The seldom quoted General Custer once said "There's nothing like friendly fire to motivate the troops"
Over the last half century or more, Charlotte has benefited from a "Police Reserve" unit that functioned autonomously inside the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. This department within a department had its own rank structure, including its own chief of reserves.
All of the CMPD Reserve Police Officers are sworn law enforcement officers.
Many of the reserve force are retired CMPD officers, others have left their full time careers at other North Carolina Law Enforcement agencies including the N.C. State Highway Patrol. But equally many of the CMPD reserve officers come from a broad mixture of occupations and backgrounds from within our community, these officers are citizens who have taken the time and training necessary to become reserve officers.
These 70 volunteer police officers provide Charlotte and Mecklenburg county with over 15,000 hours of service each year without pay.
In a clear effort to disband or disable the CMPD reserve force Chief Monroe has issued another sweeping "Standard Operating Procedure" directive.
Included in the shake up is the requirement that non-cmpd officers will be striped of their rank that they may have earned through years of service as a reserve officers.
Currently there are several reserve officers who have worked more than 25 years on a part time volunteer basis and have earned the right to ranks as high reserve commander.
Two years ago the CMPD Reserves promoted Ted Cormier to Reserve Commander and Bill Strain to Reserve Sergeant, But under Chief Monroe's new doctrine some reserve officers like these will be demoted back to the rank of patrolman.
Chief Monroe has offered these volunteers an out, if they don't like the new rules and demotions they can retire with their current title and rank, no hard feelings.
At present there are no less than ten reserve officers who are facing demotion and reduction of rank. None that Cedar Posts has spoken with plan to stay on are reserve officers.
In the past CMPD reserve officers could work as many as 20 "special" events during the year, often these events were small community charity events like the annual Humane Society Pet Palooza, or the Cop on Top event. The "new" rules require that they work four of six "special" events during the year, and one of these events must be either July 4th or New Eve.
But the Chief forgets these are "volunteers" many who have full time job and families, by dramatically reducing the number "Special" events and making a requirement that each reserve office pick four of six limits the flexibility normally afforded unpaid volunteers.
One additional change that is sure to cause even more departures is Chief Monroe's new requirement that reserve officers revert to wearing the non-standard "reserve officer" patch that was discontinued many years ago.
In the past suspects upon seeing the "reserve" label wrongly assumed that reserve was just another name for "mall cop" with no arrest powers, of course nothing could be further from the truth. But perception is the reality and in law enforcement, perception is often the difference between compliance and altercation.
This is why the word "reserve" was removed from the reserve officer patches in the first place.
It seems Chief Monroe is again making changes just for the sake of change, often without a hint of common sense or recognizing that years of past experience is why some things are the way they are.
The new SOP takes effect February 17th and Reserve officers have 30 days to change to the new (errr old) patch.
Chief Monroe's changes comes on the heels of a Fox News Rebecca Clark's report that noted the praises of the CMPD Reserves: CMPD's Reserve Unit Saving Us Money :
Prior Cedar Posts About CMPD Chief Monroe:
Charlotte's Thomasboro Neighborhood Grant Money Gone with the Wind?
Charlotte's Police Chief Exposed!
Where is Charlotte's Outrage over Rodney Monroe's fake College Degree?
Union Head to Chief Monroe: Don't Let the Door …
Prior CMPD Directive regarding reserve officers here (opens in a pdf file)
The CMPD Reserves By-Laws that Chief Monroe has "by passed"
A view from the other side Charlotte Law and Civil Rights Examiner where the story line goes "The Charlotte Observer's vendetta against the new police chief that has made the Queen City safer continues. First, it was the validity of his college degree, an irrelevancy given his sterling decades long record police chief in Richmond, Virginia."
The writer is of course confused "about his "decades long" record. But it's still worth the read to understand the other less informed side.
32 comments:
Seems pretty short sighted, on one hand Chief Monroe is requesting 125 new "paid" officers while at the same time showing our "free" volunteer officers the door.
Trading new paid "green" recruits for 25 year veterans who are willing to work for free?
Sure that makes sense, after all when the year end numbers turn up with a 5 million dollar budget blow out what's a couple of more paid rookie officers on the payroll?
No surprize here. Cedar you don't like the guy and nothing he does can please you.
He's just pruning the "Dead Wood" these guys should have retired years ago!
I don't believe this is about "liking" or "disliking" anyone.
It's about common sense, good judgement, and not just making changes for the sake of making changes.
This is a ridiculous change....what about it makes any sense?
Pruning "dead wood"? These guys are VOLUNTEERS, what about that don't you understand? They are there to help out and supplement the CMPD.
Yes, let's hire 125 more paid officers when we have good people willing to volunteer their time and efforts on behalf of the CMPD.
He is in so far over his freaking head it is not remotely funny. He is systematically dismantling a good and honorable Police Department.
