City of Ithaca
Chief of Police Search Process
Police Chief Selection Misses Public Input
Ithaca's extended process for filling its year-old police chief opening has made the glaciers that shaped the city's landscape seem like hurtling speed demons.
The screening committee for selecting a polcie chief began its efforts last fall by trying to involve a large segment of the community in the process. This effort has been laudible, but apparently a low priority for most city residents.
The response from the community has been underwhelming. Few of Ithaca's 30,000 residents who aren't serving as appointees, employees or in elected office for the city have bothered to help guide the selection process.
Public ennui with humdrum municipal affairs is the cynic's view of the modest community response. A more optimistic view of the matter is that community members are content to delegate employment decisions to those with whom they have entrusted their city's $50-million-a-year operations.
There's some good reason to believe the optimistic view.
At Wednesday's screening committee meeting, a few members tried repeatedly to move the group's deliberations behind closed doors so they could discuss the public's business in private. Efforts to privatize a proceeding that has made such an effort to involve and motivate the public thunders with irony. Fortunately, wiser counsel prevailed.
Alderwomen Diann Sams (D-2nd Ward) and Roey Thorpe (D-5th Ward) advised against a closed-door discussion. Their views held sway.
The alderwomen's efforts on behalf of the public, entirely absent and perhaps unconcerned with the meeting, are noted and appreciated.
Seeing elected leaders do the right thing on behalf of the public's interest, even when the public is so obviously disinterested, is the gold standard for public service. Their efforts make it easier to understand why the public could feel confident that its elected leaders are capable of making a decision on hiring the city's next police chief without extended public ado.
The Ithaca Journal
February 14, 1997
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