They never should of passed that. BIG MISTAKE !

I applaud Chief Cormier and the Town on this one. I was in a Civil Service Police position for almost 25 years. During that time I watched Civil Service ruin officers lives with poor rulings and establish hiring lists based on military experience. I prefer to call it "silly service" and wish Reading PD and the Town well.

We trust the Superintendent of Schools with hiring department staff. We trust the Town Manager with hiring staff outside of public safety. We have entrusted Chief Cormier with the policing of our community. This is about local control of the hiring, promotions and disciplinary process. As was presented, we have left positions unfilled because the candidates put forth by the Civil Service program do not meet the needs of Reading. What Reading looks for may not be the same thing that some other community looks for. Now we have more control over the process. That's a good thing. Plus, the onus is now on the hiring authorities to do their job, and we can hold them accountable.

Back to the good old days of blatant cronyism and nepotism.

Will Reading be like other non-Civil Service towns and re-appoint their police department on an annual basis? These towns can dismiss employees at will.

When one reads far too frequently in the press about irregularities in the personnel practices of governments at all levels in this area, it is amazing that the Town of Reading would willingly give up some protection against this practice. The contention that the candidates “do not meet the needs of Reading” is simply code for wanting to hire good ole boys, sons-in-law, and girlfriends whose interest in their jobs probably does not include value for the tax payers. I’m curious why Peter Hechenbleikner thinks that civil service was valuable in 1918 but not today.

Town employees are protected by Collective Bargaining Agreements, which they agree to. If they don't like the terms they can vote against them. The two unions supported this move. Ah, the ever-lurking "code" words. If we think so little of our police chief that he would not hire the most qualified candidate then perhaps it's time for a new chief. As I said before, it's all in the Chief's and Town Manager's lap now. They will be held accountable for the quality of the force. If you trust their judgement this is a good thing.

Jim, I am not sure on this but I have been told the Officers NOT under Civil Service will have to be re-appointed every three years. So you know what that means !

SMS, What you do not know is the Town has some options on who to hire. It is not always the person with the higest mark that gets the job under Civil Service. In my opinion you will find very few people with the qualifications you mentioned taking the job where it is not under Civil Service for several reason.

Actually I do know that they have not been able to "reach" qualified candidates. They do not have the option to go down into other scores. The civil service will only send in so many candidates per position. And non-civil service you can now get candidates who have already been through an academy (saves town $) and the town will have to make sure to hire only qualified candidates or the will be putting the town at risk for lawsuits.

Paul Peoples
I hope by ending Civil Service all works out for the department. I do feel it is a shame that future police officers in Reading will not have the same protection as in the past.
Is it true that there is a 3 year renewal on a police officer position in Reading going forward ?

"and if the local department wants to select anyone but the top scorer on the test, the department must justify its decision with a negative evaluation of the person with the higher test score"
Is it just me, or wouldn't you want the top scorer on the test? I would certainly want an intelligent person over someone's neighbors cousin. Just ridiculous!

What test are you people talking about? When Civil Service is out for new mwmbers they no longer take the Civil Service test. Now do you start to see the problem?

No I do not see the problem, civil service tests for police have been highly flawed and highly contested with multiple law-suits. The tests results have been delayed for as long as a year because of legal issues. I speak of the civil service test above and how the list is not a good representation of qualified candidates.

Karl, The only problem is NO neighboring communities are opting out..

New Hampshire towns all have seperate tests (although some combined like Karl mentioned). In most instances you will take the written test and if you pass you immediately take the physical aptitude after.

SMS, That is part of the problem. You do not see a problem because you have no idea how the system works.

Joe, you are EXTREMELY wrong. I know exactly how the system works and how the tests and hiring (both civil service and non-civil service) work in both MA and NH. What part of the system do you think I dont know about?

SMS (who ever you are) When I said the system I did not mean only the testing. Have you ever been in the system?

Yes Joe. I know the "system", what bothers me is the way you act like no one knows anything and you know all. I know your knowledgeable, but there are many other people with experience in this and other matters that you seem to claim to know more than everybody. Fellow officers have posted comments applauding the decision, we do have some knowledge on how the "system" works and how it doesnt.

Karl, I never said the unions are losing protection by this passing.. Where did you read that in my comments?

SMS, (who ever you are) I will ask one more time. Have you ever worked in the system?

And by the way SMS I know a LOT more about the system than you do. Also I never claimed to know more than anybody. Please show me where I said that. If that is a conclusion you have come to we all have the right to our own opinions and maybe you are correct.

Joe, I just said I know the system. That was a yes. You still assume that no one has knowledge other than you. I have stated some reasons why I feel that Reading will be completely fine (like many other non-civil service towns) and will continue to hire great men and women on the dept.

