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Monday, July 02, 2007

Chief Harrington Praised

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posted by Bob at Monday, July 02, 2007

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St. Paul / Halfway into term, top cop praised
But one critic calls Harrington too quick to back his officers
BY MARA H. GOTTFRIED
Pioneer Press
Article Last Updated: 06/30/2007 11:15:14 PM CDT


In terms of public safety, the numbers in St. Paul have been moving in the right direction since John Harrington became police chief three years ago: crime is down, and there are more cops.

Still, the man nicknamed "The Professor" isn't giving himself straight A's at the halfway mark of his six-year term.

"I'm a tough grader, so it's hard to be the person that has to grade your own paper," Harrington said recently. "Overall, I would say it's a solid B."

Harrington, sworn in as chief July 1, 2004, has his detractors, but he generally enjoys wide support - community leaders embrace him, the police union's leadership respects him and the mayor appreciates his service.

"It's really difficult to follow a chief like Bill Finney who's so popular and long-serving (12 years), but the chief stepped right into it and has done a lot of great community outreach and provided visible leadership in the community," Mayor Chris Coleman said.

Though many praise Harrington for his connection to the community and his commitment to community policing, the president of St. Paul's NAACP chapter sees it differently. Nathaniel Khaliq said community relations have suffered under Harrington's watch.

While the police union and Finney often clashed, Harrington and the St. Paul Police Federation appear to have a closer relationship. Too close, Khaliq thinks: He says Harrington protects his cops at any cost.

"I think he's a very intelligent individual who knows police work inside and out, but saying that, I've been somewhat disappointed in his leadership," Khaliq said. "We are seeing a certain arrogance of power and nastiness on the part of some officers because it seems like they know the chief's got their back."

Not so, Harrington and others said.

Gilbert de la O, community liaison at Neighborhood House on the city's West Side, said he believes if a police officer has done wrong, Harrington "is ready to deal with it."

"I don't think John's putting anything under the proverbial rug," he said.

"All he (Khaliq) has to do is look at my grievance load to know that's not true," said Dave Titus, St. Paul Police Federation president. He also thinks Harrington has not had the financial resources to fully carry out his vision for the department.

"Harrington has a very good and creative mind, but he's being forced to make shortcuts and Band-Aid fixes," Titus said. "This, many times, causes internal strife, to some degree."

The Last Three Years, The Three To Come / Overall, major crime has fallen almost 6 percent in St. Paul from 2004 to 2006, according to FBI statistics, and crime continues to fall this year, a police spokesman said. The department's authorized strength is 20 more officers now than it was in 2004.

But Harrington doesn't just count his successes in terms of statistics. Among his other highlights, he includes:


Separating family violence investigators from the homicide unit and putting them in their own unit. He credits the increased focus for a sharp decline in domestic violence calls.

Creating a gang unit, with a division to focus on guns.

Beefing up cops on the streets in summer by requiring nonpatrol officers to work a patrol shift each month.

Partnering with downtown businesses to share information captured on surveillance cameras, and moving forward with plans to get cameras on University Avenue by the end of the year.

Expanding the Police Athletic League to the entire city.

Helping to get the nonprofit St. Paul Police Foundation off the ground.

Launching Operation CARE (Comprehensive Area Reclamation Enterprise) to focus on hot spots in a number of neighborhoods, Operation Shamrock to cut down on open-air drug dealing at downtown bus stops, and Operation Homeless Outreach.
The next big project for the department is continuing to plan for the Republican National Convention, which is coming to town in 2008. Beyond that, Harrington said much of the rest of his term will be directed by goals he expects to set based on an outside, comprehensive assessment of the department, which should be completed in about six months.

"We want to answer the questions: Are we across the board doing things that would be described as best practices? Are we still at the cutting edge of policing? As you go forward toward 2010, where does the work need to be done?" Harrington said.

Abuse Allegations Weighed / Critics like Khaliq, though, look back - not forward - for the defining moment of Harrington's career.

After a St. Paul officer arrested an 85-year-old man, Leon Nins, during a traffic stop in 2004, the NAACP and other community groups complained publicly that officer Michael Lee used excessive force against Nins. Police said Nins spat at, kicked and injured Lee.

Four outside agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, cleared Lee of all wrongdoing, Harrington said. Nins has sued the city.

Nins is black, and Lee is white and was involved in a high-profile 2001 shooting death of a black man.

"Here you had an officer with a clouded history and a World War II veteran with an impeccable record, and the chief didn't even give Nins the benefit of the doubt," Khaliq said.

Harrington said the NAACP asked him to discipline Lee before an investigation had been done, which he wouldn't agree to.

"Our mission is to make sure that justice is given, and to jump to conclusions without facts I don't think serves the purpose of justice," Harrington said.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Sgt. Jon Loretz.

Harrington put Loretz on paid leave from the department nearly a year and a half ago to investigate complaints that Loretz abused his authority and to assess whether he's fit to serve. The department has not resolved either issue, and Harrington said he can't comment on pending personnel issues.

Loretz has contended he is being punished for blowing the whistle on after-hours drinking at a police station, a charge the department denies. Harrington disciplined more than 20 officers in 2006 for the drinking issue.

"He should have been recognized for that, not demeaned and ostracized," Khaliq said.

In the black community, opinions on Harrington's time as chief are varied.

"I'm a person who says three years into it I think we made a good choice," said the Rev. Darryl Spence, African American Leadership Council vice chairman and God Squad coordinator. "John Harrington was a good choice. My point of view is we're blessed to have him."

Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at mgottfried@pioneerpress.com.

or 651-228-5262.

11:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm very impressed by Chief Harrington personally, but not have lost interest in the city.

8:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've seen both Nathaniel Khaliq and Chief Harrington in action.

Mr Khaliq is a very careful man, and he is usually right, and I expect him to be so in this case.

Chief Harrington is a better man than the City of St Paul deserves.

What is happening is Chief Harrington is being bent by a corrosive culture in St. Paul's government, that puts all priority and support on fellow employees, regardless of damage done elsewhere.

2:03 PM  

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