Paul Blair, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #3, the city police officer?s union, said patrol officers are working too many 12-hour shifts, and has asked the deputy chief to reduce workload for regular uniform patrol.
Blair told The Examiner that even with the extra shifts, many sectors are understaffed, and in need of more regular patrol officers.
“In the central district, Sector One shift was 19 people down, and we have officers doing 12-hour shifts to make-up the difference,” Blair said.
According to Blair, the union has reached an agreement with the police department?s deputy commissioner, Marcus Brown, to end the 12-hour shifts, but police spokeswoman Nicole Monroe said the shifts, started in response to increased security demands after Sept. 11, could be reinstituted depending on need.
“We can?t say never,” Monroe said.
But Blair countered that Brown told him the 12-hour shifts wereover.
“We were told by the deputy commissioner that it was the end. All we can do is take him at his word,” Blair said.
Blair said that sectors throughout the city were understaffed by patrol officers, and that the workload was taking a toll on regular patrol officers.
“What you?re going to have is burnout,” Blair said.
According to sources inside the department, long shifts have led to morale problems with individual officers, who are pulling extra shifts to maintain staffing levels. The long hours have also made it difficult for officers to make court appearances.
City Council Member Kenneth Harris, who introduced a resolution to transfer officers from “specialized units” to regular patrol, said he thinks it is a good idea to give officers a break.
“The 12-hour shifts weren?t supposed to be permanent. It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement,” Harris said.
“I?m concerned about fatigue for our officers; we?re pushing them too much. We need our officers to get the proper rest.”
