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Union Calls On Governor To Remove Commissioner
Concord, NH - In a case with far reaching implications for New Hampshire state employees, the Personnel Appeals Board has found that the State of New Hampshire – Department of Correction actions in suspending two NEPBA members/officers without pay or benefits was unjust and wrong. The case was litigated by NEPBA Chief Counsel Peter Perroni, Esq. of the law firm Nolan Perroni Harrington, LLP. The Board ordered the employees reinstated immediately with back-pay and benefits consistent with the investigation period allowed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
NEPBA Executive Vice President Bill Ryan called the decision, “a long awaited victory for two officers’ who deserved better treatment from their employer.” Ryan further stated, “This decision is a victory for every oppressed member of the Department of Correction and shall serve notice that the NEPBA will NOT allow our members to face financial ruin simply for doing their job!”
New England PBA Executive Director Jerry Flynn stated, “We would hope this sends a message loud and clear to Commissioner Wrenn – NEPBA will NOT allow a continuation of his well-known anti-union rhetoric to further poison those who walk the toughest beat in America!” Flynn also stated, “We will continue to make an issue of his pathetic management style and its high-time the taxpayers of the Granite State see the deplorable and despicable way he manages the NH Department of Correction – it time for Governor Lynch to replace Commission Wrenn.
Flynn further claimed, “Commissioner Wrenn is totally out of touch with reality as he has been utilizing Convicted Cop-Killer and Death Row Inmate Michael Addison as a “runner” within the Concord State Prison.” Flynn said, “Runners are inmates who have earned a level of trust and are considered for jobs that are useful within the institution – this inmate is on death row for the killing of Manchester NH Police Officer Michael Briggs and should be seeing nothing but the inside of his cell 24/7.” Flynn continued, “As a former police officer himself, we would have thought Commissioner Wrenn would have a lot more compassion for the family of Office Briggs than honoring his killer with a position of trust and an opportunity to escape!” Flynn ended with, “We will be filing a formal complaint with the Governor and we will be DEMANDING Commissioner Wrenn be FIRED!
Executive Director Flynn was the author of “Michael’s Law”, which was named in honor and filed after the death of Officer Michael Briggs. As a result every family of a law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in the State of New Hampshire shall be awarded a $100,000 death benefit. Unfortunately, before the murder of Officer Briggs, no such provision existed in the state of New Hampshire and the Briggs Family did not receive such a benefit.
The NEPBA is proud of its representation of these two fine corrections officers and will continue to fight injustice and oppressive conduct by the NH Commissioner of Correction and his DOC management team. We will not allow our members to be treated like common criminals for simply doing their job; and we will not allow over-aggressive prosecution by an anti-union administration that coddles to the demands of convicted felons and denies equal and fair justice to its employees.