SEEKING SUPPORT—Police Officers Association members and their families rally outside city hall last Saturday. Saturday was the 40th anniversary of Simi Valley’s incorporation—but members of its police force were in no mood to celebrate.

While city leaders and hundreds of community members ate cake and shared laughs in the courtyard outside city hall, members of the Police Officers Association stood at the entrance to the Civic Center on Tapo Canyon Road waving placards and shouting at passing cars in protest of the current contract negotiations.

The rally came a week after the POA decided to launch a public relations campaign to “set the record straight” regarding negotiations that have been underway since the union’s contract expired June 30.

At its peak, the protest group was about 200 strong, thanks to the added support of police officers’ families. The union represents all 110 of Simi’s sworn officers below the rank of lieutenant.

The decision to protest on the city’s birthday was deliberate, said Detective Bill Daniels, police union president. The group chose that time partly to be seen but also because the city was spending thousands of dollars to host the celebration. In addition, Daniels said, the city employees working the event were being paid to do so.

“It almost seems like the city is picking and choosing when it wants to be fiscally responsible,” he said.

While the city decided to go ahead with its birthday festivities despite the economic climate, City Manager Mike Sedell said the event was paid for using existing resources.

“I think it’s unfortunate that they would choose to suggest that the community shouldn’t celebrate a successful 40 years because the POA is in negotiations and hasn’t gotten all the things they want,” Sedell said.

Initial plans priced the event at $5,000, but the City Council eliminated that funding during its budget process and asked staff to find a way to make it happen. Numerous items—such as the cake, commemorative pins and display cases—were donated or on loan.

Sedell said two public works maintenance employees logged a total of 15 overtime hours but those hours will be absorbed by their department’s budget. The rest of the employees switched their hours to be at the event.

Although the union has the right to protest the way it did, Sedell said, the display was “inappropriate” given the fact that negotiations are ongoing and both sides are still trying to reach a “good faith” agreement.

For several months, the city and the union have discussed the union’s next contract behind closed doors. It’s been reported that the POA is resisting the 2 percent cutback taken by all other city employees in June as part of the budget process.

Daniels said the union has offered several suggestions for meeting that concession but the ideas have been rejected by the city. He added that the union doesn’t want to lose the benefits it’s worked hard to achieve.

“I think the volume of people out here is showing how much that is a concern to them,” Daniels said. “They’re not willing to give up what they’ve worked for for 30 years.”

Officer Brian Young, whose family also participated in the protest, said in the nine years he’s been on the force he’s never seen such tense negotiations. The Simi native and former Officer of the Year, who now works in the police department’s special enforcement section, said he believes many residents are on the union’s side.

“I was happy with the turnout, and everyone that came by seemed to be supportive,” he said, just as a passing car honked its horn. “This city supports us a lot, and we’re very thankful to work in a city that cares about us.

“We just want a fair contract,” he said.