THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 30, 1995 TAG: 9511300377
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
On July 31, Sheriff Frank Drew sat behind a table of honored guests at the national Fraternal Order of Police conference and accepted rousing applause from the 5,000 delegates and family members.
The delegates cheered Drew and Police Chief Charles R. Wall because both are FOP members. Officials of many departments across the nation are discouraged, or prohibited, from joining the organization, which often champions better pay and working conditions for police officers.
But on Tuesday, Drew told Virginia Beach City Council members in a letter that he was moving his department's annual Christmas party out of the FOP building because he didn't want to ``embarrass you by asking that you attend our function at the FOP. . . .''
Why the sudden change?
The FOP is one of three police organizations heavily involved in a political dispute with city leaders over salaries and benefits.
In May, the FOP teamed with the Police Supervisors' Association and the Policemen's Benevolent Association to form Code Blue, a lobbying coalition that has aggressively requested pay raises from city leaders. Code Blue members say they believe the city is wastefully spending money on projects while refusing to substantially increase police pay. The three organizations represent more than 90 percent of the city's police.
On Monday, the group sent a man dressed as Santa Claus to deliver presents to City Council members at a political fund-raising event for the mayor. Inside each wrapped package was a T-shirt with the Code Blue logo, an informational packet, a cassette tape of a Code Blue radio advertisement, and a copy of a recent newspaper advertisement.
Drew, who helped organize the fund-raiser, was embarrassed. Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf and several City Council members were angered.
``I am pleased to say I have been contacted by several police officers who have asked me to still be sympathetic to their salary needs, but they totally did not want to be associated with what happened Monday evening,'' said Vice Mayor W.D. ``Will'' Sessoms Jr. ``They made that clear to me. To me, what happened Monday was totally uncalled for.''
Chip Condon, president of the Police Supervisors' Association and a sergeant in the First Precinct, said Wednesday he doesn't understand the backlash.
``I don't know what everyone is whining and crying about,'' Condon said. ``This is politics. He (Sessoms) is a politician, the City Council members are are politicians. If they don't want to play politics, they shouldn't be politicians. Its all part of the game.''
Monday night's Santa visit was the most direct tactic used by Code Blue. The organization had previously exchanged barbs with city officials through newspaper editorials and letters to the editor, and Code Blue has paid for several newspaper ads. On July 4, Code Blue hired a banner-towing airplane to circle Mount Trashmore with a message to the mayor, who was at the park for a celebration.
While the City Council has increased police pay this year and publicly promised to continue, Code Blue leaders say the raises are insignificant because salaries have fallen so far behind those paid by other similar departments. Using the city's own study, Code Blue leaders in May showed police pay in Virginia Beach is several thousand dollars lower than national and regional averages for cities of similar size.
``I have a unique perspective on it since I served four years on the council,'' said Chief Sheriff's Deputy Paul Lanteigne, who is also an FOP member. ``From my perspective, police, fire, public safety and all city workers need to be fairly and adequately compensated for their services. But I don't agree with the tactics they are taking, the ads in the paper, flying banners, having Santa Claus show up at a private party.
``I think the goals are supported by everyone,'' Lanteigne said. ``What is not agreed to, even in the Police Department, is the way you accomplish those goals. The pie is only so big and it has to be split so many ways.''
Al Byrum, president of the FOP, said Code Blue has taken a provocative posture because the police organizations don't believe the city is taking their concerns seriously.
``This is a police department that is only trying to get some time for people (in city government) to listen to us,'' Byrum said. ``What is compounding our frustration is that we don't believe we are being listened to. When we take our concerns to the city, we get shut down. We aren't asking them to agree with us, but we can't even get the time to present a three-year plan we've worked on.
``As far as Sheriff Drew, he's been a big asset to the lodge and I hate to see him pull his function out of the lodge,'' Byrum said. ``But I feel the FOP has offered its hand to him for help and guidance in this matter, and he turned us down.''
Drew was not available for comment Wednesday. by CNB