Union president: 'No confidence' vote in Bridgeport police chief could come as soon as this week
The head of the Bridgeport Police Union says balloting could come as early as this week.
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"A toxic work environment." That's how Michael Salemme, III, president of the Bridgeport police union, Local 1159, describes working conditions in the department.
"It's just bad, and that's why we're going to hold a 'no confidence' vote in Chief Roderick Porter," Salemme told News 12 Wednesday.
The head of the Bridgeport Police Union says balloting could come as early as this week.
A total of 51 of the union's 56 members present for a private meeting Monday expressed a lack of support for Porter, Salemme said.
Among the "ongoing problems" Salemme cited were concerns about overtime being assigned "on a political rather than a contractual basis" and promotions failing to occur despite being called for in the union's collective bargaining agreement.
"And these are not opinions - they're fact; and I have documented proof for all of it," he said.
Porter declined to comment, but Mayor Joe Ganim addressed the matter in a video released by his office.
"We've had substantial progress under Chief Porter's leadership. Crime statistics show a dramatic decline in gun violence on his watch, and the Chief's made great strides in the area of community policing -- but we're going to engage with the union and work towards a solution through a friendly, transparent process," Ganim said.
