Will the Police Union Oust Denver Chief Gerald Whitman?
With all those allegations of brutality and a laundry list of problematic behavior in the ranks (Westword), the Denver Police Protective Association will hold an "emergency meeting" early next week to discuss recent disciplinary actions (CBS4). But don't expect the union to talk about how a few bad apples spoil the barrel. PPA members may use their collective power to try and get rid of Police Chief Gerald Whitman in a no-confidence vote. Though a union representative is vague about the purpose of the meeting: "Our members want us to do something"—their reason, ostensibly, is that Whitman has recommended the firing of an officer in an alleged brutality case.
The rallying cry for officers comes at a time when the police department must reduce its operations budget by $24 million next year (Denver Post). That could mean more than 100 jobs would be lost in the department, a pain shared throughout the city, which wants all departments to reduce their budgets by 10 percent in order to address a $100 million funding gap.
Will the Police Union Oust Denver Chief Gerald Whitman?
Seems like to me the police Union should support the ethical behavior of the department and city it serves and the Chief who has been duly appointed to lead the organization instead of perpetuating trouble. So close to a Mayoral election too, tisk, tisk... its no wonder this band of troublemakers is looking so desperately to have some influence over the outcome although their track record hasn't been very good at picking Mayors or Chiefs. If only that would make them happy. If history is any predictor of how they'll treat any new Chief or Mayor, they'll be back soon moaning over any adverse decision made by any Chief or Mayor - its as if they aren't living in the real world with the rest of us and have their heads in the sand. And what's this I hear about them trying to get all the cops paid for getting dressed for work.? I hear they have filed a lawsuit demanding millions of dollars...!?!
I've also heard the Union currently has the tacit approval for such trouble making by top Chief Wannabe Tracy Keesee - who you'd think should owe a debt of gratitude to Chief Whitman for being selected and included as part of his management team for the past 10 years. Instead, Keesee is apparently seizing any opportunity to dump him out of his chair and move in. Which is amusing since I hear she hasn't really done the jobs she's been asked to do, and hides from making tough decisions when she isn't frequently traveling out of state - padding up her resume in hopes someone will notice her with her hand in the air "pick me, pick me!"This all smacks of politics, makes me sick and I hope the new Mayor will just go outside the department like we'd do in the private sector and find a stand-up cop who knows who to handle such Unions - I'd suggest they start the search in Wisconsin!!