Latest / Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law Enforcement / #142- "POLITICAL TARGETS: PASADENA POLICE IN THE CROSSHAIRS"

Transcript

#142- "POLITICAL TARGETS: PASADENA POLICE IN THE CROSSHAIRS" · Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law Enforcement

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_02: The email where he was saying um that we've getting that you know we have paid for um space conversations but we we don't we have a lot of overtime to that.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um it's just again it's just harding to see um council member, a city leader, um saying those things, which which we he thought was we were gonna uh we would find out.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back, viewers, watchers, sisters.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Tyler Owen.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: We are joined today via Zoom with three of my good friends, one being Jay McClellan, who just recently took a job transfer.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: He is uh in the process of transitioning from TFH training coordinator to now being the full-time field graph for the Houston area, Jay, a retired Missouri City, a longtime Houston area resident, and so he's gonna be taking over the field services aspect for uh Lightning Canary.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: Jay, it was kind of a rundown of you know what you're doing right now is serving as a dual uh employee.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: I know we don't want to say anything to upset T Cole because you're still serving as a training coordinator, but man, how exciting is it for you to be in the field of requisition for Houston and to be uh of service to the men and women down in the Houston area?
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, but it's great.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_03: I'm I'm I'm super excited to transition over fully.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_03: Um yeah, I'm still still managing training on a daily basis, uh making sure that you know we're in compliance with everything on the on the training side.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_03: I actually still still going and teaching, still have some some classes scheduled and some commitments there.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_03: So I'll I'll still be managing that training for a little bit longer.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but yeah, I'm looking forward to uh to getting my my uh feet planted firmly on the ground in the Houston area.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_03: I know know a lot of people in the area, uh know a lot of local leadership, association leadership in the area, being an association leader myself in the Houston area.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_03: So, you know, big shoes to feel, uh big, big um, you know, um person to feel in in Leighton and that personality brings to the position.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_03: But obviously, I'm a little more laid back than Leighton.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_03: You know, it likes to be big and even in a small package, but uh, you know, yeah, just looking forward to to jumping in and and helping out and bringing the expertise that I have um to help to help our cops in the Houston area.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, we have a bunch of great cops in this city um and in this whole region.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, we probably have you know eight, 10,000 cops that we support on a daily basis, and we want to make sure that they're they're taken care of and and we give them the best service that we that we're known for.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, for sure.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: And it and and kind of a shout-out real quick, that's kind of a twofold uh situation here is one, the undertaking that a training coordinator really physician uh has with TNPA, it's a huge responsibility because he not only services TNPA training aspects, you also uh fulfill the grant side, which is a whole lot of T-Cole hours and such.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's a huge responsibility for the training coordinator and for you to fill really both roles right now.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: Hats off to you uh just on behalf of TNPA, man.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: You've done a phenomenal job.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: You've you've shifted gears for the training situation and training uh whole program and a big a big shoes to fill for yourself as as that role is gonna be filled, and we're gonna name uh who's gonna you know fill those shoes here in the next couple of weeks as as this new individual starts around November 15th.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: But man, thank you so much for what you've done.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: Looking forward to kind of what you're able to do there in the Houston area.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: And and thank God that you're a UT fan.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: Now that the uh the Go Tigris himself is gonna be more of a supervisory role, but we I don't have to I don't have to communicate with him as much and get the LSU trash talk.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so no, man, I appreciate that.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, I think the the person that we're that we're gonna be uh naming sh shortly to take over is gonna hit the ground run and do a fantastic job.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_03: Um and so yeah, it'll it'll allow me to to come in and focus in on just providing that service that that we're known for.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_03: And and it, you know, originally that was my goal is is to be in field services.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_03: Um it's where I want to be, it's where my passion is, my heart is.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and I'm really looking forward to to making that full trade.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_03: But I do appreciate you, you know, giving me that shout out and and uh you know giving me that credit um for for uh managing that that training because you're like you said, it is a cumbersome.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_03: It is, man.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_03: Um it's a lot, a lot of moving parts, grant and tmpa and what we got going on.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I appreciate that.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: Well, now that you're in the Houston area, and again, you're kind of filling those both, you're you're doing both roles.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: You've got introduced, and not that you didn't know them before as you are the Missouri State City President, but we've got some guys from Pasadena, one being fourth VP uh vice president with TNPA, Brian Lithicum, and the Pasadena Police Association president, or excuse me, Pasadena Police Officers Union president, Lewis.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: And we're going to cut up and discuss really some kind of some ongoing issues.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: You guys have had some issues, number one, with your city council.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they've kind of you've kind of had some far left people that have kind of infiltrated the city council that are we'll talk a little bit about pay raises, we'll talk a little bit about kind of what's going on there and just the ongoing problems with having a toxic city leader, uh, two of them specifically for y'all city council.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: Boys, I appreciate y'all calling in.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, appreciate it.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for having us.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so kind of give us a rundown.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: Kind of kind of let's start with with with this Emmanuel guy.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um, give us kind of a background of of how did he run on a campaign that was solely against law enforcement, or was it kind of like, oh, I'm gonna support law enforcement?
