This morning's Northwest Herald article about MusicFest 2010 reveals that the promoters must ante up for security in the form of overtime pay for a police sergeant and two police officers for the 1 1/2-day MusicFest 2010 festival that starts Friday night.
Why?
Remember when Sheriff Nygren tried to (what's a polite word to use here for a different one that would probably generate a lawsuit or charges?) "rent" security services by deputies to Galt Airport a couple of years ago and reportedly threatened to shut down Greenwood Road? How many deputies at $40/hour did he try to convince the concert promoters to rent?
How much is overtime pay for a police sergeant? $75.00/hour? And for an officer? $60.00/hour? And you know who gets the gravy assignment, don't you? The most senior sergeant and officers.
For what? Walking around and watching people listen to music.
Presumably, they aren't doing "police work" when they are performing private security services for the festival promoters. Or are they? What if they spot #11 on McHenry County's Ten Most Wanted? Will they grab him and then spend 3-4 hours processing him?
Does Woodstock really need three officers dedicated to the festival? Or couldn't a call just be placed to the police department, if an incident requires police attention? We're not having a Grant Park rock concert this week-end.
Trespassing in Woodstock
2 hours ago
4 comments:
From today's Northwest Herald:
"...D.C. Cobb’s also will pay security costs for the festival, including overtime pay for two Woodstock police officers and one sergeant...."
One important thing here- were they otherwise scheduled to work that day? I've actually had experience- in McHenry County- putting on events that required deputies on site.
And you know what? If I wasn't paying for them, they would have been at home- enjoying their day off.
It seems you are under the impression that these Woodstock officers are part of the regular scheduled shift, and are being diverted from their beat. I'd wager that is not the case.
Thanks for your comment, John. My assumption is that "over-time" means in addition to their regular shifts. If they didn't have this (or other) OT, they'd be resting at home or working any other part-time job.
If they pull 12-24 hours of over-time in two days, aren't they going to be tired when they come back to work?
But tell me; what cop is going to turn down earning $1,000 extra in two days?
Why didn't the promoters hire security guards from a local company?
"...Why didn't the promoters hire security guards from a local company?.."
Seems like a slam dunk, but here goes:
Real police are far more effective than pretend police.
The off duty officers are very useful and available. Seems like a good business decision.
As to the NW Herald's comment about 'overtime pay', two scenarios come to mind:
1) It's an item printed in the NW Herald. Why presume it is accurate?
or
2) Woodstock police automatically earn overtime if they work Saturdays and Sundays.
I know several government workers(including federal law enforcement) who drawn time and a half on Saturday, and double time on Sundays, even though they are working a 40 hour, 5 day week- a Sat. through Wed. or Wed. through Sun. schedule.
Hey, what happened here? Didn't Zane post some words of wisdom about how to deport oneself? He knows all about how cameras can screw things up. Maybe he forgot that Stanard's lawsuit was tossed out by the Federal Court judge along with a stern warning to never darken the halls of the court with that sort of crap again.
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