From what I hear, he is a Bully that gets off on his "powers". He likes to belittle and chastise.
He has not earned the respect of anyone at CMPD.
I've been told the only ones that tolerate his brutish behavior are those that fear for their jobs and promotions.
Wake up people, and take a good, long hard look at this man and how he is conducting business at the CMPD.
Once again, if he was not truthful about his degree and what it was in, why should we be surprised that his integrity and ethics are questionable regarding crime stats?
Is Rodney a "sworn" officer?
Chief Monroe took an oath, but he is not a certified officer in the state of North Carolina.
But he is taking the classes, now passing the tests that's another thing.
Let's hope they don't have to bend more rules to make this happen.
This link is pretty thick with info, about the Chief, true or not it seems to be coming from CMPD and Richmond officers.
http://www.topix.com/forum/charlotte/TU6ANG30782I52OKQ
Cedar Posts check out the posting at:
http://www.topix.com/forum/charlotte/TB4S57UTRN8HF7O7H
Also look at the NC Police Bulletin Board lots of %#$@!##!! comments from CMPD
Y'all keep the comments respectful. Please!
In the past suspects upon seeing the "reserve" label wrongly assumed that reserve was just another name for "mall cop" with no arrest powers, of course nothing could be further from the truth. But perception is the reality and in law enforcement, perception is often the difference between compliance and altercation.
This is why the word reserve was removed from the reserve officer patches in the first place.
I remember seeing "Reserve" and thinking the same thing, must be police "scouts"... lol
Monroe can't be serious?
Can you provide a link for the NC Police Bulletin Board? Thanks.
So you're saying that beyond the 5.5 mil Chief Monroe is asking for there is going to be a 5 mil shortfall in the 2009 fiscal year budget?
That can't be, there is no way this can be happening.
keep posting this stuff and the chief is going to lose it as we already heard rumors he has busted heads about this.
So you are saying that the "chief" is putting the lid on free speech now?
As a tax paying citizen of MC, I certainly have a right to my opinion.
And whose "heads" has he busted, and why has he busted heads? Because people disagree with him? I had heard from someone in Richmond that he was vindictive and held a grudge, guess it is true.
He can't bust heads for free speech...or can he? It seems he can do whatever he darn well wants.
Remember when he told that news reporter about his degree, and I quote "I COULD CARE LESS"?
If he is above reproach, he has NOTHING to worry about, does he?
You know, the more I thought about the post "keep posting this stuff and the chief is going to lose it as we already heard rumors he has busted heads about this.", the more I have become intrigued as to just what the poster meant. Was it some sort of veiled threat by one of the chief's "guys"? Is it a threat to his officers, or to members of the general public, like myself? And what was meant by "this stuff"? Opinions and truth?
Has the police dept. become some kind of "banana republic"?
And what was meant by "lose it"? What exactly does that mean? Will he seek some sort of retribution against officers or members of the public that do not agree with him?
Is this the kind of fear tactics that have been successful for him in the past?
I am struggling to understand the comment and its exact meaning.
Seems the Chief is being just that. the Chief. Hard to get used to I suppose. Especially for the ones who have been around a while.
Please, there have been "chiefs" before, they come and they go. Not hard to get used to at all, I would imagine the "ones who have been around for a while" are used to acclimating to a new "chief" and rolling with the punches. I think it is THIS chief that is the problem.
I can't imagine that officers in the PD would be making stuff up just because they don't want the "chief" to be the "chief".
Where there is smoke, there is usually fire, IMO. I have never heard this much about any previous chief since I have lived here. And they have been excellent chiefs, going by the reputation that the CMPD has had in the past.
It has been my experience in life, that if you treat people with respect, that is what you get in return.
Cedarpost,
The latest I hear is that Rodney's secretary from Richmond is now his secretary in Charlotte.
Oh yes, another one of his cronies from Richmond has joined the Rod/Ray Team in the Queen City. I am sure more will follow.
And as an added "kicker", I heard from someone that a Patrol Officer that was ON DUTY, was TOLD to drive said secretary around the city to "check out neighborhoods" where she might want to relocate. What part of that is right?
May seem a small transgression to some, but I don't want my taxpayer money spent this way. Are they paying their own relocating expenses? How can the public find out this information? I am just quite sure there were/are many in Charlotte looking for jobs that were as or more qualified.
And, ONCE AGAIN, it just goes to the character of the man....he is if nothing else, quite brazen.
He did what??? He brought his own secretary from richmond!! What happened to the other chiefs secretary.. how much does she get paid
Rumor has it and it's only rumor that Chief Monroe did in fact hire his adminstrative assistant from Richmond.
It is not unusal for managers to move from job to job and bring their trusted staff with them.
There are more concerns when in the public sector as employment at will is not always a factor.
