# Cop ed bill proposal takes heat



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Lawmaker: Expand Bill That Gives Raises To Police*

_Walsh Says Job Of Police Officer Has Changed_

*BOSTON -- *A Dorchester legislator wants to change the law to make it easier for police officers to get a raise after completing college courses.

The current law gives raises of up to 25 percent to those who complete courses associated with law enforcement.

But Democratic Representative Martin Walsh said officers should be able to take courses in areas increasingly important to their work, including computer science and chemistry.
He said the job of a police officer has changed dramatically from 20 or 30 years ago, and officers should be able to get advanced degrees not just in public safety.

But critics said the bill would give pay raises for classes that offer few benefits to the public.

Legislators amended the law which gave raises to officers in 2003 after reviews found some were getting raises for classes of questionable value. Courses now must be approved by the Department of Higher Education. The program costs about $105 million annually.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/13406842/detail.html


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## Guest (May 30, 2007)

*A* state lawmaker is proposing to hot-wire a college training program to allow cops to claim massive pay hikes for taking classes that have nothing to do with law enforcement. 
A proposal filed by state Rep. Martin Walsh (D-Dorchester) would dramatically expand the Quinn Bill - which grants higher pay for college credits - by allowing officers to take everything from origami to introduction to theater. 
"They could get a master's degree in basket-weaving and still get a 25 percent pay increase," said Sam Tyler of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau. "This would be a real step back in terms of trying to ensure that a well-educated police force is serving the public."








document.write('http://oascentral.bostonherald.com/...mt.com/NYF/go/bstndsle0160000023nyf/direct/01');http://oascentral.bostonherald.com/...mt.com/NYF/go/bstndsle0160000023nyf/direct/01 Walsh said the intent is not to make it easier for cops to earn more money, but rather to help them receive education in disciplines that are increasingly critical to modern police work, such as computer science and chemistry. 
"The job of a police officer is a lot different from what it was 20 or 30 years ago," he said. "They should be able to get advanced degrees in a whole host of areas, not just in public safety." 
The Quinn Bill, which costs taxpayers about $105 million a year, has been a continual source of controversy since its passage in 1970. Critics who say the law is too expensive fear Walsh's proposal could counteract attempts to make reforms in recent years. 
In 2003, legislators amended the law after reviews found that officers were getting pay boosts for classes of questionable value and receiving "life experience" credits that made it exceedingly easy to get a diploma. 
Under the new rules, degree programs must be approved by the state Department of Higher Education. That mandate automatically weeded out 35 of 80 criminal justice programs that were being used by officers. The Quinn Bill gives 10 percent, 20 percent and 25 percent salary hikes to officers with associate's, bachelor's or master's degrees. 
Walsh wants to delete language that directs the Board of Higher Education to "establish and maintain a list of approved courses leading to a degree in law enforcement." 
Asked about the deletion, Walsh denied he is trying to remove oversight, saying instead that he wants to open the program to more schools offering a broader array of programs. 
An entry on the Web site for the *Boston Police* Superior Officers Federation cheers the effort: "Our good friend Rep. Martin Walsh would allow Quinn Bill credits for all degrees, eliminating the law enforcement requirement." 
The patrolman's association is also behind the bill. The president of the union, Thomas Nee, vehemently defended the proposal, saying it is common practice to provide incentives for employees in any job to improve their education. 
"It's a huge value to the public to have a well-educated police force," he said. "This is not a radical concept."


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