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: Then when it comes down to the nut cutting, obviously that wasn't the case, and now we have what we're having to deal with now.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I think you hit the nail on the head.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_02: Uh um he started it um, you know, in the public eye, he he likes to say that he supports the police, but behind the scenes, as we've seen, um, he does not support support us.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, he's not 100% behind the the police department.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_02: Uh what we've seen in the past is he has obviously the the email that we've got hold of where he blatantly uh does not support the police and does not support uh our cost of living increase.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um we've been having to deal with that, and then other um council members that again say they support the the rank and file uh and and want to claim that they don't support the leadership, but they've got nothing to back it up.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_02: They got nothing.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um all they do is uh spout um what we believe to be hate toward an administration that's doing their best.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, that uh a chief polls and chief Renatos that are doing uh cleaning up and doing everything they can that are being supported.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_02: They are the rank and file.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, we we support the support both of them.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um patrol supports them, uh detectives support them.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um so it's kind of disheartened to kind of see council members, the leadership of the council, the leadership of the city, um, you know, spewing that that type of uh vitriol.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and they and that's that's kind of the main main reaction when when we started to get involved, Jay had reached out and uh so did Brian and said, Hey, we got this, you know, situation going on.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: What was interesting to me about that email that kind of came out uh is seeing the officers identified in the email, and it's blatantly obvious that you know he's got he takes he takes aim at some situations there uh by the email, the way it's written.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: What was your reaction when the individual officers were publicly named uh in that email?
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I mean it's it was one of those all you can say is wow, why would why would he even um you know the stuff he was saying is is is not true, obviously.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_02: The the email where he was saying um that we've get we've been you know we get paid for um Spanish conversations.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_02: We we don't, we have a lot of overtime, but that's um it's just again, it's disheartening to see um a council member, a city leader, um saying those things, which which we he thought was we weren't gonna uh be able to find out.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: Well, and I think I think kind of the to follow up with that question is how difficult can it be that you're trying to hold elected officials accountable and and we in law enforcement with association leadership, we want to be uh we want to hold these individuals accountable, but we also want to maintain a good working relationship with those city leadership and those city officials.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: How are you guys managing to do that with other city council members by taking aim uh at at Guerrero's comments, but also trying to maintain a a constant flow of information to other council members?
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we've expressed, I mean, we've had meet meetings with several council members before, and we've expressed um our our support for those that back the police.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um they've also privately said they've support us.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um we're we're letting them know that you know one or two bad apples aren't gonna ruin the relationship relationship that we plan to have, that they want to have, and that we expect we're gonna maintain our professionalism, we're gonna maintain, we do our jobs, and and these uh working men and women, that's what they do.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_02: We show up to work, do what we're supposed to do, answer calls, help the public, and hope that the these council members will do the right thing.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and that kind of leads into the second part, is when the beginning of all this took place, we we had kind of identified some situations that were alarming to us.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: We got involved uh through the assistance of you and Brian.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: But what was kind of damning to us is let's let's talk a little bit about compensation.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: Where does Pascina stand compared to the surrounding departments, and also how do you guys fare with other city departments?