We'll check out the facts, other than calling the Chief to see who answers the phone anyone know the rumored person's name?
It's more than a rumor, it's a fact, check it out.
And I must disagree with you, it is very "unusual" for a Chief to bring all his people from one job to the next.
And can you tell me who is paying to relocate these people? And I am told that the position that Ray is holding was "created" just for him, there was no such position in the history of the CMPD.
And in this economy, if there are capable people that could have been hired locally, why would you "bring" someone from out of state? Does that make sense? Others are coming, just wait. Surround yourself with yes men? That's always a good idea!
And IMO, it would just isolate/insulate you more.
This is not the COMMANDER IN CHIEF we are talking about here, but the chief of the CMPD.
And from what I hear, I wouldn't expect to get the "truth" from the chief's office. They tend to vilify anyone that wants to tell the truth....they like to operate in the shadows.
I wonder why we dont hear from the city council. or the mayor, or the city manager..Do they not know what is going on or is there a blind eye to all the Chief's poor management decisions because they are the one's who put him there.
"I wonder why we dont hear from the city council. or the mayor, or the city manager..Do they not know what is going on or is there a blind eye to all the Chief's poor management decisions because they are the one's who put him there."
I think you are right.
But will they continue to let their egos get in the way and wait until irreparable damage has been done to the CMPD AND its' budget?
The city needs honorable, honest people to band together to step up to the plate and say what is going on. But I think they are just too afraid of the repercussions to their careers and the havoc it could cause.
Doing the right thing shouldn't be so difficult. And wouldn't they have some kind of protection in the "Whistleblower" law?
As a Retired 30 year veteran of the CMPD I am sickened by the actions of the Command staff in their handling of the Reserve Unit with the new SOP initiated on 2/17.Never in my years of service have I seen such blatant display of disrespect and dishonor by the Command staff.To treat Volunteers in a manner that equates to a "slap in the face" is disgraceful!
In times like these when the Citizens of this Community are under seige by the criminal element and CMPD bears the burden of responsibility, the "powers that be" within the Command staff decide that the Volunteer Reserve Unit needs to go!
Now that is mismanagement on monumental scale!
It seems as though "Command Staff" is too concerned with CYA and their own promotions, and not concerned with the actual future of the CMPD. It seems the only transparency left in the CMPD is the reason why people aren't speaking up, and that is very transparent.
I just find it hard to believe that the majority of command staff is in agreement with the bonehead decisions this guy has made...give me a break.
Where are "a few honest men or women"?
Don't agree with the Chief?
Do you think he's wrong about showing the Reserve Unit the door?
Your best bet it to let the Charlotte City Council and our Mayor know that the demotion of our Reserve Officers is just all kinds of wrong.
Email them at:
edwin@edwinpeacock.com, Foxxcharlotte@aol.com,
SBurg346,
Lassiter@bellsouth.net, warren@warrencooksey.com,
district3_turner@yahoo.com,
n3157w@yahoo.com, pkinsey@carolina.rr.com, BarnesDistrict4,
JamesDistrict2, andy@voteandydulin.com
mayor@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Chief Monroe should also be questioned about requiring his grandson's father to be hired as an officer when he wasn't qualified.
He went through the process but was rejected and Chief Monroe called and told the academy that he "would" be hired.
He also required the department to hire him on before the next academy class started and gave him a take home, seized car and a city gas card.
Why should the city be paying for this?
This was a seized car from street racing from last year.
It must be nice to abuse your position with no fear of recourse.
It is my understanding that the police department has 300 unmarked cars that had black numbers in the windows. Last week the department had employees change all unmarked cars numbers to white numbers making it easier for the public too see the numbers so they can complain on officers. In the process of changing all these car numbers the chief's black crown vic's numbers were also changed to white. I heard that in less than 2 days the chief's car has had the numbers changed back to black. I wonder why the chief doesn't have to follow the rules that pertain to everybody else.
Honestly would you want everyone to know your car number was "666"?
Give the guy a break!
I also heard the rumor about the father of his grandchild and how he was hired and the "conditions" of his hiring.... and his use of a city car,and that the chief was asked about this specifically and emphatically said that no, this did not happen. There was also a question raised about the validity of his license? The proof of this would be in the gas receipts, that is if they are still there. Isn't that PUBLIC information? Wonder who will fall on their sword for him for this?
If I, a regular citizen, has heard about this, have not ANY members of City Council heard about this? Are they content to just let these issues continue to pile up before they address them because, as someone else said, they hired him and are letting their egos dictate their actions?
The abuses of power continue, just the tip of the iceberg I fear.
I have heard that this guy ran off a number of senior officers in Macon Georgia. This guy has some major problems. He brought his planning assistant from Macon to Richmond and his Do boy grant writer. He just can't do anything by hinmself... Everything that he did in Macon has been reversed.
Post a Comment