Police pay
Published Thursday, June 04, 2009 12:08 PM
Summerville Journal Scene ®
Dear Editor, In response to the recent article in the Summerville Journal Scene questioning the pay of Summerville police officers, I feel I must set the record straight. As I have mentioned before I have some friends within the department and have a special interest as I am a victim of crime. There were a few mistakes in the article, but I do not blame the SJS. They simply report what is quoted to them by Town Hall. Town Hall lied to the SJS, and therefore the citizens of Summerville about the starting pay of officers. I call this a lie and not a mistake because of the obvious intent to deceive. It is not as much the lie as where the numbers came from that troubles me. The quoted salary includes a raise that Town Hall decided not to implement last year. This is the same year that the Town Administrator, his brother in law computer technician, and his secretary all received substantial raises. They claim some raises were justified because of completing education but it has been in the policy manual of the police department for several years that they get an education incentive. This includes additional pay for college education and tuition reimbursement upon graduation. It is in the policy manual, but Town Hall decided not to fund it. Wow, what a lawsuit? I guess only people in Town Hall need an education. I realize that in this economy it may not be prudent to cry about not receiving a raise, but again, it is the lies that turn my stomach. The article also used outdated census numbers that are far from accurate. The current population is nearing 45,000, not the 23,752 reported, thus making the comparison with Anderson pointless. Aside from the lies, let’s get into the meat of the article. The original article addressed the changing of officers from a 4 week pay period to a 2 week pay period. The examples cited by the chief fairly addressed the need for the change but what was not mentioned should be reported. To receive a full paycheck officers need to work 160 hours every 4 weeks (40 per week). This is fair and in line with every business. But, in order to receive any additional pay, not just overtime hours, officers must work 172+ hours every 4 weeks. In other words, for the first 11 hours of overtime each officer works every pay period, the officer receives NO additional pay. On hour 12, the officer receives 1 hour overtime pay. Eleven hours of no pay dedicated to the town every pay period. Would you do this for your employer? I love my job, but I wouldn’t. For those of you who receive the SJS in print only I encourage you to also read the website. It includes reader comments on each article. As in this case, the story was what was behind the story. As addressed in the reader comments (surely some of them by SPD officers) the starting pay is not the issue. Although somewhat lower than neighboring agencies, it is not the problem. What is out of line is there is no way to advance above base pay. Every officer is at the minimum pay. There is no longevity pay and cost of living raises happen only every few years when Town Hall decides it’s necessary, and they are only pennies on the dollar. Even then they are given to everyone regardless of time on the job or quality of work. There are experienced officers that have been with the town nearly ten years and are making the same as officers who were hired last month! The department doesn’t have trouble hiring officers; it just has trouble keeping the good ones. I don’t know about you, but when I need a cop, I want the good one. Let’s stop giving the good ones to our neighbors. The article also mentioned the Anderson Police Department as a comparison. Addressed in the reader comments was the difference in median home price in Anderson compared to Summerville. The price in Anderson is $93,983 and Summerville is $154,954. A fair comparison, you decide. Let’s go further. Anderson, with its 26,000 residents has 91 police officers. Summerville, with its 45,000 population has 80 officers. 2.5 officers per 1000 citizens is the national average for a municipality. Mt Pleasant even has the 2.5 rule written into town code. So what is 2.5 per 45,000? 113 officers. We are 33 officers short of average. Yes, contrary to popular belief, we are far below average for number of police officers per capita. Does being below average contribute to more crime? Yes. Here are the numbers. According the SPD’s website the calls for service (crimes) for 2005 were 62,970. 2006 was 74,235. 2007 was 89,704 and 2008 was 125,266. Yes the crime rate doubled from 2005 to 2008. Is below average okay? Not when I am a victim! To recap, Town Hall lied about the salary and did nothing to correct the inaccurate census numbers. Are they trying to give the impression that Summerville officers don’t work in a real city so they don’t deserve real pay? I think they do. Angela Roper West 1st South Street Summerville
Bailey is awol on this issue. Probably in Argentina.
Posted by:
Gee, I thought Walter Bailey was going to rectify everything in the Police Dept. It's already July.We haven't forgotten those pledges.
