Police seeking better deal

Wasilla PD workers feeling unrepresented

December 12, 2006

By MARY AMES/Frontiersman

WASILLA - The Wasilla Police Department Employee Association wants a seat at the table and a voice in employee working conditions, according to an association representative.

&#8220We want to know, and be able to tell candidates (for positions), ‘These are the working conditions now and we will have a say in any changes,'” said Lt. Craig Robinson, WPDEA vice president. &#8220We want to know both parties (employees and administration) follow procedure. We do have a policy and procedure manual at work, but it hasn't always been followed.”

With the new dispatch center, the number of employees within the police department recently doubled in size, he said, and in the past there had been some inconsistency in discipline, &#8220depending on who they are,” he said. So in May, all employees except the chief and deputy chief, whose positions are exempt, got together to form the WPDEA and elected Officer Jean Achee president, and himself vice president, Robinson said.

An ordinance introduced at the Nov. 27 Wasilla City Council meeting would have waived the city's exemption to the Public Employee Relations Act and invoked jurisdiction of the Department of Labor. But it was removed from the table after the council deadlocked 3-3 on the issue and Mayor Dianne M. Keller cast the pivotal vote.

A few people in the audience who didn't speak to the council expressed their disappointment with the council's vote outside the meeting.

&#8220I can't believe the way it went,” said Conrad Holler, council member Doug Holler's father. &#8220Everybody should be able to join a union.”

Dallas Massie, who retired from the Alaska State Troopers after 24 years, said not having union representation could cost the city.

&#8220When the city of Wasilla gets a lawsuit because of mismanagement, it will cost a lot more than any loss to union representation,” Massie said. &#8220A union sometimes makes things very clear, like a road map. Most disappointing to me is not allowing employees to voice their opinions.”

Listening to employees doesn't necessarily mean having them unionize, Robinson said, citing Anchorage as a city that, like Wasilla, opted out of the Public Employees Relations Act. Anchorage recognizes its own associations, he said.

&#8220By ordinance, they could recognize employee associations,” Robinson said. &#8220They can negotiate and draw up contracts, like Anchorage.”

Chief John Glass, who retired from the troopers after 27 years, said even if the city employees were unionized, the city assumes liability, not the union. Glass said he was surprised at the comments voiced by department employees at the Nov. 27 meeting.

It was the first time he'd heard many of the comments, and he'd thought morale was pretty good, Glass said. In July, he and Deputy Chief Angela Long held a meeting with all available employees, and gave everyone an opportunity to speak, he said.

&#8220I told them I have an open-door policy, and they can come through at any time,” Glass said. &#8220I spend about the first hour in the morning intentionally visiting with officers and dispatchers.”

The two times officers came to him with concerns, he addressed the problems, Glass said.

&#8220I have to know about them before I can fix them,” he said.

Some things he heard officers say at the Nov. 27 meeting simply were not true, such as reserve officers having no vests or firearms, he said.

&#8220Every reserve officer has a vest, paid for by the city,” Glass said. &#8220Eight new reserve officers are being measured for vests, and I ordered six new handguns, holsters and belts.”

The department follows progressive steps according to policy and procedure when discipline is needed, he said. And if Glass has questions about personnel matters, he turns to either Sandra Garley, deputy administrator, or Marilyn Frankel, human resources generalist, he said.

&#8220Sandra's extremely knowledgeable and helpful, Marilyn too,” Glass said. &#8220Sandra's at the top of the list of people I go to with personnel decisions. She's not going to let me do anything that would get us into trouble. Neither is Marilyn.”

But consistency in the future, no matter who is chief, mayor or on the city council, concerns the WPDEA, Robinson said. During his time working for the Wasilla police, he's worked under four chiefs, three mayors, and, for a while, a director of public safety, Robinson said.

&#8220There have been a lot of examples of inequity,” he said.

&#8220Each administration has done some good things for the police department. Each was genuinely concerned for employees and tried to do its best. But no matter how good, you never know what the next administration is going to bring.”

Institutional memories, people who know what remedies have been tried in the past, come and go, he said. One example he gave was the council's suggestion of an employee-relations committee.

&#8220It's a fine idea, but we tried that in 1995,” he said. &#8220But it wasn't binding and it didn't carry over.” he said.

The main issues for WPDEA aren't about salary or benefits, but consistency, he said, and employees are pleased with the current mayor and council.

&#8220But we're just one life-event away from changing who these people are,” Robinson said. &#8220And conditions would change again.”

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@ frontiersman.com.