Blogmaster Responds

It isn't often that Blogmaster responds to postings that were left in response to the commentary. However, it appears that Blogmaster struck a nerve with at least one reader who felt compelled to reply to the post about the training division.

First, dear reader, please go back and reread said post carefully. Blogmaster is not now, nor then, diparaging the pcos or the spco assigned to the training division--its not about them. The issue itself transcends any one detailed person and most reasonable people understand that. Awards, citations, certificates, et al, are admirable, but are by no means confined to those pcos serving in those posts. There are many, many pcos who have racked up files of paper for services rendered. And many more who deserve to but simply haven't had the good fortune to be recognized. The cynics out there might even point out that recognition in the form of an award--for simply doing one's job well--is meaningless. And while Blogmaster has no problem with those particular folks in the training division--most ops employees don't have a problem with them--it would be nice just the same to see the pcos back on the floor occasionally working (this goes for other detailed positions as well). But Blogmaster understands this is a management decision and not up to them.

Regarding the training notices, sops, directives, etc, the reader again misses the point. If there is no input from training--the people who know the job intimately--then it is questionable as to where operational information is derived from, because it doesn't come from the pcos or the spcos on the floor in any formal way. It is like the union--the stewards represent the floor (for good or bad)--and the union relies on them for decision making and operational decisions. The training division is supposed to function in the same way in a healthy agency and Blogmaster would HOPE this is the way its done here. But maybe not with all the dysfunctions.

Public education and infomation is the responsibility of the agency. Blogmaster appreciates and concurs with the readers suggestion of attending beat meetings and community affairs--anything helps. But ultimately its not up to individuals--who by the way are NOT authorized to speak officially for the oemc--to do this. Blogmaster does not want some of the less seasoned, less than stellar pcos out there giving information out to the public anyway. The training division--with all its highly decorated, knowledgeable veterans--is the best "face" for oemc. Think about it because it is EXACTLY what the mission of the division ought to be (in part).

Roll call training is necessary and welcome, if there are legitimate issues. Again, its not about the TRAINERS, it is more about the topics--what is the point in having an SOP on calltaking courtesy, controlling the conversation, or providing service when the city blatantly disregards its own policies (suspensions to prove it)--and the issues surrounding whatever the topic at hand is. Seriously, if the trainers cannot handle a bit of rancor in roll call presenations--the spcos get it all the time--then Blogmaster respectfully suggests that says alot more about THEM than it does about the operations floor pcos.

The comparisons data referred to is useless on its own. It only becomes helpful when put into context and used to develop strategies to assist with the job--a task that reasonably would fall to the training division. Blogmasters sources also indicate that no real effort is made at collecting, storing, or analyzing any data anyway--the spcos had to research alot of this stuff themselves for their upcoming contract negotiations.

Finally, thanks to the reader for pointing out that they are actually working on new methods for teaching newbies--that is welcome news. Ditto for stress management, although Blogmaster is partial to the massage therapists who come in occasionally. The ultimate point here is NOT about dogging trainers but enough people have come and gone through the ranks of the trainers to reveal a lot of the flaws in the system. And the fact remains that there IS alot of downtime there and it might be worth thinking about how better to utilize the manpower assigned there. Without resources, there is not much anyone can accomplish even with the best intentions. Yet the suits expect an under resourced agency to perform miracles with no support and who continually reward incompetence and mismanagement among its upper ranks and wonder why morale is low and oemc remains a bastion of negativity.