Beyond the Badge: Life After the Police Department

Back in the early 1990’s when I was a member of the now-defunct, New York City Housing Police Department, I sat with a group of NYPD officers in a routine Borough Based Training class. These are bi-annual meetings where officers are taught new laws and are brought up to date on departmental policy. In one particular session, a sergeant asked the cops in the room if they had any plans for employment after retiring.

Some of the officers stated that prior to joining the force they were carpenters, plumbers, electricians, or licensed in another skilled trade. However, they were in the minority. Most of the men and women in the room couldn’t see that far into the future to consider what life would be like without a gun on their hip and a shield pinned to their uniform. A general uneasiness filled the classroom. Some fidgeted with the papers on their desk and others sank back in their chairs.

The sergeant’s demeanor became serious. He placed his hands behind his back and pursed his lips. “The good news is that when you retire, there will be plenty of jobs waiting for all of you,” he said. “Employers love hiring ex-cops. But, the skills you bring to the table are hard to qualify in the civilian world. You can drive a truck, work as a guard, and become a bartender or a bus driver, but unless you have another skill like the electricians or carpenters in this room, you better get an education.” The sergeant nodded his head, satisfied that he got through to all of us and began talking about the subject matter at hand.

Police officers don’t want to talk about life after “the job.” Once a cop, always a cop, that’s what we’re told. Television shows, movies, and even books portray officers as die-hard civil servants who live police work as opposed to merely performing their duties. Being a cop denotes a certain attitude, an innate suspicion, a dispassionate appearance, and a jaded view of society as seen from its underside. Police are the community’s protectors, yet they’re the first in line to receive complaints for enforcing the very rules society puts in place. A thick skin is necessary to deal with seeing the human tragedy witnessed on a routine basis and for handling the trauma of losing fellow officers in the line of duty. Cops insulate themselves from others outside their vocation to guard against criticism and to commiserate with their colleagues.

When retirement finally comes, it takes a while to shed the habits of a law enforcement officer. The retiree has no authority. Even in the field of private security, the luster of fighting crime has dimmed. Others call you by your first name and the word “officer” no longer applies to you. Any employment you find does not have the same level of excitement and boredom becomes commonplace. A sense of dissatisfaction dulls the accomplishments at a civilian job, except where earning a paycheck is concerned. There are those who will congratulate you on your years of service, and others who will ask you for a good cop story from your experiences on patrol; but, as the years pass, your connection to police work and the honor of wearing the uniform fades. In spite of joining police fraternities and hanging around with your retired cop buddies, no one calls you in the middle of the night to investigate a suspicious noise.

Working as a bartender, a security guard, a truck driver, or any of the professions the sergeant mentioned in his cautionary monologue long ago in the classroom where I sat and listened with alarm, are fine jobs to have. Financially, a retiree should be able to raise a family with the wages earned while working such a job in conjunction with a police pension, but, looking back, I think the sergeant was projecting his own fears on room full of officers before him. Perhaps the message he wanted to get across is that there is no other job in the world like being a police officer.

Wearing a police shield, carrying a gun, donning the uniform, driving a sector car, and being a hero to those who call nine-one-one in an emergency are all positive, tangible aspects of a fine and noble profession. Losing the privilege of being called “officer,” and the respect one is extended while serving is difficult for most. Becoming a civilian after decades of wielding authority is an adjustment that takes a lot of getting used to. An education for another professional position where one is able to earn a lucrative salary or achieve success on a level an ordinary cop cannot aspire to without that education is a lofty goal; yet, after separating from the department, no matter what a retiree decides to do for a living, the title “retired police officer” is an honor well deserved.

About the Author:
Michael J. Kannengieser is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus.

Click Here to buy Michael J. Kannengieser's new novel, "The Daddy Rock," at Amazon

Justice Department Settles Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Against City of Corpus Christi, Texas, Police Department

The Department of Justice announced today that it has entered into a settlement to resolve the department’s allegations that the city of Corpus Christi, Texas, violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against women when hiring entry-level police officers.

 The United States’ complaint against Corpus Christi, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, alleges that between 2005 and 2011, the city used a physical abilities test when hiring entry-level police officers, and that test screened out many more women than men but did not test for what is required on the job.   Title VII prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin or religion, whether the discrimination is intentional or involves the use of employment practices, like physical abilities tests, that have a disparate impact and are not job related and consistent with business necessity.  

  “Hiring processes, including for those who seek to serve and protect the public as police officers, should be free from discrimination,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.   “ The department commends Corpus Christi for its cooperation, for working to put in place new hiring procedures that comply with Title VII, and for providing relief to the women who have been harmed by the prior practices challenged by the department.”

