Palm Springs Police Chief Elite Selection Process
Palm Springs, California. Should local residents be part of the selection process when the City of Palm Springs hires its new Chief of Police?
In San Francisco the job of hiring and overseeing that city's police department falls to an appointed City Police Commission that's currently seeking a new police chief. They appear to be taking their job seriously and in learning what residents want in a new chief. The commission has been holding public hearings throughout the city asking for resident input. More than 100 people have offered comments on such subjects as the importance of community policing - getting officers onto the street to meet with residents; someone who will encourage officers to talk to residents, keep a positive attitude and just start a conversation; setting a tone that extends to the whole department; someone who can train officers to step out of the door with a lot of integrity and who will know they're part of the community; ready for community and department diversity; and someone who will listen to the community and who sees homeless people and youth as productive members of the city. According to Commissioner Jim Hammer, "It's very rare that civilians, your neighbors, help to pick a police chief," he said. "There's nothing more important that we'll do." The selection process will also include meetings with police officers to learn their views of what's needed. Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle's "S.F. police chief: Citizens question candidates" story.
Palm Springs officials are also seeking a new police chief, but the local recruitment process is vastly different from the grass-roots approach being followed in San Francisco. Locally a headhunter firm has been employed to conduct a candidate search. Afterwards an elite group of citizens will join Mayor Steve Pougnet as a Chief Recruitment Selection Committee to interview and select the city's new Chief of Police. No plans to hold public hearings seeking community input have been announced. No criteria have been published about the qualifications needed for elite group of citizens membership. It's probable the process will mirror one(s) that resulted in selection of the previous chief(s).
It's interesting that resident input is considered important for issues such as a downtown development project, but selection of a new Chief of Police is considered best left to the members of an elite group of citizens chosen for that purpose. Should the views of local police officers and residents be solicited and considered during the process?
Bond Shands
Palm Springs
In San Francisco the job of hiring and overseeing that city's police department falls to an appointed City Police Commission that's currently seeking a new police chief. They appear to be taking their job seriously and in learning what residents want in a new chief. The commission has been holding public hearings throughout the city asking for resident input. More than 100 people have offered comments on such subjects as the importance of community policing - getting officers onto the street to meet with residents; someone who will encourage officers to talk to residents, keep a positive attitude and just start a conversation; setting a tone that extends to the whole department; someone who can train officers to step out of the door with a lot of integrity and who will know they're part of the community; ready for community and department diversity; and someone who will listen to the community and who sees homeless people and youth as productive members of the city. According to Commissioner Jim Hammer, "It's very rare that civilians, your neighbors, help to pick a police chief," he said. "There's nothing more important that we'll do." The selection process will also include meetings with police officers to learn their views of what's needed. Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle's "S.F. police chief: Citizens question candidates" story.
Palm Springs officials are also seeking a new police chief, but the local recruitment process is vastly different from the grass-roots approach being followed in San Francisco. Locally a headhunter firm has been employed to conduct a candidate search. Afterwards an elite group of citizens will join Mayor Steve Pougnet as a Chief Recruitment Selection Committee to interview and select the city's new Chief of Police. No plans to hold public hearings seeking community input have been announced. No criteria have been published about the qualifications needed for elite group of citizens membership. It's probable the process will mirror one(s) that resulted in selection of the previous chief(s).
It's interesting that resident input is considered important for issues such as a downtown development project, but selection of a new Chief of Police is considered best left to the members of an elite group of citizens chosen for that purpose. Should the views of local police officers and residents be solicited and considered during the process?
Bond Shands
Palm Springs
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Posted by Desert Observer at 2/28/2011 3:51 PM 
Categories: Opinion, City Council
Tags: Palm Springs Chief of Police Palm Springs
Categories: Opinion, City Council
Tags: Palm Springs Chief of Police Palm Springs
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