Posted by:
Thank you Ohio LE Officer, the NIJ findings are below and back the departments position. Age alone does not cause body armor’s ballistic resistance to deteriorate. The care and maintenance of a garment—or the lack thereof—have been shown to have a greater impact than age on the length of service life of a unit of body armor. Armor that is 10 years old and has never been issued may be perfectly acceptable for use, provided that the rated level of protection is still appropriate for the typical threats faced. Conversely, 2- or 3-year-old armor that has been worn regularly and improperly cared for may not be serviceable. Limited studies of the ballistic-resistant capabilities of armor used for extended periods of time were initiated in 1983 by DuPont, at which time some of the armor tested had been in service for more than 8 years. Both the DuPont testing and a 1986 study by NIJ22 (Ballistic Tests of Used Body Armor) found that age alone does not degrade the ballistic properties of armor. Armor manufactured in 1975 that remained in inventory without issue exhibited ballistic-resistant properties identical to those at the time of manufacture. Both research studies included armor that had been in use for as long as 10 years and that had ballistic properties that were indistinguishable from those of unused armor manufactured at the same time. NIJ tests failed to demonstrate any significant differences in 10-year-old armor, regardless of the extent of use or apparent physical condition. For this testing, 24 Type I vests made of Kevlar®, issued as part of the original NIJ demonstration project in 1975, were returned by the departments. The vests were separated into categories based on use and wear. Eight vests had never been worn, another eight showed signs of heavy wear, and four showed signs of moderate or light wear. The test demonstrated that the armor that had been used showed no significant loss of ballistic performance when compared to the units that were not used. In contrast, data from the DuPont study showed that used vests had lesser ballistic performance than new vests. Some vests with marginal performance had been in use for only 3 to 5 years. DuPont researchers concluded that, regardless of age, use and abuse can cause ballistic decay. For example, one poorly performing 3-year-old vest appeared to have been exposed to excessive ultraviolet radiation. DuPont suggests that testing be considered at between 3 and 5 years of use,23 but NIJ believes that tests are not necessary until the armor has been in service for 5 years. NIJ agrees, however, that armor should be visually inspected at least once a year and that ballistic tests should be conducted if the armor shows signs of excessive wear. If armor is worn only occasionally and properly maintained, there is no reason to be concerned that ballistic-resistant properties have deteriorated. Independent of the above research studies, some departments have established formal replacement policies based solely on the length of time since the date of issuance. Some departments have selected 5 years for an automatic replacement cycle. Departments need to recognize that a replacement policy should be consistent with the way officers use their armor. If armor is worn only occasionally, such as tactical armor, the policy might be limited to purchasing armor for newly hired recruits and replacing a defined percentage to accommodate problems of fit or excessive wear and tear. However, a department with a high wear rate may wish to select a routine cycle, based on length of service.
Posted by:
Can I assume the person in charge of inspecting the vests and determining if they need to be replaced has been trained in this field other than just shooting a few old vests? If not, does he just look at them and give his best guess?
Posted by:
I have it on good authority the chief was sold on this idea by the department’s antagonist who has posted below. Capt Antagonist, please don’t jeopardize out towns police officers lives just to prove you are the smartest one in the room. The standard is five years for a reason so why try to change it?
Posted by: Capt Antagonist
On checking the NIJ website on bullet resistant vests there is a booklet on care of ballistic vests. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/189633.pdf Short of destructive testing of the vests, Dupont and vest manufacturers recommend what is called a Rational Replacement policy of five years due to break down in vest materials and differences in care of the vests, along with changes in body shape to keep a proper fit. Vest replacement is written into our union (there's that bad word in the south)contract that also spells out every members pay so that everyone is treated fairly. Non productive members should be dealt with by their bosses. I am sorry to hear about these problems as Summerville is one of the places I am looking at to retire to and get away from the snow.
Posted by: WK0119
Those comments were not from the Chief. Please provide any evidence other than you and 91.4% of other un-named police agencies. What evidence do you have that 91.4% of police agencies provide officers with a new vest every 5 years?
Posted by:
Wow Chief you say " You can contact any of the vest manufacturers; the warranty only covers them for 5 years, but everyone that was contacted said they have no documented evidence that a vest is ineffective at 5 years" Do we want to be the 'doccumented evidence' at the expense of our officers lives? It is on your shoulders chief, you make the decision! Money or safety? On all other aspects you are a great chief (and not a publicity hound) but in this you are WRONG!!!!
Posted by:
It is interesting to me that in the past week another "quiet" Summerville neighborhood had a drug related murder, the second one in a few months I believe. Still we don't give our cops credit for working in a "real city" we don't even think they need bullet proof vests. If you missed it I will post an article from this weeks crime beat where a drug dealer pulled a gun on, and tried to shoot a Summerville cop. But why do they need bullet proof vests. Expired ones MIGHT work. Officer, Taser disarm suspect A seemingly routine trespassing call at Somerset Apartments last week escalated when a Summerville police officer had to disarm a man as he reached for a gun, a report shows. Police learned en route to the Boone Hill Road apartment complex June 11 that the man, 28, was wanted in Berkeley County. When they got there, he immediately fled on foot and ignored verbal commands to stop, the report says. One officer, Taser in hand, followed the man around an apartment building. The man reached into his waistband, turned and pulled out “an orange object with a pearl handle,” the report says. The officer believed the object was a gun and he was correct, according to the report, which lists the weapon as a semi-automatic, .25-caliber pistol. Believing it to be a firearm, the officer fired his Taser at the man before he could turn around, striking him at point blank range with both probes, the report says. The pistol fell to the ground, as did the man. The officer gave the man several commands to put his hands behind his back, but he resisted and tried to get up, the report says. The officer again used his Taser to subdue the man. This time, the other officer was able to handcuff him. The flash of orange the officer saw turned out to be a Clemson cell phone case, which the man was reportedly using as something of a gun holster. Police searched the man and found bags of substances believed to be powder cocaine and crack cocaine, the report shows. He was charged with resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, possession of cocaine base (crack) with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute in proximity of a school
Posted by:
I guess the other 91.4% of police departments in the country are just wasting money on something stupid like officers safety!!!!
