TOLEDO POLICE CONSIDER STRIKE

Fire them all and bring in a new force starting with the chief.
Bunch of overpaid fat underachievers that have gotten by too long by doing nothing.

I would love to know what you are doing to change the world so much Hockeyfan.

That would be really sad if our police department didn't look at the bigger picture and actually went on strike. I honestly do value our police department and am so grateful that they are keeping me safe...just disappointed that keeping me safe is sounding like less and less of a priority to them.

I agree that the cuts suck. However, our city is in crisis and it is time for all of us to work together to make a change. That means everyone giving something for the greater good of all. So sad at what our city is going through...but have great hope that we can all work together until things get better.

The city spends 100K a year on shoes for the police and fire. What more do they want?

Hockeyfan is just a immature malcontent that would rather complain about everything online than actually go out and make a difference.

Micah what have you done to make a difference? Do citizens not have the right to voice their opinion or complain? As much as you hate his opinion he has that right, well for now he does, the constitution is being pretty stepped on lately so we will see in the future what are rights will be.

"As much as you hate his opinion..."

I never said that I hated anything. I just made an observation. Am I not a citizen that has "the right to voice their opinion" also?

"Micah what have you done to make a difference?"

I do my best to make a difference every day. In my line of work, I keep people safe. I have directly saved at least a few people's lives while doing my job. I help raise money for charities through sponsoring and organizing events, and I help my friends when they need it.

I haven't made a difference on a large scale, but I've made a difference for those that I have helped.

That's good in my book.

Ryan-Why am I required to change the world or do anything at all?
Micah-Your description could be that you work for the health department inspecting restaurants and you collect the money from those little jars on the minimart counters? And what part of making a difference every day includes calling me an immature malcontent?

Neither of you have any idea of who I am, what I truly believe or what I have or have not done. For all you know I could actually be Mike Bell himself, or Carty.

I've met hockeyfan in real life. From what I've seen he is a genuine person with a great heart. Heck he helped me out when I was in a bind. I also respect him for his service to our country which has been mentioned in other threads.

While I don't agree firing them all is a good solution, I do see where he is coming from from a union perspective. If you don't want to work for the rate that is available to pay, then allow someone who is.

This is such a touchy subject, especially in Toledo. It's really hard to be neutral or see things from both sides.

I have a lot of respect for the firefighters. Just wish that mentality of biting your lip and making do to keep our city going was shared by everyone.

I do my best to make a difference every day. In my line of work, I keep people safe. I have directly saved at least a few people's lives while doing my job. I help raise money for charities through sponsoring and organizing events, and I help my friends when they need it.

Micah, would you go on strike if your employer asked you to take a pay cut temporarily to help with a fianancial crisis?

HockeyFan says "Neither of you have any idea of who I am, what I truly believe or what I have or have not done. For all you know I could actually be Mike Bell himself, or Carty"

*

HockeyFan, you're right. A lot of people don't know who you are, what you truly believe in, or what you have or have not done.

So why don't you tell us ?

Who are you ?
What do you believe ?
What have you done ?

Inquiring minds want to know !!

How can we know you are not Mike Bell or Carty Finkbeiner ?

How can we know you are not Ben Konop, Opal Covey, Ed Emory, Dan Lepkowski or Terry Shankland ?

How can we know that you are not working for the CIA, the FBI, INTERPOL, Alex Jones, The Tea Party or The New World Order ?

ha,ha,ha,Yeah, that sounds like a great idea. Post all my personal info on here so someone(ie.ryan, micah, etc) can spend their time stalking me. No thanks. But it is a hilarious thought.

Well, I don't know hockeyfan at all. And as the daughter of a retired police officer, he frequently irritates me with the net he casts over all of TPD over the criminal activity of a few. But he's entitled to his opinion and I'm smart enough to know that they're not ALL bad cops.

