May 9, 2007 — A comprehensive crime bill designed to put more officers on the streets and establish a proper witness protection program has once again been held in the Committee of Public Safety, Homeland Security and Justice.
On Wednesday, senators said they could not yet vote on the bill without obtaining further testimony from top Police officials.
During a similar committee meeting held in late March, Attorney General Vincent Frazer and Police Commissioner James H. McCall came armed with a number of revisions to the bill. In order to incorporate those suggestions into the draft document, senators voted to hold the bill in committee until changes were made or an amendment was added.
During Wednesday's meeting, Sen. Carlton Dowe, the bill's primary sponsor, said he was ready to bring forth an amendment outlining the changes. However, since other senators said they still had additional questions for McCall, Dowe proposed that the bill be held in committee until May 24, when the bill will once again be called up for consideration.
The rest of the meeting was productive, however, as senators heard concerns from local union members representing the Police and Fire departments, along with the V.I. Bureau of Corrections.
Representing the Police Benevolent Association and Law Enforcement Supervisor's unions in both districts, Police Lt. Joseph Gumbs aired a list of grievances that ranged from outdated equipment to malfunctioning Police vehicles. Gumbs also highlighted the department's need for improved communications equipment, such as handheld radios, and the need for Police to install and properly man additional surveillance cameras throughout the territory.
In terms of issues related to the unions' negotiated collective bargaining agreements, Gumbs added that VIPD has, over the past few years, failed to: conduct annual physical examinations for officers, give routine promotional exams on a timely basis and supply funds for uniform allowances and overtime payments.
"This is the first time that all four labor unions within the Police Department have come together and held one position as it relates to our concerns," he said. "But it is time to do this, because we have to make changes, and these issues have to be taken care of immediately."
While many senators agreed that VIPD officials should be following provisions included in the unions' collective bargaining agreements, some also said they were not in favor of handing out more money unless local officers are more productive.
"I, for one, totally agree with the things you've bargained for, but equally important is us not continuing to throw good money on bad money," said Sen. Celestino A. White Sr. "I know you want to make sure we understand that you may need 50 more Police cars, but really, do we have 50 officers that are going to be using those cars to make arrests and bring the criminals in?"
White, along with Sen. Liston Davis, also peppered representatives from the St. Thomas-St. John district's Bureau of Corrections with a long list of questions challenging the effectiveness of the agency and the credibility of certain officers.
Responding to the concerns — and reiterating the same issues that have been aired in various forums over the past two years — Corrections' shop steward Allen J. Nibbs once again urged senators to explore each one of the agency's facilities, which are plagued by poor conditions and "inadequate" managers.
Among other things, Nibbs said the bureau's payroll system needs to be revamped and an audit conducted on the financial records. Nibbs added that senators should also begin to investigate "questionable" promotional practices entertained by some of the agency's top managers — including the district's acting warden Agnes George.
Poor working conditions in the territory's fire stations was also the cry heard from Fire Service representatives Cpl. William Jackson and Inspector Gustave Dowling, representing the agency's supervisors union.
"I work at the station in Coral Bay [St. John] and the conditions there are deplorable," Jackson said. He added that the agency has also had problems with: paying vendors, providing continuous training for fire fighters and reducing its manpower shortage.
Echoing Jackson's remarks, Dowling explained that the agency has, over the past few years, experienced a loss of employees due to retirement, unattractive salaries or military duty, and currently does not have enough firefighters to fully staff the territory's stations.
"There should be no less than 10 men working at the stations at all times," he said. "But right now that isn't being done because we don't have the manpower. We also shouldn't be fighting fires for more than 15 to 20 minutes without relief, but because we care about the community, we don't stop working until everything is extinguished."
According to testifiers, many individuals represented under the VIPD, Corrections and Fire Services unions are also presently working under expired collective bargaining agreements.
Present during Wednesday's meeting were Davis, Dowe and Sens. Norman Jn Baptiste, Carmen M. Wesselhoft, Alvin L. Williams and White.
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