Political attempts to fix state budget deficit are pushing Arizona into a public safety crisis

March 2010

Few of us ever imagined there would come a day when local and state governments would lay off law enforcement officers. When we chose this career path, we never dreamed our jobs would be on a chopping block because there is never a shortage of bad guys.

But in these troubling times, slick politicians looking for quick relief have placed law enforceent budgets in the crosshairs. As a result, it has never in the history of our state been more important for workers to be part of a union.

To say that the past year has been "a struggle" for Arizona public safety officers would be an understatement. As the largest and most respected advocate for officers in our state, AZCOPS has been engaged in political battles to save officers' jobs in almost every community. And it seems as quickly as we celebrate a victory in one city, there's a new fire burning down the road.

In my 23 years of police service and 15 years as a union leader, I've never seen anything like it.

What started as a state budget deficit has mushroomed in a few short months into a crisis unlike any other in the history of Arizona.

While there are lots of important people claiming they are trying to fix things, it doesn't appear as though there is any relief in sight. In fact, in many places officers are told things will get worse before they get better.

In cities and counties already struggling with problems in their local economies, the sudden lack of shared revenue from the state has forced them over the edge. Over the years, many of these local governments became dependent upon state funds to balance budgets. Combined with poor fiscal planning, many find themselves at a serious loss for an acceptable solution.

But what makes the situation even more desperate is the fact that while governments are laying off law enforcement officers, crime rates are soaring across the state. And in departments where staffing levels were inadequate BEFORE the meltdown, officers find themselves at greater risk than ever before, and the communities they serve are no longer as safe.

This is the message that the AZCOPS Executive Board, legal team and staff are working day and night to communicate with decision-makers all over our state.

We especially want the Governor and state legislators to understand the far-reaching effects of a proposal to close juvenile corrections facilities and state prisons. It's inconceivable that the thought would even cross their minds after all of the campaign promises they made at election time to keep communities safe.

But that's why AZCOPS presence at the State Capitol is stronger than ever before. AZCOPS will not stand idly by while elected officials play politics with public safety. Make no mistake, we will use every resource to fight this fight.

As the strongest advocate for public safety officers in Arizona,the challenge before us is daunting as every single member is impacted by these decisions.

Not only do we have to stop governments from making dangerous choices, we also have to follow through at election time and see that those who turn their backs on us are not returned to office. To effectively meet the challenge will require the active involvement of each AZCOPS member, regardless of job assignment. 

This time, in this fight, it won't be enough to sit back and quietly lend moral support to others carryig the load. Our determination to right the wrongs must be mobilized into a collective voice for change.

AZCOPS started this process at our convention in October 2009. Hundreds of members from AZCOPS affiliates met in Laughlin, NV, to share ideas and learn new communication and political strategies.

We appreciate consultant Jim Spearing of Florida who shared war stories from unions across the country; John Doran of CWA/NCPSO who informed us of national collective bargaining and how it could impact our state; Mike Gurr of Tucson POA, a champion of officer rights; and AZCOPS Attorneys Martin Bihn and Mike Storie, whose selfless commitment to our members continues to be a driving force for our union.

Time passes quickly and in the few short months since the convention, it seems everything has changed.

Layoffs, pay cuts and furloughs have become reality for some members in recent months. In every case, AZCOPS has fought both publicly and behind the scenes to protect our members' jobs. The persistence of AZCOPS has made a difference by minimizing broad, sweeping proposals for reductions in force.

We can attribute much of our success to an experienced staff with an unwavering commitment to our members. The AZCOPS Executive Board is especially proud of these fine men and women who work hard day and night to take care of every member: Chief of Staff Tim Clark, Office Manager Anamarie Daniels, Organizer Chris Currie, Representative Jim Parks, General Counsel Martin Bihn, Government Relations Director Luis Ebratt and Attorney Mike Storie. 

I'm proud to be part of a union that isn't afraid to stand up and do what's right. Back to top

AZCOPS gains public support across Arizona in its fight to protect officers' jobs

July 2009 

Nationally there are states, counties and cities that are laying off public safety personnel and Arizona is no exception.

Members of our probation groups have already and will continue to fall victim to layoffs. And, several of our police and deputy groups are facing deep cuts to include reductions in pay and increases in benefit costs. Government entities around Arizona are looking to reduce department operational budgets and reduce public safety personnel to help reduce their budget deficits simply because public safety requires a large percentage of a government’s general fund.

This was evident in Oro Valley and Flagstaff where both city governments were on the verge of laying off six police officers each to help balance their budgets. Why? Because it’s expensive to maintain a police department.

For elected officials in Oro Valley and Flagstaff, it seemed easier to just cut the police budget. These two cities were willing to sacrifice the safety of their residents rather than looking at other city departments or outside agencies to cut from. The same thing is happening all over the state.

The Executive Board of AZCOPS working closely with Luis Ebratt, our Director of Government Relations, have been keeping a close eye on these entities and have assisted several of our affiliates in dealing with their city councils or county boards of supervisors. AZCOPS has assisted these groups in going public with their concerns about certain elected officials and/or budget cut proposals. In the process, we have discovered how common it is for many of these government entities to either refuse or fail to be transparent with both our affiliates and the general public.

I can tell you this. When the public is made aware of poor management practices and back-door deals (like pay raises for management during an economic downturn), and when they learn that money is being handed out to outside agencies while officers jobs are on the chopping block, citizens become infuriated.

Many of our affiliates have used the power of the media (TV/radio/print) with great success to get the word out to the voting public. Others have used cost-saving homemade flyers to get the information into their communities. Either way, the end result is that all of these communities have responded in one voice -- save public safety!