 The Justice Department and Corpus Christi jointly filed a motion today requesting that the court provisionally enter a consent decree that lays out the terms of the settlement.   The motion also asks the court to schedule a fairness hearing on the decree, the opportunity provided by Title VII for the public to comment on the decree.   The proposed consent decree must be approved by the court.

 The consent decree requires that Corpus Christi no longer use the physical abilities test challenged by the United States for selecting entry-level police officers.   It also requires the city to develop a new selection procedure that complies with Title VII.   Additionally, the consent decree requires the city to pay $700,000 as backpay to female applicants who took and failed the challenged physical abilities test between 2005 and 2011 and are determined to be eligible for relief.  Also under the consent decree, some women who took and failed the challenged physical abilities test between 2005 and 2011 may receive offers of priority employment with retroactive seniority and benefits. Applicants interested in priority employment must pass the new, lawful selection procedure developed by Corpus Christi under the decree and meet other qualifications required of all applicants considered for entry-level police officer positions.    

“The physical abilities test formerly used by Corpus Christi prevented the city from distinguishing between qualified and unqualified applicants,” continued Mr. Perez.   “Here, the Justice Department is ensuring the selection of qualified officers while eliminating artificial, discriminatory barriers.   Because Corpus Christi will develop a new, lawful test that all candidates must pass, the public will be assured that the selection process is fair and nondiscriminatory and selects qualified candidates.”

 Enforcement of federal employment discrimination laws is a top priority for the Justice Department.   Additional information about Title VII and other federal employment laws is available on the Civil Rights Division’s website at www.justice.gov/crt .

Justice Department Files Complaint Against City of Pittsfield, Mass., for Violating the Employment Rights of a U.S. Navy Reservist

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today the filing of a complaint against the city of Pittsfield, Mass., for violating the rights of a U.S. Navy Reservist under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).

The lawsuit alleges that the city violated Pittsfield firefighter Jeffrey Rawson’s rights by passing him over for promotion to lieutenant in the Pittsfield Fire Department because of his military service obligations.   In November 2009, Rawson took a promotional exam for a lieutenant position.  Based on the results of the examination, Rawson was ranked second on the promotional list.   In July 2010, the city informed Rawson that he was being skipped for promotion and that a firefighter ranked lower on the promotional list was instead being promoted to lieutenant. The lower ranked firefighter was promoted to lieutenant in September 2010.

Rawson initially filed a complaint with the Labor Department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, which investigated the matter, determined that the complaint had merit, and referred the matter to the Justice Department.   The lawsuit also alleges that, subsequent to Rawson’s complaint, the city again violated USERRA when it retaliated against him by refusing to reinstate him to the list of firefighters eligible to serve as an acting lieutenant.

USERRA prohibits civilian employers from discriminating against military reservists such as Rawson with respect to civilian employment opportunities, including promotions, based on their past, current, or future uniformed service obligations.   The federal law also prohibits employers from retaliating against uniformed services members for exercising their rights under USERRA, including filing a complaint.

Among other things, the suit seeks to provide Rawson with a retroactive promotion to lieutenant ahead of the lower ranked firefighter who was promoted in September 2010, the lost wages and benefits that Rawson would have enjoyed if he had not been passed over for promotion, and liquidated damages.

 “No servicemember should be prevented from advancing in his or her civil career because of military duties,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.   “The Civil Rights Division is committed to protecting the rights of those who, through their bravery and sacrifice, secure the rights of all Americans.”

U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Carmen M. Ortiz said, “Our service men and women make the ultimate sacrifice by serving our country.   We simply cannot let employers disadvantage them based on their military service or military status.”

This case is being handled by the Employment Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.   Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s websites, www.usdoj.gov/crt/emp and www.servicemembers.gov, as well as the Labor Department’s website at www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/main.htm.

FBI to Hire More Special Agents

NEWARK, NJ—The FBI is now accepting applications for the special agent position from now until September 23, 2011. In addition to the traditional background in law or accounting, the FBI is also seeking individuals with skill sets in information technology or computer science, intelligence, engineering, science (biology, chemistry, physics, etc.), foreign language fluency (particularly in languages that involve our national security interests, such as Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Farsi, Punjabi, etc.), military and law enforcement. Applicants may also apply under what the Bureau terms the “Diversified” category, which encompasses all other disciplines.