SMS i DO NOT assume that i have more knowledge than anyone else on this issue. You are assuming I am saying that. What I am saying is I have worked in the system and I know far better than you how BOTH systems work. Reaing Police officers are the finest in the area.

Ok Joe. Like you said You know far better than me. I will let you go with that.

Karl I am not upset. I read it also. I realize the unions supported it. But I also know it was a very close vote. But so be it. Several people who have spoke to me thought ALL the Officers were in favor of it. My information is they were not all in favor of it.

Ive got a question and am actually suprised that I havent read anything about it. I understand why cause its about the PD, but anyone care to know what the OTHER public safety department in town and its leadership and union feels about this move? The Fire Department is JUST AS important in town as the Police, but yet it sounds as if the FD will remain under the same civil service hiring practices that the town just got rid of for the PD. Why? Wouldnt you want a qualified, fit for Reading Firefighter/Paramedic too? Nowhere in the article nor in the comments here does this question even come up. Did it at TM? Im curious

The repercussions of this decision will not be felt for ten years. Civil Service protects the employee from a weak Chief that will not stand up to the appointing authority to protect his men. With the Chief's job going out of Civil Service, the next Chief will be worried about his own job and not his men. Politcs will slowly infiltrate every personnel decision, and cops will think twice in the street before they act. With all the veterans coming back from overseas they will use the non civil service job as a stepping stone for a civil service job. No cop wants to work for a non civil service police department. The turnover means inexperience in the street and that is a costly problem for joe taxpayer.

I agree with you Ed. The present gang is lining their pockets with gold and will never have to work under the new rules. They are leaving nothing for the next generation of cops. They are simply to greedy or to stupid to understand what they did!

Greed is good!

What did the town giving the unions in order for them to support this? Did the majority of Officers vote to accept this? I heard otherwise.

$$$$$$$........If getting rid of Civil Serivce is such a great idea then why didn't the Unions give up their own Civil Service Status for more money?

To respond to Kevin's question, TM briefly mentioned the fire dept status . Their contract is up this summer and we have to assume they were watching the outcome of Article 11 very closely. Both police unions voted in favor of passing Article 11,it passed by one vote. It was packaged with their contract, along with the attractive and highly controversial Quinn Bill reimbursement. The officers I polled,from both unions, acknowledged it would not have passed on its own. The unions would have gained nothing it voted on alone. The Mass Municipal Association, along with politicians from both parties have stated that "serve first" dept such as police and fire should remain exempt from removal from Civil Service. That being said,an overwhelming majority of TM voted in favor of Article 11 so we must accept and watch how it plays out. I would urge all Reading residents ,including the writers to this thread, to monitor the effects of Article 11 and report their concerns,if any,to the town. Change only occurs if we support it.
Nancy Docktor

Nancy, Are you saying the Mass Municipal Association says Police & Fire shoulld remain in Civil Service?

According to the MMA website,the 19 bills for Legislative package for the 2009-2010 session included this comment on Civil Service

Civil Service
The Civil Service system no longer works for the selection and promotion of municipal employees except for police and fire personnel.

I don't know how else to understand the statement but I am open to another interpretation.
Nancy Docktor

Nancy, Thank you, So the way I read that is. the Mass Municipal Association is in favor of Civil Service for Police and Fire.. Am I reading that right?

It was never packaged with the Quinn Bill....Both unions already addressed the educational incentive in the prior contract!

Would a teacher go to a school System and work long term if they could never get tenure. Why would a Police Officer work in a non civil service Municipality if they are not covered by Civil Service. They would only to get experience. Then they move on! I agree with Ed and Joe.....This will cost the taxpayer a lot of money because of the turnover in training and litigation.

I believe a person who takes a job on a Non-Civil-Servce department can NOT transfer to a Civil Service department. So they have no where to move on to unless it is to another Non-Civil-Service department.

Hahaha another move to try and protect the good ol' boys . Let them stay on the force after getting intoxicated and shooting a shotgun off only to have the bullet come within feet of an elderly neighbor. Why not right? Heck, why not just abandon the State guidelines for hiring new officers so that I can hire my brother in law so that we can both steal cocaine from the evidence locker and neither of us will get in trouble. Is this really what Reading needs? Reading polcie are so corrupt they work with know, violent addicts and junkies to try and rack up arrests. I was going to try and work in this district because I know what a great community Reading is, but when I learned about the history I decided against it.

Or, maybe worse?

Toby, It does not matter where they live. In my opinon I do not think a person would leave a Civil Service job to go to a non Civil Service job. .