All over the County taxpayers are screaming about top-heavy government. There are two many administrators, too many managers, too many coordinators, too many supervisors; and too few worker bees.
Considerable publicity about salaries and benefits in the school sector has hit the press lately.
Two new senior positions have quietly been created at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department. Is MCSD operating leaner and meaner? Well, you be the judge.
Two new Commander positions have been created, between the Undersheriff's position and the Captains in the Department. These positions were created for the Patrol and Special Services functions, both of which already existed at MCSD. Both are "non-merited" positions, meaning they are not subject to the Sheriff's Department Merit Commission. Those in the positions are "appointed"; and, should they look cross-eyed at the sheriff or decide that something that's broken really needs to get fixed, then they might get "un-appointed."
So now, where there was none before, there are a Commander of Patrol and a Commander of Special Services. Two lieutenants (most may know that the rank of lieutenant is lower tan the rank of captain; at least, in the military pecking order) have been "appointed" to be Commanders.
How much do captains at MCSD earn?
Will a "Commander" earn more, even though his actual rank in the department is lower than that of captain? (Remember when the sheriff hammered away at challenger Mike Mahon about his title of Director of a unit at the Cook County Sheriff's Office (vs. his rank of Sergeant)? It was all smoke and no fire, but Nygren kept beating the air about it.)
Where is the money coming from for these two positions? I don't recall a request to the County Board to fund two new, highly-paid positions. Will other deputies be promoted to fill the positions vacated by the appointees to Commander, or will the newly-appointed Commander merely continue to perform his same duties, but under a higher rank and with an increase in pay?
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Well, here's the rest of the story - will we read it on your blog?
The commander assignments of which you speak are in fact filled by two lieutenants. Commander is a assignment, lieutenant is a rank. Yes, the commanders will serve in those top-level positions/assignments at the pleasure of the sheriff. Why shouldn't they?
If you intend to hold a man responsible for any little thing that irks you - as you so often do - would it not be reasonable to allow him to be able to select those people who are in a position to implement his plans and ideals? If they don't follow his line - the line YOU and others will blame him or praise him for regardless - shouldn't he be able to move them out and put someone in that position who will perform at the level of excellence which is expected? This is better than having "ownership" of the position thus leaving the boss hamstrung if he wants to make a change that this commander decides to thwart or, perhaps, is incapable of implementing. Private sector businesses have operated in this fashion since the beginning of time.
I don't know what your work experience has been in the private sector but if you have any, you surely know that the boss may not always be right, but he's always the boss.
He is free to chose his top-level management team and lives or dies (in the business world) by his choices.
Formerly, there were personnel with the rank of captain, who held positions of commander. I challenge you or anyone else to find a captain currently serving in the sheriff's department. There are none. Yes, these two lieutenants will be paid the same as the captains who formerly held the rank of captain and served in these positions. With greater responsibilities come rewards and that is how it should be. What has changed is that ANYONE in the department, from a patrolman to a lieutenant COULD be assigned to those positions if they merited that job. They could also be back in uniform as a patrolman, sergeant or lieutenant if the sheriff didn't feel they were appropriate for the job and that is how it should be.
Your comments about educators, etc. is valid. Part of the problem there is tenure. You're either totally ignorant or a liar if you don't acknowledge that...
...Once a person - especially in a union setting - achieves that measure of protection, it's near impossible to change them absent criminal violations. That's wrong.
It would appear that the bottom line here is we now have two lieutenants doing the work formerly done by two captains who "owned" that rank (and money) whether they performed capably in those assignments or not. If they failed to perform they were subject to removal as those assignments were not merit positions but merely positions filled by persons with the rank of captain. Had they been "demoted from that assignment" or "dethroned" they still would have been drawing captain's pay even if they'd been assigned to the midnight shift as a watch commander.
Now we have two lieutenants doing the job and getting the same money as those captains BUT if they don't pull their weight, they lose that money AND the assignment.
It would also seem that since technically, sworn personnel of ANY rank can be assigned as commanders the opportunities for advancement for ALL sworn personnel just opened up quite a bit. Perhaps it will inspire some of the whiners and malcontents to aspire to something better than trying to figure out what their next grievance will be. Maybe... That you have this information so quickly and present it such a one-sided fashion (or maybe just half-baked as is your wont) is indicative that this is hardly a cure-all.
