Cops, DA's and PAC's, Chapter 9

The following is a summary of the next chapter of my upcoming book.  Any resemblance to real persons and events is entirely coincidental.  The work is entirely fictional.

It had been a very hot summer in the Politically Virtuous City.  The  entire town knew that Chief Smellamy was retiring, and an extraordinary series of events was to lead up to the appointment of his successor.

The Sons of Sharpton had become extremely active.  They had, for the most part, withheld their vitriol toward the department for its activities during the time there was a black police chief.  However, with the prospect that a new chief must be recruited, they felt they had to ratchet up their activity.  They needed to protect the prerogatives and the ambitions of the black officers within the department, and if a white chief was appointed, they perceived it would be a major setback-- especially for those black officers already within the command structure.  But they also did not want a police department that was aggressive toward crime, because that would mean certain things within "the community".

They also were interested in creating pressure so the city would relent and settle with the forty black officers who had sued the city.  But they were intensely interested in influencing the process of appointing the new chief.

The symbolism associated with having a white chief was overwhelming to them. 

In any event, they orchestrate a series of protests against the city.  During one instance, some young people they had organized occupy the seats of city council members.  And then the ministers also get themselves arrested outside city hall. 

They had previously protested the mayor placing the "speakers from the floor" segment of city council meetings toward the end of the meetings, because this was the forum they used to make demands-- and they did not want to sit around through the entire meeting.  The city council had relented when they orchestrated protests against this policy.

But when the ministers get themselves arrested and have the young people occupy the chairs of council members, the city council reverses itself, institutes security measures and places the "speakers from the floor" segment back to the end of the meeting once again.

The Sons of Sharpton then submit a list of 97 questions regarding the police department's activities, and allege corruption in the department with respect to the manner in which minority officers are treated.  They make this assertion even though there is a black police chief and a black city manager.  In spite of all the trouble they had been stirring up, the city still works to answer their questions.

An awful incident takes place on the downtown streets of the city.  A group of political conservatives is demonstrating outside the office of a local politician.  A black activist drives up, confronts the demonstrators and slugs one of the participants.  The local magistrate's office incredibly charges the fellow who had been slugged.  And it is unclear how the machine DA's office would handle the case; but the man who was assaulted feels he cannot get justice in this particular city.

The city has a large arena, the operation of which is protected politically.  It sponsors annually a musical event that attracts tens of thousands of young black men and women to the city.  It is widely known that, during the aftermath, there will be much crime and disorder-- so much, in fact, that half the police department is required to work during that time frame.  Like clockwork, there are several shootings, and one young black man is killed, but the local political culture behaves as if nothing happened.  Local police officers are afraid to speak out about how bad the situation is.

The city manager appoints an interim police chief.  His name is Potts.  He had been one of the officers responsible for the insufficient effort that was made with the inquiry into Dames Stinson's activities. 

Councilman Lobby begins making political overtures to the local African-American community because he is planning to run for mayor.  He plans to be the machine candidate, and to get the PAC endorsement.  He speaks in favor of racial set-asides, and feigns concern over public safety.  In response to the stated concerns of the Sons of Sharpton, he arranges with the city manager to have a "cultural audit" performed that would examine the police department.  Recall that, years ago, Lobby had protected the corrupt housing non-profit that had been misusing city monies because of the political influence of its director.

Also recall attorney Fella, and the fact that he had represented that non-profit.  As it was getting ready to declare bankruptcy and close, he absconded away from its offices with some of its office equipment.  In any event, Fella had also been charged in the notorious check-kiting scandal with Dames Stinson's ex-wife.  Fella finally is brought to trial, and there is a hung jury.  It is unclear whether the machine DA will try the case again.

The city manager convenes a number of city bureaucrats to develop a new disciplinary policy for the police department.  It requires that serious discipline against any officer must be cleared with the city legal department and the city manager's office.  That assures there will be even less discipline than there had been previously.

The city manager begins recruiting for the new police chief.  He narrows down the list to a white male and a white woman.  There had been rumors that the powers-that-be in the city wanted a female chief.  Area residents are somewhat surprised, however, that there is no African-American who makes the final cut.  Over the last 25 years, the city had black police chiefs all but a couple of years.

The city manager had convened a set of panels to help him choose.  The panels included a member of the Sons of Sharpton and one other liberal minister; a couple of representatives from the machine DA's office; a couple of the black officers who were suing the city; the head of the police union; and Rob Dorgan, the assistant city manager who had reversed the decision to fire officer Quake.

Assistant Chief Con Dodgers had been the object of a sexual harrassment complaint.  The city finds, after an investigation, that he had been pursuing a young female police officer sexually.  The city manager suspends him for a few weeks, and then lightens the punishment under the threat of litigation.  Dodgers sues the city anyway.  He had been one of the forty officers who had previously sued the city, so this is his second suit even though he enjoys the rank of assistant chief.  He is allowed to retain his position.

Captain Merry also finds himself the object of disciplinary action.  Merry also had been one of the forty black officers who had sued the city.  It turns out that Merry had been helping younger black officers file grievances against the department, and then had thrown a hissy-fit or two when action on the grievances was not handled as he felt it should have been.  He is placed on administrative leave, and the Sons of Sharpton take up his cause.

Officer Quake had to appear before  a state board because of the drunken assault incident; and because he had appeared with a gang leader at a Sons of Sharpton press conference, criticizing the activities of the department.  The state board takes action against him.  The city manager reverses the previous decision by Rob Dorgan, and recommends him for termination.  The Sons of Sharpton, of course, are very unhappy with the situation.

When it becomes clear that the new police chief would be white, the Sons of Sharpton get with the media, and demand that the process be started over once again.

In spite of the demand, the city manager makes his selection.

The name of the new police chief is Killer. 

And it is unclear whether his appointment represents a new day in the Politically Virtuous City.

Comments

[Ken Hill]

Can't wait for the movie!

[Timur]

This novella (roman a clef') is scary only because it accurately portrays the slimny dynamics of identity politics in the city and the incestuous relationships of a power hungry, arrogantly ambitious, white guilt ridden politician with the race pimps and similar groups. In some ways the current atmosphere mirrors the attitudes of November 1979 and the days folowing.

Incurable !!

[Joe Guarino]

Timur, the politician in the book, of whom you speak, is not truly guilt-ridden. The character is portrayed in the book instead as someone who is incapable of guilt. He is depicted as shameless, an opportunist. But otherwise, I agree.

[Timur]

Joe,

BTW do you know the scorecard of the Fella hung jury ? Were most for guilty ? What was the ethnic makeup of the jury ? Jus'askin'

[Joe Guarino]

Timur, I believe the book will indicate that he is aquitted on one charge. On each of the remaining four charges, the scorecard is 7-5 in favor of acquittal. The ethnic composition of the jury, however, will remain a mystery.