Police Association Power, Politics, and Confrontation


Book Description

This volume explains how police labor leaders can accumulate and effectively use power as the primary means of achieving the goals of a police labor organization. The text defines the concept of power, discusses how a police association can build power, and explains politics as the ultimate source of police association power. It also examines the use of confrontation as a power tool, discusses the importance of press relations as a means to achieve power, and assesses 10 case studies to demonstrate the principles discussed in the previous sections. The final section presents a historical perspective on the police labor movement in the United States and describes the current national organizations that are trying to organize the police. The authors have a combined 60 years of experience as attorneys, union organizers, and political consultants in activities that include bargaining contracts, representing police officers, leading local and statewide political conflicts, and assisting police associations in achieving their goals.




Police Union Power, Politics, and Confrontation in the 21st Century


Book Description

This all new book brings new perspectives and ideas for police labor leaders to succeed in these challenging times; and includes major revisions and updates of the 1997 book Police Association Power, Politics, and Confrontation, including a title change. The book is an expansive and comprehensive text on police unions, encompassing the vast and intricate changes that have taken place in the field since the authors' last book. There are principles at work in every community, which, if understood by police labor leaders, will allow them to drive their organizations to greatness. These principles.




The Toughest Beat


Book Description

The Toughest Beat uses the rise of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, the state's powerful prison officers' union, to explore the actors and interests that have created, shaped, and protected the Golden State's sprawling, dysfunctional penal system -- and how it might yet be transformed.




Police Unions and the Reform Movement


Book Description

The authors have more than 100 years of collective experience in assisting police unions. It all seemed so simple and formulaic. A social movement that had been lingering for decades reached a tipping point, and unions now had their greatest challenge ever. The last 5 years have seen what unions would describe as apocalyptic demands for reforms. Union leaders ranted about a war on the police, the end of the profession, and increasing hostility towards the police by the liberal media and politicians. Unions must change the way they do business if they want to survive. This book identifies the who, what and why of the reform movement, how to mount an effective political campaign, the complexities of an effective message, and the reasons police union leaders succeed and fail. This book is divided into five primary parts, each of which explores a police profession under attack from reform activists, left leaning media, politically correct chiefs, and weak mayors and councils afraid to push back against unrealistic and overreaching demands for reforms. Part I focuses on viewing reform as a social movement. Part II examines the battle between unions and reform activists. Part III unravels the mysterious world of police unions. Part IV predicts the future of the reform movement and police unions in light of the struggle taking place nationwide, and finally, Part V are case studies, perspectives and predictions from contributing authors who are on the front lines of the police labor movement in the U.S. and Australia. By following the superb analysis and creative ideas in this book, police union leaders, police management, law enforcement personnel, criminal justice professors and policymakers will see a path to reaching an accord on reform and advancing the police profession.




Civilian Oversight of Police


Book Description

Exploring the complex and controversial topic of civilian oversight of police, this book analyzes the issues and debates entailed by civilian oversight by using worldwide perspectives, in-depth case studies, and a wealth of survey data. It integrates and summarizes decades of research from many locations around the globe to present a best practices model for managing police conduct. It also describes the impact of oversight agencies on police policy, including innovative means by which agencies can work with police departments to improve police conduct.




Texas Lawmen, 1900-1940


Book Description

Lawlessness in Texas did not end with the close of the cowboy era. It just evolved, swapping horses and pistols for cars and semiautomatics. From Patrolman "Newt" Stewart, killed by a group of servicemen in February 1900, to Whitesboro chief of police William Thomas "Will" Miller, run down by a vehicle in the line of duty in 1940, Ron DeLord and Cliff Caldwell present a comprehensive chronicle of the brave--and some not so brave--peace officers who laid down their lives in the service of the State of Texas in the first half of the twentieth century.




