BadPhoenixCops again has received an email from an anonymous source. Since it was mean't to be a comment, we thought it was worthy of its own blog posting.
Officer James Holmes was one of the media guys you see on TV. He was a member of PLEA and it appears pocked face, womanizing, road rage Andy Anderson is removing all PLEA members from media relations. Officer James Holmes was demoted to work in Patrol - a common theme of good cops in the Phoenix PD.
We have reached a point that if the Phoenix PD demotes someone to patrol, it must mean that cop was doing something right and not following the corrupt Jack Ass Harris.
Officer Holmes: We are sorry to hear about your demotion. When you file your Unfair Labor Practice, be sure to send us a copy.
Here's the email from our source followed by Officer James Holmes statement.
~BPC
Hey BPC:
Looks like a very loyal, african-american employee (or as Mike Polombo and Alex Femenia would call him - a nig) was given the ax recently due to his relationship with PLEA. Unconfirmed sources tell me Assistant Chief Andy Anderson made the decision to remove all officer rank employees from being Public Information Officers (TV guys) so they could not put a "PLEA" spin on anything they said during interviews with the media. Appears to be some truth to this since there are no officer rank employees in the Media Unit any longer. Only sergeant and above. When was the last time there
were no officers in the media unit?
This is the kind of shit Russia played on their people during the cold war. "Say anything we don't like and we will show you"! Looks like Officer Holmes has some balls and will get the last word in. No silencing this guy!
James Holmes was one of the best PIOs the police department has had in a very long time. What a cryin' shame this shit continues to go on in the Phoenix Police Department.
By Officer James Holmes:
Leadership "The art of influencing others is such a manner as to accomplish the mission"
In 1995 I retired from the U.S. Army and found cause to join the Phoenix Police Department. The cause was to continue being the professional I had been for twenty years. I did not know the City of Phoenix or this department when I came here, but I had heard all I needed to know; and you did not know me. I entered the academy with gusto and I excelled and thrived there. When I hit the streets it was with both feet running. I became a Field Training Officer and reveled in the opportunity to use my experience and training to influence young officers to accomplish three things; go home safe every night, enjoy the best job in the world and
recognize that they worked for the best police department on the planet. I did that for eight years!
I had no real goals or aspirations when I joined, I had already accomplished quite a bit in my professional life and I was satisfied where I was. I ventured out into the community and made myself known by volunteering my time and the limited talents to charity events and fundraisers while promoting this department. I enjoyed the opportunity to serve a city and a department to which I owed nothing and nothing was owed to me. The rewards were incredible.
In January of 2009 I reached my pinnacle. I was given the opportunity to promote this department and our officers on a much larger scale. I got myself assigned to PAB. And I hit the ground running. I worked hard, established positive relationships with the media and even more folks out there in the community and, most
importantly, I sold this department to our community at every chance. I looked for the stories that had officers teaming up with a local business to renovate a citizens home, the stories that told about an officer who risked his health to save a kitten from the perils of a manhole... the positive news stories. I volunteered my time to support local ethnic festivals and I read to elementary school children while wearing a silly "Dr. Seuss" hat. And, of course, I told the crime stories. But, when I did, I always left our citizens with a caution or a concern in an effort to keep them safe and keep them from becoming the subject of a local news story.
I went above and beyond the Bureau's mission statement.
Around April of 2009 my partner and I were told that PAB was going in a different direction, the goal was to have supervisor only PIOs because of liability issues and our (officer) association with PLEA. I could not understand that, probably chose not to. Enter the budget crisis of 2010. I was given my walking papers in
March and told to find a job by April 5th. This was re-allocation and budget driven. chose to let the wheel stop where it may and waited to be re-assigned. My frustration had begun. I loved the job I was doing, I felt I was doing it well and I also thought the job was important enough to my department that things would just
"blow over". It was a gamble.
Something happened in March, and April and May that allowed me to remain in my position. No real need to discuss the issues here, but I was taken on a roller coaster ride of "you're going to stay, you're going to go, you're going to stay". The frustration grew and as a result, I worked even harder. So hard in fact that I've
been told on more than one occasion that I was working too hard, dedicating to much time to the media and the job. The April 5th deadline passed and I drove on. No more re-allocation and budget issues.
And then, I was put into patrol status and the re-bid. Still re-allocation dealing with available slot issues in PAB I guess. The writing was on the wall. I participated in re-bid because I am too committed to scheduled events, in the community and in my personal life, through the end of the year to risk going to a "George" squad (shift 2, weekdays off).
On August 9th, the detective holding the last, non-supervisor PIO slot announced that she was going to resign. Oh happy day for me! My last hope was dashed when I was told that slot would not be filled and I am still going to patrol. Still budget and re-allocation? Not true, it's personal and I know it's personal. I
could have stayed, driven on, been successful. There was an option.
I am not sure at what point I became a liability to my department, the bad guy. By all outside accounts and my own self-evaluation, I'm a pretty good officer and a good PIO. I am certainly not the best PIO on this department, and I have certainly made my mistakes, but I would challenge that I am the most dedicated. As of today, I am the "Indian among the chiefs". That fact alone should propel some thought. As a result of all I have done for my department, and I say that with clear conscience, on August 24th I will don my traffic vest and head to 35th Av. and Cactus to do what my department has determined to be the best job for me, where I will serve my citizens best.
I am angry. For the first time in over 35 years, and this includes waking up to war, countless deployments away from family and digging foxholes, I will wake up and not look forward to going to work, to doing my job. Please make no mistake, I will do my job, my work ethic will allow me to do nothing but. And every citizen with whom I have contact will still get their "15 minutes", I insist on that. But, there is a shadow over the enthusiasm. Though I lived through these situations in the military, especially in the 70's and 80's, I never expected this to happen to me on this department.
There is now a debt owed, and I don't owe it.
I suspect I might be better off not authoring this mailing. There is no disrespect intended toward anyone. But I have to look at myself in the mirror everyday and it is important that when I do, I see a man.
"The truth is in the eyes 'cause the eyes don't lie"
Officer James Holmes
Phoenix Police Department
