Talk about sticker shock, big time, for the 2,700 members of SHOPO, the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers.
Yes, membership dues would increase by $20 to $100 monthly, but that’s not what’s objectionable. What’s getting pushback — rightly so — is that the police union’s leaders want hefty raises for themselves, more than a 500% increase in some cases.
Wow. All told, the stipend increases would have SHOPO paying its leaders more than $430,000 yearly.
A sampling of what SHOPO’s board of directors recently approved in monthly stipends for leaders (on top of their police department salaries): President Robert Cavaco’s $1,400 would surge to $6,000, earning him $72,000 yearly as union head; Vice President Steven Keogh’s pay would rise from $800 to $5,000, for $60,000 annually; the secretary and treasurer each would see monthly increases from $800 to $4,000.
Raises also would take care of four county-chapter chairs, upping each’s monthly stipend of $800 to $3,000; plus other increases for SHOPO directors and county-chapter vice chairs.
Wow. All told, the stipend increases would have SHOPO paying its leaders more than $430,000 yearly.
No wonder there’s backlash to this, even if SHOPO leaders deserve some raise, their first in 11 years.
After a special Thursday night meeting, spurred by many officers’ complaints, the union’s leadership is backpedaling — and will be mailing ballots to its members on alternatives. Reportedly, the ballots will offer three options, including proposed new rules to allow top leaders to work special duty and receive travel per diems, instead of getting raises.
That refinement of rules sounds more palatable than exorbitant raises that don’t seem financially sustainable. Travel per diems, with solid parameters and accounting, would allow key business to be conducted; and enabling special duty, without favoritism, adds a measure of compensation.
The board’s earlier notice rationalizing the dues increase cited, among other things, rising legal costs, hiring of more business agents, building and property maintenance, and higher pay for SHOPO staff.
To be sure, SHOPO plays an important role on how well our police officers perform — from advocating for fair wages, to workplace safety, to best practices when fighting crime, to accountability and transparency to the public. But the union and its leaders must get the balance right in getting its internal house in order.
A functional SHOPO bodes well for the general public; it can help influence positive policing policies that focus on public safety and the well-being of the rank and file.
But a dysfunctional SHOPO will bring suspicion and low morale within the police force, affecting good law enforcement in our communities.
Correction: The SHOPO board had proposed that union dues be raised to $100 monthly, not to $100 annually. Therefore proposed stipend raises for the police union’s leaders, totaling more than $430,000 yearly, would not have exceeded revenues from union dues. An earlier version of this editorial had incorrect information.
