Union says Westminster police misspending money
Funds used for iPads, iPhones for commanders, union alleges
By Peter Hermann, The Baltimore Sun
8:00 p.m. EST, December 12, 2011
Rank-and-file police officers are accusing the small department in Westminster of misspending money seized from drug suspects by buying iPads and iPhones for top commanders.
The Carroll County Fraternal Order of Police, through a Baltimore law firm it hired, also alleges in a news release that department leaders have pressured officers to work extra-duty shifts at Walmart, sometimes at the expense of patrolling city streets.
"We're looking for answers," said Gary McLhinney, a labor negotiator for Schlachman, Belsky and Weiner, a firm that represents police labor unions around the state. "Morale has clearly suffered because of the impression that the bosses are getting all the perks while the rank and file are left cleaning up the mess."
Westminster's mayor and police chief denied some of the allegations, such as requiring officers to work overtime at Walmart, and declined to comment on others, saying they wanted to confer with the city attorney before commenting publicly.
Mayor Kevin R. Utz, a retired 28-year veteran of the Maryland State Police, questioned the motive of the union's law firm, calling it "one of their steps to get the city to agree to collective bargaining," which the city of Westminster has refused to do. The Carroll County FOP represents the Westminster force on legal and civil matters.
"Clearly, someone disagrees with the manner in which some of the forfeiture funds have been spent," said Westminster Police Chief Jeffrey Spaulding, declining to confirm, as the law firm alleges, that he and his top commanders — a major and three captains — have iPhones or iPads purchased with funds collected as part of criminal forfeitures… http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-ca-westminster-police-funds-20111212,0,7044577.story
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