In a recent letter, Mr. Hollis took great pains to show the
difference between my “base pay” and my total earnings while I was a member of
the New York State Police. What he
failed to research is that “base pay” does not include additional pay that I
was entitled to which includes such items as; longevity pay and command pay.
These are additional payments made to ALL Senior Investigators. The other thing
that he is ignorant of is the fact that according to contract, Senior
Investigators in the New York State Police at the time I was employed were not
paid time and a half for overtime. In fact, they were not even paid at straight
time for overtime but were paid at HALF time for any overtime incurred. In
other words, I would have to work THREE times the hours to make the same pay as
a uniform supervisor working overtime. So, if I got paid any overtime during that
time period, I want you to calculate how many hours I had to put in to earn
it. This overtime had to be approved by
a supervisor because it was necessary and was earned in the service of the
taxpayers of New York State. I didn’t get to take overtime “whenever I felt
like it”.
Additionally, the numbers I put forward regarding overtime
are not from an “anonymous source” but from the Allegany County Treasurers
Office. They are available to anyone
under the Freedom of Information Act.
I spent a lot of time as a Senior Investigator chasing drug
dealers, busting Meth labs and leading arrest raids at all hours of the day and
night. These are hours that I would have rather spent with my family, having
meals, going to school functions, celebrating holidays, birthdays and
anniversaries, I did it because it was my job and it still is. I am not ashamed
of it.
Walt Mackney
Candidate for Allegany County Sheriff
