Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Above the law? Unions fight to reinstate accused officers

Details

  • Description

    Reaction from Philadelphia's top cop Charles Ramsey

  • Duration 3:46
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Fox & Friends

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Still there -- stated it's a dangerous trend police chiefs around the country battling bad apples in their own police departments.

They're firing troubled officers only to see them get their old jobs back.

Because of the unions in Philadelphia not out of every ten fired policeman have found their way back on the force with 75% of those regaining their full benefits -- back pay.

How does this happen joining us right now is Charles Ramsey he's the commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department.

Commissioner how does that happen at nine out of ten that you guys to say are now word you Wear the uniform get the uniform back.

Well nine out of ten is a bit high and I know that's a figure that the -- -- it and we did a little analysis is still high.

2008 for example 74%.

Lot of getting back but that's still far too high a number of considering.

Many of the -- at the officers committed is the arbitration process pure -- simple.

We're bound by it and these decisions coming out of that process are often very troubling.

She might be most police officers -- incredible work stuff that's not even seen on camera nor -- reported.

And we see -- every day especially here that I see in New York City.

How does this the bad ones staying onboard.

Tarnish the good ones.

Well I mean it does a lot to harm morale and it does tarnished if it was because people tend to generalize and look at us.

As -- just one single population.

When nothing could be further from the truth but the vast majority of our people do an excellent job.

Risked their lives on a regular basis and really serve the public but we do have a few bad apples and when we identify -- And were able to take some kind of disciplinary action and that action should stand.

Right and it doesn't in and so far there's another case is lieutenant Jonathan Josie.

He's caught on camera punching a woman in the face he's en route do you fear of getting his job back.

Well there's a possibility that case was dismissed in court.

Which was another issue it turns out that the judge in that case is married to a police officer.

And was also supported by the union during his election but that's a different issue now goes arbitration.

And I don't know what will happen there but I'm not confident.

That the dismissal wills will standout.

Now why you came up and you just tell me in the break in and the will -- officer there was no unions that wasn't an issue so -- you ascend to police chief.

How would things be better without unions in your mind.

Well I mean this as it relates to the disciplinary process I think we could have a lot of improvement.

My biggest concern is the lack of operational flexibility.

That sometimes we have through collective bargaining I'm not anti union from the standpoint I think and we should have no unions at all.

They do an awful lot of good things protecting their members' benefits and and so forth.

But there are some areas where they have too much influence.

In terms of our ability to run by the department audit dated a basin commission or -- called this ninety but I think the only way that unions can be reined in when it comes to discipline.

Is for the other members of the union to say this should not stand.

Why don't disagree with that -- you hear that grumbling and officers will come up to me and whisper that.

But that doesn't do any good you have to be able to speak up and let the union leadership know.

Exactly how you feel about it we do have officers that do not deserve the honor of wearing.

The badge and unfortunately.

They do get back on occasion.

It just seems like those who are in charge and hand out the bad should be in charge of who gets to keep the bad she just seems logical.

Commissioner thanks very thing you do it thanks so much for scrambling yourself to get up with us this morning.

Commissioner Charles Ramsey good job thank you.

All right meanwhile we reached out to the Philadelphia police union for statement they did not respond.

Load More