CHC 1979-05-15 PH - Laserfiche WebLink

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MR. CADINHA: In your alternative (b) , wiping out the commission entirely which you said that you may be in favor of or feel more disposed toward. . .Would the police chief be an elective office or appointed under that thesis of yours? MR. AUSTIN: I haven ' t given that particular aspect a lot of thought but I would say he should be elected. I would favor an elective person but I have a fear of politics entering the police department and it is pretty difficult to have a police chief electedoand not have a political support behind him. These people, such 'as police chiges have a great deal of latitude as they see their job and if they should be induced to think that being lenient on a policeman or a violator from a certain area representing a certain union or group because it has some political bearing 'on his reelection, then T+[i,woux_l2djbe very much fearful of that situation. On the other hand, can you really rely on. the judgment of a mayor to pick a good chief of police, the best that can be had? I frankly don ' t know which is the best way. Each has something •to be said for it and something against it. MR. CADINHA: Thank you. MR. TRULSON: We have had a great deal of testimony on the last section under the Police Department , Chapter 2, page 17. That is , "The police department shall come under the general supervision and control of the mayor. " I would like your thoughts on that, sir. Do you feel this should be retained in the charter? MR. AUSTIN: ' It' s a sad situation when the mayor and the chief of police are at odds. We've seen that ir some mainland cities and it ' s frustrating to the public, as well . It ' s true that if there was a line of supervision of the chief of police under the mayor' s office that there wouldn 't be any decided differences of opinion because they just wouldn ' t exist under that condition. But would it be a healthy thing, is another question. MR. TRULSON: The testimony we have had from the chief of police and from the police commission is to delete that section from the charter. That is some of the testimonW that we have had. In other words , to make the police commission and the police chief, in effect, that more powerful without being answerable to the mayor. MR. AUSTIN : If that were done, if that section were eliminated then I would feel the police commission , and a strong one, would be an absolute necessity. Otherwise, you would have a police chief with no one to ride herd on him or to advise him, even, on matters of policy. He might be left out in left field and calling the shots wrong and no one could take any corrective action. MR. TRULSON: I believe some of the testimony they have stated is that the police chief feels like he has, in effect, two bosses. The police commission selects him but he is answerable tothe mayor. The mayor selects the police commission. He feels that perhaps there is only one boss , the police commission, not both. -10