reportedly told Officers. "Well, you are now city employees, so the city will have to find a job for you."

Cedar's Take: Being a Police Officer, City of Charlotte or Airport Police is a tough job. Forget the gun toting felons and being a target for the abuse that comes with the badge. The tough part is long hours, weekends, nights and missing your kids soccer games because someone in command screwed up the work assignments last week.

The truth is even standing in the freezing rain directing traffic at 2 a.m. is not nearly as bad as being fed bullshit by your superiors when it comes to your job security and pay.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah Moorefield just sent out e-mails. Asking CMPD Officers if they were still interested in taking a job at the airport in April. Asking what shifts they wanted.

Anonymous said...

Lt. Moorefield is a pawn in the screwing of the Airport guys.

Sounds like the Airport boys are getting pushed out not "merged" like the Chief is quoted as saying in the Observer back in December.

Who is in charge of this mess?

Anonymous said...

Monroe and Orr deserve each other... Both vindictive, childish sons of bitches unwilling to compromise and always having to get their way,or temper tantrums worthy of a two year old ensue.

The ones that suffer because
of the childishness of these two are
their unlucky staff and subordinates.

And NO ONE ever tells them to sit down and STF up... Or Gives them a "time out".

Sneaky, controlling, bullies and corrupt "leaders"
With no leadership skills that no one respects.



Anonymous said...

Great article CP. You hit the nail on the head.

Anonymous said...

I would say this article is 80 percent true; however, airport officers should realize that CMPD oversight/management is much more knowledgable and professional compared to the former "civilian leadership" at the airport. Keep in mind, would you really want to go back working for Herbert? Or Martina? Where they will have you basically being sworn airport operations officers...don't forget how it used to be and be very careful what you wish for. These issue will get worked out, it's only been 3 months. Allow some time for the kinks to get worked out. The pay should definitely be looked at first, after all fair is fair. You just can't have some SGTS making more than others and both doing the same job.

Anonymous said...

Incompetence from the top down at CMPD.

Anonymous said...

I agree let them work the kinks out. However I can give you another example of a merger that happened in 1993 when the City played hardball and tried to screw 108 County Police Employees. The County Employees filed a lawsuit against the sity and amazingly all salaries and equity issues were immediately addressed. The City also had to pay all attorney fees as well. So play the cards right, take copious notes and I would suggest you document who says what because they will deny the hell out of making statements., Keep copies of all memos documantation etc and hire you a good attorney.Yes signing a lawsuit exposes you but if everyone does it you have strngth in numbers.

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:16, Where was this suit filed, when, and how can I get a copy of it?

Anonymous said...

I was on a flight from PHL last week, my flight was due in at 6:30 and didn't make it to Charlotte until 10 thanks to winter weather.

Apparently there were dozens of late flight because the arrivals area was crazy with cars, buses and cabs. Traffic everywhere, road rage was insane, 2 cabbies got into a fight and not a cop in sight.

No one directing traffic, no one dealing with the upset cab drivers just absolute madness.

Good Job Rodney Monroe.

Anonymous said...

Finally!! After months of hogwash in the Charlotte Observer about the alleged Airport Police/CMPD merger,the truth is coming out about how the CDIA police officers are being royally screwed!

Anonymous said...

The lawsuit was filed in either late 1993 or early 1994. The Attorney hired was George Daly. You may be lucky and find it in the archieves of the Clerks Office.

Anonymous said...

hey Cedar. No comment on chief Rodney not getting the DC Metro job? they went with an insider.

Anonymous said...

to 11:40 That was for the DC Metro Police (Rail / Subway). Not the DC Metropolitan Police where RM came from. They still have that young female.

RM is way too important for such a small low profile job like that.

You must have not heard that he lowered crime, by merely setting foot in Charlotte.

Anonymous said...

Let’s walk the dog on this issue:

CMPD has had Captain’s running the Airport Police since 2004

Two of them were sent there to get credit for a field command and get promoted: and they did

One of them went there so he could pad his resume with all the free FEMA DHS schools and get a high paying DHS job: and he did

One of them was sent to the port as punishment for dropping the dime on a fellow CMPD Captain, who decided he was too good to come to work: but when King Monroe assumed command a Deputy Chief needed him and his knowledge of the CMPD protocols; so he was brought back out of the minor leagues.

