Morning Read: Massive raises for top state police
The Associated Press is reporting that despite the state’s dire economic straits and more than 900 recent state job cuts, New York’s State Police have granted $20,000 raises to 28 senior officials.
The price tag: $560,000 a year.
“I was surprised and shocked,” [Gov. Andrew] Cuomo said, questioning raises at a time when others faced layoffs. “We’re going to be reviewing it today.”
The revelation came just days after Cuomo’s State of the State address, in which he attempted to rally New Yorkers to a new era of austerity and lean government.
State officials point out that some senior State Police officers were earning less than their lower-ranked counterparts, a fact which prompted the pay hikes.
In a letter to the state Budget Division, Assistant Deputy Police Superintendent Terence O’Mara said “the salary inequality” in the paramilitary organization needed to be fixed to support the chain of command.
“This chain only remains functional with the ability of the superintendent to appoint the most competent and experienced personnel to his executive staff.”
So what do you think? A first test for Gov. Cuomo? Business as usual in Albany? Comments welcome.
They could get rid of about half the brass and probably function much more efficiently and just as effectively as now. My opinion is based on my experience ending a couple years back, but I imagine it still holds true.
So what are they earning with these new raises? Is it more than state legislators? How about the governor? Maybe we need to raise all their salaries to “fix the salary inequity” too. (Sarcasm alert).
There are all sorts of pay inequities not only in state government but in private industry as well. Pay raises, especially big ones, tend to go to those with the clout to get them, meaning those already at the top. It is just more of the same.
It’s the so called “Top People” in all the departments that need to go, maybe starting with Assistant Deputy Police Superintendent Terence O’Mara.
said “the salary inequality” in the paramilitary organization needed to be fixed to support the chain of command..
And what is this “paramilitary organization” nonsense? I thought they were the police who patrol the state roads.
I’ve never heard the State Police referred to as a paramilitary organization. Or is that exactly what it is? I’m curious about that. Having had related discussions on here with Bret and others, I would tend to agree that the organization is probably very top heavy and could use some cuts at the top. And the problem that they use to justify these raises exists in local and county gov’t as well. I personally have some experience with it in fact.
Paramilitary, IME, refers to any organization with a rank structure. IOW, the NYSP has enlisted (Troopers), Non-Commisioned Officers (Sgt, etc) and Commissioned Officers. The NYSP was created in 1917 based on the US Army Cavalry. Our first Superintendent was a retired cavalry doctor IIRC. The NYSP was mounted (horseback) into the late 30’s/early 40’s.
I can fill you in n more useless trivia if you want.
Interesting info., Bret. Thanks. So they were actually created on the US Army Cavalry model? What was the rational for creating a paramilitary organization at the time? Was it supposed to be something similar to the National Guard? A militia in a sense since it was before we had the National Guard (At least I think anyway)? Just curious about the why’s, how’s, etc….
Bret,
I agree. It would be interesting trivia if they were paid like the enlisted people who are fighting an dying in Afghanistan. Considering they are mainly policemen/women whose main job is to arrest speeders and drunks, the trivia borders on the absurd.
Clap, NYSP was formed after the murder of a man and the county Sheriff refusing to act on it, allegedly for political reasons IIRC. Two ladies, I forget their names, were the driving force. The idea was that there would be a rural constabulary free of political influence, well trained and professional.
Here, this is easier than me trying to remember stuff from 24 years ago!
http://www.troopers.state.ny.us/introduction/history/1917-1929/
Anyway…no more raises at the top. This society is far too stratified already. What those at the top fail to see….and even most of those in the middle of our economic structure…is how far away the bottom is. Obama’s healthcare program, for instance, fails to recognize that hungry people aren’t going to buy health insurance. Raises for the top state police administrators won’t help some poor victim of domestic violence, nor will it help some poor logger who’s gas has just been stolen.