Teamsters Local 391 announced Tuesday that 100 officers have filed grievances over Raleigh Police Department’s new performance evaluation system, but Chief Harry Dolan countered Wednesday that no serious objections had been raised to him since the July 1 changes were made known in January.

The union slammed the new program as a quota system, announcing a news conference to elaborate on their concerns for 2 p.m. Thursday at Local 391 Raleigh Union Hall.

The union’s Tuesday announcement slammed the program as “simple counts of police activities (like traffic stops and ticket writing).” It said the evaluation system discounts time spent investigating serious crime, which could inhibit ticket writing, not fully measuring an officer’s activity.

“The Chief’s new policy is a troubling, arbitrary, quasi-quota system,” the union said. “The resulting negative impact on RPD morale only lessens the Department’s ability to further reduce crime rates in the city.”

Dolan called that characterization inaccurate, and listed traffic stops among several other measurables to be considered, such as 911 dispatches as the primary unit and self-initiated security checks, criminal charges, and service of warrants. He also included “all other types of police activity.” He said the new program has flexibility and addresses recent concerns of personnel sent up the chain of command.

“Under the existing system, 90 percent of our employees were rated as outstanding,” Dolan said. “Our employees do remarkable, often courageous work, but a measurement program that produces such results has room for improvement and leaves room for public skepticism.”

Dolan also said he met with Teamsters during the spring to discuss the performance program and said no significant concerns were raised. He has been engaged in discussion with other officers and stressed that anyone with concerns, including Teamster-represented officers, was welcome to discuss them with him.

The Teamsters had done a “great disservice” to its members by mischaracterizing the new program and bypassing chances to address concerns with him directly, Dolan said.

Jahner: 919-829-4822