The notion that the Chief of Police position in the city of Albuquerque should be elected is a stupid idea. If you want to keep professionalism in the leadership of the police department then use the leverage we have in making life miserable for the Mayor and City Council instead of getting unqualified and partisan driven political hacks into the department that gets to carry assault rifles and drive around in armored cars. Do you really want the Koch brothers donating funds to elect APD Chiefs? They would get their own corporate police force. (Watch 'Continum' on the SCI FI channel to see how poorly that could work.)
The Chief should be confirmed by the city council upon appointment by the Mayor, but they should not have the power to fire the top cop. That should stay with the Mayor's office. It would be easier to convince one person to fire a bad chief than nine persons on the council. That would spread out accountability so every councillor could hide.
The Chief should be confirmed by the city council upon appointment by the Mayor, but they should not have the power to fire the top cop. That should stay with the Mayor's office. It would be easier to convince one person to fire a bad chief than nine persons on the council. That would spread out accountability so every councillor could hide.
1 comment:
Thanks for your insight. I now understand it better and will have an educated opinion.
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