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Because it's it's it's been made very clear and obvious that the six percent uh cola raise is not going to be applied to the city police department.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: Did you have kind of some insight of kind of how that how that started and and and where do you guys go from here?
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_02: So the six percent is is is what we have told.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um I mean that's that's the call that we've told the um council members, the ones we've met with, is we've we've given them an an idea that, you know, with Harris County, HPD, and other agencies increasing their their budget, increasing the s the officers' pay, um there's gonna be a larger gap in salary between us and these other agencies.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_02: And so by not giving these officers the cola, this six percent, again, that gap is gonna be bigger.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_02: And it's gonna be uh too big that the the city's not gonna be able to make that up.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_02: We're talking 10, 12, maybe even 18 percent in the future.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_02: And if we don't uh keep stay on top of it, it's just gonna get worse for the city.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_02: There's no way the city's gonna be able to uh come up with 18, 20 percent from one year to the next to make up the difference.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, you're right.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: And and me and Brian had this conversation.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: Brian, I'll let you kind of weigh in on this too, is that you know, I think the public perception and law enforcement's perception as a whole across the state and really across the country is that, you know, majority of Democrats uh have kind of some kind of a criminal justice reform ideology or a plan behind the action.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: And and I think that kind of correlates back to Guerrero's situation.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: However, you look to the city, the neighbors Pasadena and the city of Houston, and we've got a great relationship with HBOU.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: Hats off to them for getting a significant pay and uh pay increase.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: But you've got a long-term uh Democrat that came from the Senate that now has taken over as the mayor of Houston and a proud Democrat himself, and he led the charge for those significant pay increases.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: And so I say this for this reason is that not all Democrats are created equal, not all Republicans are recreated equal.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: But what's interesting is that you do have some in the political party of the Democrat aspect that do support police, and it's clear to us and you guys that that's not the case with the Pasadena City Council, and how are you guys going to maintain that?
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Brian, I'll let you weigh in on on kind of that that aspect of how are you guys going to compete with neighboring uh agencies and and how does it fare for Pasadena?
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it's pretty clear.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, one thing I got to say is the most important thing uh we need to let everyone and all the viewers know our citizens do support the police.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_01: They're very uh pro-police.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's unfortunate that this council has such a um, I guess, distaste with the current administration.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: And the only reason for that is because their guy didn't win.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_01: And uh that's just it.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um so they're taking it out on this administration because they're sore losers.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_01: We backed the candidates at one, and that's where we are.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: And currently, right now, um, the council's mad.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_01: So they thought uh they would throw wrench and things and continue to attack the police to get us, you know.
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I guess thinks they're gonna divide us in some way or somehow.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but in reality is they haven't.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_01: They just made us stronger.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: They know that we are gonna continue to move forward.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_01: And the most important thing is we have the citizens that back us.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: And that's the biggest thing is everyone needs to realize, and this council needs, they need to focus on the most important thing.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_01: This is what cracks me up about our council.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_01: They always focus on the small little things, right?
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_01: They don't go out, they don't realize the tax base in our city is so low.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_01: And the fact is they don't focus on the main thing.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_01: We have the biggest in the largest port in the United States in our backyard, right?
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: We have the industrial district that has millions and millions of dollars sitting in our doorstep, and we don't utilize it.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_01: But the council wants to focus on the small things in our city and realize that you don't want to focus on the most important thing, and that's our industrial district that can take the burden off the taxpayers and them paying their fair share to the city like they should, and then give the citizens a tax break.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_01: But no, they want to make this a political game and just say, oh, we're overpaid, this and that, and don't realize the fact is we are not.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_01: We are not overpaid.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we work 24 hours a day, no one else in the city does.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and we work holidays and weekends.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: And the most important thing is we're no one else is getting shot in the city.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_01: Just to be honest, say it, but that's the truth.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: And we need to look at things simply the fact is um if anybody else wants to do our job, guess what?
