POLICE EMPLOYEES WILL NOT RECEIVE COMP TIME BANK BUY-OUT OPTION THIS CALENDAR YEAR.

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City County Observer has just confirmed by our “Police Department Moles”  that all employees of the Evansville Police Department will not be eligible for Comp Time Bank Buy-Out option for this calendar year.

Many of our outstanding men and women employed by the Evansville Police Department depend on cashing in the Comp Time Bank Buy to pay for family vacations, education payments for their kids, home purchases, catching up on paying for past bills and other important economic commitments.  We have been saying for a long time that we are hearing that the overall moral of the rank and file employees  of the Evansville Police Department is low.  We have been told by political insiders that this memo is a good example why employees of EPD may be losing confidence in the Winnecke Administration.

Attached below is an official scan copy of the memo sent out to all employees of the EPD on February 12, 2014 by Chief Of Police Billy Bolin.

Please double click the attached memo  so you enlarge it to make it more readable.  This memo hasn’t been edited or altered by the City County Observer and speaks for itself.

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61 COMMENTS

  2. This is absolutely SHAMEFUL. The Winnecke administration could at least explain why these men and women who risk their lives to protect us aren’t going to get paid. He can spend 40 million for new water meters and give 20 million to a hotel developer but can’t pay his public safety employees for their work??? His priorities are warped!!!

  3. Can’t wait to see how the Mayors and the Police Chief “Ministers of Propaganda” spins the official memo sent to all the EPD employees that was just posted in the CCO.

    • Marty,

      There will not be one iota of ‘spin’.

      Instead, I hear the IN Supreme Court is going to be renting space at the Federal Building to handle “all of the action” in Evansville. Here comes the next case.

  4. Nothing like working overtime for free, were I an officer I’d be out the door at the end of my shift

    • There’s no way they can do that. How is working for free not breaking labor laws? And how would that not be grounds for a strike by the FOP?

      Initially I was very impressed with Bolin but I’m starting to have my doubts. It seems like the more we go along, the more it becomes not what Chief Bolin thinks is right but what Chief Bolin has to do to keep his bosses at bay.

      • You are correct. Working for free is against labor laws. Now with that being the case, what do you think this memo means? Larry Nelson wrote that EPD & FOP agreed to cap the owed comp time at 200 hours. When an officers passes 200 hours, their time is bought out to bring them down to the approved hours. If that is correct, that leads me to believe that this memo is either saying that officers will not be allowed to pass the agreed upon 200 hours or if they exceed the 200 hr limit it will remain banked for this calendar year. To tell an employee that you’re not going to pay them for hours worked is unreasonable. That’s why I think it has to mean one of the two things that I described.

  5. I need to know more.

    Were these payments promised and then jerked away from them?

    Or was this something that was just expected?

    I know police risk live and limb, but we all have financial obligations and dreams.

    Like I said I need to know more.

    However, based upon the limited information, this does seem to show very messed up priorities.

    • It is long-time policy, Brains. Some officers “save up” comp time in order to get a lump-sum once a year. Failing that, they must use the time that builds up at time-and-a-half for each hour worked, or more. The “catch” to that is that the time off has to be approved, which isn’t going to happen, because if they are short-handed, the requested time will not be approved.
      There have to be provisions for this in the union contract. The bottom line is that the officers will have to be given the time off, or be paid for it. This makes no sense, and whoever is behind it is incompetent.

  6. I’m getting tired of the Mayor and Billy Bolin bullish–. They are nothing more than self serving P R people. Thanks CCO for exposing the truth at the EPD. You have just touched the tip of the political iceberg of the happenings at the EPD. I can’t wait till my husband retires from the force. This is the last straw when the Mayor and Chief decided not to allow the Comp Time Buy Back option for this year.

  7. Wait…isn’t this what we were fighting for? When the news broke about comp time, there were several discussions and teeth gnashing about the financial repercussions of this irresponsible way to operate our emergency departments. It was going to be the financial ruin of our fair city if it were allowed to continue. Since the CCO has made another turn and the rabid lemmings are following, what is the new correct way to manage payroll for our emergency services? Remember you’re the one that made a mountain out of a “mole” hill to start with. Should the officers blame CCO for making comp time such a prominent issue that it had to be addressed in this way?