Posted by:
expired vests really aren't being replaced
Posted by:
I usually read these comments, but seldom reply to them. The comments on here about expired vests not being replaced troubled me, as I know it is VERY unlikely that a TRUE NEED would go unanswered in our department. I often hear people say I can't get this or I can't get that, but it is usually something that would either benefit only them or something they haven't bothered to put a request in for. It is true that vests are not replaced at 5 year intervals, but they are replaced if they are worn out or need to be replaced. Vests DO NOT EXPIRE. You can contact any of the vest manufacturers (we did) the warranty only covers them for 5 years, but everyone that was contacted said they have no documented evidence that a vest is ineffective at 5 years. We have tested vests as old s 17 years and they still functioned as they should and stopped everything they should. While it is a critical piece of equipment, so is your Glock (warranty 1 year), your cruiser (warranty 3 years), your walkie talkie (warranty 90 days to 1 year). Should we replace these items at the end of the warranty also? So next time someone mentions a vest expiring, ask them to show you the "Expiration Date" or if you have documented evidence contrary to what I have placed here, bring it to me and I will take it up the chain. Those who work for the department will be able to find my office.
Posted by:
When did the department start replacing vests again? The last few officers that asked when theirs expired were denied.
Posted by:
Thank you for sharing correct information. As for PIos, my point( and no, I'm not a cop) was that if the issues were as bad as they say, then the Head Man should be more outspoken and I haven't seen that. You proved my point with correcting misinformation. Even with PIOs, the leader steps up as the public face of a dept on occasion with critical news and issues. The President has a news secretary but he speaks out at times. Reuben Greenberg did, and Chief Zumwalt has been in the paper a lot lately.Chief Owens should be no exception, and I thought it was strange that he would not be vocal if his officers were in danger. I really agree that we cannot pay public safety what they are really worth but we sure need to try.There was a lot of misinformation spread about the PD's resources in the last election and Howard Bridgman was unfairly blamed. So now tell us- are all of the squad cars falling apart? The Journal Scene is certainly not interested in finding the truth.
Posted by:
Wow, I always believe in spirited conversations on important topics - and this is an important topic. With that being said, there is a little misinformation here. Vests - are replaced as they go past the five year mark. All officers have to do is let there supervisor know and a new one will be ordered. I think the department gets a grant each year to pay back half the cost. Invisible Chief - I guess whoever made this stupid comment is employed by the department with one foot already in the door of another department with greener grass. If you really were in the know, you would know that nationally it is common practice to have a PIO or Public Information Officer. This person is a single point of contact with the media so that there aren't 10 versions of everything. Captain Rogers is the PIO for Summerville, City of Charleston and North Charleston have there own PIOs as well. Chief Owens does fight for the officers (more than you know). As far as equipment - Summerville ranks VERY high in the amount of technology and equipment our officers have. Look at the AR15s, the laptops, lidars, radars, every officer has an issued walkie talkie, etc. A few years ago the Chief decided that every new car would come with a new video camera and radar. A committee made up of officers elected to go with a more expensive LED light bar and the radar was sacrificed. Town Hall Salaries - As for the salaries at Tajma Hall, When the job for IT Director was published what was the salary range and benefits listed? What salary was the IT Director hired at and what does he make now? How do these numbers compare? Could we have hired a more qualified candidate at the much higher salary (not including the car allowance and travel benefits). Does the Town Administrator hiring his 1st cousin at a higher rate violate the towns nepotism policy (do we even have one?) Who paid for the education that justified the huge increase in salary? As for the census numbers and salaries from Anderson, Summerville and whereever.. Most of these are statistics and like the bible can be interpreted many different ways. The bottom line is that the constant turnover of officers who are leaving to go to departments who are willing to pay them more fairly and recognize them financially for hard work, education and experience is costing the town ten times what it would have cost to keep these well trained, hard working officers.
Posted by: In the know
Summerville has not gotten so big that the Police Chief can't appear on camera in serious situations, as in the time when an alleged suspect was brought into the police dept for booking and was shot and killed (justifiably). Not a peep from the chief when his own men risked their lives.A leader will always appear when the issue is of grave public concern. It happens every day. It goes with the job.It's not an issue of seeking the spotlight- it's finding ways to put the spotlight on critical issues, and I can't think of anything more critical than the safety of our police officers. It IS as bad as you say it is, right? Would Reuben Greenberg have stood by if his officers were in danger because of poor equipment, even if it meant his job? Do you think any town council would FIRE a chief if he spoke up for his officers' safety ? And you think I'm nuts?I'm just saying that the current leadership of the PD and the Public Safety Committee need to be held accountable too.It's not just those evil people running town hall. That doesn't take somebody with a PhD in law enforcement to figure out. And no I'm not an employee or former employee but like a lot of people I'm not content with the status quo. It's time for the real leaders to take responsibility so we get some action rather than misdirected carping..
Posted by: And Entertaining Too
We all know that Summerville has some "Chiefs" that seek the spotlight but Chief Owens is not one of them. He knows how to promote those capable and delegate duties to them. It would be easy to bring the budget shortcomings to the public in the SJS but probably not career enhancing. As a political figure he must play some politics but his no one can deny his interest lies within the police department. The expired bullet proof vests should be the issue not the chief’s lack of seeking the spotlight. If the town refuses to pay for the vests perhaps citizens or businesses could donate. I can’t think of a more worthy cause. SJS, lets do an article to drum up support!