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: We're hiring.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: But to separate us with any other employees and constantly say one employee is better than the other, uh, it's just not the case.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_01: We fought for uh city uh employees colas for many years now, and just like this one, the six percent that's on and budgeted by the mayor and the city for us to get this cola is is for every city employee.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_01: And they're not only voting against police, they're voting against every city employee.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: So just to be clear, Lewis, you can think about this.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_00: We have two specific council members, or is it the majority of the council that's voting against just the police department to receive these cola raises?
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_02: That's correct.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_02: That's correct.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we've had uh in the discussions, um, they for whatever reason they think and I've had one conversation with with one council member who said that that's a six percent is not the norm, it's not the business norm.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it shouldn't be we should make a habit of six percent, and and again, we reiterated call it a call it a color, call it a market adjustment, it doesn't matter.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_02: The point is the police weren't gonna get far behind, and it's gonna be difficult for the city to make up in in the future.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um we'd like to think that most of the council members are on board with back the the police department, but I think in reality uh they don't, and they should just show on it by by not uh proving the six percent, which which again the mayor put it on the on the agenda, and and they their science was heard.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_02: They did not even second it.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I want to take a moment real quick, Jay.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um, can I talk about because this is this is a great opportunity for us to highlight to the members out there, to the association leadership, really across Texas, of how important it is to be politically involved, how how important it is for an association to be really integrated into a city city government, whether it be city government, whether it be county government.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, hell, to be honest with you, if if you even you're a school police officer being involved with the school board itself, because conversations matter.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I think this is a great opportunity because you've got a mixed emotions and mixed feelings with this specific uh city council member, or excuse me, city council with Pasadena.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_00: And kind of kind of walk us through your experience on how crucial it is to maintain those relationships at the association leadership level.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I mean, it's super crucial.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, um the one thing about Pasadena right now is they've actually been granted the rights um by that by the council, a previous council, to be the bargaining agent for the police officers in the in the city.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_03: And so building those relationships long term are going to help you be able to go sit at the table like the Houston Police Officers Union does and negotiate with those in the positions and the power that make those those uh decisions on salaries and benefits.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_03: And so building those relationships long term when you come to the table to sit down and and hash these things out.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, look, we understand that maybe this year you can't do 6% or 8%, but you gotta understand that we have to remain competitive.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_03: The Pasadena Police Department in the city of Pasadena is one of the largest municipalities in the eastern area.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_03: Obviously, Houston is much, much larger, but then you have Pasadena, they're a huge municipality, and so they've always shown that there are you know leaders in in making sure that they take care of their employees.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and so building those relationships with council members, council members understanding that you know the the association leadership is looking out for the best interests of all employees within their department, right?
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_03: This affects, I don't know how many cops they have in Pasadena, but I'm sure it's well over 300.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_03: That's a lot of city employees that you you don't take care of, then what happens?
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_03: They they leave for Baytowns and Houston's and Harris Counties and the constable's offices and all the other 35,000 municipalities that are in the Houston area that are paying better.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_03: My my own the city that I retired from, the same thing happened.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and we fell way behind.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and the city wound up having to come up with about 22% to catch up just to hire people.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_03: We we weren't even able to get people to cut to come take our civil service exams.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_03: And so I know the Pasadena police, the city of Pasadena, and the citizens do not want to see that happen to their police department.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_03: And so at the end of the day, the people that are in the in these elected these elected positions need to either one work with the union to improve benefits and um pay, or two, the citizens are gonna see it and they're gonna unelect them.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so it really works out in their best interest to cooperate and work as a collaborative team to say, hey, we went together, we came together, we decided that this is what's in the best interest of the police department, this is what's in the best interest of the city and the citizens, and right?
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes it's a give and take.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_03: This situation to me is what's saddening is they have the money already allocated, and they're just holding on to it.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_03: And for what reason?
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_03: We don't know.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_03: Right?
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_03: Political game, a hidden agenda, we don't know for sure.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but that's they're they're holding the money hostage for what?
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_03: For what reason?
