Gripes aired at hearing on details

Police unions object to plan

Somerset police Officer Wayne Ferreira (left) applauded Paul Larkham (passing), after the legislative director of the New England Police Benevolent Association testified yesterday. (Justine Hunt/Globe Staff)

Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen said the state will go ahead with the governor's plan to use civilian road workers known as "flaggers" instead of police details this fall despite a chorus of opposition last night from police and union representatives.

"You will see civilian flaggers on Mass. highways this fall," Cohen said to a crowd of more than 300 gathered at public hearing in the state transportation building to discuss Governor Deval Patrick's plan. Cohen called the draft regulations "a careful balance" of public safety and cost efficiency at a time when Massachusetts is facing fiscal responsibilities to cut costs.

He said the regulations will be applied based on a "case-by-case analysis of when and where flaggers" are needed.

Police and union workers have criticized the plan for what they term a lack of consideration for public safety and for exaggerated figures of cost efficiency. The proposed regulations would place civilian flaggers on nearly all state roads with construction projects where the speed limit is below 45 miles per hour and also in areas with higher speed limits and low-traffic flow.

The regulations would save the Highway Department between $5.7 million and $7.2 million annually, according to new estimates from the Executive Office of Transportation. The office estimates its spends between $20 million and $25 million on police details, and using a one-week snapshot, calculated 28.7 percent savings.

Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, lashed out at the plan, saying the regulation was "pretty fishy" and that it "reeks of political motivation."

"This is nothing but political gamesmanship," he said. Like many police and union representatives, Haynes also criticized the Patrick administration for ignoring collective bargaining for unions.

"No bureaucrat in this building . . . has a better idea how to protect public safety than our officers who live it every day," he said.

In addition to neglecting police opinion, he cited that officers were crucial to prevent crime and respond quickly to accidents. Haynes also knocked the cost effectiveness of the switch from details to civilian flaggers, calling it "a few dollars' difference."

Patrick's plan to reduce the number of police officers at road construction projects and replace them with cheaper civilian flaggers has drawn criticism from police officers who could lose extra pay. The plan would would take effect as early as Oct. 3.

Haynes called several independent studies - including one from the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk University - "just a sham," to an outburst of applause.

In the midst of outraged cries of disapproval, David Tuerck, director of the Beacon Hill Institute, defended his position. "I guess I know what it feels like to be a mother-in-law on the honeymoon," Tuerck said, to a flurry of "boo's."

Tuerck called the numbers in the Beacon Hill Institute study an underestimate.

Although the study cites a 13 percent savings in labor costs, Tuerck said the savings would be closer to 20 percent because of inflated labor wages.

Thomas Nee, president of the National Association of Police Organizations, called Tuerck's remarks insulting.

"Massachusetts has by far the safest roadway construction sites in the country," Nee said. "Police officers are our number one line of defense . . . to keep our motoring public safe."

Nee also criticized the cost-efficiency statistics found in several independent studies, calling them "best case scenario . . . guestimating."

But Massachusetts Highway Department Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky emphasized that public safety is "our most important obligation. We strongly support this regulation."