Opinion ID: 1902272
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Mail delivery

Text: For at least 18 years, police officers picked up and delivered intra- and inter-departmental mail using a marked police car. They also distributed subpoenas to officers for court appearances and picked up money at the car pound every day and delivered it to the Chief of Police. Occasionally, as a courtesy to fellow officers, they picked up evidence and delivered it to the property room. In September 1993, mail duty officers were transferred to patrol duty and mail duties were assigned to civilian employees. One of the displaced officers was required to return temporarily to mail duty because civilian delivery of police mail was not functioning properly. That officer was returned to patrol duty later that year. Although the police mail delivery system had historically been operated exclusively by the Police Department, civilians delivered intra- and inter-departmental mail in other City departments. By transferring the police mail delivery to civilians, the City was doing no more than consolidating governmental functions. The City had no obligation to negotiate because consolidation is a managerial prerogative.