| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
Adam
F L I N T O I D
|
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-40/1165512105308180.xml&coll=5
FLINT - A city police officer who was fired two years ago for an off-duty drunken driving incident now will be among the highest ranking officials in the Flint Police Department.
Officer David Dicks was one of four officers pegged by Mayor Don Williamson to fill the mayor's newly created inspector positions.
Joining Dicks as new inspectors are Officers Connie Johnson, Jermaine Reese and Ralph Tedford. Officer John Keahey was promoted to become the major of the bureau.
Dicks was arrested Jan. 31, 2004, for drunken driving in Flint Township after his car crossed the center line and hit an oncoming car.
He was fired by then-police chief Bradford Barksdale three weeks later, but was put back on the job by Williamson.
Dicks pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of impaired driving in the case and was fined.
Williamson said Dicks - the son of the city's fire chief - never should have been fired.
"Sometimes people overreact," said Williamson, adding Dicks and his other choices for the new "Citizens Service Bureau" are the best qualified for the positions.
Dicks could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
The new bureau will have authority over the department's existing command staff and will report directly to acting police Chief Gary Hagler.
One of the bureau's first assignments will center on establishing a rating form that the public can use to evaluate the service they get from police officers.
Williamson has said the new inspectors will spend their nine-hour shifts in police cars and also will answer 911 calls.
As part of the deal, the inspectors must leave the police union and will not be paid for sick days.
Reese and Tedford were assigned to work every weekend, as part of Williamson's plan to create a new command structure that will be available to the public at any hour every day.
Wednesday's move could result in grievances and an unfair labor practice filing by the city's three police unions.
"I expect something will be filed," said Keith Speer, president of the Flint Police Officers Association.
Union leaders plan to meet Thursday to discuss their next move, said Speer.
"It's a mess," said Speer, adding the mayor's choices were all handpicked.
"What are the qualifications? I don't know of a job in the city that you don't have to take a test for."
Williamson specifically thanked City Council President Darryl Buchanan for his help in formulating the plan.
And Buchanan acknowledged it might not yet be a perfect plan and said he would take any union concerns seriously.
"I am glad that we have an administration that hears the citizens' cries for change in the police department," Buchanan said. |
|
|
Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:53 pm |
|
|
DELETED
Guest
|
| DELETED |
_________________
Guest post |
|
|
Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:01 pm |
|
|
Adam
F L I N T O I D
|
| In case people missed it apparently the son of our fire chief who was once fired for a drunken driving incident is being promoted to one of the newly created top 4 positions in the police department. The mayor also seems to be using union busting tactics. These 4 officers will not be part of the union. I'm sure this will go over great with officers. If you leave the union you get rewarded and are above everyone or if you stay you are the scum below. As if risking your life in one of the most dangerous cities in the nation wasn't enough. |
|
|
|
Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:10 pm |
|
|
rapunzel
Guest
|
The people of flint renewed a millage for community policing!
We no longer have community policing but regular police. This is a misappropriation of additional funds approved by the electorate.
We knew that this would happen, some thought about voting against the millage because these funds would not be used as promised.
The loss of 40 officers would have been overwhelming.
The citizens voted for community policing.
Buchanan's statement," I am glad that we have an administration that hears the citizens' cries for change in the police dept. DOES NOT APPLY!
Were we asked for more regular police or a citizens service bureau?
No!
RAP |
|
|
|
Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:44 pm |
|
|
Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
|
quote:
Were we asked for more regular police or a citizens service bureau?
Excellent observation! |
|
|
|
Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:12 am |
|
|
Biggie9
F L I N T O I D
|
quote:
Ted Jankowski schreef:
quote:
Were we asked for more regular police or a citizens service bureau?
Excellent observation!
it gives the mayor a biscuit to throw to the black police officers by putting several?/all? of the recently appointed into command position's without being stymied by the current civil service/union procedures.
it also creates a new group outside of the police unions that he can leverage for future campaigns against the police unions. He's already stated his animus towards the police contract. |
_________________
Biggie |
|
|
Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:53 am |
|
|
Ted Jankowski
F L I N T O I D
|
quote:
it also creates a new group outside of the police unions that he can leverage for future campaigns against the police unions. He's already stated his animus towards the police contract.
See, this is what I don't understand. It is so much simpler and easier to follow the rules of the contract and work within the frame work. they try some half baked plan the creates less accountability. Use the system already in place! It really is a good system. If they'd stop whining about what they can and can't do.
Oops, that requires people with Imagination, creativity, initiative. Not much of that in City hall! |
|
|
|
Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:13 pm |
|
|
Biggie9
F L I N T O I D
|
quote:
See, this is what I don't understand. It is so much simpler and easier to follow the rules of the contract and work within the frame work. they try some half baked plan the creates less accountability. Use the system already in place! It really is a good system. If they'd stop whining about what they can and can't do.
