FOP Treasurer & Legislative Chairman Vindicated of All Charges

FOP Applauds Supreme Court on Residency Ruling

UPDATE - Ohio's Public Pension Systems

December 31, 2009

Dear Members,

The intent of this letter is to bring the FOP membership up to speed with regards to Ohio’s public pension systems.  At the request of the Ohio Retirement Study Council (ORSC), each of the five public pension systems in Ohio were mandated to draw up a plan to ensure the pension systems get to or retain their funding within the 30-year statutory requirement.  These plans, developed by each of the individual systems, were presented at the September ORSC meeting to illustrate their current funding status and possible recommendations for legislative action within the requirements of Ohio law. 

Keep in mind that the ORSC requested these plans from the pension systems and the FOP has not endorsed nor taken a position on any of these current recommendations.  In fact the FOP has already met with members of the ORSC to highlight some of the positions we have taken in the past and encourage open communication should any of these recommendations be drafted into legislation. The FOP has also conducted meetings with local lodge leaders from throughout Ohio to gather input on the membership’s views and ideas.  For more specific information on the proposed changes see this document or look under the legislative section for additional news and updates.

Within the last couple of months, the FOP has had several meetings with Chairman Todd Book of the ORSC and members of the Ohio House leadership.  Currently, there has been no draft legislation that has been reviewable by our office.  However, we anticipate that legislation will be forthcoming early in the year 2010 and we are working very closely with all the interested parties on these issues to ensure the voice of the FOP is heard.

I also want to take this opportunity to make you aware of several editorials that will be propagated by Ohio’s newspapers in an attempt to “legislate by editorial”.  The newspapers feel it is their duty to speak for the people and question the “pension envy” issue when the public pension systems are failing to meet their own 30 year funding statutory mandate in Ohio law.  Certainly this will put pressure on the legislature to act on pension legislation but after speaking with our legislative leaders we are convinced that a knee-jerk reaction will not be taken.  We also will have much more debate and conversations with the legislature once a draft is circulated with the proposed changes.

I assure you that the FOP is taking, and has taken, steps to maintain the interests of our members, both active and retired, in supporting and maintaining our pensions and healthcare.  Furthermore, as more information is developed, we will do our best to get it disseminated to the membership.

Fraternally,

Mark Drum, Legislative Chairman

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FOP Treasurer and Legislative Chairman Vindicated of All Charges

Mark Drum, the Treasurer & Legislative Chairman for the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, who was also the labor representative for the Richland County Deputies, was fully vindicated of all charges stemming from his arrest by Richland County Sheriff’s Captain Eric Bosko, on June 19^thof this year.  At the time of his arrest, Drum was representing one of the Richland County Sergeants on a labor issue.  A Richland County Grand Jury heard testimony last week from witnesses pertaining to the arrest of Drum and the investigation of a sergeant on the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.  The sergeant has been on paid leave for the last six months while the investigation into undisclosed “criminal activity” continued.  After hearing testimony and reviewing the evidence, the grand jury found there was no probable cause for any criminal charges and returned a “No Bill”, refusing to issue indictments on both Drum and the sergeant.

The FOP believes that the Richland County taxpayers should be gravely concerned that Sheriff J. Steve Sheldon and Captain Bosko wasted scarce public resources and improperly used their authority to arrest and file criminal charges against Mr. Drum, in an effort to create leverage in a labor dispute.  The week before the grand jury decision the State Employment Relations Board (SERB) had issued a finding of probable cause that the sheriff had committed unfair labor practices.  The unfair labor practice findings were based on the sheriff’s arrest of Drum and the sheriff’s use of surreptitious GPS tracking devices to track two of the sergeant’s vehicles.

When the GPS devices were originally discovered, the sheriff did not claim any knowledge or ownership of the units.  With reason to believe that either an unfair labor practice had taken place, or that the criminal element may have placed the GPS units on the vehicles, Drum took possession of one of the devices and immediately notified the sheriff that he was going to turn the units into the state or federal authorities.  After the sheriff finally acknowledged ownership of the device, Mr. Drum made immediate arrangements for its return.  Shortly after Drum delivered the device to the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office, he was subjected to an unjustified arrest by Captain Eric Bosko.

We were always confidant that Mark would be fully vindicated.  It is a true injustice that he was even arrested and his family forced to undergo the stress of this ordeal.  We believe that Sheriff Sheldon and/or Captain Bosko intentionally took steps, including contacting the news media when Drum’s initial arrest was not reported, to destroy Drum’s reputation in the labor, legislative and law enforcement communities. When the FOP looks at the circumstances that led to the unjustifiable arrest of Mr. Drum, it certainly makes us suspicious of the actions of Captain Bosko and Sheriff Sheldon. If they are willing to take this type of unjustifiable action against a 25 year law enforcement professional, who is legally representing their own deputy sheriff, one has to question their judgment when making decisions that affect the civil rights of all citizens of Richland County

It is our hope that the rank and file deputies of the Richland County sheriff's office, who are true professionals, not be tainted by the actions of the sheriff and Captain Bosko.

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FOP APPLAUDS SUPREME COURT ON RESIDENCY RULING

Columbus, Ohio- The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, Inc. applauds today’s decision by the Ohio Supreme Court to uphold state law barring cities from requiring employees to live within city limits.

In a 5-2 decision announced today the Ohio Supreme Court affirmed R.C. 9.481 that “no political subdivision shall require any of its employees, as a condition of employment, to reside in any specific area of the state”, pursuant to the authority granted by Section 34 of Ohio’s constitution.

“The residency requirements imposed upon employees by cities around the state were totally antiquated” commented Nick DiMarco, State President of the Fraternal Order of Police.  “Not only did they decrease the pool of quality employees within a city for hiring but they also created numerous hardships on families trying to make an honest living in Ohio” said DiMarco.  This decision is a culmination of a long term effort to provide our members with the basic right to live where they choose.

As Ohio’s largest association of law enforcement professionals with over 26,000 members, The Fraternal Order of Police are committed to improving the working conditions of those who dedicate their lives to protecting our communities and to improving the safety of those we protect.

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FOP, Ohio Labor Council Merchandise

Through an agreement with Lee Wayne Corporation, the FOP, Ohio Labor Council members can purchase merchandise through the FOP Grand Lodge merchandise website.  Most of the FOP merchandise can be customized with "Ohio Labor Council".  Check back for updates to the website, as changes are made to the merchandise catalog.  Please spread the word to your local bargaining unit members.

Click Here to view the Catalog

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