The Public Opinion Soapbox

springhill · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 177

hey, onetime *shouts* what'd ya say that party address was again? hehe

coppy quit picking on the illiterates Laughing

EL_Jefe_Speaks · Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:49 pm Post subject:

BadKarma42 · Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject:

I guess I'm a little confused...your issue is people coming in and out of someone else's property? Hmmmm.

It would also appear that you believe that somethign illegal may be going on there. If it is that much of a bother to you, do a little recon and get the police involved.

I did a little checking around with a source that has some knowledge of the probation department. They don't work a set 8:30-4:30 schedule. They also don't arrest people for new crimes (see above). If people are driving that is a police matter. Why not get their tag, description of car and direction of travel? Keep in mind that the police may not come rushing out with lights and sirens blazing, sometimes there are more important things going on than someone driving that shouldn't be.

As for the pay issue...talk to any County employee that is not elected or in management and I think you will find that the County is VERY stingy with their money. I think that is one of the main reasons that the probation department became a union.

Good luck with your issues.

onetime · Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 14

My issue with the neighbors isn't that there are just a few cars coming and going. But, this couple has been convicted of Possession with intent to deliver narcotics in the past, and I know what increased traffic at a known drug dealers house means. It's no proof of a crime, but a darn good indication of what's going on. I understand that the police need to be called when a crime is going on, but I have no proof.

What I do have however, is seeing these idiots drinking alcohol all weekend long. And I know they are not to drink alcohol per their probation rules. That makes it a violation of their probation.

A few years ago, my brother was on probation. Two probation officers showed up during the week AND weekends, day AND night, all the time. Many nights they even woke up my mother, with whom my brother lived. He did wrong, I know, but probation was relentless.

Well, now, I can't get probation to come out when these idiot neighbors are doing their thing (Friday night through Sunday night). I have yet to see them at night or on weekends and it's been about 8 or 9 months. They have stopped out during the day on weekdays, but that's it.

After seeing a pattern of when probation stops out and when the neighbors do their partying, I was talking with another neighbor about it and she said that it was due to union restrictions. According to her,
Probation is no longer allowed to work nights or weekends per their contract. It was also believed that this was NOT the choice of probation, as they offered to work all shifts and hours, but the county commissioners either said no or haven't given them the go-ahead.

It doesn't make sense that probation would want to go against their own contract and work weekends, so I am not sure my neighbor knows what she is talking about. But I really want to find out because I am very upset that nothing is being done and these idiots down the street are making our neighborhood disgraceful.

BadKarma42 · Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:05 pm Post subject:

Ok, have you called the probation department? If so, what response did you get, if any? If it was not suitable (and I don't mean to your liking as to how things should be) did you speak with a supervisor?

I have driven by the probation department at night asd seen cars there so I assume someone is working.

If the commisioners are sitting on their hands, is it the probation department's fault or the commissioners fault if your info is correct (ie them not playing ball).

Of course, this is all based on your friend know what she is talking about.

What police jurisbiction are you in? If it a municipality and there is a bunch of "noise" coming from that house, why not call them?

springhill · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 177

so .. you have a personal beef with the probation dept.
everyone should be equally persecuted , eh? heck i almost agree with you except for that "life isn t fair" thing...

onetime · Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 14

Actually, I don't know who the beef is with exactly. I have called, the neighbors have called, but they won't come check on two drug selling felons, yet they have no trouble bothering my 79 year old mother any day of the week and all hours of the night so that they can get a breath test from my brother who hasn't drank alcohol in over 20 years and was on probation for a defiant trespass.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2617 Location: Chambersburg

onetime · Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 14

No, cant prove they are doing anything illegal. Maybe one day. But not today.

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 3068 Location: Chambersburg

Time to get a ghillie suit and a camera.
_________________
Nevermind.

SUAOJ06 · Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

Just to set the record straight...

I left the Probation Department at the end of September. At that time, many of the officers (including myself) wanted nothing more than to flex our schedules, work split shifts, and even weekends, because the job could not, and still cannot, get done when you can only work Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, or Monday-Friday, 3:00pm to 11:30pm. Prior to the implementation of our contract (Fall 2006), we were allowed to work pretty much whenever we wanted, with supervisor's approval and as long as we didn't work more than 40 hours a week (unless there was an emergency, then we could go into OT with permission). However, once the contract was implemented, the County and our Chief became very strict with our hours, so we were limited to the two shifts mentioned above. I believe the contract only stated we had to work 40 hours a week, but it didn't say when or how. The PO's and their union have proposed a plan to the county (maybe even more than once by now) that would allow for various shifts/hours and such, but there has not been a reply (at least to my knowledge) from the County.

And God forbid that anyone asks for overtime. There was even discussion of eliminating some of the on-call pagers at the start of 2008. I'm not sure if that happened or not.

Also, keep in mind that "regular" caseloads are in the 200-250's, and have been since at least 2005, which is when I started there.

I hope this clears the air a bit. Feel free to fire away more questions. Very Happy

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2617 Location: Chambersburg

That pretty much sums it for me and reaffirms my initial speculation that it was a funding issue. Frankly, it seems that county's limited treasury sees the probation dept as a low priority. It's all about making the tax payers happy, and they'd rather see more money dumped into the police department and that drug task force or whatever it is.

Personally, I don't see how it's possible for a limited number of PO's working on 200+ cases could possibly do their jobs during normal business hours and that OT and on-call hours would be an important part of the job. But look, people don't want to pay up regardless of the service it provides.

Someone once really ripped into me for suggesting that an increase in local taxes could possibly make anything better for anyone. The laughable part is that people around here actually believe that lowering local taxes might make things better. I know that makes me come across as some sort of nasty liberal or something, but the money for local, public services comes directly from its public and if people aren't willing to pay... then fine. But something has to suffer. And in this case, it's not just the probation department, but also fire, police, schools, health, infrastructure and the library system.

To me, the problem seems to be a disconnect between people paying the taxes and those spending them; but honestly, I sometimes think that more transparency in how funds are allocated (which is desperately needed) really wouldn't make people around here happy.

BadKarma42 · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:27 am Post subject:

onetime · Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 14

Also, I would think that if this is the case, then all the probationers would have to do is wait until "after hours" to do their partying.

I would think that the County would want their officers doing the best to keep the probationers on the straight and narrow path, but if they're not letting them do their jobs, that would be counter productive. Does this really just come down to a union versus employer battle?

If so, I would be careful if I were the county. If it is on record that the officers wanted to remedy the situation and the county refused, ignored, whatever, then the county could be responsible for something happening during the "off hours" when the officers wanted to work, but weren't allowed.

onetime · Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 14

Well, I have to say that I drove by the Probation Departmet this evening on my way to TGIF's. There was 4 cars there. Apparently some people were working. Now if we can just see about weekends.