Yale Cops Report A ​“Larceny”

INCIDENT/ INVESTIGATION REPORT

On September 27, 2018, at 1202 hours I was dispatched to 101 Ashmun St. in response to a larceny complaint.

Upon my arrival, dozens of men and women in uniform were seen assembling on the sidewalk outside of the Rose building, which was determined to include the headquarters of the Yale Police Department (YPD). The individuals were identified as members of said police department and members of a labor union, the Yale Police Benevolent Association (YPBA). They carried signs reading, ​“Yale Cops Want A Contract Now.”

I spoke with complainant Rich Simons. He identified himself as president of the YPBA union. He said his union has been in negotiations with Yale University over a new contract for two and a half years since its previous contract expired in 2016. (Information about background to this ongoing dispute can be found in these three supplemental reports.)

Complainant handed me a two-page typewritten statement detailing the larceny allegation. It was headlined ​“Corporate Theft.” The statement alleges that the union ​“learned that Yale University unilaterally implemented” a change to police officers’ benefits: It eliminated a cap on out-of-pocket expenses the officers incur on prescription drugs. The university made the same change to benefit for members of other unions, but only as part of contract negotiations, according to the statement. ​“Yale eliminated our members’ out-of-pocket maximum expense cap on purchased drugs without negotiating with the Y.P.B.A. without discussing the issue with the Y.P.B.A. and without even notifying the Y.P.B.A.!” The statement described such ​“secret, unilateral elimination” of the benefit as ​“stealing” under the definition of larceny.

“Let’s do this!” complainant Simons then called to the assembled uniformed officers. They proceeded to follow him on a march on the sidewalk on Lock Street and Canal Street in the direction of Prospect Street. ​“What do we want?” yelled some of the marchers at the front of the procession. To which other marchers responded: ​“A contract!” Multiple motorists deployed horns while in transit. However the flow of traffic was unimpeded; the horn-blowing appeared to reflect support for the marchers.

The marchers proceeded to Woolsey Hall at the intersection of Grove, Prospect, and College streets. En route, I spoke with one of the marchers, Becky Fowler. (She is pictured second from left in the photo exhibit at the top of this report.) She reported that she has worked for the YPD for 12 years. (Subsequent investigation revealed that Officer Fowler has helped many homeless individuals in her position.) ​“We want to keep our benefits,” Fowler further stated when asked why she was participating in this action. ​“We won’t allow them to be taken away.”

Complainant Simons was then observed crossing the street to an entrance to a Gothic university building at 3 Prospect St., which upon further investigation appears to be the office of Yale President Peter Salovey.

Simons stated he had a letter to deliver to Peter Salovey. I observed the letter; it thanks Salovey for ​“the University’s decision to withdraw” proposals during contract negotiations that ​“would have required our members to pay premium co-shares and eliminated reimbursement for Medicare Part B premiums.” The letter proceeds to raise the issue of the alleged larceny on prescription benefits. ​“The Y.P.B.A. requests that you monitor the remaining negotiations to assure that progress continues,” the letter states.

Simons handed the letter to a woman named Yun Xie. She accepted the letter and said she would deliver it to President Salovey. She identified herself as director of communications for the Office of the President (at Yale).

The crowd of Yale police officers marched back from Woolsey Hall to outside the entrance of 3 Prospect St. They engaged in a series of chants.

The following chant was heard:

Petey! Petey! Where you at?
Come on out & have a chat!

Based upon information and prior experience, ​“Petey” is believed to refer to Yale President Peter Salovey.

The officers then marched back yet again to the entrance of Woolsey Hall. Along the way they continued to create loud noises through horns identified as vuvuzelas, more commonly observed being utilized at World Cup soccer matches. YPD Officer Joe Funaro was among those utilizing this instrument. He said he has tried other methods as well to get the attention of Yale officials by participating in negotiating sessions as a member of the union contract negotiation team. ​“It’s been two and a half years since we had a contract,” Officer Funaro told me. ​“We’re just trying to get it done.”

A final round of speeches took place outside the Woolsey Hall steps. One of the speakers was one Andrew Matthews, a retired state police trooper (and former Yale police officer) who currently serves as attorney for the YPBA. ​“Let’s give ​‘em hell!” Matthews declared. Matthews also noted the presence of members of other Yale unions who had shown up in support.

Complainant Simons offered one last rallying cry. He then provided to me additional financial information. He noted that Yale’s endowment stood at $16 billion the last time the YPBA successfully negotiated a contract with the university. That endowment now stands at $29 billion. Simons suggested that Yale has enough money to avoid the prescription drug benefit change.

Boxes of pizza were spotted near Simons, apparently provided for participants in the march.

I contacted Yale University for a response to complainant’s allegations. University spokeswoman Karen Peart provided the following statement:

University negotiators have been working for well over a year in an effort to settle a contract with the police officers’ union. Yale police officers are among the highest paid in the state, with excellent benefits and retirement plans, including retiree health. They also have access to many additional benefits, such as the Child Scholarship Plan and Yale Homebuyer Program. The university takes pride in the department, and has always strongly supported the police officers, whether that’s in wages, benefits, or recognizing outstanding work. Yale also makes sure the officers have the resources and training they need. We have made attractive contract proposals to the union. The parties are continuing to discuss the issues that the officers’ union raised at today’s rally. We remain hopeful that the officers’ union will continue to work with Yale to reach a settlement. 

Peart requested that this supplemental report prepared by her office be attached here.

No criminal charges were filed. Instead (at the complainant’s behest) the following charge has been referred to the National Labor Relations Board for further investigation and possible action:

Unfair Labor Practice (1 count)