Farewell Warren Evans

[Fnemecek]

Good point. Godbee is, after all, the third chief of the Detroit Police Department in Bing's 18 months in office.

I wonder how much longer he'll last.

[Gannon]

Permanent until somebody decides they don't want him there any more which could be days or weeks if history is any indicator.

Maybe the police chief should be an elected position or a civil service position with approval or more than one person so it won't be an appointee "yes-boss", "no-boss" stooge.

THAT is something that has been discussed at the open meetings with the Charter Commission revision.

I do not truly trust the elective process, but my suggestion was to have a multi-step checked-and-balanced approach to both gaining and then removing [[if necessary) the Chief of Police.

I'd like to see the Police Commission gain some power and authority...by voting THEM in directly, at least 75% of 'em or more [[there was some discussion that a few positions would have to have qualifications dictated, which apparently is too much for the open elections procedure that has only minimums of age and residency, as far as I know).

Have them not only investigate and chastise cops who do bad things and those [[hopefully fewer and fewer) BAD cops who are only there SO they can do bad things [[behind the convenient blue wall of silence)...but also investigate and reward those who do good things...and those [[hopefully greater and greater) GOOD cops who are only there so they can do GOOD things.


I've concluded that there are three 'types' of officers...Heroes [[who have wanted to be officers all their lives, and truly are there to serve the public...these sorts are usually NOT able to be tainted by corruption, but can become dried and worn out and drop to the next level if their energies are not channeled in the right direction or they spend TOO much time in the dregs of the streets without taking a break...these sorts will also often live within the city, but that is NOT a prerequisite...just a trend), Workers [[who consider it a job, without the momentum of the idealism of the heroes...they can be more easily worn out and tempted by corruption, they too can drop to the next level over time), and Users or Zeroes [[who are officers BECAUSE they can circumvent the law and use their badges to their advantages...they are the worst of humans and lead the way down for the rest of the department).

I believe that is the crux of the issue we suffer now. The current way the chief is chosen and retained is entirely at the whim of the mayor...and we've seen what happens when we get a bad mayor, or even a good one who succumbs to temptation and/or suffers ignorance. The department morale and efficiency has suffered...along obviously with the citizenry and businesses and visitors...BECAUSE we've had chiefs who were solidly in that last group! Nobody will EVER be able to convince me that Ella Bully-Cummings and her ex-beau Warren Evans were anything but...and I suspect Sheriff Benny Napoleon and even the CURRENT guy are similar as well.


If officers are encouraged to better behavior...specifically not merely assuming that it should be the 'norm' thusly not putting any positive energy into maintaining the positives...then tracked throughout their careers by the Police Commission...I can see how the Commission will be in a greater position to suggest at least three good candidates from WITHIN the force for advancement to chief.


This way, morale doesn't suffer when the next crony is brought in...or some outsider is expensively searched out and hired as the next savior...and THEN the mayor can choose the one of those he or she wishes to work with...and the others remain in the priority listing to fill the position if and when they leave it.


So...mathematically...the populace has the power to vote in a board who oversees the suggestions for chief. The mayor still retains the power to choose ultimately who has the position...but they are all vetted already by a publicly-voted in oversight group. Plus, that group now is in position to completely alter the internal operating structure of the force...so we are NOT left with ten officers answering a domestic dispute with NONE of them daring to act because they are all afraid of being spanked for making the wrong decision. I'm sure they didn't want to do the paperwork either, and follow up with court dates and all the other bullshit that cops need to do for their jobs.


That happened not two months ago on a street a few blocks west of Cadieux and a few north of Mack.


What happened while those ten officers were standing around watching each other while the two men and one woman continued their spat?! They were UNABLE to answer any other calls!

One fellow showed up after twenty or thirty minutes, made the decisions to separate the individuals...and resolved the situation. To ME, that ONE cop should be given some award, even though he was only 'doing his job'...but because he rose up and was able to get things done.


There doesn't seem to be a culture of getting things done in the Detroit Police Department. The culture seems to be reduced to merely surviving your shift, getting home to the wife/husband and kids...and NOT doing anything that will obviously get you in trouble. Lotsa police merely biding their time until retirement, even after only a few years outside the academy!!


So...there can be a solution...but it will take some very creative thinking, and a very great reduction of how much power the Police union has over the operations of the department. They should be able to make suggestions, but it seems some are afraid of them...and they have, like other unions [[if not all), grown way beyond their usefulness. I don't want to return to a time with NO unions, because we've seen what power structures DO when unchecked...but the balance of power needs to return to the leadership of the city, as long as they can learn what it means to be true leaders.


Cheers and more...

[Fnemecek]

I've concluded that there are three 'types' of officers...Heroes [[who have wanted to be officers all their lives, and truly are there to serve the public...these sorts are usually NOT able to be tainted by corruption, but can become dried and worn out and drop to the next level if their energies are not channeled in the right direction or they spend TOO much time in the dregs of the streets without taking a break...these sorts will also often live within the city, but that is NOT a prerequisite...just a trend), Workers [[who consider it a job, without the momentum of the idealism of the heroes...they can be more easily worn out and tempted by corruption, they too can drop to the next level over time), and Users or Zeroes [[who are officers BECAUSE they can circumvent the law and use their badges to their advantages...they are the worst of humans and lead the way down for the rest of the department).

I'm of the opinion that these categories are fluid as opposed to static. A police officer can move from any one category into any other one. They might even be all three in one given day.

Police officers routinely have to deal with things that would make the ordinary human being curl up into a little ball and cry. In Detroit, they have to do it while being understaffed and with fundamental shortages of the things they need.

As officers react to different situations, their own views of themselves and their jobs can evolve.

[Gannon]

I agree, but the fluid seems to more easily flow DOWN...and I do NOT believe the fluidity is that free and loose, it is more viscous. I do not know of a single hero who could become a zero and back in one day...sorry, that is too great a jump even for ME to imagine! Those are mutually exclusive and require a move through the middle portion first...I can see the moves from 1 to 2 and back, then 2 and 3 and back, able to fit your analysis.

That is why we need to have something in place to raise the energy of these fine people who are doing a job that very few of us would ever do. Something to ADD positive energy and encourage an UPWARD motion through these levels.


I have personally encouraged one officer, but only because I have heard their comments at the end of their day...mostly through Facebook. I see how this one individual has been brought to a point of losing sympathy for most because of a FEW who take advantage. This person is what I would call a hero...and I KNOW that these types can exist all the way to retirement, because I've known other officers who survived with their consciences intact.

Met another one just a month ago that solidly reinforced that conclusion.


It is a conundrum, but one that may be creatively solved...or at least more positively affected from the lowly 'norm' we've grown accustomed to.

[stasu1213]

I still like Warren Evans and wish he could had stayed as the chief. He was a kick-ass ask questions later type of Chief that Detroit needed especially during these recent outbreak of violence. There were police patrolling Greek Town to run away the pandhandlers, who Charles Pugh was reported to had said that they were of no danger. Other communities have neightborhood watch programs which coincides with a great police presence. .

[jtf1972]

It's funny, I've been looking and still can't find any articles, or anything whatsoever of a Bing announcement of Godbee's permanent promotion.

I did see today that he wants to run for reelection.

He seems to stand by what he says quite a bit. Then, of course, he does the opposite.