So there's no increase in costs in the short term and there is a potential savings long-term since the rank (and pay) of captain has effectively been abolished.
Additionally, I'm told that these assignments are salaried vs. hourly and that there is no overtime pay for these assignments which they did enjoy as lieutenants.
P.S. I seem to recall a recent posting of yours where you took to task Walsh and/or his aide for some obvious grammatical blunder in his release. I might suggest that you take a look at your post on this issue and decide whether or not you really want to toss such big rocks in such a glass house.
(Corrected an error?
You miss the point. Commanders are in lieu of the Captain's. Both Captains retired and the trend with most departments is to appoint Deputy Chief's or Commanders to top positions rather than promote using a civil service or merited rank.
From a management standpoint it makes more sense. Much like a tenured teacher gains tenure; a Captain is a “Merited Rank” and obtains tenure in the rank. For the employee a rank is better, but for the Sheriff an appointed position is better. If the appointed ‘Commander’ fails in his or her position they can be returned to their previous merited rank and someone else is appointed...
Look around and you will find that nearly all police departments fill the TOP administrative positions with EXEMPT positions such as Commander and Deputy Chief. I suspect that the Sheriff now does this as a matter of management prerogative
Name ONE Captain in the Sheriff's Dept.
Was that to me AZ? I said they are all retired.
Nygren made a calculate move here Gus. He appointed Cedegren and Miller. Cedegren no problem, we are thankful that we don't have to call him Captain regardless he's a decent choice.
Miller on the other hand is different. Nygren learned his lesson about promoting MORONs to the Captain position. Cundiff was an absolute disaster. He was "crucifying" and "castrating" people all over the place. Yet somehow he managed to leave Bruketta and Jones' twigs and berries intact.
Nygren gave Miller the appointed spot for appearences sake. Miller is caught up to his neck in all kinds of trouble. From what I hear it won't last long. Miller is too jacked up to hold that position. Nygren protects him now but I bet in the near future he'll dump him like the sack of crap that he is. Miller acts like he's everyones buddy but the minute your back is turned he's the first one in line to bend you over the desk.
If the public knew what kind of dirt bag the guy really is they would be livid. I've heard the scuttle around the office that Miller has caught the eye of some outside investigations. Thank you Milliman!!
Oh Gus by the way, most of your pro Nygren commentors are these four deputies. Chris Jones, Jeremy Bruketta, Dan Patenaud, Greg Pyle. These guys really need to learn when it's safe to talk. I've over heard them bragging about their screen names.
Ned-no-my comment was directed to Gus when this story was posted this morning-note the time stamp.
PLEAZE…! Zane a Sergeant? Did you chew on lead paint as a child?
As far as I know the Sheriff ALWAYS could promote who he wanted as long as they passed the tests and were certified by the Merit Commission. Is ZANE I mean Bluto saying he was wrongly passed over?
These are more accurately defined as appointments not promotions.
I'm sure a book could be written, and probably has been, on the difference between promotions and appointments.
Promotions might call for some greater degree of competence and experience, with a ranking or grading of candidates after some type of examination.
Appointments might only call for, "I pick you." And that's it.
Consider, for example, the appointment of the former Acting Director of the Illinois State Police. The guv had appointed a 28-year-old former tank commander. He never got confirmed, and now he has been moved over the Illiois Emergency Management Agency as its Acting Director.
Of course, Nygren, or ANY sheriff selects who he wants to promote. That's the way it is in EVERY department. Some are limited to choosing from the top three, others are limited only by those who pass the written testing and interview process. In the end the BOSS always picks who he or she wants. That's a function of the merit or police commission rules and guideline.
It's that way in the private sector and it ain't likely to change in the public sector.
What planet are you from, Bluto?
Just because a union guarantees you certain benefits, including making it difficult to fire a worthless employee, doesn't mean they can also make you king. You have to do that on your own and it takes effort, intelligence and an ability to work with others - ESPECIALLY the boss.
Reading today’s newspaper it quotes Lake in the Hills Sgt. Terri Vollmer regarding the fight that occurred in that town. Previously she was Deputy Chief. I must make the leap of faith that the paper is correct and her appointed position was rescinded and she reverted back to Sgt.
Point being that most police department have this rank structure.
Chum the water
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