WAL-MART "SNOOKERS" CITY INTO A "RENT-A-COP" PROGRAM
6-12-07
(Rent-A-Cop is not original with us, but was used by Councilman Dr. Cecil Williamson to describe this agreement that Wal-Mart put over on the City of Selma.)
The City of Selma's Rent-A-Cop program with Wal-Mart demonstrates why Wal-Mart is a $348 billion enterprise and the City of Selma is going broke. Wal-Mart has now absolved itself of any liability if Selma policemen falsely arrest someone, beat up someone, or harass shoppers at Wal-Mart. All of that liability has now shifted to the City of Selma. And in a move that borders on legal stupidity, the City has even agreed to indemnify Wal-Mart against actions customers may bring against the Wal-Mart for any illegal acts Wal-Mart security guards (city policemen) may commit against the customers.
Until the City Council vote of 7-2 approved the Rent-A-Cop program, City policemen worked off-duty as security guards and were employees of Wal-Mart and were paid directly from Wal-Mart. The liability for acts committed by off-duty policemen who were employees of Wal-Mart was SOLELY ON WAL-MART.
However, Wal-Mart has now shifted all of the liability to the City of Selma through the Rent-A-Cop program. WHAT DOES THE CITY GET FOR OPENING ITSELF UP FOR SUITS RESULTING FROM ACTIONS TAKEN BY CITY POLICEMEN WHILE BEING RENTED OUT TO WAL-MART? The City will charge Wal-Mart 1.5 times the hourly rate the policeman makes. For example, if the policeman makes $10 an hour, Wal-Mart will pay the City $15 an hour to rent a cop. HOWEVER, THE POLICEMEN WILL NOT RECEIVE THE EXTRA MONEY unless he has worked enough hours that month to qualify for overtime pay. WE SUSPECT that Martin and Perkins will schedule officers to work at Wal-Mart so the officers are NOT paid overtime and the City gets to keep the extra money OR Martin will continue to show favoritism to his cronies like the Hardy boys and schedule them for much overtime so they will get more extra pay. We understand from our sources in the City Finance Office that the Hardy boys each made about $50,000 last year thanks to Martin and overtime!
The Rent-A-Cop program DOES NOT MEAN that Wal-Mart can not call the Police Department to send additional officers to the store...as they do now. While other businesses don't have the billions to RENT A COP like Wal-Mart, other businesses in the City can enter into a Rent-A-Cop agreement with the City.
Businesses need to consider the monetary benefit of the Rent-A-Cop program. If you own a small business and employ a private security guard and the guard commits some illegal act or acts for which the business can be sued, the business is liable for the actions of it's employees.
However, WITH THE RENT-A-COP PROGRAM, the policeman is a City employee and is paid by the City AND the City is liable for the actions of its employees. Under the Rent-A-Cop program, the City will even INDEMNIFY YOUR BUSINESS AGAINST SUITS AND LOSSES. This means that if you are sued because of the actions of the City's policeman, the City will defend you and pay any judgements against your business.
What a great deal for Wal-Mart and other businesses in the Rent-A-Cop program. We hope that Martin and Perkins will give some of our good police officers an OPPORTUNITY to make a little extra money by working at Wal-Mart on their off-duty time. If Martin continues his pattern of favoritism in scheduling over time for his flunkies, we can expect them to get the City sued before many months pass and they BEAT UP SOMEBODY, FALSELY ARREST SOMEBODY, OR HARASS SOME CUSTOMERS AT WAL-MART.
We thank Councilman Williamson and Cain for voting against the Rent-A-Cop program. Looking at who won and lost in this agreement, one can see why Wal-Mart is a BILLION DOLLAR CASH COW AND THE CITY OF SELMA IS "FULL OF BULL"!!!
