What's good for the goose is apparently only good for the goose!

[vsp645]

I'm getting tired of the usual MO within my agency. I've been on about ten and I have just about had it with being told to make sure I follow policy only to be told later that those same policies that I am held to do not apply to Supervision when it does not suit them. The horrible thing is I then have to listen to the same excuses from them that they would not entertain from me.
Well, I recently was told by a supervisor to make sure I always follow the chain of command. Within days of this conversation I made a formal request to be removed from a specialty assignment that I had been told I could by a member of the upper brass. I submitted the request through channels and following policy. The Supervisor who told me to always follow chain of command immediately blocked the request, violating our policy. After a couple of weeks I sent a second letter, this time to the member of the upper brass that stated I could make the request in the first place. Now whats funny is that I recieved a very polite letter from the Captain stating it would be taken care of at the agencies earliest oppurtunity. After being handed this letter I was chewed out for two hours by a supervisor about failing to follow the chain of command. Bear in mind that both letters were submitted through channels by policy. I was told that the supervisors weren't held to policy and that our policies were vague for a reason. In the last ten years the policies of my agency only seem vague when being used to defend the wacky actions of supervision while I get written up and chewed out for every percieved possible violation. I was also told that I would be ordered to not speak to that member of our upper brass and that the dept could cut off my speaking to anyone about the issue and that if I tried to get around it the dept. would rain fire on my career. This issue seemed minor to me at first but now I'm ****ed off that my agency is trying to threaten and intimidate me over a simple request.
Is it any wonder why none of our brass knows whats going on at the bottom when this is going on? I love my job but I'm really starting to hate the hippocrasy of working for an agency that stands for law, order and rules and then refuses to follow its own.

Sorry guys, Had to vent. I dont' like being talked to like a dog when I've taken great pains to follow the rules.

[iamacop]

Get your local police labor union or whatever you have up yonder involved.. Sounds like the typical admin. Guess it's rare now-a-days to find good brass within a department.

[vsp645]

Virginia is a right to work state. No unions of any kind. :(

[Iowa #1603]

I'm getting tired of the usual MO within my agency. I've been on about ten and I have just about had it with being told to make sure I follow policy only to be told later that those same policies that I am held to do not apply to Supervision when it does not suit them. The horrible thing is I then have to listen to the same excuses from them that they would not entertain from me.
Well, I recently was told by a supervisor to make sure I always follow the chain of command. Within days of this conversation I made a formal request to be removed from a specialty assignment that I had been told I could by a member of the upper brass. I submitted the request through channels and following policy. The Supervisor who told me to always follow chain of command immediately blocked the request, violating our policy. After a couple of weeks I sent a second letter, this time to the member of the upper brass that stated I could make the request in the first place. Now whats funny is that I recieved a very polite letter from the Captain stating it would be taken care of at the agencies earliest oppurtunity. After being handed this letter I was chewed out for two hours by a supervisor about failing to follow the chain of command.
As long as you have documentation that you tried to follow procedures.....the supervisor that blocked the flow of paperwork up the chain shouldn't have too much to say about it. If he was being a d##k, he should have his wee-wee stepped on.



Bear in mind that both letters were submitted through channels by policy. I was told that the supervisors weren't held to policy and that our policies were vague for a reason.
That depends on your department. In my department, as a supervisor, I can vary from policy in certain situations--------as long as I can later articulate my reasoning for doing so. As the highest ranking official on duty at a certain time----------------I have to have some wiggle room in order to act in an emergency situation. But if I veer off policy-----------I had better be right.




In the last ten years the policies of my agency only seem vague when being used to defend the wacky actions of supervision while I get written up and chewed out for every percieved possible violation. I was also told that I would be ordered to not speak to that member of our upper brass and that the dept could cut off my speaking to anyone about the issue and that if I tried to get around it the dept. would rain fire on my career. This issue seemed minor to me at first but now I'm ****ed off that my agency is trying to threaten and intimidate me over a simple request.
Is it any wonder why none of our brass knows whats going on at the bottom when this is going on? I love my job but I'm really starting to hate the hippocrasy of working for an agency that stands for law, order and rules and then refuses to follow its own.

Sorry guys, Had to vent. I dont' like being talked to like a dog when I've taken great pains to follow the rules.

It appears that your agency has a few problems in dealing with line staff. That is the kind of attitude that keeps turnover high at an agency. It is a symptom of your upper level management being ineffective........and not keeping the middle managers in check.

I doubt that it will get any better until your upper command staff finds a new place to be an annoyance to someone else.

I have seen the same problem in many departments/agencies..........I feel for you