The Debate: Where Should The The Oro Valley Police Department Report? (Part 1)

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Last week, we reported that the Oro Valley Town Council voted 4-3 at the town council meeting to have The Oro Valley Police Department continue to report to town council as opposed to reporting to Town Manager Greg Caton.  The vote occurred after an hour discussion.  The discussion revealed the different positions of the Council members. At times, it was an unnecessarily contentious discussion, we think, since the focus of the discussion should have been completely unemotional.

The Question:  

Should the police department report to the town council or should it report to the Town Manager?

Background: 

Last month, we wrote a two-part piece called: "Removing The Police Department From Oro Valley Politics." Part 1 detailed the history of why the department reports to town council.  Part 2 discussed why some council members believed that a discussion of the reporting relationship was appropriate.

It was at the May 1 council meeting that Council Member Burns asked that this item be discussed at a future council meeting.  At that time, Burns presented four reasons why he felt that it was worth a future discussion:

• The Council does not adequately provide the professional oversight required as required by code; 
• This change in the reporting relationship would remove the police department from being the political "football" that it has become; 
• The town is being run by professionals, as Mayor Hiremath has so often noted. These professionals should oversee the police department; and 
• Oversight by the town manager would increase the synergy, for example, resource sharing, among town departments and town resources.

The Facts

The Town Of Oro Valley has an outstanding record of public safety for all years, regardless of whether or not the department reported to the town council or to the town manager.    The town, for a variety of reasons of which we have previously written, such as an older population and limited road access,  has low instances of violent crimes.  Oro Valley is a safe community. It is, however, not immune from crime.

In 2009, when the department reported to town manager David Andrews, its budget received detailed scrutiny.  The department and its unions went after Andrews and two members of council in a public effort to retain six police positions.  Andrews and Council Members Garner and Carter became the targets, with a union ad chastising them on air.  Admittedly, it was a mess; but it was not a mess because the department reported to the town manager. It was a mess because the department didn't get its way. Positions were threatened.  The union stood up for its members. That's life in the "big city."

Yes. It was contentious, but this budget issue was resolved to everyone's satisfaction.  As Town Manager Andrews reported at that time: "Its a win-win situation."

In June 2010, the council, voted (5-2, Gillaspie and Garner dissenting) to eliminate in an independent study of the police department.  The purpose of the study was to identify improvements that could be made in the operations of the department, hopefully providing equal or improved public safety at reduced cost.

Those voting to cancel it (Mayor Hiremath and Council Members Hornat, Snider, Solomon and Waters) did so on the basis that the town doesn't need to spend the money.  The department is running just fine, according to them,  The town was facing a budget challenge at that time, a challenge they met by increasing the utility tax and by canceling this study and an independent study of the parks and recreation department.

It has been 3 years since the Council last visited the subject of the department's reporting relationship.   There are two individuals on Council who did not anticipate in the 2010 decision.  There is one who sat on that council who now believes that the situation has changed and that, therefore, a change in the reporting relationship may be in order.   Certainly, a discussion was warranted.

The Debate

As we said, the debate took place last week.  We reported the result.  Tomorrow, we will discuss the position of those who voted to retain the existing relationship. Wednesday, we will discuss the position of those who voted to make the change.

You be the judge.

Then, Thursday, we will post our debate analysis.
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