Chairman’s Message

FRED ROWBOTHAM, Chairman

As we closed out the year, the annual PORAC Conference did not disappoint. This venue tends to attract the largest number of members, and it did once again. Unfortunately, it also limits the number of training sessions that are offered. The training offered this year did, however, showcase a panel consisting of our great panel firms. I continue to seek out opportunities to bring our attorneys together to collaborate on PORAC projects for the betterment of our members.

The “Happiest Place on Earth” certainly did not dissuade those in attendance from engaging in what I will classify for these purposes as “spirited” floor debate and the numerous motions that followed. That spirited debate continued into the Board of Directors meeting after the Conference of Members, as the directors tried to decipher what the members intended by their actions on the floor. To that end, the bylaws brought forward, either by the committee or a member from the floor, must be clear and concise, not conflating two issues or wordsmithed to a point where it appears to be trying to hide the ball.

My biggest takeaway from Conference is that PORAC offers tremendous benefits and support to its members. We have very passionate members who make up the local and regional leadership. All of the perspectives from across the state need to be considered as we shape policy and the agenda going forward, and the strongly held beliefs of those from other areas cannot be discounted out of hand. We can and should have vigorous debate at Conference and then come together as a unified voice advocating for law enforcement labor.