Police Union Chief Tracy Loses Reelection Bid
Long Beach Police Officers Assn. President Mike Tracy was soundly defeated in his reelection bid this week by an opponent who pledged to be more diplomatic in relations with management. Burglary detective Paul Chastain, a 28-year-veteran of the department, beat Tracy by a 300-198 vote Wednesday.
The department has a long history of labor-management strife, marked last year by a bitter contract dispute and a vote of no confidence for Police Chief Lawrence Binkley by rank-and-file members.
The vote against Tracy was interpreted as a message from the officers that they are tired of the bickering and that they are worried about the future of the department.
Some city officials have threatened to replace police officers with county sheriff’s deputies unless relations between the two sides improve. Last November, deputies were hired to patrol about one-fifth of the city.
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