So Olson is better than Charlie Stenvig. In relative terms that is a weak
endorsement for Olson. Anyone who returns phone calls, doesn't appoint
relatives to ghost jobs, and doesn't use a blackjack is better than
Charlie Stenvig.
In is on Olson's watch that we have seen the tremendous public
expenditures on technology and the surpression of political
expression. After the mental health deaths, the public relations fallout
shows that Olson doesn't know how to lead. Surely there are models
elsewhere that he can draw on. This issue and the racial profiling is,
for now, swept under the rug. Do we have to wait for more instances or do
we get some kind of action to correct these problems?
I think that the reappointment process is the appropriate forum to
question Olson's abilities and leadership.
On Fri, 5 Jan 2001, Jenny Heiser wrote:
> Mr. Ferman -- Would you care to expand on your statement about the "innovation to
> MPD - CODEFOR..."? I fear that we must inhabit very different universes.
>
> Jenny Heiser
> Minneapolis
> Ward 6-8
>
> ferma001 wrote:
>
> > Those who find fault with Olson have apparently not read Minneapolis
> > police history. Given the long pull of my memory, I would have to rank
> > Olson as either the first or second best chiefs that MPD has ever had.
> > Anyone remember Charlie Stenvig, for example. Olson has worked to bring
> > innovation to MPD - CODEFOR, for example. It will be interesting to see
> > how McDonald's opposition will play out at the upcoming Minneapolis DFL
> > city endorsing convention.
> >
> > >Council member McDonald stopped by our Kingfield neighborhood board meeting
> > >on Wednesday and announced she would vote against Chief Olson's upcoming
> > >reappointment. She cited the ISAG conference spending as one factor, and
> > >also went into some detail about the police department's failure to produce
> > >a policy to deal with "critical events" such confronting those with mental
> > >health problems.
> > >
> > >I suspect - and I'm only guessing - that McDonald will be in the minority
> > >when the council votes. Does anyone have a reading on the tea leaves - which
> > >council members are and are not supporting Olson?
> > >
> > >If the chief is reappointed, he should become an election issue because
> > >McDonald is running for mayor. I wonder if the pro-ISAG-protester votes
> > >McDonald will pick up will be offset by the conservative law-and-order votes
> > >she might lose by making the Top Cop an issue. (Yes, it's 2001 and time for
> > >political analysis!) Then again, McDonald mentioned that the rank-and-file
> > >cops were upset the administration had not produced the critical events
> > >policy.
> > >
> > >Perhaps she, and others with inside connections to the police department,
> > >could give us more details about the evolution - or lack thereof - of the
> > >critical events policy.
> > >
> > >David Brauer
> > >Kingfield - Ward 10
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Jack Ferman
> > Minneapolis, MN
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
