McManus came onto the scene well after the shooting occurred and the investigation into the incident had taken place. His reality (more than likely) was that it was an unresolved issue which he was responsible for resolving.
There are two seperate issues, that have since McManus' arrival, become three:
1) Did someone "foul-up" causing the unnecessary injury of a police officer?
2) Was the investigation into that event handled appropriately and according to policy?
3) Did Chief McManus act appropriately regarding the temporary suspenson of the officers involved?
With a potential lawsuit looming (over the City), wouldn't you want McManus to know for sure (in the form of an investigation from an appropriate, outside agency) that the MPD had handled the investigation according to policy & procedure. For our council members and legal staff to make a good decision as to whether they expend our funds in the form of a settlement, or they litigate the matter, they MUST have good information in front of them. It isn't Gerwold, Martin, or Carlson that's questioned by the legal staff and city council on this matter, it's the Chief. He damn-well better know the truth. Even if he wasn't around when it happened.
While it's easy to sit here and say it was a malicious, personal attack (on Gerwold) by McManus, it's equally easy to understand HIS position - not knowing the officers involved well-enough to be able to give them the benefit of the doubt and take their word for what happened.
Has Gerwold done a good job in our employ? You bet. She's risen farther in her occupation than most will that have chosen her line of work. In doing so, she has agreed to accept a higher level of public scrutiny than most of her peers. It wasn't too awfully long ago that 2 street officers were accused by a citizen of a very heinous act-sodomy. Both officers were suspended w/ pay while the accusation was investigated-by an outside party. An officer almost lost his life at the hands of another officer. Shouldn't we place the same importance on it? Or, do we just trust that everyone's telling the truth?
As we all know, sometimes it's tougher to do the right thing, then it is to do the easy thing.
Dennis Plante Jordan
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