Hello to all,
I have a question to pose to other officers around the nation. The members of my department and the city leaders have been having a debate over residency. The city council is trying to impose a residency requirement to where officers must reside in the school district of our particular city. It has always been posed as an "un-written rule" as stated by our city administrator that this is always been the case. We had several officers attend a finance comittee meeting where we believe this was trying to be "backdoored" and we caught them by suprise by attending and making comments about it. We were told by the chief and city administrator that when you sign your conditional offer of employment that the residency clause is in there. Many of us at this time do not remember ever signing such a thing. We are looking into our files w/ personnel and I will get back to you on it. Then on another day it changes and they state it is the rules and regs of the Civil Service. After reading the civil service rules and regs. we find it is not in there. Then on another day it comes back to the fact that during your interview w/ civil service they ask if you are to be hired that you must maintain residency in the school district. If you say no then you are off the list. Don't remember that one either however, it may be asked verbally not in writing anywhere. SO, what we have is un-written policies, long-standing practices and a lot of changing of where the policy is depending on the day of the week. I think what is going on is that someone up a t city hall has gotten wind that some of us are looking to move out of the city and even across state lines. I live and work in Nebraska where the only law enforcement that is required by law is state troopers and the elected county sheriff must reside in his/her county. Other city police and county deputies throughout the Missouri River corridor can and do live in IA. It was also mentioned at one city council meeting that the reason to do it is for tax reasons. Our union retained attorney believes this would not fly. Any truth to that? Anyone have a say or particular court case which would benefit us trying to have an open residency policy? Ther is more to this but I have rambled on enough to probably bore most of you to tears. It is just that this is burning my butt right now!! If it was clearly in policy or the civil service regs. or we signed it a contract that would be one thing. But, to have the answer or reason change everyday just ticks me and other dept. members off!!! I guess that comes from being a cop. "Is it there in black and white" "Nope" "Didn't happen" "10-8"!! Thanks for everything and I look foward to hearing from all of you. Stay safe.
I have a question to pose to other officers around the nation. The members of my department and the city leaders have been having a debate over residency. The city council is trying to impose a residency requirement to where officers must reside in the school district of our particular city. It has always been posed as an "un-written rule" as stated by our city administrator that this is always been the case. We had several officers attend a finance comittee meeting where we believe this was trying to be "backdoored" and we caught them by suprise by attending and making comments about it. We were told by the chief and city administrator that when you sign your conditional offer of employment that the residency clause is in there. Many of us at this time do not remember ever signing such a thing. We are looking into our files w/ personnel and I will get back to you on it. Then on another day it changes and they state it is the rules and regs of the Civil Service. After reading the civil service rules and regs. we find it is not in there. Then on another day it comes back to the fact that during your interview w/ civil service they ask if you are to be hired that you must maintain residency in the school district. If you say no then you are off the list. Don't remember that one either however, it may be asked verbally not in writing anywhere. SO, what we have is un-written policies, long-standing practices and a lot of changing of where the policy is depending on the day of the week. I think what is going on is that someone up a t city hall has gotten wind that some of us are looking to move out of the city and even across state lines. I live and work in Nebraska where the only law enforcement that is required by law is state troopers and the elected county sheriff must reside in his/her county. Other city police and county deputies throughout the Missouri River corridor can and do live in IA. It was also mentioned at one city council meeting that the reason to do it is for tax reasons. Our union retained attorney believes this would not fly. Any truth to that? Anyone have a say or particular court case which would benefit us trying to have an open residency policy? Ther is more to this but I have rambled on enough to probably bore most of you to tears. It is just that this is burning my butt right now!! If it was clearly in policy or the civil service regs. or we signed it a contract that would be one thing. But, to have the answer or reason change everyday just ticks me and other dept. members off!!! I guess that comes from being a cop. "Is it there in black and white" "Nope" "Didn't happen" "10-8"!! Thanks for everything and I look foward to hearing from all of you. Stay safe.
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