I think the discussion below is important becuase it highlight how polarized the community is on police issues. Many council members are said to be so set on an insider that they're willing to block any appoinment that isn't favorable to their position. This is probably how many of the constituent of those wards feel as well.
I'm not really excited about any of the five police cheif candidattes, but given my own views about Minneapolis police in general, McManus does stand out. He's shown that he's willing to stick it to the police federation and that's good for a million high marks. I could live with his appointment. For those who've been set on an MPD insider, CM Barbara Johnson (who is said to strongly favor an insider) unintentionally made the best case for NOT hiring from within the department. Her statement (as reported in the Star Tribune) was "I'm not sure that the departments need that much reform." Presumably, this would be the attitude of an MPD insider like Lubinsky or Gerold. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, we tried having an MPD insider as police chief recently (John Laux) and it only made the department worse, more brutal, more incompitent. Not even Walt Dzeidic would have voted for his reapointment. That Laux was recently quoted as favoring one of these two candidates (Lublinsky or Gerold) tells me volumes wbout why they should NOT be police chief. RT did something right by choosing reform over two possibilities that might have repeated the era of John Laux. Tamir Nolley Holland Peter T. Schmitz wrote: > WM: We would not be hiring either Gerold or Lubinski >just because she's >a woman, but because, as women, they have a different >perspective, one >that cannot be gained easily as a male, if at all. >Lubinski, >particularly, has a different perspective as a member >of a minority >group. They have a myriad of other qualifications as >well. >PS: A unique female perspective, while important, >did not prevent >Gerold's participation in shameful Hard Times Cafe >fiasco. Nor has >Lubinski's minority group membership and high rank >within the police >force made her colleagues any less violent and >racist. >If citizens of Minneapolis are serious about building >trust between >racial minority groups and the police department, >then the new Police >Chief has to come from the outside. >William McManus, the Mayor's choice, appears to have >a proven track >record in earning the trust and respect of civilians >who've been >traditionally abused and underserved by police >officers. Evidently, he's >not afraid to ruffle the feathers of the rank and >file and clean house. >Not only would racial minorities win, but those of us >who are tired of >having our tax dollars spent on law suit settlements. >The "devil we know", as WM puts it, is dividing >whites and racial >minorities in Minneapolis. Now that the Mayor is >finally doing the right >thing by responding appropriately to pressure from >the black community, >let's support him. It's not like he's going to get >much political >capital for it given his big fundraiser blunder.------ __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New Yahoo! Photos - easier uploading and sharing. http://photos.yahoo.com/ REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