One was sent out because she needed a place to retire and work off duty

And I’m not sure why the last one was there but to hang out with Sargent Waller and encourage Officer Brown to spy and conspire against the airport staff.

My Point is for almost ten years CMPD has had a major part in running the Airport Police the CMPD Chiefs, could at any time place quality Captain’s in command who might just have provided the Training, Mentorship and Leadership that us taxpayers expected out a 85K a year city employee. But if you research the records you will see they were too busy worrying about themselves and working off duty, golfing, attending classes for their retirement job to give two shits about the 40 Airport Officers. The Decisions they did make were so incompetent a blind man in a dark room could see them. So when I read about the professional mentorship of CMPD is now out at the airport, I have to wonder “where the hell was the last ten years.
All three Breaches of Security (Tisdale, Fence Cut and construction equipment stolen 180n right and US Airway employee jumping the fence) happened on one supervisors shift: Lt Parker, and recently he failed to report a stowed handgun that had fallen out of passenger’s bag on the secure side of the airport. Now Lt Parker worked for the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office for like 20 years but left under some troubling and unique circumstances, but a CMPD Captain who was running the Airport Police at the time hired him and another CMPD Captain promoted him ahead of better choices and on all three breaches and the last handgun event were in charge and have done nothing.
Just an example of the fine quality leadership CMPD produces, and the airport has been around since like 1943, why has all this only occurred during CMPD’s watch.

Readers want to know????

Anonymous said...

Well Greg Wilson, since you have brough all this to our attention; please continue and tell us?

Anonymous said...

From an outsiders perspective:

It would appear if CMPD has had operational and training control of the Airport Officers for almost ten years. Things should be running fine. But Ano 11:23 has pointed out, if the $85,000.00 city employee (CMPD Captain) has mismanaged the department, then Chief Monroe is to blame. Or was it intentional so the 40 Airport Officers out there would fail and force a CMPD take over.

A lifetime of living in NC and Charlotte I cannot remember a more trying time for CLT, the airport has help this area grow when other areas like Winston Salem and High Point were struggling to keep large business from leaving.

Anonymous said...

Who are these buffoons Parker and Waller?
Are my Tax dollars really paying them to sleep and chase woman on company time?

Anonymous said...

11:23; Holy wall of text there Batman! Maybe time to put that pooch in his crate, give him a buscuit and some rest.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:23 - it's been awhile John Hughes, how have you been? Gone bezerk on anyone lately passing you on the interstate?

Anonymous said...

Anon 7:12 - apparently you haven't been reading up on the airport lately. NO TAX dollars go toward anything at the airport including police salaries. So don't worry, you aren't paying a dime!

Anonymous said...

I agree Parker and Waller are a waste of breath, but don't forget the others. Bj and Greg sitting around eating bon bons and getting fatter. Greg wants to be the police so bad but he is a ninja trutle with a utility and they pay him way above what he is worth. Then Bj who is off her meds all the time. Im sure one of her bi-polar personalities could remember to take them. But she is to busy messing in every bodies else's life but her own. She has a fake ass college degree, she talks shit about everyone so dont think your exempt Herbert Tracy, Haley anyone of you. She spends her time down in. Badging or working from home and she gets paid what she does to be a secretary. Then there is the pillow bitter quivering lip nazi k9 officer. Who is the second highest paid officer. Enough said. Then you have Tynan, who is a speed bump waiting for retirement taking up space and money. I see someone said john Hughes is on here no surprise that Gi Joe is around and his side kick Ginjane Paxton. So get them all if there are more I'm sorry.

Anonymous said...

Are you serious???? This is about people's family, livelyhood. What...the name bashing give you time to take a breath??? Come on. There are Officer taking pay cuts. Not raises!!! As Officers were told during their first swearing in...... D/C G. " I'm not paying an airport officer more than one of "MY" officers." Stop the name calling.....we all need to worry about our safety, worry about these officers. No happy employee's no good work. Helloooo, people this is OUR safety were talking about!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Nothing but Lucifer working in and around all of this mess! Get out while you can, while you still have some of your sanity. Those making the unethical, immoral decisions placed upon the innocent will pay their dues...it is called karma!