Around the Kenner Police Department, there is a small group
of retired KPD Officers who are now Reservists and are friends with Chief
Glaser.
As they did under former Chief Steve Caraway, these
Reservists do little more than paid detail work.
You will see them at nearly
every event at The City Park Pavillion; at the Chateau Golf & Country Club
(run by Kenner Mayor Mike Yenni’s wife); and at private weddings and events
throughout Kenner as well as retail stores and establishments like Wal-Mart.
Paid details normally go to current officers to help
supplement their pay. Especially, the lucrative and regular details like Wal-Mart.
In other jurisdictions, the Reserve Officers are just that –
Reserve Officers. They assist at parades, traffic accidents, etc. giving the
Police Department additional coverage.They do this for the sole purpose of helping their Police Departments and their cities- with no compensation or expectation of compensation.
But, not in Kenner. Here Reserve Officers earn tens of
thousands annually, drive take-home vehicles with gas and maintenance at
taxpayer expense, and receive other benefits including weapons, uniforms and
insurance coverage all while doing little to no none-paid work.
These Reserve Officers essentially take money that could be
used by hard-working officers to make ends meet or pay for extras for their
families.
Paid details are often paid in cash and can be several
hundred dollars a day depending upon the event.
Within the Kenner PD, these Reserve Officers are called “The
Detail Whores”.
And Kenner District 2 City Councilman Mike Sigur is one of
the leading “Detail Whores”.
Since our post about Sigur, several current and former KPD
Officers have contacted me regarding the unfair treatment given to the “Detail
Whores”, the lack of oversight by Chief Glaser, and the growing resentment and
poor morale within KPD.
While none want to go on the record for fear of retribution,
all are outraged.
Despite rules regarding the amount of volunteer hours a
Reserve Officer must perform to even qualify for paid detail work, if there is
any left that current KPD officers don’t want, those rules don’t apply to Sigur
and the other “Detail Whores” favored by Chief Glaser.
Details are passed out to Sigur and the “Detail Whores”
without regular officers even having the opportunity to request them.
Some of these “Detail Whores” routinely sign up for 2-3
details at the same time. Show up, collect their money and leave all the while
stopping current KPD Officers from earning extra money.
And, while Chief Glaser claimed ignorance of Sigur’s detail
work to Nola.com, the detail log book is kept a few short steps from Glaser’s
office in the Roll Call room.
The Chief may be able to pull the wool over Nola.com’s eyes,
but we know better than that.
Sigur, who was appointed to the City Council last year,
routinely works a minimum of a full week’s worth of paid details or more each
month while volunteering little or no hours.
In addition to his paid reserve work, Sigur also owns an
internet business.
Where does he find time to represent the citizens of
District 2?
He doesn’t.
Sigur is widely known around City Hall as being one of the
least informed members of the Council. In fact, even his fellow Councilmen have complained about Sigur's lack of knowledge and attention to detail.
In addition, Sigur is also right up there as the most
inarticulate Councilman along with District 4 Councilman Lenny Cline. If you include Yenni and CAO Mike Quigley,
Kenner could easily support its own Dale Carnegie Public Speaking class.
But this post isn’t about Sigur’s personal foibles, although
there are many. This post is about Sigur and others essentially taking money
from the pockets of deserving KPD Officers while Chief Glaser looks the other
way.
Shouldn’t a sitting City Councilman use better judgement than to continue depriving hard-working KPD Officers of money that they could use to supplement their income?
Shouldn’t a sitting City Councilman spend more time as a
Councilman than greeting people at Wal-Mart or “guarding” a wedding or other event?
Don’t the people of Kenner and District 2 deserve better
from their Councilman, the Police Chief and the Mayor?
Perhaps instead of seeking a Dale Carnegie Class Sigur
should attend a “Detail Whores Anonymous” meeting.
I can see it now…
“I’m Mike Sigur and I’m a ‘Detail Whore’.
“Hi Mike – we already know.”
