SEC. JEWELL WANTS SEQUESTER FLEXIBILITY

from the Washington Post

Sequester takes its toll on Mall, park police and Smithsonian museums

By Lisa Rein, Published: May 2

The Mall, Washington's oft-trampled symbol of democracy and its most-visited national park, heads into the summer tourist season with no Fourth of July concert, fewer Park Police officers and a whole lot of uncollected trash - all results of the spending cuts coursing through parks, museums and other cultural destinations that people come to see in the capital city.

One of the ironies of the sequester is that while the National Park Service did not have to furlough employees, the separately run U.S. Park Police did. Rank-and-file officers started taking unpaid days off this week. That means that of the 350 patrol officers, SWAT team members and detectives assigned to Washington area parks, a significant number will be missing from each shift.

Read the full story at WashingtonPost.com

May Eagle Times

Coverage of Furloughs in San FranCISCO

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

Jarvis Answers Moran's Questions

Moran- "...AS A RESULT OF THOSE CUTS, THERE'S GOING TO BE A FURLOUGH FURLOUGHING OF PARK POLICE OFFICERS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH TIME TO BE FURLOUGHING PARK POLICE. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH IT AND STILL ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR PARK VISITORS."

Jarvis - "YES, SIR. SO WITH THE SEQUESTRATION, SINCE IT WAS APPLIED LINE BY LINE IN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICES BUDGET, EACH OF OUR OPERATING ACCOUNTS TOOK A 5% CUT. THE U.S. PARK POLICE IS APPROXIMATELY $100 MILLION OPERATION ANNUALLY. IT IS A PROGRAM THAT IS ESSENTIALLY ALL SALARY AND OPERATIONS, HELICOPTER FLEET VEHICLES AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE. WE HAD TO TAKE A $5 MILLION HIT HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, INDICATING OF COURSE THE PARK POLICE HAVE BEEN OPERATING, WE HAD A MAJOR ROLE IN THE INAUGURATION, NUMBER OF EVENTS. FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR, THEY ARE THE SORT OF ELITE URBAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATION. THEY OPERATE HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND IN SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW YORK. THEY PROTECT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AND THEN OF COURSE HERE IN THE WASHINGTON, THE MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS, GW PARKWAY. WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARK POLICE AND THE CURRENT EXPECTATION IS WE'LL HAVE TO FURLOUGH EVERY EMPLOYEE A FULL PAY PERIOD AND WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN BALANCE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SECURITY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACROSS THE U.S. PARK POLICE RESPONSIBILITIES. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERY MAJOR EVENT THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. THERE'S THE FOURTH OF JULY AND ROLLING THUNDER AND YOU KNOW, THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, ALL OF THOSE REQUIRE EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSIBILITIES ON OUR PART. WE'RE ANALYZING THAT AT THIS POINT. WE HAVE NOT FOUND A SOLUTION THAT WILL NOT REQUIRE FURLOUGHS."

Moran -"EVERY ONE OF MORE THAN 700 PARK POLICE WILL BE FURLOUGHED FOR AN ENTIRE PAY PERIOD?"

Jarvis - "THAT'S CORRECT."

Moran - " OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS."

Moran -"YOU MENTIONED THE PARK POLICE HELICOPTER. WE HAVE THREE OF THEM, SOME ARE AS OLD AS 30 YEARS OLD. WHILE THEY'VE CERTAINLY EXCEEDED THEIR RECOMMENDED FLIGHT HOUR LEVELS, IS THERE ANY TIME LINE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF AT LEAST THE 30-YEAR-OLD HELICOPTER?"

Jarvis- "WE THINK THAT THE CURRENT FLEET IS STILL FULLY OPERATIONAL AND STILL -- "I MEAN, THERE ARE HAVING THREE ONE AS A BACKUP, TWO ARE PRIME, THAT WE HAVE TO SCHEDULE IT AT SOME POINT"

Moran- "CAN'T AFFORD IT, I UNDERSTAND. YOU'VE GOT A ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF $30 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRAIL WITHIN THE EVERGLADES. I DO SUPPORT THAT. BUT IT'S GOING TO COST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THERE ARE NO COMMITMENTS"

Newsletter

The USPPFOP Labor Committee has published the 1st Quarter 2013 Eagle Times

Impact and Implementation Published

The Furlough Agreement between the USPPFOP Labor Committee and Management has been reached.

From Chairman Ian Glick:

"Today marks a dark day in the history of the U.S. Park Police. Due to sweeping cuts in the Federal budget, the Agency is being forced to furlough officers. Officers who, day in and day out, perform with dedication, a job that is the most noble of professions: that of a peace keeper. Neither the Department of the Interior nor the National Park Service is coming to our rescue as we fall off this financial cliff."

Read the Furlough Impact and Implementation MOU

Aviation Unit Rescues Kayaker

USPPFOP on NBC4

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.

Furloughs Discussed on WUSA9 News

To: All Members

RE: sequestration furloughs


Brothers and Sisters-

While there is no doubt all of us are concerned with the pending furloughs there has been an inordinate amount of rumors, conjecture and misinformation that I need to clear up.

 There will be no furloughs until every member has been notified and 30 days have elapsed. By law, no one is permitted to waive the thirty day period, according to DOI’s Solicitor’s Office.

 Your F.O.P. has requested impact and implementation (I & I) bargaining, as we are entitled to, by law. This should have happened quickly so that the 30 day period could begin. This would mitigate the financial impact in our paychecks by spreading out the furlough hours over more pay periods.

 The Agency has not been authorized to engage in negotiation by order of the Department of Interior.

 Your F.O.P. has requested, and received, abundant assistance from the Grand Lodge (national) F.O.P.

 We are already in contact with Congressional Members and we will continue to brief them on changes, NPS’s internal handling of this debacle and the detrimental impact furloughing you will have on the public and public safety.

As of this writing, there is no official word to pass on about implementation of furloughs and there can be none until such time as the DOI authorizes the Agency to engage in I & I bargaining. Please continue the dedicated service you always have and know that this is first and foremost in my daily work as I advance the cause and voice of the brave men and women of the United States Park Police. BE SAFE!

Fraternally,
Ian R. Glick
Chairman