2016 NJ State PBA Mini Convention
Intensity is the
Mother of Convention
Unprecedented attendance and
riveting guest speakers spark the
2016 NJ State Mini Convention
n PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI, JR.
n STORIES BY MITCHELL KRUGEL AND JOSHUA SIGMUND
From the time Lakia Gaillard ignited the events, there was nothing mini
about this convention.
Gaillard, a member of Hudson County Corrections Local 109, set the tone
for a rousing 2016 NJ State PBA Mini Convention by Beyonce-ing a personalized version of The Star-Spangled Banner. Even before she hit this high
note, the PBA had to implore Caesar’s to bring in more chairs to capacitate
the record number of members who attended a week’s worth of memorable, and perhaps life-changing, speeches and presentations March 7-11.
Caesar’s eventually ran out of chairs. Not just in the Palladium Ballroom
where the convention was held, but in the entire facility. Each day’s agenda
WELCOME REMARKS
Atlantic City Mayor
Donald Guardian
No legislator in the state might be as simpatico with NJ State PBA members as Atlantic City
Mayor Guardian.
Right in the thick of the state-generated takeover to exacerbate his financially-strapped city,
the bow-tie-adorned mayor stepped to the podium as the first speaker of the 2016 Mini Convention and hit members where it counts most: in
the funny bone.
“Nobody eats or drinks like you guys,” he
quipped. “You might not be getting everything
you want in our collective bargaining agreements,
but you still have to spend the money here.”
Laugher segued to repeated applause as
began at 10 a.m., and by 8:30 all seats were already reserved.
The business of the PBA mixed in with emotional addresses by retired
Teaneck Officer Gary Spath and Atlantic City Mayor Donald Guardian, a
crowd-pleasing appearance by NJ Speaker of the House Vincent Prieto and
topped off with President Pat Colligan’s unique sense of humor and unprecedented 50-50 raffles raised the Mini Convention to new heights. It was the
kind of week that led to celebrating at the end with a good cigar.
A nearly complete recap of the important news, events and activities
runs through the next 10 pages…
Guardian praised the dedication and pride of his
police officers despite all the spit they have had
to overcome. He noted that his force has gone
from 335 to 245 and the contract has gone from
seven steps to 15 steps, but there was still a
10-percent reduction in every way the state measures crime, a 40-percent reduction in use of force
and a 70-percent reduction in IA investigations.
“My cops are not fighting, they are giving
back, and doing everything they have been asked
to. And morale is still great,” Guardian exclaimed.
Then he followed up with: “I will tell you this. I
might lose my job as mayor, but I’m not giving in
to the state of NJ.”
And thus the Mini Convention rose to its first
standing ovation.
Guardian then asked all members to get active
in the political fight to save Atlantic City, warning
that anybody in attendance could be next.
“I’m talking like this because it’s the right
thing to do, and it’s the ethical thing to do,” he
continued. “We need to support police officers
because they promote public safety, and we are
willing to go down the tubes doing that. If they
can squash this police force for no reason, they
can take out police departments in the other 540
municipalities in New Jersey and get away with
destroying collective bargaining.”
www.njcopsmagazine.com
■ APRIL 2016 37