Forced retirements - semi rant

[Zamboni]

Do other depts try to force their cops to retire? We have a guy who started in 1973 I believe. He is almost 60, way out of shape, utterly incompetent to work the streets, and not a good cop in the crime fighting sense. But that doesn't matter. A few years ago a position opened in evidence processing. He got it. All he does is log in the evidence and maintain the evidence room. He is perfectly capable of doing that and does it just fine. But my dept has some sort of burr up its *** that he hasn't retired yet. So they are forcing him to go back into patrol and are putting a competent detective in their who doesn't want to go. They are going to make this old guy work nights all year, he hates night shift. Its obvious they are trying to drive him out. The guy doesn't want to retire and he's happy doing a job that he is good at. So why drive him to retire. He doesn't deal with criminals so his age and street incompetence don't matter. Let the guy stay. None of the rest of us want to do his job. Plus now I and other have to go on calls with this guy and have our lives risked because of his lack of street smarts. I don't want him backing me on a call and I definitely don't want to back him because if he's calling the shots things will go to **** fast.

My dept has done similar with others. Unfortunately there is no appeals process to this. Under state law if you don't lose pay, rank, or benefits you have no right to file a suit or grievance.