Posted by:
Obviously, you are a malcontent, whether a citizen, employee, or former employee. Your routine comments about “invisible chief” border on the ludicrous, if not insane. If you want to see the “most invisible chief we have ever had,” why not call and make an appointment to drop by and see him. As far as spokesperson, if you knew anything about law enforcement, obviously, you do not; most departments have a spokesperson, a public information officer (PIO). In most departments, the PIO is a fulltime job; however, in Summerville the job of PIO is an additional duty. Chiefs of Police are appointees, not elected officials who are free to make his or her case to the public about issues, nor should they. Your comments merely reflect your ignorance of law enforcement practices and procedures and municipal government in general. As far as credibility with you, whoever you are, in my opinion, you have no credibility on this issue whatsoever. However, your comments are entertaining.
Posted by:
All problems come down to same solution, replace entire administration at the TAJ and vote out current council. Clean Sweep and new start for the town with personnel & council who care outside of there box. What an easy fix.
Posted by:
Yes, Walter is riding in with high expectations for sure. Svl administrators are in line with other towns of similar size. The market governs what salaries are.But we can never pay public safety enough for the job they do.There is still not a clear understanding of the funding for the annex. And some people aren't open to understanding.
Posted by:
He is an employee just like most of us are. How can he go and risk his job to make his 7 boses look bad. The administration made a tactical error when they referenced other municipalities in SC. Let us see what those administrators make in those places. Lets see if they have a 14,000,000 annex. I would think not. The day will come when all of this will be judged. With Walter on the case, that day will be soon.
Posted by: Tired of the Politics. Lets get solutions.
What do you imagine? A public press conference complete with AP reporters and throngs of summerville citizens? Be realistic, he is a vocal advocate for his officers but his needs aren't a priority for the sparse few that populate the taj matown hall. What he does get comes from the people you would have him incite. Nope, the budget shortcomings rest squarely with the council, not the Chief.
Posted by:
Then obviously he cannot make a good case before reasonable people or he cannot articulate the need. If he has been at public safety meetings and has "always had his budgets slashed" he should do what a strong leader does and appeal directly to the public since it affects the public welfare. Haven't seen that.Would he have done an interview or had a statement if the reporter hadn't contacted him? Don't think so. Instead he chooses to always use a spokesman even when critical crime news happens. Obviously The long arm of the law needs a more public face.
Posted by:
Obviously you haven't been at the Public Safety Committee meetings for the last several years. Obviously you haven't seen Chief Owens' budget requests, that are always slashed by council. Obviously you didn't read the article last week by Ms. Peterson in the SJS wherein she interviewed Chief Owens and he described low salaries, and obviously you don't have a clue about this topic and yet you wrongfully blame the police chief.
Posted by:
Part of the responsibility for run down or missing equipment and low pay rests with Bruce Owens, the most invisible chief of police we've ever had. It's part of his job to let the town and public know that things are lacking. Has he? Until he does, the issue doesn't have a lot of credibility with me, because if things were really as broken as people say, the chief would be screaming.I don't recall seeing any public statements on any of these issues. Where is he? Should we file a missing persons report? At least ask his "spokeman", John Rodgers, to comment!
Posted by:
Boots that are not waterproof! Raincoats that dont keep them dry! And worst of all bullett proof vests that are out of date and are not guaranteed to stop a bullett! at least give them bullett proof vests even if you wont pay them!
Posted by: need vests
more pay - secretary of what?
Posted by:
The secretary getting more pay for completing her education was printed in a SJS article a few months ago- the one about hiring and pay freezes maybe? The Town does not try very hard to hide what they do, they don't see problems with what they do
Posted by: T.I.
proven last election get rid of current coucil one by one, Brown gone next time too. Incoming council willtake care of wasted salaries so the rest of council better get on board. Police hang on a little longer.
Posted by: Unemployed in Summerville
Wonder what is the education of these three. One of the three town hall administration mentioned in your letter is not a secretary - she was but is assistant town administration right under Pieper. Been promoted a few times. Town Ad,m, asst town administrator, and technical person probably have more than one degree to make the big salary.
Posted by:
you must dig deep in the archives. they are not as dumm as they appear
Posted by:
Town Adm, family relation tech man, and secretary received substantial raises last year because they completed their education? Why weren't they already educated enough to maintain the position and big bucks. You must be receiving incorrect info. No town is going to pay the big salaries to 3 top personnel and then continue to finance their education to get even more salary. That would be a injustice to tax payers and all other personnel. Council would have to be brain dead to allow this. Check your facts again please. Possibly the SJS could assist you.
Posted by: NO WAY your letter is fact based.