    • The correct way to manage any workforce is to do so within the law of the land. The City of Evansville has not done so. Now the chickens are coming home to roost. Any payments guaranteed by their supervisors with the full authority to do so will have to be honored even if the accruals were illegal. It is time for Evansville to clean its mess and move forward in a compliant way.

      • Larry Nelson addressed this with you once. EPD only had one employee that had exceeded comp time limitations and that was not a sworn employee. CCO was banging the gong loudly and accusing EPD and FOP of wrongdoing. This went on for several days. Now, we want to change course and find fault in this solution to address the liability that you were so worried about.

  8. Mr. Davis your remarks offend me. My boy friend works his rear end off to insure that our citizens are protected from bad people. Don’t you think the city should honor his earned comp time? This is my first exposure reading the City County Observer and i can guarantee you i shall be back. In fact, i shall be e-mailing posts of the CCO to many of my family and friends starting this evening.

    • My remarks have nothing to do with EPD. I am friends with at least 25 officers and I fully support law enforcement. The great officers of EPD should be upset with the one that kicked the hornet’s nest.

    • If this is your first time reading this site, then you need to go back to where the whole issue started. You’ll understand my remark and realize that it is not against EPD or their officers.

  9. Will they get bonuses for publicly humiliating blue haired little old ladies? Drunk driving and wanton endangerment? Drunken fights in public?

  12. Mr. Davis who in the hell do you think you are to make insulting remarks about CCO for printing the truth about broken promises made to hard working city employees by political people. This is also my first time to read this on-line newspaper and must say that I’m extremely impressed with the content. Mr. Davis your remarks insult me as a long time retired professional of the EPD.

    • If this is your first time reading this site, then how do you know that what they printed months ago is the truth. Now I’m no detective, but that sounds fishy to me. What broken promises? The story was never about broken promises. If I remember correctly from Larry Nelson’s post, the buyback only occurs when the officer exceeds 200 hours of comp time owed. So is Bolin’s memo essentially saying that the officers will not be allowed to pass the threshold where they can have the buy-out? Correct me if I’m wrong. I’m sure that you will.

  14. If anyone wants to read something about EPD’s comp time from a more knowledgeable source, Larry Nelson’s response to the comp time issue is in the comments of the 12/4 IIT.

  15. It is obvious that Phillip Davis read but didn’t understand Chief Bolin memo sent to EPD rank and file. This memo has nothing to do with Larry Nelsons article to CCO. Good night Mr. Davis, maybe tomorrow you will think with more clarity.

  17. Is it true that Old National Bank will announce this morning that they have the funds to cover “comp time” for Evansville Police? Upwards of $14 million?

    Is it true that the new “Old National Bank Arrest Plaza” signs are schedule to be up in two weeks!

    Is it true that turning point in the agreement was when the city threw in the million dollar value of “get out of jail” tickets that will be covered over the next 30 years?

    Is it true that the *Armstrong Township mole-nation* uncovered this scope before the CCO’s?

  18. Memo to the Winnecke Spin Doctors, Wayne, and Phyllip,–It seems the Patient will, in the end, have their Family, extended family, close friends and peers standing in line to vote for another term for the Winnecke Administration——Surely they will,–Won’t they doctors?
    It’s only logical, Darn right they will!

    • If the local democrat party wants Winnecke to be mayor again, it will happen. The party powers, Connie Robinson, Eric Williams and ex party powers such as Bagby will campaign for him and pull in enough votes for him to win. We have a relatively large police force for a city this size and if they’re working overtime there’s a big problem. Also note that that the Sheriff’s department provides public safety for a population s big as Evansville with few patrolman on duty. We are starting to see the results of white flight.

  20. When you are directed by your employer that you cannot accrue more than 200 hours payout comp time and do so without administrative approval, it is grounds for dismissal. You will be paid, but having willfully disobeyed a directive, you can be out the door. This has stood the test of litigation numerous times.

