Busted Boycott? WPB Police Officers Will Be at SunFest

We're hearing reports now that the controversy involving West Palm Beach police officers and SunFest has been resolved... kind of.The Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association claims the city treats it unfairly and divulged plans last week that involved West Palm Beach police officers' boycotting SunFest and other upcoming events. The...

By Devin Desjarlais

April 19, 2010

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We're hearing reports now that the controversy involving West Palm Beach police officers and SunFest has been resolved... kind of.

The Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association claims the city treats it unfairly and divulged plans last week that involved West Palm Beach police officers' boycotting SunFest and other upcoming events.

The union is now saying that some officers will be working SunFest but will receive pay at the time-and-a-half rate.

"They ordered us in to work, and we have to work if they order us in," said Lou Penque, president of the West Palm Beach union. "We weren't refusing to work SunFest; we were refusing to volunteer for it."

It's a semi-success on their part because while some officers will be getting the time-and-a-half rate, other city workers like firefighters have always gotten that.

"It's not about the money at all, it's about getting the message out to the public about how we're being treated by the city."

The union will still be boycotting at SunFest but they don't think there will be as many people as they wanted.

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