Ottawa Police have scrapped the $23,000 project to outfit 911 dispatchers with uniforms just after 2 months of its launch.
The reason for this undoing is due to not factoring in the mandatory annual dry-cleaning costs for uniformed positions as per the civilian collective agreement.
The service has provided dispatchers with golf shirts and fleece vests. Including the dry-cleaning costs will add an extra $50,000 annually or over $500,000 in 10 years to the expenditure.
The inspector in charge of the communications branch has sent an email to the dispatchers explaining the facts of the allowance.
“As you know, starting in September 2020, Communications Centre members were provided with OPS-branded golf shirts and fleece vests that were required to be worn during your shifts,” he wrote. “Given the dry-cleaning allowance in the civilian personnel collective agreement and the current practice regarding the provision of this clothing, Communications Centre members who were issued OPS-branded clothing this year are eligible for the 2020 dry cleaning allowance, which is $350.00 per member.”
The email states that the dry-cleaning allowance will be issued in December pay. The email also mentions that officers who are in non-uniform civilian positions are not eligible for the allowance, whereas officers who are required to wear a uniform at work mandatorily will receive the allowance.
This means, nearly 150 officers are eligible to receive the annual $350 dry cleaning allowance.
However, the email further stated that, “Please be advised that, effective immediately, as a result of the memorandum of settlement regarding the clothing, Communications Centre members are no longer required to wear the OPS-branded clothing while at work.”
The email from the service confirmed that, while the mandatory uniform requirement has been scrapped, the employees are free to wear the uniforms at work.
