NCJ Number
48130
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THE ARTICLE EXAMINES THE BACKGROUND AND REASONS FOR THE HEATED CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING A 1968 PROPOSAL TO HIRE CIVILIAN TRAFFIC DIRECTORS FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT.
Abstract
THE PROPOSAL WAS MADE BY BOSTON'S MAYOR KEVIN WHITE SO THAT THE CITY COULD SAVE MONEY AND DEPLOY TRAINED POLICEMEN MORE RATIONALLY BY REPLACING TRAFFIC OFFICERS WITH CIVILIANS WHO COULD BE PAID LESS, WOULD REQUIRE LESS TRAINING AT THE CITY'S EXPENSE, AND COULD WORK PART-TIME. THE TRAFFIC OFFICERS COULD BE REASSIGNED TO PATROL DUTY AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT COULD CONCENTRATE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIME CONTROL WORK. HOWEVER, THE PROPOSAL WAS ADAMANTLY OPPOSED BY THE BOSTON POLICE PATROLMEN'S ASSOCIATION (BPPA). THE POLITICAL CLIMATE AT THE TIME MAYOR WHITE WAS ELECTED AND WAS TRYING TO BRING ABOUT HIS REFORM PROGRAM WAS ONE OF CONFLICT BETWEEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THAT OF THE POLICE COMMISSIONER. THE MAYOR'S CONTROL WAS ALSO BEING CHALLENGED BY THE POLICE RANK AND FILE, REPRESENTED BY THE BPPA. THE ORGANIZATION HAD ALREADY BEEN ENGAGED FOR SOME TIME IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. AT ISSUE IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS WERE SUCH MATTERS AS PAY, PLATOON DEPLOYMENT, AND THE INTRODUCTION OF CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES. WHILE THE BPPA WAS OCCUPIED WITH NEGOTIATIONS, MAYOR WHITE INTRODUCED HIS CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES PROPOSAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL, ALTHOUGH HE WAS AWARE THAT THE BPPA OPPOSED REPLACING PATROLMEN WITH CIVILIANS IN ANY CAPACITY. HOWEVER, THE BPPA HAD WON THEIR CONTRACT AND WERE ANXIOUS TO TEST THE EXTENT OF THEIR POWER. THEY NOT ONLY WANTED TO ESTABLISH THEIR RIGHT TO BE A PARTY TO SUCH DECISIONS, BUT THEY WERE ANGRY AT WHITE FOR GOING BACK ON THEIR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT CIVILIANS. THE ORGANIZATION RAISED THE ARGUMENT THAT BY USING CIVILIANS TO DIRECT TRAFFIC, THE MAYOR WOULD BE DEPRIVING THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF POLICE PROTECTION IN ORDER TO TRANSFER OFFICERS TO OUTLYING RESIDENTIAL AREAS. THEY ALSO OBTAINED THE SUPPORT OF THE DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS IN OPPOSING THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL. IN RESPONSE TO THIS PRESSURE, THE CITY COUNCIL FINALLY DEFEATED THE MEASURE. MAYOR WHITE TRIED OTHER TACTICS TO GET THE MEASURE PASSED, INCLUDING BRINGING IT BEFORE THE STATE LEGISLATURE. THE PROPOSAL FAILED EACH TIME. IN THE END, HOWERER, AFTER A GREAT DEAL MORE STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE BPPA, THE TWO DEVELOPED A KIND OF COMPROMISE WHICH ALLOWED THE HIRING OF A FEW CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WITHOUT REQUIRING POLICE OFFICERS TO TAKE RIGOROUS STREET ASSIGNMENTS INSTEAD. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THE DEFINING OF THE POLICE FUNCTION IS NOT EASILY SEPARATED FROM CITY POLITICS. (VDA)