>>
>> THOSE
>> THOSE STORIES AND MORE IN MOMENTS BUT FIRST A DISCUSSION THAT'S FAR FROM OVER. SHOULD
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS BE
FORCED TO TURN IN THEIR BADGE
AND GUN ONCE THEY REACH A
CERTAIN AGE. THAT'S OUR TOP
STORY THIS THURSDAY NIGHT.
THANKS FOR STAYING UP. I'M
NICOLE LIVES. AND I'M
>> DAVID ALAN IN VIRGINIA
BEACH. THE CITY'S HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION IS LOOKING AT THIS
ISSUE THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE ON
A RECOMMENDATION FOR CITY
COUNCIL NEXT WEEK. HERE'S HOW
ALL OF THIS
>> STARTED. POLICE CHIEF JIM
SEVERE IS ABOUT TO TURN 65.
THAT'S THE MANDATORY RETIREMENT
AGE FOR
>> POLICE HE WANTS TO RAISE
THAT TO 70 BUT HASN'T BEEN ABLE
TO GET COUNCIL ON BOARD
>> AT THE SAME TIME COUNCIL
VOTED TO LOWER THE RETIREMENT
AGE FOR DEPUTIES IN 2015
SHERIFF STOLLEY ASKED FOR IT TO
BE RAISED TO 70. STANLEY SANDS
BECAUSE OF A DISPARITY IN PAY
BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT'S HE
AGREED TO LOWER IT BACK TO 65.
BOTH ARE ON VERY DIFFERENT
SIDES OF THIS DEBATE.
>> WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU
THINK. OPEN 13 NEWS NOW APP AND
SCROLL DOWN TO THE VOTE. NOW
THAILAND TELL US WHAT DO YOU
THINK THE MANDATORY RETIREMENT
AGE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD
BE. AND WHILE
>> YOU DO THAT HERE WITH
THE CHIEF AND THE SHERIFF HAVE
TO SAY THEY'RE SITTING DOWN
ONLY WITH CHENUE HER AFTER 44
YEARS IN A UNIFORM. RETIREMENT
IS COMING FOR VIRGINIA BEACH
POLICE CHIEF JIM SAVANNAH. BUT
NOT ON HIS OWN TERMS THE CITY
ORDINANCE SAYS NO LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER SHALL BE
EMPLOYED AFTER THE END OF
THE MONTH IN WHICH SHE OR SHE
ATTAINS AGE 65
>> RIVERA IS 64.
>> I'M 64 AND 11 MONTHS I CAN
DO THE JOB IN 65 I CAN NO
LONGER DO IT. I THINK WE CAN
HAVE OTHER THINGS IN PLACE. BUT
TO SAY TO SOMEONE YOU'RE
CAPABLE YOU'RE ELIGIBLE
>> THE CHIEF SAYS CURRENTLY
>> HE HAS 2 OFFICERS WHO ARE
TURNING 65. BOTH WANT TO KEEP
WORKING. 1 TOLD COUNCIL HE
WANTS TO STAY UNTIL THE END OF
THE SCHOOL
>> YEAR. QUOTE I'M NOT ASKING
TO STAY TO 67 I THINK IF
SOMEONE HAS THAT INTRINSIC
VIRTUE THEY SHOULD AND THEY'RE
CAPABLE THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED
TO DO IT.
>> LAST MONTH RIVERA ASKED
CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER
RAISING THE MANDATORY
RETIREMENT AGE TO 70 FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT IN PART. IT WOULD
ALIGN WITH THE VIRGINIA
RETIREMENT SYSTEM. HE HAS
LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM MANY
GROUPS IN THE CITY. THE COUNCIL
HOWEVER CHOSE TO STICK WITH A
PROPOSAL THAT CAME FROM SHERIFF
KEN STOLLEY IN THE SPRING. AT
THE TIME STANLEY WANTED TO
LOWER THEIR MANDATORY
RETIREMENT AGE FOR HIS OFFICE
FROM 70 TO 65. HE SAYS IT WAS
PART OF THE PROCESS TO ADDRESS
THE PAY DISPARITY BETWEEN
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND POLICE
DEPARTMENT
>> CITY MANAGER AGREED THAT
THE PAY PERIOD WAS NECESSARY SO
HE IMPLEMENTED PAY PARITY IN 1
1 OF THE THINGS ABOUT PAY
PARITY WAS THAT WE HAD TO HAVE
THE SAME BENEFITS AND SO WE I
AGREE TO LOWER OUR RETIREMENT
AGE OF 65. WHEN COUNCIL
>> APPROVED THE CHANGE TO
THE ORDINANCE IT COVERED
THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS
AS WELL ALTHOUGH PEOPLE HAVE
SUGGESTED STYLES PUSH TO LOWER
THE AGE MAY HAVE HAD SOMETHING
TO DO WITH SIR VERA THE SHERIFF
SAYS. IT'S NOT THE CASE WITH
>> THE CHIEF. HE DOESN'T THINK
PAY DISPARITIES SHOULD HE
DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS AND HE SAYS
IT WASN'T EVEN DISCUSSED BACK
IN 2015 WHEN STALEY ACTUALLY
ASKED THE RETIREMENT AGE BE
BUMPED UP TO 70 MY PERSPECTIVE
>> A WAY TO SOLVE ALL THIS
CONFUSION A WAY TO DROP
THE RHETORIC AND WAY TO HAVE A
GOOD SOCIAL CONVERSATION ABOUT
THIS IS TO GO BACK TO
THE ORIGINAL WRITTEN DOCUMENT
IT'S THEIR POLICY THEY WANT TO
CHANGE IT I'M I'M HAPPY WITH
THAT. IT'S ALWAYS AREAS IN. I'M
FINE AND I THINK AND I'VE LIVED
UP TO MY TERM SEVERE
>> SAYS HE WANTS TO STAY IN
THE JOB. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY
HE WANTS A POLICY THAT WILL
HELP HIS OFFICERS WHO WANT TO
DO THE SAME LET'S
>> NOT WORRY ABOUT CHIEF JIM
SURRY. LET'S HAVE TO GO IN
DECEMBER. WELL
>> THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK
HERE. SO WHEN DOES THE HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION MAKE A
DECISION. YEAH SO THE HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION MEET NEXT
THURSDAY TO VOTE ON THAT
RECOMMENDATION. SO THIS IS
THE LETTER THAT I WAS ABLE TO
GET FROM THE HUMAN RIGHTS
COMMISSION IN IN THE DRAFT A
LETTER THE COMMISSION IS ASKING
FOR COUNSEL TO EITHER UP TO 70
YEARS OLD OR GET RID OF THAT
ALTOGETHER HOWEVER I'M TOLD
THE LETTER COULD STILL CHANGE
BY NEXT THURSDAY WHEN THEY
VOTE. SO AGAIN THAT STANCE IS
STILL NOT CLEAR RIGHT NOW BUT
WE WILL BE ON TOP THIS AND
WE'LL BRING UPDATES ON HOW THIS
LETTER COULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE
BY NEXT THURSDAY WHEN THEY VOTE
>> A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS
1. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL
RIGHT. LET'S TAKE
>> A LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE TO
SAY HERE. SO FAR MOST OF YOU
SAY 65 SHOULD BE THE MANDATORY
RETIREMENT AGE FOR LAW