Any Job Action by Huntington Police Blocked

HUNTINGTON BEACH — City officials obtained a restraining order Friday prohibiting police officers from engaging in any sickout, slowdown or strike until July 14, authorities said.

The move came during stalled contract negotiations between the city and about 230 union police officers, many of whom have been calling in sick and requesting time off during the city’s most volatile holiday weekend.

At least 57 police officers called in sick Thursday and Friday, Police Lt. Dan Johnson said. More than 70 of the 252 officers scheduled to work requested compensatory time off from June 29 to July 3.

As a result, more than 30 officers have been ordered to work overtime to allow 46 of their colleagues to take time off during the weekend. None of the officers scheduled to work July 4 requested time off, Johnson said.

“It’s only the 30th, and already, we’ve got more than 50 officers calling in sick,” Johnson said. “We’re just taking precautions to make sure that we are able to provide adequate police protection for the public.”

Any officers who violate the restraining order issued by Superior Court Judge David Brickner face charges of contempt of court, City Atty. Gail C. Hutton said.

Richard Wright, president of the Huntington Beach Police Officers Assn., said Friday that police officers intend to obey the order.

“We are the police,” he said. “We will definitely obey the law down to the dot in the ‘i.’ ”

The rift between city officials and law enforcement personnel widened about two weeks ago when a request from the police union for a 10.75% raise, which would be the first pay increase since 1992, was denied. About 50 officers called in sick that weekend, officials said.

Then on Monday, an unusually high number of officers began submitting requests for time off during the weekend before July 4, Hutton said.

“We tried to accommodate everyone,” she said. “We have no choice but to obtain the restraining order, because it was reaching the point of presenting a disruption in providing public safety.”

The overflow of time-off requests was foreseen by city officials, who in February issued a memorandum barring the use of compensatory time during the Fourth of July weekend, Wright said.

That order was rescinded after union representatives argued that it would violate a settlement in 1992 stating that time off should be allowed if made at least 72 hours in advance, Wright said. However, Hutton said, there is a provision allowing department officials to deny time-off requests if public safety is threatened.

Representatives from both sides have met a few times in the last month without significant progress, Wright said. The next meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday.

City officials have said in the past that there is no money for raises. They argued that if police officers get salary hikes, then other city employees should as well, and an across-the-board 1% raise could cost $600,000.