I urge all of our affiliates who may be going through the same crisis to make contact with your community and business leaders and educate them on what is occurring within their own government. We have certainly captured the attention of many political officials around the state, especially those who are up for re-election this year.

For example, in Tucson, the business community has been working with both the Tucson Police Officers Association and the Tucson Firefighters Association to place a “Public Safety First Initiative” on this year’s election ballot. This voter initiative will mandate that elected officials for the City of Tucson must fund public safety first by providing proper staffing (2.4 officers per 1,000 residents and the proper number of firefighters needed to keep response times at four minutes) before the fiscal year budget can move forward.Why is this happening in Tucson? Because the City Council has been ignoring public safety staffing needs for the past three years and now it has become a serious safety concern.

The nation is looking at a year to 18 months of economic woes and the State of Arizona is without exception. AZCOPS will continue to do what is necessary to assist our affiliates in any way possible. AZCOPS is here for you. Times are tough and it will be a long road, but we need to band together and protect our interests. In doing so, we must maintain vigilance with these government entities and remind them of their first duty as elected officials -- to provide proper public safety to the communities in which they serve.  Back to top

While we celebrate the strength of our union, let's work together to achieve more 

February 2009

Fellow members, we begin a new year from a position of collective strength fueled by a growing membership and an unwavering commitment to the principles we share.

Together, we have grown our union from two affiliates and just a few hundred members in 1997 to more than 9,000 members in 88 affiliated groups today, making AZCOPS the fastest growing union nationwide.

Over the years, we have evolved into a true public safety union of police officers, sheriff deputies, probation officers, correction and detention officers.
It’s because of our diversity that everyone can see the distinct differences between AZCOPS and the other organizations. Working together, we have set aside the differences of our jobs and focused on what’s best for the group as a whole. And in the process, we are leaving our mark on Arizona by changing the way employers deal with our members.

When it comes to bargaining rights, five of our affiliates have worked tirelessly with AZCOPS within the past year to obtain seats at the table in their
communities. We congratulate the City of Maricopa Police Officers Association, the South Tucson Police Officers Association, the Arizona Correctional Peace Officers Association, the Pima County Deputy Sheriffs Association and the Pinal County Deputies Association for their success in obtaining Meet and Confer for their memberships. These groups now have the ability to bargain with their employers for wages, working conditions and contracts. While
AZCOPS pledges our complete support to these groups in their efforts at the bargaining table, we won’t be satisfied until every association has the
right to bargain a contract.

When it comes to politics, AZCOPS continues to be a force to be reckoned with at all levels of government, but particularly at the State Capitol where our Director of Government Relations, Luis Ebratt, worked in a bi-partisan way in 2008 to achieve the passage of bills like HB 2117 that provided disability for
CORP members. This year, AZCOPS begins the legislative session from a position of strength with a history of success in the passage of legislation and the election of friends to House and Senate seats.

Our legal plan continues to be the best in the state. What makes ours better than the rest is the fact that we control it ourselves rather than allowing some outside source to dictate our legal plan. Our lawyers are the best in the business and go the distance every day to protect members’ rights.

In addition to labor relatations, political and legal representation, AZCOPS encourages our affiliates to become involved in community programs such as the 100 Club, Shop with a Cop, establish scholarships and conduct free child fingerprinting. Community involvement puts a positive image of law enforcement in the media.

In Tucson and Scottsdale, the associations participate annually in their “Shop with a Cop” programs, assisting thousands of economically disadvantaged children in their communities. The Chandler Lieutenants & Sergeants Association made a dream come true for a child with a fatal ailment by making him a police officer for a day. And the Arizona Probation Officers Association and Pima Juvenile Corrections Association awarded scholarships. In 2008, these groups committed their time and resources by participatin in their respective communities and we applaud them.

Word is spreading fast that AZCOPS is the best union for public safety workers in the state. Every day, the number of new visitors to our website grows as officers look for real union backup. At www.azcops.org, you can stay up to date on the issues we’re working on for you. If you haven’t done it already, sign up to receive our email Bulletin and find out what’s making news in public safety labor relations.

Indeed, AZCOPS has come a long way since 1997. The state of our union is strong, but a successful future depends on your continued involvement and active participation. In 2009, I challenge each of you to help AZCOPS grow members in your own departments.  Back to top 

A decade of growth and professional service 

September 2008

AZCOPS was born in 1997 and in 11 short years, we have made significant progress. What started with just two affiliates -- Tucson POA and Peoria POA -- has quickly evolved to 85 affiliates and 9,000 members stretching from Kingman to Douglas and from Holbrook to Yuma.

To better serve the needs of a growing membership, AZCOPS has an office in Tucson and an office on Central Avenue just north of downtown Phoenix. AZCOPS also has two full-time attorneys -- Martin Bihn in Phoenix, who serves as our General Counsel, and Mike Storie in Tucson -- and more than 30 attorneys statewide ready to respond to critical situations involving our members.

AZCOPS has a full-time lobbyist, Luis Ebratt (a retired Maricopa County probation supervisor), who has worked incredibly hard at the State Capitol lobbying for legislation that supports our causes and working with lawmakers to help those bills become law.

And of course, let's not forget AZCOPS Office Manager Anamarie Daniels for her professionalism and attention to detail, and Chief of Staff Tim Clark and Organizer Chris Currie for their strong commitment and dedication to recruiting new members into our organization.

As you can see, AZCOPS is dedicated, relentless and committed to providing the best legal assistance and services to our members. AZCOPS truly is "The Power of Arizona Public Safety Officers."  Back to top