Aldermen pass ordinance allowing chief to hire deputies

By Tom Nash

Over the objections of Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz, an ordinance that will fill two deputy police chief positions passed during a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen Thursday.

The ordinance, passed 10-1, authorizes filling the long-vacant deputy chief positions from within the department while allowing Police Chief Anthony Holloway to appoint officers to the position instead of following civil service hiring practices.

In the specially called meeting, Holloway and Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone presented the ordinance to the aldermen as an essential step in the police department's reorganization, which has been in the works since a committee led by former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger recommended major changes in 2005.

“The proposal for the management structure of this department was a proposal one and all,” Curtatone said. “It wasn't something to be done piecemeal ... You start chipping away at that foundation, you weaken the structure.”

The report had suggested that deputy chief positions be filled by the chief, a departure from current practice. Citing Holloway's need for additional support, Curtatone said that without this ordinance the department's progress would effectively come to a halt.

 
“We have fully employed 16 new recruits, we are ready to go with two new sub-stations, you have funded millions of dollars of new equipment and training,” he said to the aldermen. “We need to make a statement now.”

The appointments would be made from among the six captains within the department. The two vacancies they create would not be filled.

Holloway said deputy chiefs are necessary because under the current chain of command, which includes the six captains serving directly under him, there is little ability to disperse responsibility.

    
Gewirtz expressed concern at the lack of deliberation on the issue, saying there had been only three meetings about an earlier draft of the proposed changes and the legislative matters committee had not voted on the plan. She said she had expected another committee meeting and a public hearing to seek input from the community.

“I think we need to get as much information as we possibly can before voting in a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen on an ordinance that, frankly, we just got tonight,” Gewirtz said.

Gewirtz also challenged Curtatone's assertion that the positions should be from outside civil service, saying standardized tests have been used to fill upper level ranks in other localities in Massachusetts.

“The reason why civil service was created so long ago was to prevent the politicization of these jobs and to make sure the people getting these jobs were the most qualified, that were doing the best on these exams,” Gewirtz said. “And now that we learn there's a test that can test these qualifications that we're looking for, why would we want to take these positions out of civil service?”

Several aldermen challenged Gewirtz's assertions, culminating with Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero's remarks as the ordinance came to a vote.

“If we want to politicize this issue, send them back to the police station tomorrow with a negative vote,” Pero said. “Who are we to ever even insinuate that we know better than (the police) how to do their jobs? Who are we to dare to even question their ability to bring the plan that they want before us to run the Somerville Police Department to keep us safe, to keep themselves safe, and to keep the citizens of the community safe?”

The measure will now go before the state legislature for approval.

Comments

[Somerville n00b]

I really like Holloway. He's a really smart individual with high emotional intelligence. We need more people like that. So, if he's given the power to hire people he wants, that's fine with me.

[Bill Shelton]

Over thirty years ago, the Board of Aldermen voted to eliminate the Deputy Chief position. They reasoned that deputies could do no more than captains could, they were an unnecessary added expense, and they just created additional opportunities for patronage. The vote was unanimous.

What's happened in the last three decades to change the validity of any of these reasons? What's happened to a Board of Aldermen that once had the ability to recognize the obvious and the minimal amount of courage needed to act on it?

The mayor has appointed a committee to recommend changes to the city charter. Do you think that those changes will give us more or less of this nonsense?

[Imux]

I can picture Bill singing ... "..I shot the sheriff...But I didnt shoot no deputy, oh no! oh!
..."

Bill, you got to layoff the Bob Marley cigars if you think less cops are a good thing.

[props to bekkah]

Well, it's good to know that Ms. Bekkah is doing the right thing when all the others continue to do the wrong thing.

And, what an ass the alderman from Ward 4 is, huh?

[BOA for Sale]

The below is a job posting for a Deputy Chief with the OREGON UNIVERSITY Police Department:

"MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Requires demonstrated analytical, problem identification, and resolution skills; excellent oral and written communication skills and a sensitivity to effectively interact with a highly diverse campus community; ability to work effectively with persons from diverse socio-economic and racial backgrounds.

Final candidates must have ability to successfully pass: Criminal history check; driving record check; physical examination; psychological examination including drug screening; and past employment background review.

Final candidates must meet special requirements: No un-pardoned adult felony convictions; no convictions for domestic violence; valid driver's license and proof of insurability; ability to satisfy the demands of the position in areas of manual dexterity, physical effort, potentially hazardous conditions, variable work shifts, proper handling of personal protective equipment.

Highly prefer candidates with following certifications: Adult CPR with First Aid and Automatic External Defibrillation certification (required within 60-days of employment), CPR for the Professional Rescuer with AED specialization preferred; basic law enforcement certification from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) or similar law enforcement certification; advanced law enforcement supervisory certification from DPSST or similar law enforcement supervisory certification; command level law enforcement certification at the FBI National Academy or Northwestern University Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff and command."

All this for a campus cop! The only Captain that I can think of that comes close to these qualifications is MC.

Any captain taking this position would have to take a five year leave of absence, because of course the position is not civil service. Do any of the captains want to go through all of the complications to obtain this position? The only captain I can think of that would go through hell and back to get a little more gold on his uniform is PU.

Walter Pero is a complete moron to make a statement like that......politicize this issue?
Please Mr. Moron do you take us all for idiots? That's what taking the Chiefs position out of civil service and "creating" two coatholders is all about and you were stupid enough to open
your trap for the Mayor.

Hopefully the state legislators will see the absurdity of all of this garbage and vote it down. Holloways one sentence explanation to create these positions is a complete joke.

I believe it would be worth it for this city to spend about fifty thousand to put this on the next ballot so a public referendum can decide if this city should spend about a million dollars for these two positions over the next five years.

If anyone can't see that the board of Alderman are in the Mayor's pocket with this move then the citizens of this city deserve every tax, parking ticket etc. that this Mayor has stuck up our behinds since he took power.

I can't believe I am in agreement with Bill Shelton!!!!!!