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_03: To for a political game.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_03: Let's come to the table, let's sit, let's sit down, let's talk about it.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_03: Let's pay the people what they that we've already budgeted, and then let's come to the table and negotiate a contract moving forward.
• 19:40
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think that to me is is the solution to this problem that is becoming complex, created by hidden agendas or politics, yeah.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_03: Politics or whatever the problem is.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah, for sure.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_03: The intent behind, you know, Pasadena Police Department is a civil service agency.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_03: They have been for I don't know how many years now, probably more than 50 years.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_03: And what is civil service?
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_03: It's designed to take the political influence out of policing.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_03: Police don't don't care who's in office.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_03: We have a mission to do.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_03: We we want to set forth and go do that mission.
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_03: And that mission is to take care of the citizens, whatever problems they have, whatever issues they're they're they have.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_03: That's who do they call?
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_03: They call the police department.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: Brian, I'm I'm I'm gonna kind of echo what Jay said.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: This is a really good question for you, I think.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: For the for the association leader out there that's listening to this podcast or tuning in on YouTube or whatever, that sits back and he's kind of that salty dog that says, see, I told y'all we shouldn't endorse anybody from mayor.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: You guys are kind of living uh the nightmare behind that, quite frankly.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: What would be your message to any association leadership that has hesitancy about it, giving endorsements and now the ripple effects that Pasadena is kind of facing right now?
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: What would be your message to those association leaders that are hesitant about giving endorsements out, kind of as we're seeing and as we're all navigating through this challenge because of two specific council members that aren't on y'all's team?
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's pretty simple, I'll be honest with you.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_01: I I will tell every association if you don't get involved with politics, you miss the boat because the fact of the matter is politics makes the world go around.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_01: Uh sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: But the most important thing is you got to find the people that have like minds, they want to do what's right for the city.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_01: One thing I can say as being part of the union since I've been here going on 25 years is we've always been uh receptive to the city's needs.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_01: We've always took the city's best interests in account.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_01: We've never been selfish and wanted more than what the city can do.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_01: For the associations out there that don't understand the the politics in it, um you need to because that's what makes everything.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: Go around all cities are going to always have politics no matter what.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_01: You got to find cannons that are aligned with the police and the values of the city and want to move the city forward.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_01: And let's not forget what people seem to always forget across the state, across the nation, is every budget in any city, whether it's in a city, state budget, the number one cost to these budgets is going to be public service.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_01: Because it's the most important budget because no one wants to have crime running rampant, right?
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: And that's what they need to realize.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: So if you've got to understand that and you also got a budget for it, the biggest issue we have is we have council members that want to turn things into a political fiascal and a political show out there on council.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: Instead of getting their job done, what their constituents elected on to do, they want to sit there and make a mockery of our um council meetings instead of doing what they need to do and get the agendas moving forward to betterment the city.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_01: And that's what that's all they need to do.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_01: But in reality, they can't and they won't.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: Yep.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's always better to have a seat at the table uh or or you can be served the meal is kind of the theory that TMPA's kind of always had.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: Lewis, I'm gonna wrap this up real quick, but ask you kind of one one really important question.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_00: Why is it important for officers to kind of remain united when political pressures increase?
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: Because I've experienced it when whenever I was a leader of our my local association, Jay's experienced it.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: I know Brian has in the years past.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_00: Why is it important to remain that way?
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_00: Because some strong, even strong associations kind of crumble under pressure.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: And and what I will say to tip my hat to to you guys is that you guys have remained committed, you guys have remained unified, and how important is that to to to remain united during during rough waters?
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_02: Well, and and that's their goal, whether it's the it's the past mayors or or current uh council members, that's their goal is to divide us, but divide officers, divide the rank and files so they can get their point across to get their way.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_02: But here in past you know this union has been united and we'll stay united because we understand that the the the stronger we are, the more united we are, the stronger we are, and we're gonna get what we rightfully deserve.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_02: I think like Brian said, we're not trying to ask, we're not trying to ask for anything more than we deserve.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_02: That's it, just bottom line.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um it we'll we'll we'll be fine.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_02: Uh we'll be we'll be united.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_02: We are united.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um but we not we need to keep moving forward.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_02: And also need to understand that they're not gonna break us, they're not gonna divide us, we'll be fine.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think I think that's a really good point.
