Work Session
The Work Session was the last item on the Council’s regular session agenda intended to initiate the process of selecting a new police. Ray Griffin appears to have taken a different direction for selecting a new police chief. Since the retired police chief did not designate a subordinate worthy enough to be the new chief the task of selecting a new chief fell to the City Manager. Mr. Griffin has contracted the City to engage The Management and Personnel Services Group (MAPS) of Cary to assist in assessing candidates for the new chief. Becky Veazey, president of MAPS was introduced to the Council. (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rebecca-becky-veazey/3b/a17/65a) Ms. Veazey explained the purpose of her involvement in assessing police chief candidates is to gather relevant information of an individual’s capabilities to perform the job of police chief. (refer to pg 156 of the council’s agenda) Mr. Griffin and the Council will make the decision to hire candidate X or candidate Y. As I understand the process, Ms. Veazey will only facilitate the selection process, a process similar to one I have used assess a business’s controls to mitigate business risks. Following Ms. Veazey’s explanation of the process, she formed the Council and Mayor into a focus group. The intent of the focus group was to brainstorm the knowledge skills the Council and Mayor want in the next chief. Using to two large blank flip charts, each on its own easel facing the council, Ms Veazey and her assistant listed the ‘focus groups’ ideas in answer to this question: what knowledge skills do you want in your next chief? Below is what I wrote it; may not be the exact words on the flip charts.
- Well versed in law enforcement (those in the Peanut Gallery looked at each other and wondered why that wasn’t obvious)
- Work well with community
- A people person
- Management skills and ability to recognize the skills of his staff. Works with individuals to develop their individual needs. Recognizes staff development
- Training and skills with dealing with all people. Sensitivity
- Dealing with lower income people.
- Someone who can show enforcement and show empathy
- Keeps the citizens informed when they need to be informed.
- Budget – asset management of a large department
- A person who does not hold a grudge. Disagree and maintain relationship.
- Open door policy
- Good moral character
- Team player, collaborative partnership
- Able to extrovert effectively.
- Good listener
- Be a part of the community
- Be strong and able to smile. Not whippy. Friendly command presence.
- Firm hand shake
The next step in this process was to rank the top five attributes from this list. Each council member and the mayor were given a marker and asked to pick their individual top five attributes. Ms. Veazey then summarized the top five attributes based on the number of marks each of the attributes. The top five were:
- Well versed in law enforcement
- Works well with community
- Connects with community and becomes part of community
- Friendly command of presence smiles People person
- Dealing and sensitive to low income community
Before the brain storming Ms. Coffey and Mr. Deake asked some pointed questions about the whole process. Mr. Deake asked how Mr. Griffin had determined the stakeholders in this decision. Mr. Griffin gave a vague answer to Mr. Deake’s question adding the paper printed a good news article regarding Tuesday night’s meeting. Ms. Coffey specifically asked who Mr. Griffin had contacted to attend Tuesday night’s public meeting. Mr. Griffin hedged his answer saying he had sent 47 invitations and received seven or eight regrets. He didn’t know who had responded with intentions to attend. Not a satisfactory answer to Ms. Coffey’s pointed question.
For readers of HomeInHenderson, if you have an interest in participating in selecting the new police chief you need to plan to attend the public meeting tonight at the City Council Chambers. This is your time to voice what you expect of the new police chief.