Dear Editor, In response to the recent article in the Summerville Journal Scene questioning the pay of Summerville police officers, I feel I must set the record straight. As I have mentioned before I have some friends within the department and have a special interest as I am a victim of crime. There were a few mistakes in the article, but I do not blame the SJS. They simply report what is quoted to them by Town Hall. Town Hall lied to the SJS, and therefore the citizens of Summerville about the starting pay of officers. I call this a lie and not a mistake because of the obvious intent to deceive. It is not as much the lie as where the numbers came from that troubles me. The quoted salary includes a raise that Town Hall decided not to implement last year. This is the same year that the Town Administrator, his brother in law computer technician, and his secretary all received substantial raises. They claim some raises were justified because of completing education but it has been in the policy manual of the police department for several years that they get an education incentive. This includes additional pay for college education and tuition reimbursement upon graduation. It is in the policy manual, but Town Hall decided not to fund it. Wow, what a lawsuit? I guess only people in Town Hall need an education. I realize that in this economy it may not be prudent to cry about not receiving a raise, but again, it is the lies that turn my stomach. The article also used outdated census numbers that are far from accurate. The current population is nearing 45,000, not the 23,752 reported, thus making the comparison with Anderson pointless. Aside from the lies, let’s get into the meat of the article. The original article addressed the changing of officers from a 4 week pay period to a 2 week pay period. The examples cited by the chief fairly addressed the need for the change but what was not mentioned should be reported. To receive a full paycheck officers need to work 160 hours every 4 weeks (40 per week). This is fair and in line with every business. But, in order to receive any additional pay, not just overtime hours, officers must work 172+ hours every 4 weeks. In other words, for the first 11 hours of overtime each officer works every pay period, the officer receives NO additional pay. On hour 12, the officer receives 1 hour overtime pay. Eleven hours of no pay dedicated to the town every pay period. Would you do this for your employer? I love my job, but I wouldn’t. For those of you who receive the SJS in print only I encourage you to also read the website. It includes reader comments on each article. As in this case, the story was what was behind the story. As addressed in the reader comments (surely some of them by SPD officers) the starting pay is not the issue. Although somewhat lower than neighboring agencies, it is not the problem. What is out of line is there is no way to advance above base pay. Every officer is at the minimum pay. There is no longevity pay and cost of living raises happen only every few years when Town Hall decides it’s necessary, and they are only pennies on the dollar. Even then they are given to everyone regardless of time on the job or quality of work. There are experienced officers that have been with the town nearly ten years and are making the same as officers who were hired last month! The department doesn’t have trouble hiring officers; it just has trouble keeping the good ones. I don’t know about you, but when I need a cop, I want the good one. Let’s stop giving the good ones to our neighbors. The article also mentioned the Anderson Police Department as a comparison. Addressed in the reader comments was the difference in median home price in Anderson compared to Summerville. The price in Anderson is $93,983 and Summerville is $154,954. A fair comparison, you decide. Let’s go further. Anderson, with its 26,000 residents has 91 police officers. Summerville, with its 45,000 population has 80 officers. 2.5 officers per 1000 citizens is the national average for a municipality. Mt Pleasant even has the 2.5 rule written into town code. So what is 2.5 per 45,000? 113 officers. We are 33 officers short of average. Yes, contrary to popular belief, we are far below average for number of police officers per capita. Does being below average contribute to more crime? Yes. Here are the numbers. According the SPD’s website the calls for service (crimes) for 2005 were 62,970. 2006 was 74,235. 2007 was 89,704 and 2008 was 125,266. Yes the crime rate doubled from 2005 to 2008. Is below average okay? Not when I am a victim! To recap, Town Hall lied about the salary and did nothing to correct the inaccurate census numbers. Are they trying to give the impression that Summerville officers don’t work in a real city so they don’t deserve real pay? I think they do. Angela Roper West 1st South Street Summerville
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Bailey is awol
Thursday, July 02, 2009 6:26 PM
Bailey is awol on this issue. Probably in Argentina.
Posted by:
Wednesday, July 01, 2009 11:25 AM
Gee, I thought Walter Bailey was going to rectify everything in the Police Dept. It's already July.We haven't forgotten those pledges.
Posted by:
department policy is in line with NIJ standards
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 7:20 AM
Thank you Ohio LE Officer, the NIJ findings are below and back the departments position. Age alone does not cause body armor’s ballistic resistance to deteriorate. The care and maintenance of a garment—or the lack thereof—have been shown to have a greater impact than age on the length of service life of a unit of body armor. Armor that is 10 years old and has never been issued may be perfectly acceptable for use, provided that the rated level of protection is still appropriate for the typical threats faced. Conversely, 2- or 3-year-old armor that has been worn regularly and improperly cared for may not be serviceable. Limited studies of the ballistic-resistant capabilities of armor used for extended periods of time were initiated in 1983 by DuPont, at which time some of the armor tested had been in service for more than 8 years. Both the DuPont testing and a 1986 study by NIJ22 (Ballistic Tests of Used Body Armor) found that age alone does not degrade the ballistic properties of armor. Armor manufactured in 1975 that remained in inventory without issue exhibited ballistic-resistant properties identical to those at the time of manufacture. Both research studies included armor that had been in use for as long as 10 years and that had ballistic properties that were indistinguishable from those of unused armor manufactured at the same time. NIJ tests failed to demonstrate any significant differences in 10-year-old armor, regardless of the extent of use or apparent physical condition. For this testing, 24 Type I vests made of Kevlar®, issued as part of the original NIJ demonstration project in 1975, were returned by the departments. The vests were separated into categories based on use and wear. Eight vests had never been worn, another eight showed signs of heavy wear, and four showed signs of moderate or light wear. The test demonstrated that the armor that had been used showed no significant loss of ballistic performance when compared to the units that were not used. In contrast, data from the DuPont study showed that used vests had lesser ballistic performance than new vests. Some vests with marginal performance had been in use for only 3 to 5 years. DuPont researchers concluded that, regardless of age, use and abuse can cause ballistic decay. For example, one poorly performing 3-year-old vest appeared to have been exposed to excessive ultraviolet radiation. DuPont suggests that testing be considered at between 3 and 5 years of use,23 but NIJ believes that tests are not necessary until the armor has been in service for 5 years. NIJ agrees, however, that armor should be visually inspected at least once a year and that ballistic tests should be conducted if the armor shows signs of excessive wear. If armor is worn only occasionally and properly maintained, there is no reason to be concerned that ballistic-resistant properties have deteriorated. Independent of the above research studies, some departments have established formal replacement policies based solely on the length of time since the date of issuance. Some departments have selected 5 years for an automatic replacement cycle. Departments need to recognize that a replacement policy should be consistent with the way officers use their armor. If armor is worn only occasionally, such as tactical armor, the policy might be limited to purchasing armor for newly hired recruits and replacing a defined percentage to accommodate problems of fit or excessive wear and tear. However, a department with a high wear rate may wish to select a routine cycle, based on length of service.
