Police guild's president hurls insults, fuels dispute

By Jim Brunner and Ian Ith
Seattle Times staff reporters

	Ken Saucier
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A simmering feud between Seattle's police and firefighters unions has flared again over an insult-laced column written by the head of the police union.

Ken Saucier, president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, fanned the controversy in the December issue of The Guardian, using part of his regular monthly column in the Guild's newsletter to hurl colorful insults at Paul Atwater, president of the Seattle Firefighters Union, Local 27.

"If the Donkey from the movie Shrek and the Energizer bunny's crack addicted little sister had a drunken but fruitful tryst, and then the offspring from that liaison was dropped on its head, you'd have a smarter, more subdued version of the President of Local 27, the fire union," Saucier wrote.

Saucier accused Atwater of leading "a grab" on police-union jobs, referring to a longstanding dispute between police and firefighters over who is in charge of dive rescues and firefighting on Seattle's waterfront. He suggested firefighters were insecure over "losing your work to sprinkler systems, smoke detectors and defibrillators."

"Being replaced by battery operated objects has got to be tough on your manhood," Saucier wrote.

On the Web To read Ken Saucier's comments, go to the Police Guild's site: seattlepoliceguild.org

Atwater shrugged off the personal insults yesterday, saying he found Saucier's column "hilarious." (By yesterday afternoon, the union had even drawn up an Energizer bunny with a donkey's head as a joke and was trying to figure out a way to include a union logo.)

But he conceded some firefighters were riled by the remarks.

"No one's angry in the sense that they want payback," Atwater said. "You just shake your head. This doesn't make anybody look good."

Atwater said some police officers approached him to apologize for their union president's comments.

In an interview, Saucier defended his column as an attempt at humor and said it was written in reaction to the fire union's continued criticism of the police Harbor Patrol Unit.

Saucier said the fire union is responsible for the continued tensions. Firefighters have persisted in criticizing police tactics on waterfront firefighting and dive rescues, he said, despite an edict from Mayor Greg Nickels in September that sought to put an end to the bickering.

In November, the fire union filed a complaint with the state Department of Labor and Industries, alleging safety flaws in the way the police Harbor Patrol Unit fights shoreline fires.

"I haven't picked a fight by any stretch," Saucier said. "It's always been defensive, it's always been responsive."

Both Saucier and Atwater were quick to say firefighters and police officers have great respect for one another, and that their union disagreements would not jeopardize public safety. "We don't want this to spill out into the streets," Saucier said.

But the comments angered some firefighters when they were posted Tuesday to an electronic bulletin board frequented by Seattle firefighters. Some firefighters returned fire in anonymous posts, calling Saucier "a dope," while others urged restraint, saying the controversy would look bad if it got out in the media.

Saucier, who was elected union president in early 2002 and is up for election early next year, has been known for mild manners in person and venom at the keyboard. He frequently pens messages to the press and city leaders that he admits he would not say in person.

His December column also mocked homeless people and the budget priorities of the Seattle City Council.

Saucier noted the council agreed to cut some Police Department positions. "But we still have the Sex Changes for Dwarf Junkies program and Internet access for the homeless. Never know when a good deal on a shopping cart is going to come up on E-bay," he wrote.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Nickels declined to comment on the union dispute.

Saucier's Guardian column also took a shot at Councilman Nick Licata, who was recently selected as chairman of the council committee overseeing the police and fire departments.

Saucier referred to him as "Councilcretin Licata," criticizing the councilman for not turning over public records Saucier had requested regarding the ongoing contract negotiations between the city and the police union.

Licata said the documents requested by Saucier had been turned over to the City Clerk's Office, which was reviewing them to determine whether any were exempt from disclosure. He chuckled at Saucier's reference to him as "Councilcretin Licata."

"The feeling is not mutual. I respect our police officers. I don't think any of them are cretins," Licata said.

Deputy Police Chief John Diaz pointed out that while Saucier is president of the Guild, he is on leave from the Police Department. So whatever he says is the union's business. "The unions are going to have their fights, and that's going to go on in the union halls," Diaz said.

Diaz said he has seen no evidence that the spat has spilled into the streets.

"I think the men and women of our department and the Fire Department work very well together," he said. "Every day they go to dozens of calls together. Their first priority is public safety. They do it every day, and they do it in a professional way. Unions are kind of a separate breed, and it has not changed the professionalism I see in both agencies."

But some officers said Saucier's recent comments have threatened to escalate a union squabble into something more serious.

"I think Ken went too far this time, and it's just not right," said one veteran officer who asked not to be named. "He's attacking the personalities now. And as soon as you start shooting your mouth off and slinging mud, it makes us look like the bad guys."

The officer said Saucier may have a tough time being re-elected. "It's turning into a big deal, and I don't think he's going to be president for another term."

Jim Brunner: 206-515-5628 or jbrunner@seattletimes.com

Ian Ith: 206-464-2109 or iith@seattletimes.com

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