Hiring the new police chief is of great importance to everyone so naturally there was almost no members of the public attending the interviews yesterday at City Hall. Dian and I as well as Jean Ivey from the paper tried to catch each interview as they were staggered throughout the day. Two other citizens, Bob Main was one, did join for part of the process.
Each candidate was asked a series of 25 questions and while I missed Sgt Smith’s interview all the other candidates talked about having the officers park their cars and walk the streets as one way to increase accessibility and communication between the public and the PD. As I have written before, I think that would help tremendously in building a working relationship between the citizen and the PD.
The four candidates I was able to listen to all seem very competent, capable and a couple of them are even affable. O’Connor estimates a decision to be made within three weeks or so.
We really need to find qualified and concerned people to run for the council positions. Give it some thought…. we need intelligent, thoughtful and slightly angry people to step up and run.
I have often thought there should be a term limit for council members. Some of them have been there so long they view themselves as royalty.
Change can be good. Positive influence can be good.
I think Britton is doing a great job. I admire him even more for sticking with it, in spite of the “old-timers” outdated concepts and negativity.
And now, our City Manager is breaking policy…
go figure.
I agree that Smith would be an improvement over Reaves. I also agree that Britton is doing the best he can with the council he has and like you I would love to be able to trust the PD, or at least the leadership.
One of the interviewees talked about how their city council had changed and they had gone through 4 city managers in 5 or 6 years…. one extreme to the other. Here we have the same volunteers doing the same thing over and over. We need to work toward a balance in the community and find some way to get people excited about attending city council meetings.
You are right, too, that too many of the council view their fellow citizens as less than brilliant… on the flip side of that, too few of the public attend council meetings. It is a tough row to hoe, particularly in an election year.
magix…I still support Smith. He has proven to me…in a professional capacity…that he has what it takes to be a Chief in our community. I’ve never felt that Smith fell under Reaves influence..in fact…I know they had some real set to’s…
All I know is that I’m gonna be real pissed if we hire some yahoo like Reaves with a personal history under suspicion.
I also support Britton. I think he’s doing the best job he can with the resources (council members) he has.
I would just like to see our community trust the PD and feel secure with the leadership therein.
Hey PM, nice to hear from you again! My fear with Smith given that he was hand picked by Reaves and indoctrinated into the Reaves culture, management style and policies, even perspective of the local citizens is that little or no change will occur if he is the chief.
I agree, O’Connor is pretty slippery and he clearly has more than a little disdain for the average citizen who pays his salary. City managers are supposed to move on after five years or so and a new face in that chair would be a good thing.
If we have a ‘fresh’ city council as well, then an errant relocator wouldn’t last. Right now we have too many complacent fossils on the council. Economic changes, environmental concerns and the local trade imbalance are serious problems to be solved that are beyond the scope of the current leadership, in my honest opinion.
I am excited about a new face at the PD and hope we have someone who will offer some training and insight to the officers they haven’t experienced before. The other important thing is we need someone strong enough to stand up to O’Connor when there is a difference of opinion.
I know it’s been awhile since I’ve been here…but there are a few things I’d like to say.
First and foremost…I think that Reaves retirement or whatever he calls it, is the best thing to happen to Coquille since Joe Wolff took another job. Of course, the legacy he left our fair city in Reaves will last forever…
Goodbye Mr. Reaves…don’t let the door hit you in the tush..and good riddance.
My hope for our new police Chief is Pat Smith. He knows the town. He’s human. He’s realistic. He has compassion, and he’s tried and true in my book. I’d much rather have someone who’s been here, than another “relocator” who possibly has a history that is not fitting. Now that Reaves has left, maybe we can find out exactly what he did to be put on admin leave when we hired him!
Watch O’Connor…he’s a weasel. Not to be trusted.
As for the investigation into Leah’s disappearance…the female officer that was assigned to the case…you know, the one with absolutely NO experience?…Well…when you are “one” with the Chief…you get special treatment, if you get my drift.
All in all…now that Reaves is gone…I’m quite content with the department we have. There are perhaps a couple of officers who will miss Taco Night at the Broiler with the chief…but maybe without his “influence” they will become the officers they have the potential to be.
sorry to be so long-winded…but …well…there it is