Posted by:
Sunday, June 28, 2009 1:42 PM
Can I assume the person in charge of inspecting the vests and determining if they need to be replaced has been trained in this field other than just shooting a few old vests? If not, does he just look at them and give his best guess?
Posted by:
Capt Antagonist
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 9:47 PM
I have it on good authority the chief was sold on this idea by the department’s antagonist who has posted below. Capt Antagonist, please don’t jeopardize out towns police officers lives just to prove you are the smartest one in the room. The standard is five years for a reason so why try to change it?
Posted by: Capt Antagonist
Ohio LE officer responds
Monday, June 22, 2009 10:23 PM
On checking the NIJ website on bullet resistant vests there is a booklet on care of ballistic vests. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/189633.pdf Short of destructive testing of the vests, Dupont and vest manufacturers recommend what is called a Rational Replacement policy of five years due to break down in vest materials and differences in care of the vests, along with changes in body shape to keep a proper fit. Vest replacement is written into our union (there's that bad word in the south)contract that also spells out every members pay so that everyone is treated fairly. Non productive members should be dealt with by their bosses. I am sorry to hear about these problems as Summerville is one of the places I am looking at to retire to and get away from the snow.
Posted by: WK0119
Monday, June 22, 2009 9:18 AM
Those comments were not from the Chief. Please provide any evidence other than you and 91.4% of other un-named police agencies. What evidence do you have that 91.4% of police agencies provide officers with a new vest every 5 years?
Posted by:
Saturday, June 20, 2009 2:49 AM
Wow Chief you say " You can contact any of the vest manufacturers; the warranty only covers them for 5 years, but everyone that was contacted said they have no documented evidence that a vest is ineffective at 5 years" Do we want to be the 'doccumented evidence' at the expense of our officers lives? It is on your shoulders chief, you make the decision! Money or safety? On all other aspects you are a great chief (and not a publicity hound) but in this you are WRONG!!!!
Posted by:
At least Criminals in Summerville Dont Carry Guns
Saturday, June 20, 2009 12:35 AM
It is interesting to me that in the past week another "quiet" Summerville neighborhood had a drug related murder, the second one in a few months I believe. Still we don't give our cops credit for working in a "real city" we don't even think they need bullet proof vests. If you missed it I will post an article from this weeks crime beat where a drug dealer pulled a gun on, and tried to shoot a Summerville cop. But why do they need bullet proof vests. Expired ones MIGHT work. Officer, Taser disarm suspect A seemingly routine trespassing call at Somerset Apartments last week escalated when a Summerville police officer had to disarm a man as he reached for a gun, a report shows. Police learned en route to the Boone Hill Road apartment complex June 11 that the man, 28, was wanted in Berkeley County. When they got there, he immediately fled on foot and ignored verbal commands to stop, the report says. One officer, Taser in hand, followed the man around an apartment building. The man reached into his waistband, turned and pulled out “an orange object with a pearl handle,” the report says. The officer believed the object was a gun and he was correct, according to the report, which lists the weapon as a semi-automatic, .25-caliber pistol. Believing it to be a firearm, the officer fired his Taser at the man before he could turn around, striking him at point blank range with both probes, the report says. The pistol fell to the ground, as did the man. The officer gave the man several commands to put his hands behind his back, but he resisted and tried to get up, the report says. The officer again used his Taser to subdue the man. This time, the other officer was able to handcuff him. The flash of orange the officer saw turned out to be a Clemson cell phone case, which the man was reportedly using as something of a gun holster. Police searched the man and found bags of substances believed to be powder cocaine and crack cocaine, the report shows. He was charged with resisting arrest with a deadly weapon, possession of cocaine base (crack) with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute in proximity of a school
Posted by:
who needs a warranty, it's just a cops life
Saturday, June 20, 2009 12:19 AM
I guess the other 91.4% of police departments in the country are just wasting money on something stupid like officers safety!!!!
Posted by:
Wow
Thursday, June 18, 2009 5:39 PM
expired vests really aren't being replaced
Posted by:
Ballistic Vests DO NOT EXPIRE
Thursday, June 18, 2009 5:01 PM
I usually read these comments, but seldom reply to them. The comments on here about expired vests not being replaced troubled me, as I know it is VERY unlikely that a TRUE NEED would go unanswered in our department. I often hear people say I can't get this or I can't get that, but it is usually something that would either benefit only them or something they haven't bothered to put a request in for. It is true that vests are not replaced at 5 year intervals, but they are replaced if they are worn out or need to be replaced. Vests DO NOT EXPIRE. You can contact any of the vest manufacturers (we did) the warranty only covers them for 5 years, but everyone that was contacted said they have no documented evidence that a vest is ineffective at 5 years. We have tested vests as old s 17 years and they still functioned as they should and stopped everything they should. While it is a critical piece of equipment, so is your Glock (warranty 1 year), your cruiser (warranty 3 years), your walkie talkie (warranty 90 days to 1 year). Should we replace these items at the end of the warranty also? So next time someone mentions a vest expiring, ask them to show you the "Expiration Date" or if you have documented evidence contrary to what I have placed here, bring it to me and I will take it up the chain. Those who work for the department will be able to find my office.
