Bummer

[miketsp]

We just lost a legal battle and the results really suck.

Well before I joined this team there has been a confidence vote to become a member. The same goes for the SRU, HNT and any other teams that have to function as a team to ensure the safety of it’s members.

A single “NO” vote is an all “NO” vote. The results are to stay within the team and never be released to anyone outside the team.

Well tonight at briefing we got the news that some flippin judges and attorneys with nothing else to do sued us and won. The confidence vote is now, for the most part being ruled an illegal act.

..snip..

Sounds like a very sensible act to restrict nepotism.

Having seen similar situations where a publicly funded institution turned into a private club for family and friends I can only agree with the "flippin judges and attorneys with nothing else to do" that have put time and effort into keeping things democratic.

Try to step back a little from this side of things and try to look at this more professionally. Work with it and make sure the team professional requirements are done right. Maybe psychotechnical aptitude testing of trainees to test reactions under pressure and a probationary period etc.

 

[Gary D.]

Sounds like a very sensible act to restrict nepotism.

Having seen similar situations where a publicly funded institution turned into a private club for family and friends I can only agree with the "flippin judges and attorneys with nothing else to do" that have put time and effort into keeping things democratic.

Try to step back a little from this side of things and try to look at this more professionally. Work with it and make sure the team professional requirements are done right. Maybe psychotechnical aptitude testing of trainees to test reactions under pressure and a probationary period etc.

This is not even close to being a case of Nepotism. It is not a good old boys club and we have some very strict requirements to which this other group will not conform to.

First off we are a Full Time Paid Rescue/Recovery Team. Our gear is all the same and we have at least 24 training days a year. This other group has not trained for anything, will not attend our training’s and has gear suitable for warm water sport diving, not PSD work.

We have a very Democratic system. First you apply for the team, present a letter of intent, get reviewed by the team Sgt., then to a team vote, then it goes to the Operations Lt., then the Captain. In some cases it will go all the way to the Under Sheriff or Sheriff. Every special assignment is handled this way and we have several of them like SRU, DTF, Gang Unit, Civil, K-9, Detective Rotational and some others. We are the only ones getting singled out here.

Psyche testing and a probationary period are already part of all the bigger departments but not theirs.

We have been a very professional and SAFE team. Giving in to lesser training and equipment requirements is a major step backwards. Any backward steps open up the doors for disaster.

Our policy is specific on gear requirements. Acceptance on the team from an outside agency requires their gear be brought up to our standards. It’s a simple request. The same goes for training, our standard need to be met. This other team isn’t willing to meet any of it. Yet we are expected to bring them on board. I don’t think so.

I don’t know if you have kids or not or if they ride a school bus to school. But if they do wouldn’t you rather have a trained competent driver that keeps up with his/her training instead of someone off the street that has never driven a bus before and not willing to learn? This is what we are faced with.

Gary D.

 

[Xanthro]

Gary, require your members to have a mimimum of 100 dives to apply, and require 24 training dives per year, then set miminum gear standards, and explanations for all these standards.

That way, at least the people applying will have some type of qualification. Remember, your team gets to set the standard, just ensure that standard includes gear, training and dives, and list why each is required. Have specific examples, such as regulators that must function under ice, dry suits for extreme cold, etc. That way you'll win a court challenge.

 

[Tom Yerian]

It probably wont work with the person in question, but you canset the standards high! also for the person involved, have them dive in the cold water searches/recovery, the muck diving and all the other s--- details you can give him. Document everything, especially the amount of calls he misses. As soon as you can dump him, see that your standards are strict!....Capt. Tom

 

[Rick Inman]

Even if they don’t get along with a single other member of the team they can’t be turned away.

Does this mean I have another shot at it?

Sorry.. just kidding. But, being a resident of the area, your team has the potential to rescue myself, a family member or friend, and I would hope to God that if you have a no confidence in them that you would keep them away from us.