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Thursday, March 20, 2014

Online Police Chief Survey Launched by City, Paper Copies Available at Various Locations



The City of Somerville has launched the survey it promised to gather feedback on what residents are looking for in a new Police Chief.

As I previously reported, the City will enter into it's third search for a new Police Chief after the most recent resignation last year.

The survey can be taken online at http://www.somervillema.gov/chiefsurvey and paper copies will be available at the Somerville Police Department, City Hall Welcome Desk, all Somerville Public Schools, the Central Library and its East and West Branches, and the City’s Senior Centers. The survey is also available both online and in paper form in Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole. Completed surveys are due by April 7

The City has gone through the search process in 2007 and 2010 with both candidates leaving the City before their contract ended. In 2005, the Board of Aldermen removed the position of Police Chief out of Civil Service after Mayor Joe Curtatone submitted an ordinance that included a public process and the inclusion of specific representatives at the bargaining table. Curtatone's ordinance approval came after the Board vetoed Michael Capuano and Dorothy Kelly Gay's attempts at removing the position.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...


Why a consulant @ $50.000 (I think i read somewhere) of taxpayer money???

Why a committee that's going to take several months before a chief is selected?

Both above not needed by promoting an officer from within the ranks. Such as Mike Cabral, having served as Acting Police Chief in the past; and one currently serving as Acting Police Chief.
Other Deputy Chiefs also qualified.

We have had too many Chiefs coming from somewhere else who have re-signed/quit, for one reason or another, before their contract was up.
The last one actually living in Cambridge.
The one before came from Florida and returned as a Chief in Florida.



Anonymous said...

Promoting a chief from within the current ranks:

1)---by and large, as a few have been Acting Police Chiefs currently and in the past; have proven to be qualified for the position.

2)---will be able to hit the ground running as to knowing the city, the neighborhoods,the streets, the problems, the hot spots: and---knowing, up front from coming up through the ranks, all the uniformed and non-uniformed police officers under his/her command.

3)---being a Somerville career police officer--and more than likely a Somerville resident-- not so likely to quit/resign to take a position elsewhere.

4)--the present process in place, (a seven person committee, and a paid outside consultant) not only is costing taxpayers good money; but also will take several months before a chief is selected.