By Sgt. Ian Pickett, KVSP-- There are many of us out here that embody what CCPOA really is. It is a family of Correctional Peace Officers who have banded together to provide protection from erroneous investigations, regulations that put not only staff but inmates as well in danger, we exist to provide each other assistance when a Brother or Sister has been assaulted (9 Officers a day on average), to ensure that the Peace Officer Bill of Rights is enforced by our higher authorities and obviously, as a bargaining unit, to get us a fair and just contract.
As in any large organization there are people that either lose their way or become distracted by self serving goals. We are no different, and as in any other large organization there are many of us that will not always agree with each other.
But Correctional Officers across the state just want things to be fair. We understand that the state is in financial crisis. We understand that the current way of doing things cannot be sustained, but, we also understand that our pay and benefits make up a very low percentage of the problem. Cuts need to be made and I think that the membership of CCPOA understand that, most of us would be willing to accept cuts, but the current administration and some of the Governor hopefuls don't plan to make cuts, they are amputating and plan to continue with it. They plan to amputate the very fabric that makes a Capitalistic Society what it is supposed to be and that is, if you go out and work for the money than you deserve to make it.
The politicians currently in power and some of those looking to rise to power attack state workers because they are the group that everyone loves to hate. CCPOA tends to be on the top of that list. What people don't realize is that CCPOA is not just some entity in Sacramento, it is a collective group of hard working professionals that are made up of parents, coaches, mentors, volunteers and tax payers just like everyone else. Some of the press and many of the opportunists go to great lengths to try and portray us as bullies with our hands out no matter the cost and unfortunately, there have been some in our organization that have helped affirm that belief, but it simply isn't true and the masses of CCPOA are tired of that label. Granted, it will be our responsibility to help curb that by cleaning our own house but the press and the public can go a long way in helping as well.
The State Worker of this state deserves more than what they are being given now, they deserve fair treatment and an equal voice. They are an easy target which offers relatively little resistance because of the unwillingness of the press to tell the whole story. The politicians refuse to address the wasteful spending and gross negligence of their own failure and feel good programs for people that expect a handout, why, because their numbers are larger and more able to effect the polls. This is a cowards mentality and the current Governor has done nothing more than Govern by extortion.
We will continue to fight for what we deserve and we will weed out those in our ranks that don't deserve to have our title. All we can ask and hope is that Californian's refuse to accept, be fooled or by into the propaganda about us and realize that for every 1 CCPOA member that does something wrong, there are thousands more that do multiple things right and often in the face of great danger to accomplish a mission that the state says must be accomplished.
As in any large organization there are people that either lose their way or become distracted by self serving goals. We are no different, and as in any other large organization there are many of us that will not always agree with each other.
But Correctional Officers across the state just want things to be fair. We understand that the state is in financial crisis. We understand that the current way of doing things cannot be sustained, but, we also understand that our pay and benefits make up a very low percentage of the problem. Cuts need to be made and I think that the membership of CCPOA understand that, most of us would be willing to accept cuts, but the current administration and some of the Governor hopefuls don't plan to make cuts, they are amputating and plan to continue with it. They plan to amputate the very fabric that makes a Capitalistic Society what it is supposed to be and that is, if you go out and work for the money than you deserve to make it.
The politicians currently in power and some of those looking to rise to power attack state workers because they are the group that everyone loves to hate. CCPOA tends to be on the top of that list. What people don't realize is that CCPOA is not just some entity in Sacramento, it is a collective group of hard working professionals that are made up of parents, coaches, mentors, volunteers and tax payers just like everyone else. Some of the press and many of the opportunists go to great lengths to try and portray us as bullies with our hands out no matter the cost and unfortunately, there have been some in our organization that have helped affirm that belief, but it simply isn't true and the masses of CCPOA are tired of that label. Granted, it will be our responsibility to help curb that by cleaning our own house but the press and the public can go a long way in helping as well.
The State Worker of this state deserves more than what they are being given now, they deserve fair treatment and an equal voice. They are an easy target which offers relatively little resistance because of the unwillingness of the press to tell the whole story. The politicians refuse to address the wasteful spending and gross negligence of their own failure and feel good programs for people that expect a handout, why, because their numbers are larger and more able to effect the polls. This is a cowards mentality and the current Governor has done nothing more than Govern by extortion.
We will continue to fight for what we deserve and we will weed out those in our ranks that don't deserve to have our title. All we can ask and hope is that Californian's refuse to accept, be fooled or by into the propaganda about us and realize that for every 1 CCPOA member that does something wrong, there are thousands more that do multiple things right and often in the face of great danger to accomplish a mission that the state says must be accomplished.
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