That being said, my son knows hockeyfan, and so does my cousin's stepson. They've participated in the street hockey league he's started. My son has seen firsthand what hockeyfan has tried to for young people in neighborhoods where people quit giving a crap about young people a long time ago. For that, I give him a lot of credit.

We constantly hear about how the parents of kids gone wrong need to step up and actually PARENT their children. While that logic seems to make sense on the surface, the reality is that there are a lot of parents who aren't going to change, and in the meantime, their kids are becoming the next generation of parents who don't care. People like hockeyfan are at least trying to do something to make a difference.

Valbee- due to your respectful post, I feel you deserve an honest response from me.

First, I do have quite a bit of respect for the police, fire, and any other public servant. While my posts are off the wall and at times outrageous, it is more for making a dramatic statement than to actually express my full and complete thoughts because of the amount of typing required. Also, with message boards, there is no way to express tone and/or attitude in my posts. Many of them are sarcastic in nature.
I will apologize to you and anyone else who I've offended with my pathetic attempts at humor or dramatics. I will try to turn down my level of opinionated posts and try to make clearer points in the future.
I appreciate what you've posted above and thank you for the kind words even though I've offended you. I hope you will take my apology seriously and accept it.
I do feel that the police have lost much of their power to do their job. From having attorneys accuse them of everything to their cases being plead down to lesser charges. It's a job I'm not sure I'd want to do for any length of time.
While I do disagree with the latest "blue flu", I can understand that they are using what they can in their power to get their point across. Of course, not many of us really know what has occurred behind the scenes.
Thanks again for the kind words and the opportunity to explain myself without just labeling me a total jerk.

awesome post hockeyfan.

Thanks hockeyfan. I don't believe you owe me or anyone else here an apology for what you've said. Please don't change how you post based on my statement. Honestly, I wasn't offended. Irritated at times, yes, but heck that happens on a daily basis for over lots of things. ;) Our opinions are shaped by our own experiences.

Yes, there are some pretty pathetic excuses for police officers out there. I think the majority, however, are themselves shaped by what they encounter. They see things the rest of us likely never will. My dad joined the police force when my mom was pregnant with me. Not long after I was born, he responded to a call of a baby not breathing, the victim of what they used to call "crib death." My dad said he had trouble sleeping for weeks, constantly checking on me throughout the night.

He also used to deliver flowers during the holidays. He said he needed to do it so that he didn't lose his perspective on humanity. He needed to knock on doors and be greeted a smile instead of an attitude. And that was 40 years ago. I can't imagine what it's like now.

I think I'm fortunate that when I go to work every day, I have a reasonable expectation that I won't encounter a dangerous situation. Nothing is guaranteed of course, but it's unlikely I'll be unsafe. On the other hand, cops are aware that something very likely could escalate into a dangerous situation. On a good day, it won't.

Now... this present situation with the concessions? Pardon my language: it's bullshit. I work for a state institution and I'm in a union, too. My health insurance has doubled in price, I watched my retirement savings disappear just like everyone else and I'm just grateful every day that I have a damn job. My dad couldn't believe that they turned it down and he thinks Wagner has really lost touch with reality. I still haven't seen the actual voting numbers, but here at work it someone said that it didn't fail by much. Which means a lot of the officers who are going to be laid off were probably willing to take the deal, just so they'd still have a job.

Anyway, hockeyfan, thank YOU for your response, and for what you are doing. You walk the walk and the world needs more like you.

Group Hug :)

"Group Hug :)"

HEY!! HAND CHECK!! :P

Wow, hockey, great, thoughtful post. And thanks, valbee, for your perspective.

I checked out the listing in today's Blade re: the cops who called in sick and what they are paid. Did anyone else find it unusual that a cop with 22 years on the force is paid only $1.01 more per hour than a cop who's been there 6 years?

It sounds like they have a decent starting salary, but very little in the way of raises after. Can anyone here speak to this?

The low hourly rate is close. Years of service probably comes into play more as far as who has first choice of working overtime. Just speculating.