April 12, 2006

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

PERF report touts its views, not its evaluation

I just read the so-called PERF report. They were careful to commend the chief and not to criticize the rank and file police. They gave lip service to the present problems with the police force, and instead dug up an organization chart for which they were paid by Reno, Nev., to develop. They also gave lip service to dealing with real crime, beyond addressing the homeless, etc.

This seems so imbalanced, I have to ask who voted to use PoliceForum.org for such a study? It seems to be that they are an organization dedicated to their concept of community policing. Were they hired to preach to small but extremely vocal Ashland minority? It seems that their philosophy is that by working well with local people, major crime can be prevented? Do they understand where we live? We are a small city in the midst of a large rural area noted for violent crime and drug manufacturing. With little to no state or federal support, we must rely on the city police to protect as well as serve the citizens.

I appreciate and support the concept of a police force that works with the community, but most certainly there is no need for any resolution or ordinance required to replace chain-of-command responsibilities.

Those responsibilities need to have in place training and resources to handle the least offensive disturbances as well as the most horrific crimes people are capable of inflicting. Non-lethal weapons are one part of the arsenal police should have, but these should not be locked in the department office as has occurred previously — at the very time they might have been useful.

I find the draft disappointing and unbalanced, and of no value at any price paid for it.

Lester Ingber
Ashland

Chief made a lasting mark on city, people

The Ashland Police Chief has built relationships across our community in unique ways for the last 20 years. He is not replaceable, and I continue to be flabbergasted by those who think he can be replaced.

Mike Bianca is extremely skilled in creating a positive atmosphere, and as 20-year student and teacher of conflict resolution myself, he has earned my respect by his approach, his actions, and his skill in working with people. To change the culture of an organization is very difficult (I am a graduate student in the SOU masters in management program) and requires those in leadership positions to support those who are brave enough to inspire change.

One of Mike’s many accomplishments includes that he received the Peace Maker of the Year Award from Mediation Works in 2005, because he was overwhelmingly the favored visible peace maker integrating a variety of proactive problem solving skills into the police force, and our community. He was sworn in as police chief on the Ashland High School quad, and he has been a role model for many years, as well as protecting our rights to free speech and civil liberties. He deserves your support at this critical moment.

Linda Richards
Ashland

Report’s bias ensures debate far from over

The Tidings’ editorial (April 7) infers that the Police Executive Research Forum’s report recommended community policing after an “independent evaluation” of Ashland’s Police Department.

PERF is one of five partners in the Community Policing Consortium, which states on its Web site that “These five organizations play a principal role in the development of community policing research, training and technical assistance, and each is firmly committed to the advancement of this policing philosophy.” In other words, the PERF report is simply an implementation manual for policies they advocate. The debate is not effectively over.

However, the report can be considered a good description of a concept of “community policing,” which is not quite what the “hug and releasers” advocate. This concept simply says citizens and a wide range of community stakeholders should work as full and equal partners with law enforcement and other public and private organizations in the efforts to solve our community problems of growing crime, vandalism, panhandling and other civic disturbances. Further, this concept does not minimize enforcement’s role, it tries to anticipate and minimize the situations requiring enforcement.

In a functional community, this would be known as common sense.

Jo W. French, Sr.
Ashland

Tidings’ editorial is half-right, half-wrong

The Tidings’ editorial (April 7) about the PERF policing report is half-right and half-wrong. It is right in that the report strongly supports the community policing concept which Police Chief Mike Bianca and many citizens have been espousing all along.

Your assertion, however, that the chief was unable to implement the concept is questionable. The police department had serious problems long before Mike was appointed. The mayor, city administration and unfortunately the council, even though they were aware of the situation, never gave him the support necessary to deal with a recalcitrant staff and a hostile police union and get them to accept the community policing concept. The situation came to a head last summer when the union gave Mike a vote of “no confidence.”

At the time, the mayor and the city administrator assured me (a member of the city council) that they were behind Mike. They were behind him all right, so far behind as to be practically invisible. In retrospect, I believe that they had no intention of bucking the union.

By basically caving in to the demands of the police union and making Mike walk the gang-plank, the mayor and lame-duck city administrator may think they have fixed the problem. In truth, their “solution” is just a Band-Aid. The “quasi-military” elements in the police department will only be emboldened, making the job for the new city administrator and the new chief, when the city gets around to hiring one, even more difficult. The cause of community policing which the Tidings seems to embrace hasn’t been helped either.

Jack Hardesty
City Councilor
Ashland

Bianca shows class even in his departure

I was one who liked and admired Chief Bianca, while disagreeing with his policies and procedures. His latest act of not allowing his “retirement” to become a political issue, further dividing our community, only increases my respect for him. Clearly, he knows that there are many ready to carry his banner, and fight his fight; nevertheless, he put the welfare of our community above his person. I am pleased he plans to stay in the area, and wish him well.

Roberta W. Stebbins
Ashland

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