Fraternal Order of Police Candidate Survey

Earlier this year I considered running for Nashville Metro Council. I took out the signature forms, but concluded I couldn't commit the time to do the job effectively, so I won't be turning them back in.

However, I have been put on all sorts of interesting mailing lists. I thought I'd share the results with you. This one is from the Fraternal Order of Police, Andrew Jackson Lodge No. 5.

• Would you support the pay study plan and increase Metro Nashville Police Officers pay above mid range?
• Would you support current employees keeping their earned pensions?
• Would you support the current pension plan and allow this plant to remain in effect for current officers?
• Would you support additional ZONE officers?
• What is your position regarding body cameras for police officers? What are your recommendations for funding such a program? How would you rationalize rules for their use, keeping in mind Tennessee privacy laws, children and use inside of homes?
• Do you support the relocation of the Police headquarters? The Metro Police Academy is in need of an indoor firing range and repairs made to the running track and runway due to multiple pot holes. Do you support allocating money for the Metro Police Academy?
• What is your assessment on the current police administration?
• Would you support a police chief being promoted from within the department?
• Would you support an ordinance changing the civil service rules to include a Police Officers' Bill of Rights?
• Will you promise not to make pledges or commitments that will limit Metro's ability to meet obligations to employees?
• Will meet with the FOP board members on a regular basis?
• Have you or will you sign a no tax pledge?

A lot of these questions make sense. They're concerned about officers' pay, pensions, and resources. I am interested in what their "right" answers are regarding body cameras, and what would be included in a Police Officers' Bill of Rights. I'm assuming it's similar to this, which all sounds perfectly reasonable. Would that civilians had some of those rights!

Now, what's the deal with a no-tax pledge? That seems to have zero to do with police work, except insofar as it makes it impossible to run a functional government, in many cases. In theory, that should mean they're against a no-tax pledge. But the Republican Party has often convinced people to vote against their own best interests; has that happened here? I can't tell.