http://www.greenwichtime.com/news/local/scn-gt-lash3mar23,0,5686729.story?coll=green-news-local-headlines
By Martin B. Cassidy
Staff Writer
March 23, 2006
After a five-month standoff between First Selectman Jim Lash and the town police union, the two sides sat down last week and resolved an ongoing labor dispute.
Police Chief James Walters and Lash have agreed to return control of the department's computer system to police officers, town officials said. A year ago, the department hired a civilian to oversee the department's computer system, prompting the union to file several grievances to the state labor board.
The town still plans to put the system under civilian supervision, Lash said, and will soon negotiate with the union about the change.
Silver Shield Association President Sgt. James Bonney was hopeful Lash would remain involved in solving other contentious issues involving manpower, budgeting, and Walters' management.
"This is a good first step to resolving some of the issues within the department," the union chief said. "I hope he does more."
Lash met with both Bonney and union Vice President Lt. Mark Kordick last week, and with about 60 union members on other occasions to hear about disputes, but was still wary of undercutting the authority of the chief.
But Lash, who is also police commissioner, did not rule out further discussions about problems in the department.
"All you can expect is that we are working together to resolve this one issue," Lash said. "It's a place to start. My position has always been I meet from time to time with the leadership of the union but I am not the day-to-day chief of the department."
Last fall, Lash faced police union picket lines at campaign events after refusing to participate in meetings between Walters and union members about problems in the department. The union demanded that Lash address a no-confidence vote taken by union officers detailing their dissatisfaction with Walters' leadership.
In October, when the vote was announced, Walters defended his leadership, which he felt was improving public safety.
Control of the computer system will now be overseen by three police computer technicians, and Maria Hulbert, the civilian hired last March as the public safety information technology manager, will return to work at Greenwich Town Hall as assistant information technology manager.
Last April the police union filed a "prohibited practice" complaint with the state labor board accusing the town of breaking labor law by not seeking union consent to eliminate a third police computer technician position as a result of adding Hulbert.
The union also filed a grievance against Hulbert alleging she recorded a conversation with a police officer, but that complaint has been dropped, Bonney said.
Hulbert has said the recording was unintentional.
Walters and Lash said that a seasoned information technology professional was needed to oversee the computer upgrades needed for a combined police, fire, and emergency medical dispatch system for 911 calls.
In his statement, Walters said he still considered a civilian director necessary to complete that task, but hoped that the new agreement would improve relations between the town and police officers.
"By restoring the prior staffing arrangements at this time, I believe that it will end the ongoing dispute between the town and the Silver Shield relative to this matter and create a positive environment in which the town and Silver Shield can discuss . . . upgrading the police department's information technology function," Walters' statement said.
Walters could not be reached for further comment.
Hulbert said that she was upset that she is being reassigned from a job that she enjoyed, though a small number of officers treated her poorly and were bent on making her look incompetent, she said.
"The sad part about it was that it was a very challenging position and I enjoyed working with everyone there," she said.
On Monday, Officer Elizabeth O'Keefe will resume her earlier work as a police technician.
Copyright © 2006, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.