Applicants should be U.S. citizens and have at least a four year undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university and three years of professional work experience. If the applicant has a master’s degree or higher, a minimum of two years of professional work experience is required. Selections of new agent candidates are based on the applicant’s demonstrated experience in the special agent core competencies: leadership, oral and written communication, initiative and motivation, interpersonal skills, adaptability and flexibility, organizing, planning and prioritizing, and evaluating information and making decisions. Applicants must also pass a written examination, a panel interview, a thorough background check to include a polygraph examination, and a strenuous physical fitness test. The application process for all FBI positions begins with an online questionnaire. Once the questionnaire is satisfactorily completed, the FBI will contact that applicant for further information and instruction. A further explanation of these requirements and the entire application process can be found at fbijobs.gov. Anyone interested in applying for the special agent position should thoroughly review this website, including FBI Employment Disqualifiers, FBI Drug Policy and FBI Background Investigation process, to ensure compliance prior to applying. Please do not call the field office with application questions as the answers to the most commonly asked questions can be found online.

CBP Now Accepting Applications for Officer Positions

Washington – Inspecting more than a million travelers and 50,000 containers, apprehending more than 75 criminals, seizing more than 2,300 pounds of narcotics and intercepting more than 500 agricultural pests is just a typical day for U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at our nation’s ports of entry.

With funding allocated by the supplemental border security bill passed by Congress and signed by the President in August 2010, CBP is now accepting applications for the CBP officer position, focusing on the critical need to ensure our nation’s security on the southwest border.

CBP officers use state-of-the-art technology and training at more than 330 ports of entry located at international airports, seaports and land borders throughout the U.S., deterring illegal entry to our country, intercepting contraband and interdicting agricultural pests and potential diseases. CBP is accepting applications for the officer position to be located at southwest border ports of entry in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

The primary responsibilities of a CBP officer are to protect the nation’s ports of entry by detecting and preventing terrorist and weapons of mass destruction from entering the U.S. while facilitating the orderly flow of legitimate trade and travelers. CBP officers perform the full range of inspection, passenger and cargo analysis, examination and law enforcement activities relating to revenue and trade, seizure of contraband, interdiction of agricultural pests and diseases and admissibility of persons.

These are full-time, uniformed positions starting at the GS-5 to GS-7 level that pay approximately $31,300 - $38,700 annually with the opportunity of making up to an additional $35,000 in overtime. Qualified applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 36 (waivers are accepted for qualified veterans), have been a U.S. citizen for the past three years, have a valid driver’s license and pass a thorough background investigation, medical examination, fitness test and drug test.

The employment opportunity requires regular qualification and carrying of firearms, includes a generous benefits package and 17 - 19 weeks of paid training at the Field Operations Academy, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Ga.

Applications must be filed on the USAJobs website and testing is available in various locations nationwide.  Additional information about the opportunity is available on CBP website

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Justice Department Files Suit Against Winchester, Va., to Protect Employment Rights of U.S. Marine Corps Reservist

WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit on behalf of Jon Fultz, a U.S. Marine Corps reservist, against the city of Winchester, Va., alleging that it violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by failing to properly reemploy Fultz in September 2009 when he returned from military service during which he sustained a knee injury.

Subject to certain conditions, USERRA requires employers to promptly reemploy returning service members in the position they would have held had their employment been not interrupted by military service, or in a position of like seniority, status and pay.

According to the department’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Harrisonburg, Va., the city violated USERRA by not reemploying Fultz in his previous pre-service permanent position as a community resource officer assigned to manage its police department’s fleet of motor vehicles.   When Fultz returned to work in September 2009, after performing military service where he injured his knee, the city assigned him fleet manager duties.   However, the city placed Fultz in a lesser “light duty” status that he did not request, and which subjected him to removal from his job.   For the next five months, Fultz satisfactorily performed his fleet manager duties, which were the same as his pre-service duties despite the “light duty” label.   During that period, Fultz did not have any workplace problems with his knee that would have caused concern about his job performance, safety or health.

In February 2010, the city, without prior notice, removed Fultz from his position and stopped paying him wages.   Although the city told Fultz that its sudden action was due to supposed safety concerns, it did not explain the nature of those concerns or give any factual basis for them.   Even when Fultz provided medical information requested by the city to permit his return to work, the city refused to reinstate him, or to identify an alternate city position for which he qualified or could become qualified.   The city ultimately terminated Fultz’s employment in October 2010.  In its lawsuit, the Justice Department seeks the lost wages and benefits that he would have received if he had been properly reemployed in his pre-service status as a permanent full-duty community resource officer.

“Employers have a legal obligation to reemploy our uniformed service members in the correct position and status after they return from military duty,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.   “The Civil Rights Division is committed to protecting the rights of those who, through their bravery and sacrifice, secure the rights of all Americans.”

“When the men and women who serve our country in the armed forces return from deployments overseas, they deserve their jobs back,” said Timothy J. Heaphy, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia.  “When employers deprive our servicemen of this important right, the Department of Justice will intervene and enforce the USERRA statute.”

  The Labor Department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service investigated and attempted to resolve Fultz’s USERRA complaint before referring it to the Justice Department for litigation.

