FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 08, 2006
May 08, 2006
Jemarion Jones
(202) 639-6405
(202) 639-6405
Police Officers Vote 'No Confidence' Against VA Police Chief
(Tampa, Fla.)—The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National Law Enforcement Officers Committee, whose members include police officers at the James A. Haley Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Tampa, Fla., today issued a no-confidence vote against VA Police Chief William Langley.
In addition to the no-confidence vote, the committee also is calling on Congress to immediately remove Langley from his leadership position.
“Chief Langley’s egregious behavior left the police officers no choice but to issue the no- confidence vote and ask for his removal,” said AFGE Assistant General Counsel J. Ward Morrow, the police officers’ representative in this matter. “In the last 90 days, Chief Langley’s leadership has destroyed morale and severely undermined the effectiveness of the VA police department. Chief Langley is in no position to lead the proud police officers of the James A. Haley Medical Center.”
In issuing its no-confidence vote, the committee contends that Chief Langley initiated unfair and baseless disciplinary actions against several VA police officers and made detrimental organizational changes without following the established AFGE contract. The committee also maintains that rampant favoritism has led to the dismissal of Equal Employment Opportunity complaints and out-of-jurisdiction firearms violations for favored officers, and that Langley sanctioned termination proceedings for three veteran officers without conducting proper investigations or following administrative protocols.
Additionally, the committee charges that despite the approval of overdue police officer promotions, the officers’ corresponding pay increases later were rescinded while managers and certain detectives were given promotions and allowed to keep their pay raises.
“The VA police department has turned into a ‘good old boy network’ during Langley’s tenure and that’s a slap in the face to all of the officers who are protecting VA patients and workers and following the rules,” said Morrow.
In addition to the no-confidence vote, the committee also is calling on Congress to immediately remove Langley from his leadership position.
“Chief Langley’s egregious behavior left the police officers no choice but to issue the no- confidence vote and ask for his removal,” said AFGE Assistant General Counsel J. Ward Morrow, the police officers’ representative in this matter. “In the last 90 days, Chief Langley’s leadership has destroyed morale and severely undermined the effectiveness of the VA police department. Chief Langley is in no position to lead the proud police officers of the James A. Haley Medical Center.”
In issuing its no-confidence vote, the committee contends that Chief Langley initiated unfair and baseless disciplinary actions against several VA police officers and made detrimental organizational changes without following the established AFGE contract. The committee also maintains that rampant favoritism has led to the dismissal of Equal Employment Opportunity complaints and out-of-jurisdiction firearms violations for favored officers, and that Langley sanctioned termination proceedings for three veteran officers without conducting proper investigations or following administrative protocols.
Additionally, the committee charges that despite the approval of overdue police officer promotions, the officers’ corresponding pay increases later were rescinded while managers and certain detectives were given promotions and allowed to keep their pay raises.
“The VA police department has turned into a ‘good old boy network’ during Langley’s tenure and that’s a slap in the face to all of the officers who are protecting VA patients and workers and following the rules,” said Morrow.
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