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August 29, 2007

Judge's order bans sick out by Johnston police

A Superior Court judge this afternoon issued a restraining order banning Johnston police officers from participating in a "sick out," after ten officers called in sick today across two shifts in apparent protest over stalled contract talks.

An officer can only call in sick, under the order from Judge Netti Vogel, if he or she is accompanied by a doctor's certificate that details the nature of the illness, the diagnosis, prognosis, and a specific recommendation from the doctor that the person be excused from work.

Five officers individually called in sick for the day shift today and another called in with a family leave illness. As the change toward the 4 p.m. shift came, two patrol officers and two sergeants had called in sick.

The department had to hold over officers from the previous shift and call people in on double time.

The union president took a previously arranged comp. time -- Judge Vogel's order did not apply to that.

Gary T. Gentile, the lawyer for the union, said the union leadership had not known about it and did not sanction it. Gentile said he did not know about the sick out until the town's lawyer contacted him this afternoon.

Ealier today, Mayor Joseph M. Polisena called a 4 p.m. news conference to explain the town’s response to the “sick-out” by town police officers this morning.

Polisena added that some officers had talked with him on Tuesday about various concerns involving their employment.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writers John Hill and Mark Reynolds

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 4:03 PM | Permalink

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mac daddy | August 30, 2007 12:13 AM link

Jim | August 30, 2007 6:48 AM link

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