Mass cops get some of their gravy train taken away

If you're not from Massachusetts, you are likely not familiar with the influence of the state's police union. It has enormous sway over state politics. State employee unions and Massachusetts politicians go together like mustard and relish. It's a mutual beneficial relationship. The police union and other state employee unions help the mostly Democrat politicians get elected to the State House, then in turn, the politicians let the cops become well compensated. Massachusetts requires a police officer to be stationed at almost every road project. This has been a boon to police offficers' salaries. Under state law, a police officer is guaranteed a certain hourly rate. Some officers can double or even triple their salary over the course of a year while doing traffic details.

I didn't expect the use of police officers at traffic details to end in my lifetime. No one was going to upset the cozy relationship between the police union and state government. Well I was wrong. In a cost-saving move, Governor Deval Patrick is allowing civilian flaggers at some road projects. As you can imagine, police officers are quite upset to see some of their gravy train be taken away and are protesting at road projects that employ civilian flaggers, reports the Boston Globe.