Complicated business. Took the middle of the road, Mebbe.
Police are notoriously and chronically overworked and underpaid, NYPD especially, relative to other city and state forces in the country. They've suffered a famous rate of attrition. It is delicate where public services are in question, especially emergency response services, in that the public can be held hostage to the issue at all. But there also has to be support for those who make so many sacrifices and take so many risks on behalf of the public, and who often aren't properly compensated or recognized for it.
Realm of the show -- well, consider also the so-called public servant and corrupt politician that usurped funds from the city, contributing to the whole situation. Also noticed it was mentioned that 40% of the force had blue flu, so carefully making it the minority, for the purposes of the show. Kinda geared it to sympathize without siding, on one level.
However complex the issue, how Danny came across to me in the show was, unfortunately, somewhat selfish in the guise of self-righteousness, mis-focused, and putting "Protect and Serve the Greater Good," and 'don't leave your co-workers hanging,' behind dolla-dolla bill, 'yall. While it also could be plausible to say he got notification by phone, it still made him look an ass for leaving them there.
I don't think Hawkes was right, I think he contradicted himself. Danny was looking out for Lindsay and the baby - working for free won't provide for them.
I think it's also interesting to contemplate where Hawkes was coming from, in being a physician and a surgeon, prior to becoming an ME, and then transferring to the Labs. In all his medical training, he would always put people first, obliged by his own oath.
And yet, the police get sworn in and take an oath upon receiving their badges too. Stella being old-school, felt compelled in her responsibilty to the oath first, no matter what. That was her principle, whereas Danny's was "let's be properly compensated for doing the work we swore to."
Tricky.
Besides, Danny whined to Stella that he felt unappreciated and disrespected. Never once did he mention doing it for Lindsay or the baby, nor did he mention implications for his future security. If he had, I might've sympathized, but it was all about how Danny wasn't being respected, and that's a weak excuse in light of Mac, Stella, and Flack's willingness to suck it up and cope.
I think this is one reason I was hardpressed to really feel for him. That and the whole retro-fit cop family thing. How do I care for him or his family when they hadn't existed in the previous five years? It made it all convenient and barred sympathy.
With respect to Dannys talk with Stella I didn't get the impression he felt only he was underappreciated, he felt they all were and he was willing do take the unpopular decision for all if them.
Despite how he came across, I think Danny did in his mind also think it would be for the good of all of them.
But we'll never know how successful the action might have been, or on the other hand, what the real consequences in terms of potential victims might have been.
On the Devil's advocate side, just for curiosity's sake, it could also be argued that the city didn't capitulate, didn't even have a chance to, because there was a sudden windfall a la Dunbrook that enabled a monetary resolution to happen. Debatable what the Blue Flu would really have achieved, adn at what cost to both the police and the public. It could also be argued that the Blue Flu escalated matters in a way that allowed Dunbrook to essentially buy the NYPD, after putting the city in a difficult position to turn the 'donation' away.
Public services like police, health workers etc. are limited in what they can do to stand up for themselves because of the jobs they do. I think emergency services get taken advantage of a bit because of this. Let it happen once and it'll keep happening.
I don't disagree. I also think while the public tends to sympathize they can also come to feel as pawns, that why should the everyday public work at all their respective jobs, pay taxes and then suffer lack of services and be put at risk? Also tricky for the police to say after the fact while canvassing or just in general please come forward, trust us, we do have your best interests first. You'd hope unions and management would never let things get that far.
As many have said, difficult to debate due to the stakes involved, and personal tolls taken, definitely.
From what I remember of the episode, the issue was Pay Lag, as opposed to a salary freeze or cap or reduction or anything.
As for Pay Lag:
From
http://www.nyc.gov/html/opa/html/faqs/faqs.shtml
How does the pay lag work?
Most employees receive an annual salary and are paid every two weeks on Friday. If you are one of these employees, you are paid for a two-week period up to and including the Saturday before pay day. This constitutes a one-week lag. Your pay was calculated one week before pay day and included your regular pay for both weeks of the pay period.
However, exceptions to your regular pay, including premium pay for overtime, shift differentials, or work on holidays during the second week of the pay period, were not reported until after your pay was calculated. These exceptions are adjusted on the following paycheck, resulting in a two-week lag for exceptions. You can see how the pay lag works on our pay calendar.
If you are paid on an hourly or per diem basis, your pay reflects days worked up to and including two Saturdays before pay day, constituting a two-week lag.
If you are paid weekly, your pay reflects days worked up to and including the Saturday before pay day, constituting a one-week lag. Exceptions to regular pay, including premium pay for overtime, shift differentials, or work on holidays, are paid on a two-week lag."
For maybe the purposes of the show, it would seem that the city was trying to find and/or manage funds, but in doing so incurred an additional lag in pay coresponding to time worked. IE we'll pay you, eventually, we're good for it, but sorry for your bills in the meantime, especially those balancing paycheque to paycheque...
