Tag Archives: Police

Cops File Charges Against Council

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Cops on break
PG Cops On Break

The Pacific Grove Police Officers Association filed a charge with the state Public Employment Relations Board in Sacramento that the Pacific Grove City Council violated state labor laws by enacting an ordinance that would limit the city’s contribution to retirement benefits.

The measure, initially proposed by residents for the Nov. 2 ballot, caps city contributions to employee pension benefits at 10 percent of workers’ salaries. Employees could pay additional amounts toward their retirement out of their own pocket.

Cops File Charges Against Council

P.G. Police Joins The Information Awareness Office

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A plan for police to share information with other law enforcement agencies in the region was approved 5-2 by the Pacific Grove City Council on Wednesday after a discussion about whether participating in the exchange might violate privacy rights.

Police Chief Darius Engles asked that the city sign on to Urban Area Security Initiative, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that provides a criminal database for the region.

Yeah, I feel safe…

TIA
From Wikipedia

The Information Awareness Office (IAO) was established by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in January 2002 to bring together several DARPA projects focused on applying surveillance and information technology to track and monitor “terrorists” and other asymmetric threats to national security, by achieving Total Information Awareness (TIA). This would be achieved by creating enormous computer databases to gather and store the personal information of everyone in the United States, including personal e-mails, social network analysis, credit card records, phone calls, medical records, and numerous other sources, without any requirement for a search warrant[1]. This information would then be analyzed to look for suspicious activities, connections between individuals, and “threats”[2]. Additionally, the program included funding for biometric surveillance technologies that could identify and track individuals using surveillance cameras, and other methods[2].

P.G. Police Joins The Information Awareness Office

Don’t Ignore That Cop Because Of The CPD Star

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Wednesday, the Pacific Grove City Council approved a request by Police Chief Darius Engels to “borrow” a motorcycle officer from the Carmel Police Department to chase speeders.

His department has 18 of an authorized 22 officers, and he would be able to pay for the loan of a motorcycle officer within the department’s approved budget.

Issuing traffic tickets “doesn’t generate a lot of revenue,” Engels said, but that’s not the point.

Don’t Ignore That Cop Because Of The CPD Star

City Comes Out On Top In Gay Cop Harassment Case

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Smolinski sought an unspecified amount of money in damages. He claimed the police department’s email system was used to “circulate information which utilized derogatory terms and statements relating to homosexual and bisexual individuals.”

One joke, entitled, “Time for your annual “Am I Gay” self examination,” included seven offcolor, disparaging questions, he said. The sender included a disclaimer that the message was intended as a joke.

Was going to add a photoshopped picture of a lavender police car but decided not to.
Even though the city won this (it must have cost a lot of library $$ to defend) whomever was using the city’s email to send jokes needs a days suspension or better. What other city resources are the highly paid public safety employees wasting our money on?

City Comes Out On Top In Gay Cop Harassment Case

Is The Police Department Merging With Monterey?

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PGpd Oob

Money is tight for Monterey and Pacific Grove police departments. “These days with budget situation being so tight everywhere looking for ways to stretch administration cost, “said Don Rhoads with the City of Monterey.

Monterey’s financial directors said there has been talk about merging both police stations, but nothing has been confirmed.

Is The Police Department Merging With Monterey?

Police Chief Engles Buckles Under Pressure

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PGpd Oob

His department has been pounded by a steady drumfire of public comments, criticism, complaints and threats about salaries, benefits, job security and possible city bankruptcy. All that has made it difficult to recruit officers to fill the three vacant positions on the force.

“I’m not the guy to carry on,” Engles said.

“oh it’s too hard” Same things echoed by quitter Jim Colon-Jello. The city has to quit hiring people that are in the sunset of their life and hire people that want to work.

Police Chief Engles Buckles Under Pressure

Hold The Door! Police Chief Wants Out, Too

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I don’t think there are good days ahead . .

PGPD Help Wanted

Engles’ resignation announcement comes just two weeks after Mayor Dan Cort announced his intention to resign by the end of this month. Former City Manager Jim Colangelo retired in January and Wiseman has been performing those duties while the City Council continues efforts to try and recruit a new chief executive officer for the city.

No selection has been made.

Hold The Door! Police Chief Wants Out, Too

P.G. Council OKs Contract Extension

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Lisa “Bare” Bennett was the lone no vote.

Contract modification agreements with city employees were approved by a 6-1 vote Wednesday by the Pacific Grove City Council.
The agreement with general employees will impose a one-day furlough each month by closing City Hall, resulting in a 5 percent pay cut.

The Pacific Grove Police Officers Association has agreed to defer a 9.8 percent pay raise due this year in exchange for extending their contract by an additional year.

Police officers also will receive a bank of 60 hours of personal leave and increases in overtime pay, and they agreed to forgo an option to cash out a portion of unused leave for one year.

P.G. Council OKs Contract Extension

Watsonville Chimes In On P.G. Police

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When I first moved to the area, I was stopped by a Pacific Grove policeman. This time, I was truly curious.
…
As I drove away, the warning I understood was that older-model cars might be stopped and searched at random by Pacific Grove police.

Watsonville’s police force is dedicated to public safety, not collecting taxes. My interactions with Monterey and Pacific Grove have left me to believe that creating revenue is the priority. Perhaps they just don’t have enough to do. Perhaps those cities could save some money in work force reductions.

Me, I will be wary and do less shopping and eating in Monterey County. I can’t afford $250 toll roads.

Maybe that’s why the stabbings and gang shootings happen in Watsonville and not P.G.?
A few recent stories out of W-ville:
8/3 A homeless man and six Watsonville gang members, age 12-19, have been arrested in connection with the April slaying of another homeless man.
8/3 rape of a 23-year-old woman in her home early Saturday
7/17 WATSONVILLE – Police are searching for a man who they said tried to kill the mother of his children Friday morning.
7/17 Teen boy recovering after being shot in the stomach in gang incident
7/14 Car chase, crash, stabbing in Watsonville blamed on gang rivalry
7/13 Teen stabbed in the head after Sunday night car chase
7/12 Two stabbings reported in Watsonville
6/17 Two arrested for street corner gunpoint robbery outside Watsonville
6/17 Watsonville teen shot in suspected gang-related drive-by
6/17 Watsonville men face trial on gang, assault charges for stabbing on Santa Cruz’ Chestnut Street
6/6 Teens stabbed, badly hurt during Watsonville gang fight
6/5 Watsonville neighborhood feud erupts into street fight between gang members

Watsonville Chimes In