The Impending GPD Review

It was not prominently reported, but apparently the City Council voted this past week, on a motion made by Zack Matheny, to secure the services of an outside reviewer to scrutinize the Greensboro Police Department.  I have watched the video of the City Council discussion.  Unfortunately, it appears that the outside consultant will likely be selected by City Manager Mitchell Johnson and Police Chief Tim Bellamy.  That would be a big mistake.

While I support the need for the study, I think the reviewing organization most certainly should not be selected by the city administration or the police chief.  The outside firm should review the operations and efficiency of the department, and the manner in which existing manpower can be more effectively utilized; but it should also review the crime-fighting approaches taken and emphasized by the department. 

It is imperative that the organization be completely independent of the city manager and police chief.   It needs to be a consultant that knows how to maximize use of personnel and the best practices to drive crime rates downward aggressively.

We are in the midst of a crime epidemic in the city of Greensboro that has transformed parts of town to the equivalent of the OK Corral.  We need to improve upon the current performance of our Police Department.

Bill Knight, on a previous thread, offered the following:

"A committee consisting of three retired police executives and three council members, with advice from CALEA (Commission on Accredation of Law Enforcement Agencies), could define the scope and objectives of a proposed GPD survey. Suggestions from other law enforcement on suitable survey organizations should be sought. The organizations could be asked to submit proposals outlining their experience, approach to the survey, and fee. The committee could review the proposals and make a recommendation to City Council for its approval. This would be the businesslike way to conduct a survey - far superior to the haphazard manner in which the city engaged RMA Associates."

Comments

[Billy The Blogging Poet]

I wou;dn't be at all surprised if RMA was hired for this study as well.

[Brenda Bowers]

Allowing Mitch and Tim to choose who will evaluate the police department is too typically Greensboro. This is to any rational human being unthinkable, but it is just business as usual in Greensboro.

Joe, my friends around the country who have been watching this like a soap box opera have taken a poll and they believe it is in the air rather than the water, and have advised Lew and I to wear surgical masks when we go out doors to guard against becoming infected. As this seems like good advice I am passing it on to my friends here in Greensboro. BB

[big tuna]

RMA to the rescue!

[Joe Guarino]

Billy, Brenda, Tuna, I know it is typical Greensboro. But it still seems incredible to me.

I invite you to watch the video of the last council meeting by going to the city's website. The motion made by Matheny was made during the last 30 minutes of the meeting.

[L H Scott]

Joe during the past week I read the letter in the N&R by City Manager Mitchell Johnson. Sorry its not completely on topic but I found it interesting.

“If the Duke lacrosse issues teach us anything, it is that when dealing with a criminal allegation, the public’s cry for release of information about an allegation can result in what Attorney General Roy Cooper termed the "tragic rush to accuse." I state this with certainty on the basis of calls I have all ready received where individuals have already assumed the guilt of officers simply based on the information released to date. The lacrosse case also teaches us that those ultimately harmed by a rush to accuse may have legal rights against those who contributed to that atmosphere, through public comment and otherwise.” Quote Mitchell Johnson

Joe, there must be a certain name given to this type of spin, I am still looking for it, as I am sure its taught in City –Town-Mayor- seminars. First of all find a sensational event, usually with national attention, try to compare it to a course of events that are causing negative publicity and causing problems in your city or town.

Next convince the public that they don’t want the same thing to happen in their town or city and with the use of smoke and mirrors a lot of the critics disappear and memory fades with time bought with this process.

It doesn’t matter that “the rush to judgment” in this case was caused by a idiotic D. A. that was trying to get re-elected, with an ego the size of White St. landfill.

It’s an obvious attempt at redirecting the problem from here to there. It’s used quite effectively every day, with every speech, news release, or political debate. The “truth” in this “redirect,” matters little,its most effective with smooth delivery,and I know best demeanor, that catches many people with the dreaded fear of problems the size of Hurricane Katrina combined with lawsuits that are considered not defensible.

This re-direct however, is nothing more than a vague, translucent idea, that barely matters to the problem at hand, spun by false assumptions, in an attempt to delude the masses.

If there is not a proper name given to this type or spin, I would like to propose the “Miles-Johnson re-direct spin.” I would consider this an honor, maybe an entry to Wikipedia would be nice.

Warning: never try this at home, it’s much too obvious, and rarely ever works.
I know, I tried it once myself. Not a pretty picture.

[Joe Guarino]

LH, of course you are right. There is no rush to judgment with respect to the three officers cited. I see no avaricious appetite in the city of Greensboro to convict them prematurely, or to presume their guilt, or to automatically presume the truth of what the women involved were charging.

Now mind you, LH, that there was a time in our country, not too long ago, when the political conversation was such that we absolutely had to presume to be true any charge of assault or harassment made by a woman. And that was part of the feeding frenzy in Durham, of course.

But we will not see that type of feeding frenzy here in Greensboro, for obvious reasons.