U. S. Department of Defense/ Department of the Army Provost Marshal at Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO) in Concord Ca. put their Federal Police Officers and Federal Security Guards Lives at Risk.

On July 31, 2023, MOTCO Federal Police Officers and Federal Security Guards were ordered, by the Command to have their service weapons put on safe with no rounds in the chamber while they are on duty at MOTCO. FOP Lodge 12 immediately objected arguing that the order put Federal Police Officers, Federal Security Guards, and those they protect, lives at risk owing to the fact that their service weapon are not in a state of readiness to address a serious threat to themselves or others.

That direct order, given without any input or permission from the FOP Lodge 12, is in direct contrast to the U. S. Department of Defense Standard Operating Policy (SOP), which mandates situational readiness at all times when the they are on duty. Of great concern is that the fact that Officers and Guards have never been trained on the practice of keeping their service weapon on safe without a round in the chamber. That practice will likely lead to a failure of the officer to remember to load the weapon during the split seconds that the officer has to decide whether to discharge their weapon to eliminate a threat to their lives and/or the lives of others resulting in potentially tragic losses of life or serious injury.

Management notified employees on July 31, 2023 that MOTCO its pausing a portion of the current Firearm SOP and implementing an interim SOP regarding MOTCO police/guard firearm usage – specifically that weapons will be carried with safety engaged and no rounds chambered until/unless the threat condition is elevated to a certain level.

Counsel for FOP Lodge 12 put MOTO on notice of the FOP’s objections on August 01, 2023, by noting:
“…It is FOP’s position that the mandate to have all their members, in essence, disarm themselves, presents a significant safety issue, is unnecessary and should have preceded by meet and confer….”
The Agency responded by telling FOP Lodge 12:
“…The position of the agency is that this is an internal security practice and therefore non-negotiable under Sec. 7106. As stated in the notice provided to the union, the agency regrets that based on the actions (negligent or intentional discharges) of members of your union there was insufficient time to negotiate I&I prior to taking this action. This was an urgent safety matter that needed to be addressed immediately…
FOP Lodge 12 continues to object and insist that the Command cease and desist this practice of ordering the MOTCO Federal Police Officers and Federal Security Guards to, in essence, disarm themselves with the sudden and yet not fully explained change it the manner in which they carry and deploy their service weapon. Each minute that goes by creates another significant security risk for the officers and to those they swore to protect and serve including all of the military personnel and citizens at MOTCO.

It was civilian police Sergeant Mark Todd who heroically stopped the shooter at Fort Hood due to his readiness to address and eliminate the threat at the base. Doing anything to change the Federal Police Officer’s and Federal Security Guard’s readiness at MOTCO should be done with great care and caution, neither of which, FOP asserts, were exercised by the Command in this circumstance.

Chad Jones I President
California Fraternal Order of Police l Lodge 12

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