Oops, that requires people with Imagination, creativity, initiative. Not much of that in City hall!
Ted,
Don't know if you missed it, but back when the donald introduced his 26 point plan, and was using Joel Feick to get "his side" out, CH 12 ran a blurb where he said "the union contract should be thrown out" or words to that effect.
When Feick followed up and asked him if the union needed to go...he, in typical donald fashion, back-tracked and said, something to the effect, "no, he had no problem with the union,,,but what I am saying to you is...with the rules., procedures in the contract, its nearly impossible to get someone promoted/moved etc" I believe part of his answer was bleeped/swear word. The implication being the "rules"/procedures/process in place by contract, was so cumbersome he, the donald, found it impeding what he felt needed to be done to provide more effective law enforcement in the city.
So, NO. the donald does not, IMO, find it simpler & easier to "follow the rules". In fact he wants all the current rules thrown out, so he can do what he thinks needs to be done to improve law enforcement. Thus, his creation of this super-numerary bureau to operate above/outside/beyond the current contract-controlled structure. I find it no different than his "shadow government" he maintains with down the street at his campaign building; He used to come on the dave Barber show for his weekly 1- hour program. When people called in with issues...who did he steer them too? the correct city department? Nooooooo, his shadow government...424-number.
Same thing here, with the police. |
_________________
Biggie |
|
|
Fri Dec 08, 2006 11:31 pm |
|
|
Josh Freeman
F L I N T O I D
|
| But what is interesting in his comments about the Contract Biggie is that he just signed off on the contract. If you remember, just this summer the Police Officers Union settled a contract that had been hanging out there since before Kurtz was here. So for him to blame something that he endorsed doesn't really make sense(Of course we are talking about Don here). Perhaps the media should have questioned him on that point. Something like, 'if there are all of these problems in the contract, why didn't you fight to change them?' But alas, we are in Flint, where the questioning by the media is about as deep as a mud puddle..... |
|
|
|
Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:24 am |
|
|
Biggie9
F L I N T O I D
|
quote:
Josh Freeman schreef:
But what is interesting in his comments about the Contract Biggie is that he just signed off on the contract. If you remember, just this summer the Police Officers Union settled a contract that had been hanging out there since before Kurtz was here. So for him to blame something that he endorsed doesn't really make sense(Of course we are talking about Don here). Perhaps the media should have questioned him on that point. Something like, 'if there are all of these problems in the contract, why didn't you fight to change them?' But alas, we are in Flint, where the questioning by the media is about as deep as a mud puddle.....
yes we ARE talking about the donald.
he appears to be able to stop and change direction on a dime and give you change. something very impressive for a guy his age and girth. Political agility of course not necessarily impacted by those criteria.
That is why, from a media perspective, he's so entertaining. You just don't know what he'll say or do next. Previous positions/statements/actions don't mean a thing seconds after he utters/does them.
And he doesn't get challenged from the media for these apparent 180 deg changes in direction.
Joel Feick, is apparently his "media .."...someone who will entertain his pronouncements without any challenge except an occasional softball he can clobber out of the park for an entertaining sound bite. |
_________________
Biggie |
|
|
Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:50 am |
|
|
Josh Freeman
F L I N T O I D
|
Do you think that the general public picks up on these 180 and his inability to follow any line of logic, or are they buying into what he is saying......
"Media ..".... now that is funny..... |
|
|
|
Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:55 am |
|
|
DELETED
Guest
|
| DELETED |
_________________
Guest post |
|
|
Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:08 am |
|
|
Biggie9
F L I N T O I D
|
quote:
Josh Freeman schreef:
Do you think that the general public picks up on these 180 and his inability to follow any line of logic, or are they buying into what he is saying......
"Media ..".... now that is funny.....
well I really have nothing against JF. I think he is well liked and respected [i like him]. However, an investigative journalist he is not.
He's being used by the donald, and frankly I think he and his station know it. So I use that term in the generic sense of the media rolling over and letting the donald use them for his benefit vice being independent and at arms length AND NEUTRAL.
They don't send Cathy Shafran around anymore to interview the donald, and she's the closest thing they have to a non-talking head, good-news all the time reporter at CH 12 [and still not an aggressive investigative reporter]...the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" station in Flint.
I'd love to see Tim Skubick do the donald. Sorry, even Kiertzner was in the don's pocket, because he was given juicy access to the donald and his frequent rampages, back in the Coleman led council era.
No many people don't recognize the frequent retreats from the bombastic statements and actions because the media do not make a point of emphasizing them and asking the WHY questions about what that might mean?
hell the guy could have alzheimer's the way he behaves......
People tend to react to the report of the momnet. It takes a differrent kind of story, stringing the behaviors together and analyzing them...that story hasn't been reported yet. I doubt it will. No one seems to have the desire/will to tangle with the donald, yet.
Just MO, YMMV. |
_________________
Biggie |
|
|
Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:41 pm |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
