NJ Cops | Page 5

NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JULY 2014 5 Don’t hesitate to speak up Just because I have this big, fancy title – which is truly an honor and privilege – doesn’t mean I’m not going to be the same guy who became a delegate in 2004. If it does change me, I don’t want this job. Marc Kovar Executive VicePresident So please allow me to introduce myself. I’ve been with Passaic since 1990, and I came on the PBA Local 14 Executive Board in 1994. When I first came on the job, our Local was run by veteran cops, and the new guys were mostly afraid to speak up. I spoke up, so they asked me to become a trustee. I believe that if you really want to be a true PBA member, you can’t be afraid of the administration. You have to know when to fight and what the fight is. If one of your members is being suspended or getting fired, you have to fight to protect his or her rights. In some cases, the fight might be getting a 60-day suspension knocked down to 30 days and being able to say to the member, “We saved you 30 days.” But if it’s a time when they are going on a witch hunt, that’s when the pit bull comes out. It doesn’t have to be malicious, but you fight to the end if there is a fight to be had. You should know that I was indicted in 2002 and suspended for what was called official misconduct. A trial started in 2004 and a new Passaic County Prosecutor had just been appointed. I was the first officer he indicted. He tried to get me to resign. I wasn’t guilty, and I fought it to the end. I didn’t have anybody helping me out. I didn’t have the knowledge about asking the PBA Local for help. That’s when I decided that under my watch I would never let another member get railroaded. If a member is innocent, I will fight to clear his name. I’m fortunate to have learned so much about the PBA from Keith and Tony and especially John Hulse. Mike Madonna also took me under his wing and that’s when I started working with the State PBA. They are a big reason I am here. I am grateful and honored that Pat Colligan would entrust me to this position. THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE FROM PAGE 4 You all deservedly have great expectations in your new leadership, and Marc and I accept the tremendous challenges before us. Marc and I also have great expectations of you. After these past four-and-a-half years of attacks, I’m not quite sure what will get you all angry enough to get up and take some action on your own behalf. When you are on the street or in the cell block you take swift, decisive action when someone tries to attack you and you immediately subdue the threat. Most of you can get that all wrapped up before you even get a hand laid on you. There is a massive assault on our pension system and only one out of five of you took the 15 seconds to vote for your own PFRS Pension Trustee in the election this past April/May! We got you all registered to vote, now we NEED you to vote. Marc and I have to head to Trenton with a big stick. I feel like we are the sheep heading to the slaughterhouse and all we are doing is complaining about the long, sweaty line to get our throats slit! We could use some This is not Pat and me, our PBA. It’s 30,000-plus members and we need the person who is just starting all the way up to the members who have been on the job for 40 years. We need the retired members to make a difference. We will reach out to each and every one of you to support the cause. What is the cause? I’m glad you asked. I believe a lot of the politicians don’t know what has happened to us. They are dealing with so many issues, and we’re just one of them. We’ve made our pension contributions and paid for our health benefits and now the governor doesn’t make the state’s pension contribution. But there are no consequences if we don’t speak up, so we need all 33,000 to let the politicians know that we’re following the rules and they are not. As for not changing: As a State Delegate, there were many times when I had to get out of bed at 2 a.m. because a member needed help; somebody who was involved in a shooting or was shot. They were at their weakest moment and that’s where you can really make a difference. That’s why we do this. Six weeks or six months later, they will say, “thank you.” But it’s not about the thank you. It’s about being there, and that’s the part of serving the union that has always motivated and inspired me. That’s my job. I’ve been involved with a lot of committees like Collective Bargaining, Legal Protection, New Delegates and Special Services, and I’ve come to better understand the inner-workings of our union. I hope I can bring my knowledge and experience to those and other committees. I want new delegates to be able to bounce ideas off of me. My phone will always be on and my door will always be open. Call and tell me your ideas. Email me at [email protected]. And, please, don’t ever be afraid to speak up. d backup here and I sure hope you are all finally fed up enough to fight back with us. We sure can't do it alone. And so begins a new chapter in the New Jersey State PBA. We are still in the midst of what may be the most vicious, sustained assault on our rights, benefits and wages since our inception in 1896. It certainly would have been easier to pass and wait for a better time, but I believe we can make a difference and turn the tide in our favor. So the next time I hear "what is the PBA doing," my answer will be that we are doing more and we are doing it better than any other labor group in the State. You have our commitment. Marc and I need yours.