“Our two agencies work closely together to ensure that our service members are treated right when they return from service” said Ray Jefferson, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans’ Employment and Training.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has given a high priority to the enforcement of service members’ rights under USERRA.   Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department’s websites at usdoj.gov/crt/emp and servicemembers.gov, as well as on the Labor Department’s website at dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/main.htm .

Enforcing Federal Employment Discrimination Laws

This week, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) hosted a webcast, which joined employees from the three agencies to discuss their mutual commitment to collaborate in the enforcement of federal employment discrimination laws.

Deputy Secretary of Labor Seth D. Harris moderated a panel with Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez, EEOC Chairwoman Jacqueline A. Berrien, and OFCCP Director Patricia A. Shiu to discuss each agency’s work in enforcing civil rights laws and joint enforcement efforts planned for the three agencies. Melody Barnes, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, gave introductory remarks that discussed the importance of this collaboration.

This is the first time in history that the national and field employees of these three civil rights agencies have gathered to discuss each agency’s work and opportunities for collaboration moving forward.

During the presentation, each agency described the laws it enforces and spelled out its priorities for the coming years.

Assistant Attorney General Perez focused on the Civil Rights Division’s reinvigorated pattern or practice enforcement program, which promotes systemic change in state and local government workforces. He discussed, for example, the Division’s significant victory in U.S. v. City of New York, a case in which the Department has successfully challenged the City’s use of two written examinations for entry-level firefighter positions. The judge in the case granted summary judgment against the City, finding that its practices had unlawful disparate impact against African-American and Hispanic applicants and also constituted intentional discrimination against them.

EEOC Chair Jacqueline Berrien said that she is “very proud” of the accomplishments of the EEOC and its employees throughout its 45-year history, but is also keenly aware that the public’s demand for the EEOC’s services — as reflected in part by the historic number of discrimination charges filed in the past fiscal year — is more pressing than ever. She said that the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the Civil Rights Division at the Department are very important partners in the effort to end employment discrimination in the United States and, at a moment of unprecedented demands upon agency resources and a constrained fiscal environment, it is especially important for all three agencies to operate as efficiently as possible, leverage their resources and avoid duplicating efforts.

OFCCP Director Patricia Shiu urged employees of all three agencies to replicate the collaboration that is happening among the leadership level at national and field offices across the country. “We need you to start talking to each other, to start sharing information and to put our egos and turf issues aside to really prioritize what’s in the best interest of workers,” said Director Shiu. She pointed to the example of a case that OFCCP’s Southwest and Rocky Mountain Region recently referred to the Department because they determined it was better suited to handle it. “This is the first time since the Reagan administration that OFCCP has referred a case to us,” noted Perez.

EEOC, DOJ and OFCCP are already working together on a host of projects, including addressing wage discrimination through the National Equal Pay Task Force, piloting programs among their field offices, reinvigorating Memoranda of Understanding which outline protocols for sharing information, communicating about best practices and conducting joint trainings among compliance officers and investigators.

The agency leaders celebrated the unprecedented levels of collaboration that have already borne fruit and committed to enhancement of that collaboration going forward. As all three recognized, the collaboration will result in more efficient use of our resources, better coordination of our priorities, and an increased ability to hold employers accountable for employment discrimination.

This article was sponsored by Police Books.

Program Director - Criminal Justice

Westwood College - South Bay, a subsidiary of Alta Colleges, and one of the country's fastest growing educational institutions, is seeking a qualified Program Director for its Criminal Justice Department.

The Program Director manages all program-related functions to ensure delivery of curriculum and to promote student success in Criminal Justice. The Program Director serves as the primary contact for students and faculty by maintaining a high level of visibility and actively soliciting input to promote a positive learning environment.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Oversee delivery and assessment of instruction in Criminal Justice.
Ensure that what is being taught conforms to the established Westwood syllabi.
Administer and analyze Faculty Course Evaluations
Observe classroom instruction
Recruit and manage program faculty
Develop program master schedule
Manage all program related equipment
Participate in curriculum development
Program budget management
Resolve all student-teacher issues
Conduct regularly scheduled faculty meetings and maintain minutes
Promote subject area faculty development

Job Qualifications:
At the time of hiring Westwood College faculty and education department managers are required to hold a completed graduate degree from a U.S. regionally or nationally accredited university. In addition, state licensing and national accrediting criteria apply. Faculty with international credentials are required to present an official U.S. degree evaluation by AACRAO or NACES recognized evaluation agency.
Appropriate professional experience in the Criminal Justice field.
Teaching experience preferred
Working knowledge of spreadsheets, databases, and word processing software
Strong oral and written communication skills
Strong attention to detail

Qualified Candidates should submit their resume and salary requirements to:
Peter I Heyer
Email: piheyer@msn.com
Ph-303-771-5393