Albuquerque police union payments of $300-$500 to officers involved in shootings called bounty

Washington Post ^ | 3/23/12 | Associated Press

[paul in cape]

Albuquerque police officers involved in a rash of fatal shootings over the past two years were paid up to $500 under a union program that some have likened to a bounty system in a department with a culture that critics have long contended promotes brutality.

Mayor Richard Berry called Friday for an immediate halt to the practice, which was first reported in the Albuquerque Journal during a week in which Albuquerque police shot and killed two men. Since 2010, Albuquerque police have shot 23 people, 18 fatally.

[paul in cape]

Clure said his union gives officers who fire their guns in the line of duty a $25 dinner card and a few movie tickets. On rare occasions, the union will give as much as $500 for a hotel room and travel for an officer who is having an especially difficult time in the aftermath of a shooting, although he doesn’t recall that happening in about 10 years.

I expect to have this all over the news, especially MSDNC, any minute now!

Article Here

[Chode]

dog shooters too???

[Pit1]

They are taken off the street for investigation. They are paid by the city, county..... Handing out perks for life threatening actions is bullshit. Their paid to preform their job. Nothing more. Having unions associated with public service jobs is a real crock.

Maybe the county should have a padded cell for the police that can’t take it. Let them sit with a shrink until they feel warm and fuzzy.

Sen Durbin is calling for a hearing on the NFL “bounty” program that the Saints had in place. And Coach Payton got a year off with “NO PAY”.

FYI, I am a former USMC and Chicago PD.

I tried to respond to Bright at the paper, but it’s like pulling teeth.

[hoosierham]

Absolutely insane practice.A lawyer could easily make the case officers were encouraged to fire as union AND departmental policy.City AND union could lose millions of dollars.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

This article is so full of eyewash it’s not even funny.

First of all, this is a police union supporting a member who, because of a shooting, almost certainly has been suspended (usually with pay), faces extensive interviews and internal investigations, as well as psychologists and counselors, during and after duty hours, is going to be in and out of court, possibly a coroner’s inquest and who knows what all else, and may even have reporters harassing him and his family at home.

He would probably be more than happy to *pay* $1,000 just to avoid all that disruption and crap, on top of being incredibly stressed out after having *shot* somebody.

If ever there was something legitimate for a union to do, it sounds like this.

[Pit1]

We can only wish.