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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 08-08 Mayor Greavu questions 'no-break' dispatching THE REVIEW 1, Minnesota Single Copy Nit AUG._eii, 8, 1979 1 I Mayor Greavu questions no _ break By MELANIE WAAGE shift at a specific time,and I simply can't hour or an hour and a half for lunch," guarantee that,"Schaller said."We try to Greavu said. "Everyone needs to get out Maplewood Mayor John Greavu relieve them when possible. They are of the office for a break." brought up a complaint at the Aug.2 city never forced to stay in the cubicle all day. Schaller said it wasn't true that council meeting about something "he "But, we find the nature of the job everyone in his office took hour lunches, didn't like to see happening in doesn't allow that we can guarantee a because if officers are on patrol it may not Maplewood." He had been told that the specific lunch time every day. We were be convenient to stop and take an hour city's police dispatchers were working being very careful to not promise it, so break. He told the council that many of eight-hour shifts without breaks. they wouldn't be disappointed. We didn't the officers bring a lunch with them in "EIGHT SOLID hours without breaks, want to start their employment out that case they are forced to stop for a quick and we allow that in our city," Greavu way." lunch. said. "I just don't believe that. The THE MAPLEWOOD POLICE 'If a specific dispatcher has a com- dispatchers have to sit in the cubicle for Department hired four civilian dispat- plaint,I wish you would tell me who it is, eight hours, and then are forced to eat chers July 1. They are in the process of and we can try to answer their immediate their lunch in there. I don't know changing from police officer dispatchers problem," Schaller said. anywhere in the country that is allowed." to civilian dispatchers. Greavu said his complaint was not He said he had been told that the The civil service employees are paid for based on one employee,but he had simply dispatchers employed by the city were not a straight eight hours, and are only told been alerted to the problem. being told they could have a lunch break, they will get a 20-minute break, Other council members agreed that the that would include being able to leave the sometime. dispatchers should be able to get away dispatcher's console for a 20-minute "Something has to be changed," from the cubicle for breathers, but un- period. councilman Norm Anderson said. "We derstood the emergency situations that BUT, Director of Public Safety Dick don't treat horses like that." would lead to it being impossible Schaller, explained to Greavu and the City manager Barry Evans told the somedays. council that the problem was he couldn't council to remember these are "WE WILL work on it. I have relieved promise the dispatchers that when it hit emergency personnel,and they are filling them myself when it is convenient. We noon,or whatever the half way mark was an emergency position.And some days,if will try to see who has a problem,and see in their shift,he couldn't guarantee there the police force is out on the street an- if we can't settle this," Schaller said. would be someone available to break swering calls, it may be impossible for Greavu added that he felt that even if it them. someone to relieve the dispatcher, and was 3 a.m.and there was no one available "They thought they could get out every they might be forced to eat lunch in the to relieve the dispatcher, a supervisor cubicle. should be called at home to relieve them. "For that reason, we are telling the "I had thought our city had moved a dispatchers to bring a lunch with them,in long way from the days of the no-break case we can't relieve them," Schaller employee," Greavu added. said. Another police officer, Lt. Dennis GREAVU said the dispatchers should Delmont, told the council that when he have a 10-minute break in the morning,a worked the evening shift with the 20-minute lunch break, and a 10-minute dispatcher,he offered a number of times break in the afternoon or later part of to relieve them so they could walk around, their shift. step outside,or have a cigarette. He said "Everyone else in this city takes an they often take such breaks.