Posted by:
Sunday, June 14, 2009 5:38 PM
When did the department start replacing vests again? The last few officers that asked when theirs expired were denied.
Posted by:
Correct Information
Sunday, June 14, 2009 8:51 AM
Thank you for sharing correct information. As for PIos, my point( and no, I'm not a cop) was that if the issues were as bad as they say, then the Head Man should be more outspoken and I haven't seen that. You proved my point with correcting misinformation. Even with PIOs, the leader steps up as the public face of a dept on occasion with critical news and issues. The President has a news secretary but he speaks out at times. Reuben Greenberg did, and Chief Zumwalt has been in the paper a lot lately.Chief Owens should be no exception, and I thought it was strange that he would not be vocal if his officers were in danger. I really agree that we cannot pay public safety what they are really worth but we sure need to try.There was a lot of misinformation spread about the PD's resources in the last election and Howard Bridgman was unfairly blamed. So now tell us- are all of the squad cars falling apart? The Journal Scene is certainly not interested in finding the truth.
Posted by:
Good intent but BAD information
Sunday, June 14, 2009 12:05 AM
Wow, I always believe in spirited conversations on important topics - and this is an important topic. With that being said, there is a little misinformation here. Vests - are replaced as they go past the five year mark. All officers have to do is let there supervisor know and a new one will be ordered. I think the department gets a grant each year to pay back half the cost. Invisible Chief - I guess whoever made this stupid comment is employed by the department with one foot already in the door of another department with greener grass. If you really were in the know, you would know that nationally it is common practice to have a PIO or Public Information Officer. This person is a single point of contact with the media so that there aren't 10 versions of everything. Captain Rogers is the PIO for Summerville, City of Charleston and North Charleston have there own PIOs as well. Chief Owens does fight for the officers (more than you know). As far as equipment - Summerville ranks VERY high in the amount of technology and equipment our officers have. Look at the AR15s, the laptops, lidars, radars, every officer has an issued walkie talkie, etc. A few years ago the Chief decided that every new car would come with a new video camera and radar. A committee made up of officers elected to go with a more expensive LED light bar and the radar was sacrificed. Town Hall Salaries - As for the salaries at Tajma Hall, When the job for IT Director was published what was the salary range and benefits listed? What salary was the IT Director hired at and what does he make now? How do these numbers compare? Could we have hired a more qualified candidate at the much higher salary (not including the car allowance and travel benefits). Does the Town Administrator hiring his 1st cousin at a higher rate violate the towns nepotism policy (do we even have one?) Who paid for the education that justified the huge increase in salary? As for the census numbers and salaries from Anderson, Summerville and whereever.. Most of these are statistics and like the bible can be interpreted many different ways. The bottom line is that the constant turnover of officers who are leaving to go to departments who are willing to pay them more fairly and recognize them financially for hard work, education and experience is costing the town ten times what it would have cost to keep these well trained, hard working officers.
Posted by: In the know
Monday, June 08, 2009 11:41 PM
Summerville has not gotten so big that the Police Chief can't appear on camera in serious situations, as in the time when an alleged suspect was brought into the police dept for booking and was shot and killed (justifiably). Not a peep from the chief when his own men risked their lives.A leader will always appear when the issue is of grave public concern. It happens every day. It goes with the job.It's not an issue of seeking the spotlight- it's finding ways to put the spotlight on critical issues, and I can't think of anything more critical than the safety of our police officers. It IS as bad as you say it is, right? Would Reuben Greenberg have stood by if his officers were in danger because of poor equipment, even if it meant his job? Do you think any town council would FIRE a chief if he spoke up for his officers' safety ? And you think I'm nuts?I'm just saying that the current leadership of the PD and the Public Safety Committee need to be held accountable too.It's not just those evil people running town hall. That doesn't take somebody with a PhD in law enforcement to figure out. And no I'm not an employee or former employee but like a lot of people I'm not content with the status quo. It's time for the real leaders to take responsibility so we get some action rather than misdirected carping..
Posted by: And Entertaining Too
buy the vests!!!
Monday, June 08, 2009 10:10 PM
We all know that Summerville has some "Chiefs" that seek the spotlight but Chief Owens is not one of them. He knows how to promote those capable and delegate duties to them. It would be easy to bring the budget shortcomings to the public in the SJS but probably not career enhancing. As a political figure he must play some politics but his no one can deny his interest lies within the police department. The expired bullet proof vests should be the issue not the chief’s lack of seeking the spotlight. If the town refuses to pay for the vests perhaps citizens or businesses could donate. I can’t think of a more worthy cause. SJS, lets do an article to drum up support!