    If the EPD is so understaffed, do not have a single officer performing non-enforcement duties. Raise taxes and hire more civil staff and uniformed officers.

    There. That wasn’t to hard to figure out, was it?

  21. I’m hearing that some of the key people in the administration are now blaming John Friend cutting the Comp Time buy back money out of this years budget. Has anyone heard this also?

    Wonder what the status of Comp Time buy back payments with the Evansville Fire Department?

    • That’s a good question. All I can say is that if these officers have to TAKE their comp time, don’t have any police emergencies, because nobody will be on duty.
      I wonder if the City has taken into account the legal fees they’re going to have to pay to get their butts kicked in Court again?

    • No, City Council doesn’t prepare the Budget, they just approve the Budget prepared by the City Administration.

      That would mean the Administration should be mad at themselves, based on your statement.

  22. Does anybody know what this Bolin guy educational background is. Better yet, what qualify him to be appointed Police Chief?

    • Billy Bolin is the most honest above board police chief this city has had in 30 years. Art Gann was also a great Chief of Police. This county has not been blessed good police leadership.

  23. It really doesn’t matter about education or qualifications. Whoever has the most “pucker power” for the kissing of politicians’ buttocks gets the job.

      • Elkaybee, please refrain from future advice, suggestions, and comments on all matters related to public policy, fiscal and otherwise. Thanks.

      • sad……but true…..OUR taxpayers money gone….. 50 grand is worth about 110 grand today………..

    • Laura, tell me that al sharpie’s article is not true. You were a Democrat party appointee from Vandeveer? Were you really given a loan from the city that you went into default on? Fired after four days? Please say this isn’t true. Especially, after you tried to give me advice on how to take care of my family. You’ve been beating the Earthcare drum a lot lately. $50,000 in 1986 compared to $200,000 now, hmmm. You didn’t get the taxpayers for as much, but I hope you did pay us back.

        • I’m not harping. I understand that people have a past. I most certainly do, but I don’t throw dirt on the names of people that are doing the same things that I once did. This thread starts with LKB talking about “pucker power” to get jobs from local politicians and this is what she has done in the past. She also received a $50,000 loan from the people of Evansville and defaulted on the loan, yet she talks about the Earthcare deal over and over. I’m not talking about the actions almost 30 years ago. I’m talking about the hypocrisy today.

  24. Maybe withholding those buybacks means the City is flat BROKE, and can’t afford it; but since we can’t reconcile the bank, it’s blindsided us !!

    • I think you nailed it. This is a simple fix, if you have the money. Winnecke and Bolin are smart enough to throw money at problems like this. It’s apparent this city is reaching it’s financial critical mass.

  25. Comp buyout is a contract issue. That means the FOP must have approved of Bolin’s decision or the FOP leadership would be all ove the media about this.
    The people saying the officers are working for free is not true. The officers can turn in their overtime card and get paid for the additional time on the next check. Some choose to put in in a comp bank that can be used to get additional time off later or to be cashed out. Even if they can’t get the money this year, they can still be compensated by taking the time off. Nobody donated their services.
    Everyone is acting like Bolin single handedly did this. Clearly he had the support of the FOP as a whole. People have also overlooked the fact that the decision ALSO prevents Bolin from cahing out his comp bank. It is not like he dumped on everyone else while he was headed to the ATM to get HIS comp money. He made a tough choice. It is a shame that everyone is so quick to judge after reading a 1 line memo without even thinkning about the reasoning behind the decision.

  26. I’m sick of hearing Bolin’s name. It’s time this city moved on to someone who is more focused on the job and less with the politics and glamor.

  27. Bolin led Nock Hermann’s election effort and parlayed that victory into another turnout effort for Winnecke. That’s how his appointment happened. No more, no less.

  28. Any comp time accrued after it was deemed improper should NEVER be paid. They gambled & lost.
    Comp time accrued when it was legal & within the maximum alloted time should be paid when we have the funds & not when an officer chooses.
    I’m usually 100% pro police but this practice went on for way too long & needs to be nipped I tell you. Nip it.
    Nip it in the bud per #1 deputy Fife.

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