City of Ithaca
Chief of Police Search Process
Editorial
NEW INTEREST IN NEW POLICE CHIEF
After Ithaca Police Department Investigator Michael Padula was killed, many viewed his colleagues in a different light. Rather than faceless men and women, they were seen as human beings with tough, emotional jobs.
That same fresh look should be given to the police chief selection process that gears up again tonight. It was less than a month ago—right after Padula’s death—that a scheduled community meeting about IPD’s top job was held. Few had the heart for it. Attendance was poor, and those committed Ithacans who attended could barely go through the motions.
Tonight at the Beverly J. Martin Elementary School, the community will have the chance to gather again, but with a greater sense of purpose. Residents may also have more questions about IPD operations than they did a month ago.
Some potential topics:
- Police department expenditures have been a focus in the ongoing budget battle between Common Council and Mayor Alan Cohen. Some Council members were against funding two drug investigator positions, saying money would be better spent on prevention programs. The new chief’s personal philosophy in crime-fighting and community outreach will be key in future, equally tight budgets.
- Do Ithacans want the new chief to analyze IPD’s policies, training and support systems when it comes to calls involving emotionally disturbed people? The debate about police procedures and the role of mental health experts in the Mike Padula-Deborah Stagg tragedies continues, with no end in sight.
- Campus crime and cooperative efforts with Cornell Public Safety will occupy some of the new chief’s time. This past weekend alone, a female student was held up at gun point between Hollister and Bard halls, and a University Avenue fraternity house was the scene of a robbery attempt, with one of the accused felons wielding a knife. The line between town and gown can blur or cross when it comes to public safety and the relationship between IPD and the university is key. Are there new ways a new chief could address these challenges, while being sensitive to Cornell Public Safety’s jurisdiction?
After it lost Mike Padula, the community embraced the Ithaca Police Department as it never has, offering comfort, support and prayers. We’d like to see some of that passion utilized in the chief selection process. Tonight’s meeting starts at 7:30. Beverly J. Martin Elementary is located at 302 W. Buffalo St.
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