Focusing on Accountability First
Who is Accountable for Police Deficiences
Think back to last summer and fall when the police chief was embroiled in some bitter issues that had made their way into the press. With that as a basis, I think it is important to recall the city managers aggressive defense of the police chief last fall, at least as it was reported in the Rochester Eccentric. The city manager was quoted as saying that Chief Glynn was one of the best police chiefs in Michigan and that Michigan had the best police chiefs in the country, or words to that effect. That was his assessment. That is where he chose to position himself.
Does the consultant’s report confirm the city manager’s stance and his public position on the matter? Or does it confirm something starkly different than that? I think we all know what the reasonable answers are to these questions.
Please bear in mind that most of the deficiencies pointed out by the consultant are historical in nature and none of them are recent occurrences. With over twenty years to address these problems, I think the police chief’s opportunity to address these problems is long past. And with thirty years to address these problems, under two different police chiefs, I feel the same way about the city manager.
Neither can absolve themselves of responsibility for the current lack of leadership, direction and control of the Rochester Police Department. Nor can they delegate accountability. The buck stops with both Chief Glynn and Manager Johnson. It’s time to welcome them both into a long and happy retirement and move forward into the balance of this century with new leadership, direction and accountability.