South Portland Working Conditions

One woman, a woman who spent over two decades working with the Police Department of South Portland has recently asked for a public apology, along with far better conditions in the workplace for all of the colleagues that she once worked with. Mary Lou Bagley, who happens to be 65 years old, was recently terminated from her position on the 4^th of June due to insubordination. The termination and the insubordination came at a time when Bagley chose not to handle any phone calls that came in and would not greet the public. However, Bagley says that she was simply upset at being required to work in an office area that was simply not protected. She also said that she was never trained to receive incoming calls, which is why she refused to take them. In the meantime, the Police Chief for South Portland, Ed Googins, refused to comment on the current situation or about Bagley and the working conditions that she dealt with. Instead, he simply said, “I am prohibited by state law to comment on a personnel matter such as this.”

Bagley is married to a former police officer for South Portland and for the past two and a half decades, she worked for the police department, sometimes full-time and at other times, she worked part-time. During her time working for the police department, she typed up numerous police reports, worked on the processing of all traffic tickets and also processed accident reports. Whenever witnesses had to make statements, she was the one who collected the statements or any other files that would be needed in court. Bagley said she enjoyed the work she did but that problems started when she was asked to answer incoming calls from people in emergency situations, which would basically be considered 911 calls.

Before being terminated, she was placed in a cubicle and was expected to greet people and also accept incoming 911 calls. Bagley said, “It was like a telemarketer’s cubicle.” She also pointed out that the glass is not bullet proof, so it would not protect her in the event of an emergency situation. She said, “It was the first time in all my jobs I was ever afraid of work.” When she spoke up about the situation to the Deputy Police Chief, Amy Berry, it was then that she was put on paid administrative leave. Shortly after that, she was terminated from her position. She admits to missing her work and would love to go back but feels that she and other staff members should not have to take on the greeting duties.