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_00: And uh I mean they're that that's what their whole role is, is to try to attempt to divide you guys, and you guys have remained committed to be to be united, and uh hats off to you guys for doing that, man.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: J Mac, is there anything else that you want to kind of go over?
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh or Lewis or Brian to kind of give more of a of a of a meat and potatoes to kind of behind what this situation is.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_00: No, I'll just J Mac, I'll let you go first.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: If I can add with J.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: Sorry, go ahead.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_03: Um I I'll just say this that um you know we're gonna we're gonna continue to stand behind the path between the police officers of the union and the members.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, we're gonna continue to help them in in whatever you know and in whatever endeavors that we can we can assist them in making sure that they're taken care of.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_03: Um I mean we've we've shown over the years that you know we are committed to making sure that you know law enforcement in their state and Pasadena being no exception is gonna get taken care of with the best service possible.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_03: Um and so I I'll just leave it with that.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_03: Um I don't know what this is going to entail, but again, my my goal and hope is that we eventually get to the negotiation table and we can sit down and and have these real conversations and come up with a a uh a contract that that both sides can can live with and that benefit both sides.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's where we need to be, and we take this stuff away from you know all of it the political drama and the political theater.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, yep.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: Lewis, we've got about four more minutes if you want to uh continue with with what you were fixing to say, bud.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I was gonna echo what Jay had said earlier.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, council is making this more complex and complicated than it has to be.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_02: Uh the money has been budgeted, the money is there.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_02: Let's just move forward and just pass the six percent.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean that's pretty plain right there.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_00: Just an an equal opportunity for really all city employees and to exclude the police department, you know, one would think that sure as sure appears political to us, and uh don't use the police officers' bonds.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_00: And and that's that's that's the bullshit behind this.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, the reality is that the far left uh are infiltrating some of our city councils and county county governments and school boards.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll I'll echo what Kevin Lawrence continues to say is that listen, if you have an interest to serve in a public safety or a public office, if if you have uh an interest to go far beyond to the to the police officer out there that's living in the community, that you see uh some some changes that you're not liking, man, step up.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_00: We can always use pro-law enforcement people to serve in the capacity in these elected positions because they are few and far between as we kind of move forward in this society.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: And so I I'll I'll say that is that if you have a willingness to kind of stand before uh your peers and get voted in, law enforcement can always use that as a benefit, specifically ones that have actually done the job.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_01: Hey, Tyler, let me just say one thing that I think is important for all the TMPA members and all the PPOU members to understand the the importance of giving to the PAC is is huge, okay?
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_01: Not only does TMPA go to Capitol Hill force uh to fight for to make sure these bills don't uh in hint hinder law enforcement.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um we need to give to the PAC.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_01: Uh our TNPA members should give to the TMPA PAC, and our PPOU members should be given to the local uh PAC as well.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_01: Because the fact of the matter is we cannot forget, and politics is in every aspect of our lives, no matter how we want to shake it or how we want to look at it, it dictates what goes on in our house and what goes on in our state.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_01: And the fact of the matter is, if you don't get involved, you have no right to bitch.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_01: But the fact of the matter is, you gotta get involved, get local, and do the right thing.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_01: It's as simple as that.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I couldn't I couldn't agree more.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, boys, I really appreciate you guys jumping on the Zoom.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_00: I know you guys are extremely busy, especially combating all the bullshit with the uh local politics there in Fast Dina.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_00: J Mac, my hearts and prayers go out to you and your family as you're moving through some challenging situations with uh a health care within your family.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_00: And and uh again, we send some love to you and your family.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_00: Really appreciate it, guys.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: I'll take that.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate that, man.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir, absolutely.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_00: You guys take care, appreciate you tuning in to this Fast Dina uh Police Officers Union uh, I guess, podcast.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna call it a podcast via Zoom.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_00: You guys take care, stay safe.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_00: God bless you, as always, and God bless Texas.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_00: Right.