RUTLAND, Vt. (WCAX) – Contract negotiations between the city of Rutland and the police union have broken down after union officials say an alderman — and mayoral candidate — made disparaging comments about the department.
Rutland Alderman Henry Heck said in videotaped comments obtained by WCAX that the police union wants to be “paid for 60 hours and work 40 hours.”
Several people brought up the disparaging comments at Monday’s Board of Alderman meeting, including Rutland Police Chief Brian Kilcullen, who called them false and inflammatory. Alderman Heck’s claim is untrue, irresponsible, inappropriate, and contrary to his oath as a member of the board to present things truly as they come to his knowledge,” Kilcullen said. He says the comments hurt the support the department has built in the community. “It portrays us as being greedy and not sympathetic necessarily to the struggles of the community we serve. That sort of thing tends or creates the possibility that the encounter that we’re experiencing at any given time might go the wrong way for that reason.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Rutland’s police union declared they had reached an impasse to ratify their contract. He says Heck violated labor laws by disparaging the collective bargaining process.
Chief Kilcullen says he wants to uphold the integrity of his department. “They deserve to be compensated, but again, they’re not being unreasonable in some of the things they’ve asked for,” he said.
Board of Alderman President Michael Talbott echoed the disappointment of police officers. “City hall has worked to build a positive relationship. without officers. It’s about recruitment, about retention, it’s about making them feel valued. And numerous officers have had me on the phone in the past couple of days telling me how angry and disappointed they are,” he said.
Alderman Heck did not respond immediately to calls for comment although he did tell the Rutland Herald that his videotaped comments did not reflect a literal demand by the police union and that he supports the police department 100%.