City bypassed procedure for hiring police chief


February 15, 2013 · Updated 11:35 AM 

In my opinion, Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson has jumped ship on the orderly procedure of hiring a new police chief.

This means that the $16,000 or so that was paid out by the city to provide the five finalists for the police chief position is pretty much being ignored.

I recall Mayor Erickson saying that she would be running the City of Poulsbo like a business. Spending that search fee money and then bringing in Alan Townsend as a candidate at the 11th hour doesn’t seem too businesslike.

Also, whatever happened to the morale-boosting incentives like hiring from within the department for the police chief position? Many police personnel who spend long years with the department and see a chance at being the chief of police someday could then feel that their years of service were really worth it if there was an even playing field for becoming chief of police.

Also, having a “rubber stamp” City Council where everybody agrees on everything all the time isn’t necessarily a good thing. Dissent is the highest form of patriotism (Remember the Declaration of Independence).

And then there is the quote by Albert Einstein … the important thing to not stop questioning.

John Eastman
Poulsbo

 

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