Representative James Vernon “Jim” Mooney, Jr.
The Thin Silver Line Alliance
Representative James Vernon “Jim” Mooney, Jr. (Dist. 120 (R)) and Legislative Aide Ms. Lee Young recently hosted a Zoom call for The Thin Silver Line Alliance
KEY WEST, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, November 5, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Representative James Vernon “Jim” Mooney, Jr. (Dist. 120 (R)) and his Legislative Aide Ms. Lee Young recently hosted a Zoom call for The Thin Silver Line Alliance to discuss concerns voiced by Correctional Officers across the State of Florida at both the State and County levels. The Thin Silver Line Alliance is extremely appreciative of Representative Mooney’s leadership and support for County Correctional Officers in Dist. 120 and statewide. The Thin Silver Line Alliance expresses its deepest gratitude to Ms. Allie McNair, Government Affairs Coordinator of the Florida Sheriffs Association, Mr. Jake Felder, Director of Legislative Affairs for the Florida Department of Corrections, Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Major Tim Age and Captain John Crane of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and retired Miami Beach Police Department Sergeant and active President of the Miami Dade Chapter of The Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers Jorge Alessandri for their attendance on the call. Most importantly, The Thin Silver Line Alliance thanks all of the Correctional Officers (COs) especially those that work the overnight shift that were on the daytime call.
The Zoom call was focused on the daily horror show that COs at both the State and County levels worked in on a daily basis during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, the nonprofit organization One Voice, which tracks CO deaths reported that 2020 was the deadliest year on record for COs. According to One Voice, in a typical year eleven COs die. In 2020, 219 COs and 41 members of correctional support died from Covid-19 (Barr, 2021). Specifically the call focused on how even after having made it through such incredible adversity what was left of our collective morale was crushed by being forgotten and left out of HB3 – “Law Enforcement”, authored by Rep. Leek (Dist. 25 (R)), and Rep. Brannan III (Dist. 10 (R)). HB3 was paraded on Governor DeSantis’ website as “the Strongest Law Enforcement Recruitment and Support Initiative in the Nation” and COs were also left out of HB 5007: “State-administered Retirement Systems”, authored by Rep. Trumbull (Dist. 6 (R)) and the Appropriations Committee which provides law enforcement officers (LEOs) the option to participate in the State’s deferred retirement program for an additional 36 months (Flgov.com, 2022).
To add insult to injury, Rep. Trumbull and the Appropriations Committee authored HB 5001 – General Appropriations Act which contains the following specific language on pg. 500 of 518 of the bill “grants to local governments to provide one-time recognition payments of up to $1,000, after taxes, for each essential first responder employed by the local government as a sworn law enforcement officer, emergency medical technician, firefighter, or paramedic” which somehow makes County COs ineligible according to the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) in 2022 despite COs receiving the same recognition payments in 2021 (MyFloridaHouse.gov, 2022). The $1000 recognition payments for sworn LEOs and first responders were announced by Governor DeSantis and paid to County COs in 2021 (Flgov.com, 2021). Governor DeSantis and CFO Jimmy Petronis announced a second consecutive round of these same Recognition Payments in March of 2022, but this time around County COs were deemed ineligible (Flgov.com, 2022). How does this make any sense at all? The answer is simple. It does not make any sense and needs to be fixed.
“Plain and simple it’s just flat out wrong that County Correctional Officers have not yet been paid the second consecutive bonus announced by Governor DeSantis and Petronis for all sworn law enforcement officers and first responders. State leaders and the DEO are sending the message to County Correctional Officers that they are neither qualified law enforcement officers which is in direct opposition to Florida Statute 790.052 and Advisory Legal Opinion – AGO 82-40, but even worse by not paying County Correctional Officers the second round of these recognition payments, Governor DeSantis and State Congressional leaders are sending a very dangerous message to County Correctional Officers that they are not First Responders and are not worthy of the recognition payments. This is completely unacceptable and in no way and at no measure tolerable. The bottom line is that Governor DeSantis and the Florida Congress need to figure out how to pay County COs their second Recognition Payment and do so as soon as possible. County COs need and deserve their 2nd recognition payment and we are committed to securing a positive resolution to this colossal administrative blunder. Honestly, I’ve been losing sleep over how my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Corrections have been so badly disrespected by their State leadership and I’m praying daily that together we will reach a positive resolution and I believe that the Correctional Officers Equality Act of 2023 is the answer. Lastly, we need a hero willing to represent County and State COs in the Florida Congress and we pray that Representative Mooney can be that hero for both County and State COs”, stated Deputy Snipes Executive Director of The Thin Silver Line Alliance.
The Thin Silver Line Alliance wants to remind COs, LEOs and the entire law enforcement family everywhere of a very important message in The Holy Bible,
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (English Standard Bible, 2001/2016, Ephesians 6:10-12)
COs in the end, while these earthly matters are certainly important, your eternal future is infinitely more important so please visit The Thin Silver Line Alliance to order your own free Corrections Bible from Heirs of Restraint which is ultimately worth infinitely more than all the silver and gold in the world or to watch the motivational video Alone…but not alone by The Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers or to sign up for Free Bible School with Jesus Christ Leadership Academy.
Thank You and God Bless You!
Respectfully,
Jeffrey Snipes
The Thin Silver Line Alliance
+1 305-395-0095
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