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Monday, December 14, 2009

Search for St. Paul police chief expected to skew local

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posted by Bob at Monday, December 14, 2009

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Anonymous Pioneer Press said...

Observers expect Harrington to be replaced by insider
By Dave Orrick and Mara H. Gottfried
Pioneer Press
Updated: 12/10/2009 09:50:04 PM CST


St. Paul's next police chief may already be in the city.

Several elected officials said Thursday, the day after Chief John Harrington said he would not seek another six-year term, that they expect front-runners will be internal St. Paul police candidates — a sign of their general pride and satisfaction with the department.

The city's human resources department will advertise the position in national publications, but Kathy Lantry, president of the St. Paul City Council, said she doesn't expect a national search firm to be hired.

Names of contenders that have been bandied around City Hall include Assistant Chief Thomas Smith, Senior Cmdr. Colleen Luna, Senior Cmdr. Bill Martinez and Cmdr. Todd Axtell.

Smith, Luna and Axtell said Thursday they are interested in the job, and Martinez said he is thinking about it. In the last chief selection process, Luna was a finalist and Martinez was in the running.

Selecting the next chief will be a multi-step process laid out by the City Charter.

A committee — currently slated to include 22 people representing an array of ethnicities and interests — will vet applicants and recommend five to Mayor Chris Coleman, who will pick one. The city council must ratify Coleman's appointment.

Harrington's statement didn't come as a surprise to people who have paid attention to his tenure.

"I said from almost the beginning that I didn't think I would be a two-term chief," Harrington said Thursday.

Harrington, who became a St. Paul police officer in 1977, said it's a good time for him to go: The city's crime statistics are among the lowest he's seen in his career, the department's budget is not in crisis, there will be almost 90 more officers when he leaves than when he became chief, and "people in the department are ready to step up" and become chief, he said.

Coleman's goal is to have a new chief hired by late June, ensuring no need for an interim after Harrington's term ends June 30.

"The mayor is looking for the same things in a new chief that he is in all of his appointees — an innovative leader who can bring new thinking and strong management to the department," said Bob Hume, Coleman's spokesman. The 2010 salary range for the next police chief is $108,553 to $147,867.

The process will formally begin at Wednesday's city council meeting with the introduction of an ordinance naming the 22-member panel, currently slated to be co-chaired by City Attorney John Choi and Denise Harris, a longtime resident active in several realms, including the city's African-American community. Choi unofficially oversaw a years-long process to revamp the city's minority-contracting and human rights practices.

7:24 AM  
Anonymous story continued said...

Because the panel will be formed by ordinance, the soonest it can be official is Jan. 13, after four council meetings and at least one public hearing. The panel won't be able to take any action until 30 days after that.

Credibility among non-whites is a critical qualification for a police chief in any major city, and St. Paul is no exception. The panel, formally named the Police Chief Examining Committee, includes prominent members of the black, Latino, Hmong, Somali and American Indian communities. The panel includes white activists, a leader of the gay community, business leaders and representatives of the police union.

But that doesn't mean the next chief can't be white, several officials emphasized. Harrington is St. Paul's second black police chief, and when he retires, the city will have had a black police chief for the past 18 years.

"I think the last 18 years, those chiefs just happened to be of color," Lantry said. "Do I think it plays a role? I'd be lying if I said it didn't matter."

Gilbert de la O, a longtime community organizer on St. Paul's West Side who is slated to be appointed to the panel, said he would be looking for the most qualified person and, if he or she turned out to be a person of color, that would be a plus.

Council member Melvin Carter III, the only non-white on the council, said it's not so much the color of the next chief's skin as his or her attitude.

"There's always a concern that someone may service one area and police another," Carter said. "I think what we need is a police chief who will be very responsible to all our residents, with an emphasis on customer service."

St. Paul Police Federation president Dave Titus said he hopes the next police chief is someone "who the troops respect and has defined goals."

Council member Dan Bostrom, a former St. Paul cop considered by many to champion the department's needs on the council, said a chief needs more than just a positive image and management skills.

"Two of the major things in law enforcement, whether it's hiring a patrolman or a chief, is integrity and character," Bostrom said. "They need to be well-grounded and intent on doing the right thing — even when no one's looking."

Bostrom's son, Assistant Chief Matt Bostrom, would have been considered a likely candidate if he had been interested. Matt Bostrom is challenging Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher for his job next year.

Harrington, 53, said he's not certain what's next for him.

"I've always assumed I'd go find someplace to teach," said Harrington, who has continued to teach at Metropolitan State University while serving as chief. He has taken Hmong language classes and said he would like to resume those studies. Harrington said he would also love to do research on crime and law enforcement.

Dave Orrick can be reached at 651-292-1159 or dorrick@pioneerpress.com. Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262 or mgottfried@pioneerpress.com.

ONLINE

To see a list of Police Chief Examining Committee members and minimum qualifications for the police chief, both of which require city council approval, go to CityHallScoop.com.

Cmdr. Todd Axtell

Senior Cmdr. Colleen Luna

Senior Cmdr. Bill Martinez

Assistant Chief Thomas Smith

7:24 AM  

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