Posted by:
Invisible Chief
Monday, June 08, 2009 6:26 PM
Obviously, you are a malcontent, whether a citizen, employee, or former employee. Your routine comments about “invisible chief” border on the ludicrous, if not insane. If you want to see the “most invisible chief we have ever had,” why not call and make an appointment to drop by and see him. As far as spokesperson, if you knew anything about law enforcement, obviously, you do not; most departments have a spokesperson, a public information officer (PIO). In most departments, the PIO is a fulltime job; however, in Summerville the job of PIO is an additional duty. Chiefs of Police are appointees, not elected officials who are free to make his or her case to the public about issues, nor should they. Your comments merely reflect your ignorance of law enforcement practices and procedures and municipal government in general. As far as credibility with you, whoever you are, in my opinion, you have no credibility on this issue whatsoever. However, your comments are entertaining.
Posted by:
Replace all of them
Monday, June 08, 2009 8:26 AM
All problems come down to same solution, replace entire administration at the TAJ and vote out current council. Clean Sweep and new start for the town with personnel & council who care outside of there box. What an easy fix.
Posted by:
Sunday, June 07, 2009 10:28 PM
Yes, Walter is riding in with high expectations for sure. Svl administrators are in line with other towns of similar size. The market governs what salaries are.But we can never pay public safety enough for the job they do.There is still not a clear understanding of the funding for the annex. And some people aren't open to understanding.
Posted by:
Police Chief VS Sheriff
Sunday, June 07, 2009 9:43 PM
He is an employee just like most of us are. How can he go and risk his job to make his 7 boses look bad. The administration made a tactical error when they referenced other municipalities in SC. Let us see what those administrators make in those places. Lets see if they have a 14,000,000 annex. I would think not. The day will come when all of this will be judged. With Walter on the case, that day will be soon.
Posted by: Tired of the Politics. Lets get solutions.
Sunday, June 07, 2009 8:59 PM
What do you imagine? A public press conference complete with AP reporters and throngs of summerville citizens? Be realistic, he is a vocal advocate for his officers but his needs aren't a priority for the sparse few that populate the taj matown hall. What he does get comes from the people you would have him incite. Nope, the budget shortcomings rest squarely with the council, not the Chief.
Posted by:
Obviously
Sunday, June 07, 2009 8:31 PM
Then obviously he cannot make a good case before reasonable people or he cannot articulate the need. If he has been at public safety meetings and has "always had his budgets slashed" he should do what a strong leader does and appeal directly to the public since it affects the public welfare. Haven't seen that.Would he have done an interview or had a statement if the reporter hadn't contacted him? Don't think so. Instead he chooses to always use a spokesman even when critical crime news happens. Obviously The long arm of the law needs a more public face.
Posted by:
Police Chief
Sunday, June 07, 2009 7:39 PM
Obviously you haven't been at the Public Safety Committee meetings for the last several years. Obviously you haven't seen Chief Owens' budget requests, that are always slashed by council. Obviously you didn't read the article last week by Ms. Peterson in the SJS wherein she interviewed Chief Owens and he described low salaries, and obviously you don't have a clue about this topic and yet you wrongfully blame the police chief.
Posted by:
Invisible Chief
Sunday, June 07, 2009 1:39 PM
Part of the responsibility for run down or missing equipment and low pay rests with Bruce Owens, the most invisible chief of police we've ever had. It's part of his job to let the town and public know that things are lacking. Has he? Until he does, the issue doesn't have a lot of credibility with me, because if things were really as broken as people say, the chief would be screaming.I don't recall seeing any public statements on any of these issues. Where is he? Should we file a missing persons report? At least ask his "spokeman", John Rodgers, to comment!
Posted by:
SPD needs funding NOW
Saturday, June 06, 2009 10:21 PM
Boots that are not waterproof! Raincoats that dont keep them dry! And worst of all bullett proof vests that are out of date and are not guaranteed to stop a bullett! at least give them bullett proof vests even if you wont pay them!
Posted by: need vests
what secretary?
Friday, June 05, 2009 10:38 PM
more pay - secretary of what?
Posted by:
Friday, June 05, 2009 1:53 PM
The secretary getting more pay for completing her education was printed in a SJS article a few months ago- the one about hiring and pay freezes maybe? The Town does not try very hard to hide what they do, they don't see problems with what they do
Posted by: T.I.
Vote them out
Friday, June 05, 2009 8:10 AM
proven last election get rid of current coucil one by one, Brown gone next time too. Incoming council willtake care of wasted salaries so the rest of council better get on board. Police hang on a little longer.
Posted by: Unemployed in Summerville
Whos hiding & why
Friday, June 05, 2009 6:39 AM
Wonder what is the education of these three. One of the three town hall administration mentioned in your letter is not a secretary - she was but is assistant town administration right under Pieper. Been promoted a few times. Town Ad,m, asst town administrator, and technical person probably have more than one degree to make the big salary.
Posted by:
Records reveal the truth
Friday, June 05, 2009 2:36 AM
you must dig deep in the archives. they are not as dumm as they appear
Posted by:
Where you get your info from
Thursday, June 04, 2009 8:14 PM
Town Adm, family relation tech man, and secretary received substantial raises last year because they completed their education? Why weren't they already educated enough to maintain the position and big bucks. You must be receiving incorrect info. No town is going to pay the big salaries to 3 top personnel and then continue to finance their education to get even more salary. That would be a injustice to tax payers and all other personnel. Council would have to be brain dead to allow this. Check your facts again please. Possibly the SJS could assist you.
Posted by: NO WAY your letter is fact based.
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