Texas Lawmen, 1835-1899


Book Description

The tally of Texas lawmen killed during the states first sixty-five years of organized law enforcement is truly staggering. From Texas Rangers the likes of Silas Mercer Parker Jr., gunned down at Parkers Fort in 1836, to Denton County sheriff s deputy Floyd Coberly, murdered by an inmate in 1897 after ten days on the job, this collection accounts for all of those unsung heroes. Not merely an attempt to retell a dozen popular peace officer legends, Texas Lawmen, 18351899 represents thousands of hours of research conducted over more than a decade. Ron DeLord and Cliff Caldwell have carefully assembled a unique and engaging chronicle of Texas history.




LAW ENFORCEMENT, POLICE UNIONS, AND THE FUTURE


Book Description

For the past 40 years, the majority of law enforcement personnel could depend on regular salary increases, better health care, and pension benefits while reaping the advantages of belonging to an organization that was learning how to gain and use political power. However, these peaceful and untroubled days are over. Police unions, despite their best efforts at the bargaining table, now find themselves preparing their members for layoffs, pay and benefit cuts, and more restrictive working conditions. Leaders are trying to fight back against the well-financed, organized efforts to weaken the public sector unions, eliminate collective bargaining rights, end defined benefit pensions, and privatize the job. Police unions must change the way they do business if they want to survive. This book identifies how to mount an effective political campaign, the complexities of confrontations, and the reasons police union leaders fail. The book is divided into five primary parts, each of which explores police union management. Part I focuses on the myriad of police challenges, Part II examines the three reasons union leaders fail, Part III examines the ability to embrace reforms, Part IV discusses the future of policing, and finally, Part V evaluates the national and international perspectives on the current issues that impact policing. Areas of discussion include officer-involved shootings; stopping the growing racial divide between law enforcement and citizens; complex issues concerning body cams; how to use social media effectively; mastering a certain leadership style; changing the culture of unions; more diversity among leadership; and motivating membership. By following the superb analysis and creative ideas for solutions in this book, police labor leaders, law enforcement personnel, and policymakers will see the quality of their efforts improve remarkably.




POLICE TRAFFIC STOPS AND RACIAL PROFILING


Book Description

This text examines the numbers, the advocacy arguments and the practical realities of the 'racial profiling' controversy. By applying law, logic, electoral common sense and police community relations, the author shows how the successful police manager will deal with the issues without enduring personal or career disaster for the attempt. The first part of the text explains the 'racial profiling' controversy in the context of traffic stops. The political and policy issues are covered along with the constitutional standards. Then, the second part addresses the types of actions sought by those who assert a need for remedies against police investigatory stops. The third aspect of this text is an analysis of the mechanism by which challengers force elected officials into the defensive settlements seen in 1998-2001. Next, the roles of elected officials, police managers and police unions in dealing with this controversy is discussed. Finally, preventive steps are suggested that can practically be implemented to avoid this controversy from affecting successful police administration. By taking apart the complex topic and showing its meaning, significance and consequential events, it is hoped that this book will help facilitate solutions where currently there is confusion and alarm.




Restoring Democracy to America


Book Description

If the current economic malaise accomplishes nothing else, it should help awaken us all to the realization that our country has been on a path of self-destructive behavior for several decades—a reversal of the progressive path that had made major gains in economic and political equality for a large majority of the U.S. population starting in the 1870s. It is John McDermott’s purpose in this ambitious book to explain why that reversal happened, how society has changed in dramatic ways since the 1960s, and what we can do to reverse this downward spiral. In Part 1 he endeavors to lay out the overall narrative of change from the 1960s to the present, emphasizing how a novel social structure came to be developed around corporate America to form what he calls “corporate society.” Part 2 analyzes what the nature of this corporate society is, how it is a special type of “fabricated” structure, and why it came to dominate society generally, eventually including the government and university systems, which themselves became increasingly corporatized. The aim of Part 3 is to outline a path of reform that can, if all its parts can be integrated sufficiently to be effective, put us on the path to restarting the progressive movement.