Des Moines Police Msgt. Barry Sellers has been named as the new Des Moines Police Guild president beginning on Feb. 28.
After meeting with the new guild leadership Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler said at this point he is not going to pursue his complaint against the guild after guild president Russ Stuth sent him a letter asking for his resignation.
Before the beginning of the year Stuth, acting as the guild president, sent a letter to Sheckler asking for his resignation because of statements made to the press regarding the police shooting death of a Newfoundland dog.
In the letter Stuth said if the mayor did not resign the guild would make the rest of his time in office as difficult as possible.
In a statement about the police shooting Interim Chief John O’Leary said he did not personally agree with the letter, but it was between the mayor and guild to figure out.
About a month after the letter was sent to Sheckler the guild held a meeting and came back saying the guild’s new policy was they were not going to make any more comments on the letter or pursue a meeting with Sheckler regarding the guild’s demand that he step down.
After Sheckler heard the guild’s new position he said while the guild was becoming mute over the letter the issue was not over for him. But he said his attitude has completely changed after meeting with Sellers, the guild’s new president.
Earlier today (Feb. 9) Sheckler said the meeting he had with Sellers and the rest of the new guild leadership went extremely well.
“It was like going from night into day talking with them,” Sheckler said. “I’m willing at this point to no longer pursue my complaints against the police guild.”
Sheckler described Sellers as one of the most respected officers in the community. He is well known and liked by the teachers and students he watched over when he used to work at the local schools, according to Sheckler.
Before sending the letter asking for the mayor’s resignation the leadership of the Guild has been at odds with the city over cutting police officer’s Cost of Living Allowances (COLA’s) or cutting officer positions.
When the City Council was working through the 2010 budget they cut five police officers to balance the budget when the guild would not take a cut in their COLA’s without significant concessions from the City. The Guild also refused to take a cut in their COLA’s for the 2011 budget.
Both years Des Moines staff has agreed to give up their COLA’s to minimize layoffs.
Sheckler said he would like to see two of the officer positions restored. He said he has begun talking with Sellers and the new guild leadership to see if that is possible and if it is something the rest of the guild members are interested in.
Sheckler said he wants to work cooperatively with the guild to possibly bring back some of the officers who were laid off. Sheckler said if this moves forward it is his intention to offer any open positions first to the officers who were laid off in 2010.
Sellers was unopposed for the position of guild president after Stuth announced he did not plan to run again.
Sellers term as guild president begins on Feb. 28 and goes for two years, until the end of February in 2013. The Guild has a new vice president as well, MPO Kevin Montgomery.
In a letter welcoming the new leadership Stuth said the new guild will face a variety of challenges, including medical benefits and contract negotiations amid a continually shrinking city budget.