Yesterday, we set the framework for the debate on where the The Oro Valley Police Department should report: To town council? To town manager? Today, we discuss the prevailing side: Those who voted to retain the existing reporting relationship to council.
The Case For No Change
Mayor Hiremath and Council Members Hornat, Snider and Waters presented the case for no change. This brief 5 minute video highlights their position.
The four council members presented 5 reasons for wanting the police department to continue to report to council:
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
This concept, though it may sound historically aged, was popularized in 1977 when Bert Lance, President Carter's Director of Budgeting, noted that the federal government spends time and money fixing things that aren't broken but don't spend time and money fixing things that are broken.
Council Member Joe Hornat subscribes to this philosophy. "Seems to me that the only people who bring this up are a select few on council. I don't see any problem....This is the way we do it in Oro Valley. It's not a bad thing. We hire the guy. We're gonna control him. We're gonna fire him (if needed). It's just that simple."
"I am shocked that anyone would say: 'I don't agree with: 'If it ain't broken, don't fix it,"' noted Hornat.
This is personal ("Hypocrisy knows no bounds")
Mayor Hiremath asserts that the only reason that many council members are bringing this issue for discussion is because they "lost" in their discussion of the 2012 –2013 police budget. "Hypocrisy knows no bounds. It's amazing how it always follows on the heels of an issue stemming from the police department budget...The only position that is up for discussion is the Chief Of Police... If the budget went their way, I don't think that we'd be having this conversation"
Hiremath also argued: "To sit here and bicker about who the chief of police should report to, when we still have the number 1 SRO program and we still have the number 1 Chief of Police who is sought after nationally and have the minority of this council disrespect the Chief of Police where everybody else reveres him, I take strong exception to that."
The chief of police does report to the town manager
"The chief of police has agreed to report to the town manager for day to day management." said Mayor Hiremath. He continued: "This counsel has never met with the Chief of Police because Chief Sharp and Greg Caton work hand-in-hand- to make sure that the police department upholds the policy of this 7 member panel which is 'we want public safety.'"
This is a contract issue
The Contract of the Chief of Police requires that he report to counsel. In 2010, rather than choosing to amend the contract so that the chief of police continue to report to the town manager, the Council voted to change the reporting relationship consistent with the contract.
Council Member Mary Snider sums up this position: "This is being singled out for for a reason I have no idea and I can no support someone who has been on an employment contract be in conflict with the town code....This is an issue of a contract and the code being out of compliance... It has nothing to do with Chief Sharp. This is why we corrected in in 2011. I see no reason to change it."
Its a political calculation
Council Member Lou Waters believes that having the chief of police report to the town manager would make for a significant political mess. Referring to the 2007 to 2010 time frame when the Chief of Police reported to the town manager, Waters noted: "That period was destructive in so many ways from the police to the council. I would hesitate endorse it returning to that kind of thing as long as things are moving as slowly as they are. To take any political calculations back behind closed doors rather than off the dias is a political danger... The way it is right now is just fine with me."
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Tomorrow we will summarize the case presented by the 3 non prevailing council members.
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