LIEUTENANT'S TEST

The leadership of the Black Organization of Police, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the Police Association of New Orleans met on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at the PANO office to discuss problems which have arisen regarding the recent Lieutenant's examination.

For those not aware of the situation, it appears that two candidates, due to an error by a room monitor and through no fault of their own, were allowed to retake the video portion of the test after having viewed the video in its entirety. 

NEW ORLEANS DOMICILE ORDINANCE

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION ATTACKS POLICE BILL OF RIGHTS

The New Orleans Civil Service Commission has filed a lawsuit in Orleans Parish Civil District Court, challenging as unconstitutional two sections of La R.S. 40:2531, The Rights of Law Enforcement Officers While Under Investigation, more commonly known as the Louisiana Police Officers' Bill of Rights.

DROP INTEREST

FOP President Henry Dean, who serves on the Board of Trustees of the MPERS Pension System, reports that 5.9% interest will be paid on retirement D.R.O.P. accounts for the period July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008.  Interest payments should be deposited into DROP accounts by mid-January 2009.

Members will recall that HB 1014, which passed during the last legislative session with support of the Fraternal Order of Police, would allow for a one-time COLA raise to be paid out of investment interest earnings in excess of normal requirements.  Unfortunately, due to the worldwide financial reversals of the past year, the 7.5% normal funding ratio was not met, resulting in negative excess interest earnings.  As such, there will be no COLA raise paid this year.

DROP & RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS 

We have received many questions concerning the MPERS Retirement System as relates to the ongoing financial issues being debated in Washington DC.  Henry Dean, President of the FOP Crescent City Lodge,and a trustee on the MPERS Board of Directors, sends the following message to members:

"Our investment philosophy is based in the long term.  Day-to-day fluctuations of the market will effect monthly and quarterly returns.  Our concern is the fiscal year return, which runs from 7/1/08  through 6/30/09. DROP accounts are safe, but positive investment returns are not guaranteed.  We, the trustees, have been in constant contact with our money managers and our system consultant, relative to the exposure and effect of recent institutional defaults and market fluctuations.  Rest assured that we are doing everything possible to protect the assets of the Municipal Police Employee's Retirement System.  Our retirement system is sound."

On Wednesday, August 13, 2008, Judge Raymond Bigelow granted defense motions to dismiss charges against all seven defendants.  The charges, which were instituted on December 28, 2006, were dismissed in Section I of Criminal District Court based on violation of Grand Jury secrecy by the prosecutor.  Furthermore, the Judge ruled that the prosecutor improperly gave several officers immunity before their testimony and gave flawed instructions to the Grand Jury.

The F.O.P. is pleased with the Judge's decision and firmly believes that the decision was a fair and impartial application of the law in this case.