Police Beat

It all ties to drugs," says John Williams, a narcotics detective with the local police department. "Prostitutes prostitute for money for drugs; drug addicts steal for money for drugs; and dealers deal drugs for money."

Thousands of law enforcement officers nationwide have chosen AFSCME as their union. Many of them call Connecticut Council 15 home.

By Clyde Weiss

MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT

It all ties to drugs," says John Williams, a narcotics detective with the local police department. "Prostitutes prostitute for money for drugs; drug addicts steal for money for drugs; and dealers deal drugs for money." That's the vicious cycle in which he works.

Williams is also steward of Local 1016 (Council 15), Connecticut's largest police union and AFSCME's only affiliate dedicated solely to representing law enforcement officers. One other affiliate — the New York State Law Enforcement Officers Union (Council 82) — represents police and corrections officers.

The roughly 3,800 members of Council 15 are spread out among 60 locals statewide. About 10 percent are detectives, says Exec. Dir. James Howell, a former New Haven patrol officer. "We represent everybody but the chief and assistant chief of police," he adds.

WHERE THE ACTION IS. In Meriden, situated midway between Hartford and New Haven, some 123 members of Local 1016 protect a community of roughly 60,000 people. Once famous for silver manufacturing, Meriden today is a growing hub of biotech firms, research facilities and small manufacturers. It's also a place where crime is rising. Burglaries, robberies, theft and the city's overall crime index exceeded the national average in 2004.

"Most of the shootings and murders we have here are drug related," says Williams, 41. He calls himself an "action junkie," and it's an apt description for a man whose job is to drive around in nondescript vehicles, wearing undercover clothes, "looking for drug activity and prostitutes." Once Williams and his fellow detectives locate their targets, they set up surveillance and wait. "Then, when they do their thing, we jump out and arrest them."

Despite the inherent dangers of the job, Williams has been lucky. "I've gotten punched and knocked down. I got shot at one time, and shot at somebody once. But — knock on wood — I've never been injured."

In addition to the threat of injury or death, police officers represented by Council 15 face other hazards: budget cuts that reduce manpower and decrease safety; privatization of traffic control at roadside construction sites; and the imposition of increased health care costs on workers. The union is working hard to solve those problems, but, says Howell, "It's a constant battle."